Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Quote of the moment

"A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together." - Garrison Keillor


That is precisely why I dislike it so much.

I keep my home secular and xmas-free for the same reason you batten down the hatches against a storm. I shudder at the idea of an xmas party at work for the same reason you'd shudder if your boss said "I have an idea! Let's all go outside and frolic in the thunderstorm!" I hate early arrival of xmas shit in stores for the same reason you'd hate having the stores overrun with umbrellas and raincoats in anticipation of a storm coming next week when all you really need is a sunhat for the sunny day forecast tomorrow. I hate xmas music for the same reason you'd hate the song "Singing in the Rain" if it was played in all public space whenever there are raindrops in the forecast.

If xmas were just this thing that happened organically, I wouldn't care. But it's so fucking in your face all the time, it just make sme want some peace and quiet.

8 comments:

Annye said...

Amen!!

Except, not.

I agree with you though -- Christmas is just... neccessary. Is it even fun anymore?

Out of curiosity, what do your kids thinks about your not celebrating Christmas? Are they upset that they don't get visited by Santa? I would think they would be, but then, I don't know anything about kids.

impudent strumpet said...

I'm childfree, so it's not an issue.

Anonymous said...

LOL.

Christmas is not compulsory. Neither is a thunderstorm, for that matter.

impudent strumpet said...

I think a thunderstorm is compulsory if it's happening where you are. At least I don't know how to opt out of one.

Anonymous said...

I think a thunderstorm is compulsory if it's happening where you are. At least I don't know how to opt out of one.

You are able to opt out of Christmas, at least within your home.

You can do the same with a thunderstorm. Pull the shade and turn up the stereo or TV or iPod, etc., and the storm will be over soon enough.

Lone Primate said...

I guess it takes all kinds to make a world. I'm not really religious myself, but I do like how Christmas tends to deepen into a warm, quiet period (I'm speaking subjectively here, of course) at the very death of the year and the biology of the world all around us, at least in these latitudes. It's a bright spot of civility and I tend to enjoy it in a romantic sense. But I suppose if it had a huge religious import in one's youth, and that religiosity was burdensome in later life, it would naturally colour one's views of the holiday. I think that's unfortunate. I wish you could find some joy in the season rather than dreading it.

laura k said...

Me too me too me too. I loathe all the xmas crap and I can't wait until it's over. It is much lower key in Canada than the US - it also starts much earlier there - so that's been a relief to me.

Nice post, thank you.

impudent strumpet said...

I wish you could find some joy in the season rather than dreading it.

That's another thing I find strange. There's all kinds of things I don't enjoy (football, pornography, cantaloupe, etc.), but xmas is the only thing where people try to convince me to like it or go "Oh, it's too bad you don't like it" or feel like I'm missing out on something.