I was listening to the news on 9 tonight, and they had this pathetically sweet segment, about kids raising funds to get Christmas toys for kids in Iraq. SHUT UP!
Talk about taking Christmas sentimentality to extremes! Those kids are mostly Muslim kids who live there. They do not allow the celebration of Christmas in Muslim dominated lands - Iraq was one exception under Saddam. But what is this sentimental crap? Is it an attempt to proselytize? No, it's just so damned mushy-smushy - "Oh! Kids can't be without presents for Christmas!" Even when they don't celebrate it or believe in it.
This is one of the most annoying things about this season - that sentimentality decreeing everyone must be Christmassy and get presents. Why is this such a sentimental season? And why is generosity mostly limited to this season?
Talk about taking Christmas sentimentality to extremes! Those kids are mostly Muslim kids who live there. They do not allow the celebration of Christmas in Muslim dominated lands - Iraq was one exception under Saddam. But what is this sentimental crap? Is it an attempt to proselytize? No, it's just so damned mushy-smushy - "Oh! Kids can't be without presents for Christmas!" Even when they don't celebrate it or believe in it.
This is one of the most annoying things about this season - that sentimentality decreeing everyone must be Christmassy and get presents. Why is this such a sentimental season? And why is generosity mostly limited to this season?
The big problem in American Christmas is that it is more or less all about materialism - gifts, gifts, and more gifts.
I wonder if it would be more in keeping with the Christmas spirit to help children (and adults) understand another culture, such as Islam, and to respect their beliefs and lifestyle. In the end, it may help Christians to better appreciate Christian values and the real meaning of Christmas. Material things are not the end all of happiness, neither are contemporary American values.
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