Christmas Craze
As I write this, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but the Christmas Craze has already begun. The stores are decorated for the Yule Season, Christmas sales are advertised in the paper and on TV, with prices cut to the bone before the holidays instead of after and grocery stores advise us to order our holiday bird early. I haven’t heard any Christmas music yet, thank heaven, but I’m sure that’s coming the day after Thanksgiving, if not before.
By the time December 25 rolls around, most of us are already tired of the whole Christmas hoopla. What used to be a religious holiday has become a frenetic race to see who can buy more, decorate more, and party more. Even with the tight economy, folks are out there maxing out their plastic as if there is no tomorrow.
I wondered how people in other countries celebrated Christmas. I wanted to find out if this Christmas craziness was just an American aberration. Coming to the US as children, my brother and I knew nothing about Santa Claus. When we heard about it at school, we thought—okay, there’s a man with a long white beard wearing a red suit? He comes down the chimney carrying a large bag and leaves presents under the tree? Yeah, right!
Henry Huber, who was born in Switzerland, said his grandfather would decorate the tree behind closed doors the night before Christmas . When it was the right time, the door would be opened and all the children would ooh and ahh over the tree decorated with ornaments and candles. There would be one present for each child and a delicious dinner to follow. The rest of the day would be spent quietly at home retelling the Christmas Story.
With her musical Jamaican lilt, Donna Blissett, said Christmas in Jamaica is very much influenced by the English since her place of birth was an English possession for many years. The children believe in Santa Claus and most people have a Christmas Tree. On December 26, they celebrate Boxing Day like the people in the UK. This holiday goes back to the Middle Ages, when boxes were placed outside churches to collect money. It is also the feast day of St. Stephen. A different legend claims Boxing Day started when peasants would come to the homes of the wealthy to be given food packed in boxes. Maybe both legends are correct.
Alexandra Barbot, an author and artist artist from Haiti now living in Miami, said what she remembers most about her childhood Christmases were the beautiful paper houses made with silk windows that would be placed in the windows of the homes. The little houses were lit with candles and people would pass by to admire them, much like we drive around and enjoy looking at the Christmas lights. The rest of the holiday would be quiet and mostly religious in tone.
Angie Vlahos remembers the excitement of going up the Greek mountains with her family to cut down a tree to take it home and decorate with candles. Some small gifts would be under the tree, but St Nicholas, not Santa Claus, brought the gifts. On January 1st, St. Basil’s feast day, children would get coins. Angie’s mother baked a special Christmas Bread topped with walnuts. Going to church was very much part of the Christmas celebration.
At the Children’s Book Festival, I met a young woman from France. Her description of Christmas was more like the ones we celebrate today. The French put up a tree and decorate their homes Children look forward to presents from Santa Clause and many presents are exchanged with family and friends. Sorry to say, she got away in the crowd before I could get her name.
Since all comments, except from the French lady, are childhood memories, I have to deduce that those nice quiet Christmases are all past. Technology is spreading the Christmas craziness to the whole world. Madison Avenue advertising may have started it, we Americans, gullible that we are, bought into it, and movies, TV, and computers are spreading it.
There is no way to stem the tide and go back to the “ good old days” , therefore, we may as well join in. I think I’ll go to the mall and see what’s on sale. Maybe I can stimulate the lagging economy.
See the original article HERE
December 20th, 2010
