Christmas for All (or Fear Instead of Faith)

Christmas All The Time - Tom Cochrane

Ah, Christmas is upon us once again. And it doesn't much feel like Christmas. The stores are busy but not insane. People seem to be more courteous and stress-free than I have experienced in the past. Thoughts sometimes randomly come to my head and make me smile or chuckle and when I am alone driving in the vehicle and pass another motorist I often noticing them smile back at me. Little do they know it was probably a dirty thought on my part...lol! I got someone else to smile at me and I spread some joy around. The intent (or lack of) is not important. But I digress, back to Christmas... 

Random acts of kindness. In the aftermath of the tragic events that took place in Connecticut where innocent school children (age 6 and 7) were brutally slain along with several adults, the general focus has been on being kind to one another. Social media is championing a kindness pledge for people to do one random act of kindness for everyone of he 26 killed that day. Although, as a sidebar, they do forget to count the gunman and his mother in that tally of death. Regardless of our own feelings towards them, they too were loved and will be missed. The whole idea being kind is wonderful but sad in that it takes a tragedy to remind us that it should be a lifestyle not a special commemorative occasion. 

Perhaps though it is the idea that so many children will be missing out on the magic of Christmas. As a parent my heart ached for the families that on top of everything else will likely have an assortment of gifts that they bought for their children that they must deal with. To lose a child at any time is heartbreaking no doubt, but at the most celebrated family occasion, it would be so much more intense. I can't even imagine. Maybe it is a sad topic of discussion at this joyous time, but it is a reality for many. Even myself having lost my last family member nearly 30 years ago, it still aches to hear every one talk about family get-togethers at this time of year. Had I the financial means, I think I would adopt a family or person and have them over for a Christmas Day celebration of love and kindness. It was done for me by friends and it made the holiday so much more special. 

Back to random kindness, I want to give a personal shout out to a corporation that has exemplified this notion on a national level. Tim Hortons coffee shops have decided to spread a little holiday cheer by gifting a free order to random customers. This is above and beyond their participation in the annual Random Act of Kindness week held in February each year. 

It's a wonderful idea but it really should be a life choice that can begin with a designated week or aftermath of tragedy but become a daily life decision. Kindness toward fellow man because we all deserve respect regardless of age or gender etc. Holding a door, sharing change to help the shopper ahead of us, smiling at one another, using manners and being polite. Just imagine if everyone you encountered in your day practiced good manners....what a different world we would live in. No asshole to ding your car, take two spots in the parking lot, cut in front of you on the busy roads, butt in line in front of you, take their frustrations out on you. Heaven on earth indeed.

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The spirit of Christmas is about goodwill and peace and love. It is a time we think about all the people in our lives that are important to us and find some small token to show our appreciation. Okay, the size of the token is relevant to the size of our bank account and significance of the person in question. Our children may be more amply rewarded than the newspaper carrier. 

Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth - David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Looking up to the Heavens and wishing my family MERRY CHRISTMAS! Mom loved this song <3

Christmas is a time for personal reflection, a time to renew hope and cherish the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. A time to visit those who we haven't had time for in the frantic bustle of our daily lives and to give. It is one of the most charitable times of the year. Marked in a deep tradition that may have been sparked by religious beliefs it is so much more now. 

The commercialization of Christmas is only one part that leaves people feeling a bit sour. It's big business that many enterprises count on to sustain their meager existence throughout the rest of the year. Consider the floundering postal system. With the popularization of social media, the internet and e-mail the post office is in big financial trouble. Except for all the on-line shoppers that must get their packages delivered some how. This is the busiest time of the year despite the lack of Christmas cards that are dropped in the mailbox.

I applaud the Canadian government and Treasury Board President, Tony Clement for lifting the ban that prohibited Christmas related cards and decorations in Federal offices. Political correctedness be damned, it is Christmas. For too long this country has bowed to the demands of people who are coming to this country with visions of a better life and then deciding that what they really want is what they left but without the fear of personal persecution. And now I and other Canadians citizens are being persecuted for our long-held beliefs. It's wrong. I thank my Government for finally taking a stand and protecting my right too. I hope it sticks long-term and the sentiment spreads. 

How dare they? lol! :)

Of course, there has to be one that seeks his proverbial 15 minutes of fame at great expense to the tax-payer. This year, this shameful cad comes to us from 

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Some person is taking the City of Saskatoon to the Civil Rights Commission because the city transit is displaying the message "Merry Christmas" on its location banner. To their credit the city has not removed the message and given in to this idiotic complaint. What a waste of tax dollars. Don't like the bus. Take a taxi, walk or leave the country. I for one will not be forced to celebrate my religious and cultural freedoms in shame and secrecy to appease you. We may do well by him to have his psychiatrically assessed for his belief is that the Christmas message make him feel like he needs to convert to Christianity to be considered a first-class citizen. You get that from Merry Christmas? Really? It is interesting to note that he speaks with pluralised pronouns to give the impression he is not alone in his thoughts. Do real or imaginary co-horts agree with him? I will not mention his name because I really don't feel he is entitled to any more recognition. I don't know what ethnicity he is a part of or what religion (if any) he practices. Nor do I care. I call myself a Canadian because I am a proud citizen of this country. My background is European - Italian. This country prides itself in it's acceptance of cultures from around the globe. But we have to draw the line somewhere.

Many people choose to emigrate to Canada because we enjoy freedom of religion. The right to practice the religion of your choice. Not the freedom FROM religion. By stopping me from saying Merry Christmas because it offends you, is a disrespect for my rights and freedoms. For as long as Canada has been populated Christmas has been celebrated here. Don't like it...see ya. Go back to where you came from, since I assume no one says Merry Christmas there! You do have the freedom to leave. God bless Canada!

