Monday, December 15, 2008

Don't celebrate the HOLIDAY if you don't believe there was a HOLY DAY!


OK, I have simmered down enough to write this. The other day I was in the office of my daughter's school and the principal was talking to the secretary about which books were approved for volunteers to read aloud to the kids at the school. He said ( I am not going to put it in quotes, for I don't remember EXACTLY what he said.) that we only want the volunteers to read the books that focus on the HOLIDAY of Christmas, not the HOLY DAY of Christmas. He said that the books about Santa and parties are fine, but we don't want any about the birth of Jesus. I was standing there and I paused, and thought, " Don't do it Anne." But I had to. I said, " But Dr. So and So, if there was no HOLY DAY, there would be no HOLIDAY." He said, " Oh, I don't want to get into that with you." Now, keep in mind that this man is CATHOLIC. But of course, he has to abide by the rules of the St. John's County school system. I wanted to throw up. I have over the years watched good Jewish friends observe Hanukkah and not observe Christmas and I have thanked them. I have said, " Thank you for honoring your beliefs and not cheapening mine." Then I have had Jewish friends who are married to Christians who do both- that's OK, I guess, but when people who are ATHEISTS or who do not believe that Jesus is the son of God give presents on his day, it just makes me furious. I don't celebrate Hanukkah, because I am not Jewish. I don't celebrate Ramadan because I am not Islamic. I don't celebrate Kwanzaa because I am not an African American. While I respect these people and understand why these people celebrate these days, I do not celebrate them, because it is not my RIGHT to celebrate them. I would never cheapen someone else's religion by celebrating their holidays just so I could feast for seven days or open eight nights of presents or whatever. So, if you are celebrating Santa but don't believe in Jesus, pick another holiday or go investigate the manger. You might find that the HOLY DAY is a whole lot more life changing than the HOLIDAY. :)