The Decline in Christmas
Well, it looks like Bill O’Reilly may have been correct for the Republicans regarding Christmas, if there isn’t a burst of buying on Boxing Day [the feast of Saint Stephen] this will be a Grinch of a Christmas for big GOP contributors.
The war, deficits, unemployment, maxed out credit cards, no bonuses, and no raises have taken their toll on the consumers and Americans aren’t descending into a massive enough debt to maintain profits for corporations.
Actually, it would help if the complainers would meet a few people who don’t live in their self-contained little gated communities. I’m not suggesting they meet with non-Christians, Heaven forefend, but with Christians that worship in other churches than their own.
Among the Christians I personally know, some exchange gifts on the feast of Saint Nicholas [December 6], others on the feast of the Epiphany [January 6th, which some call the feast of the Three Kings]. My Orthodox Christian friends will be celebrating Christmas on January 7th on the Gregorian calendar.
I know a few Christians who consider any link of Christmas with any commercial or government entity to be blasphemy, and others who consider Christmas to be a pagan rite with no connection to their faith.
A small suggestion for Mr. O’Reilly and Faux News lemmings: first get Christians to agree on what and when Christmas is, before you start complaining about the perceived attitudes of those not directly involved with it.