This is where you come back to the idea of the Christmas Spirit and spreading kindness and goodwill. The fact of the matter is that in this country we celebrate Christmas or at least the notion of the Christmas season. You can protest all you want but it is not likely to change. Two cashiers at the counter, one wishes a Merry Christmas, the other Happy Holidays. They both mean the same thing...every ka-ching sings Merry Christmas! If you take advantage of the day off work because Christmas is a statutory holiday, or if you accept time and a half holiday pay and still turn your nose up as I wish you a Merry Christmas you are a hypocrite. And the same goes if you take advantage of any seasonal commercial sale including Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Boxing Day sales. You are supporting Christmas and all it has to offer. As a Canadian citizen or citizen of this country you are entitled to all the benefits of the holiday just like Canada Day and the other Christian public paid holiday Easters' Good Friday. The same cannot be said for me when you want to take off work for your lesser known and not nationally celebrated holidays like Diwali or Rosh Hashana. So as a non-Christian you get more paid working days off than I do. What exactly is your complaint? Christian and non-Christian schools all reap the benefits of the Christian celebration of Christmas. Maybe you want to stay in school and/or work while the rest of the Canadians celebrate?  

When will it stop? First we are forced to abandon the Christmas tree for the holiday tree, then be damned if we utter the words Merry Christmas. God is taken out of the schools along with all prayer in favour of semi-automatic weapons and guards and locked doors. We live in fear instead of faith. 

If we don't stand up to this nonsense now, we will open the doors to the protests from the perpetual bachelors who are offended by Fathers Day. The aegist who fire off protests to the Government for reminding us of that arbitrary number society calls our living age on our drivers license. And then remind us of our mortality when at 65 they send us monthly cheques. And the life insurance company that sends a birthday card every year bringing tears to our eyes. It's offensive I tell ya! 

This madness must stop! And I am speaking of the hatred directed at the Christians who want to shout out...

MERRY CHRISTMAS! GOD BLESS US EVERYONE!

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1090911/-this-one-s-on-us-tim-hortons-spreads-holiday-cheer-with-random-cups-of-kindness

http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/

Merry Christmas, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, Kellemes Karacsonyi, Joyeux Noël, Sretan Bozice...to you all that I love and care for :) xoxo

Little Drummer Boy - Neil Diamond 

Christmas and family...it just goes together? Or does it? With all the commercialism and trappings of how Christmas is supposed to be, what do we do if we fall short for some reason. Like being alone? I just received an unexpected phone call from a friend who will be spending the holidays alone. Kind of sad, but in a lot of cases, including his own, he is okay with that. Certainly has been doing it for many years at any rate. However if you are alone and don't want to be, pop into the closest hospital or seniors residence, I bet that there are people there who are similarly alone and don't want to be. 

In a cosmopolitan area like the Greater Toronto Area, there is enough diversity that the Christmas holidays are not observed at all. There are malls, movie theaters and grocery stores that are open, and churches too. In fact the other day I noticed that that iconic symbol of Canadian culture - Tim Hortons - will be open on Christmas Day in one of those multi-cultural communities. Kinda makes me sad really, this country was founded on a principal of freedom of religion. People knew then and still know today that they will not be persecuted in Canada regardless of their religious affiliation. Unless you are a true Native American, you are an immigrant to Canada. But most of us call ourselves Canadian and appreciate the life and liberty that we are entitled to because we are Canadian. All the immigrants that landed on the shores of this great country and the vast majority of them embraced the culture and customs of the new land while at the same time sharing some of the food and traditions of their homeland. It was wonderful and exciting. You could visit Little Italy, Chinatown or the Finnish grocery store and be swept into another land without your feet leaving the ground. 

But then things began to change. The turning point in my mind is when in 1990 our federal government permitted our beloved Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Dudley Do-Right, to become decidedly un-Canadian. The uniform that the world and the country associated with the RCMP was gone in the name of Religious freedom. That opened up the flood gates to allow countless changes to the way we as Canadians viewed our selves. We were no longer a collective trying to become a cohesive unit within a diverse nation, but rather a minority trying to change the country into the one they left for a better place. If everything was so great there...go back! For in bending over backwards and changing to preserve your religious freedoms, you are trampling all over mine. Children are not allowed to have Christmas Concerts at school, stores advertise Holiday Sales and people wish Season's Greetings. It's wrong!!!

So I purposefully chose the song by Neil Diamond because he is in fact Jewish and singing and celebrating with the Christian community by offering his interpretation of several Christmas songs. This one happens to be a favourite of my mothers and I think Neil does an excellent version of it. I have absolutely no interest in converting someone from their chosen religion. I don't care if you worship trees or Buddha. To each his/her own, but to that end, I deserve the same respect. leave me alone to believe what I want and how I want. Come to Canada, stay, live and prosper but we were a great country before you came...if you don't like us the way we are....leave. You are now infringing on my rights. 

I don't know who wrote the following letter that I received in an e-mail. But it was not me and I own no part of it. I would give credit where credit was due if I knew. In it's jocularity, there is a spur of truth that really hit home with me and made me a bit sad. Either way, I hope you enjoy.

And from me to you  MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

 Have a..a... 'good one', But ONLY if you want to!

Dear Friend / Family member,

I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to you, but it is difficult in today's world to know
exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my lawyer yesterday and on his/her advice I wish to say the following:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious / secular persuasions and / or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2012, but not without due respect for the calendar of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: 
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her / him or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. The wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Best Regards (without prejudice)

Name withheld (Privacy Act)