BY MATT LECH
Columnist
Christmas is weeks away and, as ever, the holidays are targeted for social criticism.
It usually starts around Thanksgiving. Any reasonable person would agree that what has been done to Native Americans in our history is despicable. It would be instructive to teach children about this unfortunate aspect of American history, but instead we teach them about cartoon Puritans with belts around their heads.
But I’m not much interested in historical revisionism, however important, when I’m pouring gravy over my mashed potatoes. Thanksgiving dinner, at least how my family celebrates it, is not a tacit approval of what colonists did in colonial times. We’re adults; let’s learn these important lessons without throwing the baby out with the bathwater or the turkey out with the assault on culture.
Christmas is where this hits fever pitch. Certain Christians can’t stand how the festivities entail anything other than Baby Jesus worship. Certain non-religious people view it as a yearly crusade and existential threat to the separation of church and state. Still others see it as a feral display of consumerism.
Whether any of these people have a point is, well, beside the point. If a social cause attempts to make me feel guilt for being festive, it will fail miserably. There are more important things to worry about than symbolism assigned to Christmas trees.
I won’t contemplate whether I say “Merry Christmas†or “Happy Holidays.†If I say “Merry Christmas,†I’m not declaring myself saved by Jesus or the existence of God. If I say “Happy Holidays,†I’m not declaring the death of God or calling religion a poisonous delusion. I’m not making a metaphysical statement at all; I’m just being nice.
As for the consumerism: sure, an embarrassing amount of unnecessary junk gifted around this time of year and this sort of hyper-consumerism is almost certainly harmful to the world at large. That doesn’t make me want a Kindle any less. Self-flagellation doesn’t feed the hungry.
We don’t make progress by turning rituals into ritualistic shame festivals. If you want to speak out against oppression, further your religion (or lack thereof), or bring capitalism to it’s knees, go for it. But don’t mistake a mistletoe for the Alamo.
Lech can be reached at lechma@mnstate.edu
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