We don't get many carolers around here for whatever reason but one group of carolers I saw had carolers wearing "cowboy" hats, hajibs, yarmulkes, even a turbaned Sikh. I have to say that I loved seeing that. It made me believe that Christmas really is a magic time of peace and goodwill toward all.
But it is
Christmas that you celebrate as a time of peace and goodwill, which is the point I was making. I am just tired of all those who think we shouldn't use that name because someone who isn't Christian might be offended.
And, I don't make my point as a Christian, as I am not. I went with Deism decades ago. However, I believe there was a person named Jesus Christ who preached many wise and good things about how we should all get along and, if Christians have always had a celebration that includes his name, we should stick with it.
No one is asking other religions to change the names of their observances to something more politically correct.
As a "Preacher's Spouse" I have a somewhat different kind of Christmas. We will make additional gifts to the homeless shelter, help serve a meal at the AIDS hospice, pack holiday baskets at the church food pantry, buy gifts for the underprivileged children on the church giving tree, take our Syrian refugee family shopping, shop for family and friends on the internet, attend several holiday parties including one at the synagogue, seasonal symphony concerts and theatrical productions, and the normal 50 hours a week in church related activities becomes more like 60 or 70.
Both of us will have sore throats; mine from all the choir rehearsals and performances, her's from all the sermons preached and prayers prayed at special services; I will be worn out from all the housework she is too busy working on her sermons to help with.
Thank heaven we have two months after Christmas to get ready for the REAL Christian celebration of Lent culminating in Easter.
You and your wife have good reason to be tired. I'm currently working on a political campaign to help pensionless surviving spouses. Maybe when that's done I should start a movement to have Christmas celebrated in November so that you get three months rest.
