Why is there only one day a year when people are good and generous?

[undeterred]

I'm just askin'.

[havocmom]

1. I DO know some who truly try to be kind, honest, generous all year

To a one, they are NOT fundy-type christians. In fact, most are not Christians at all.

[rasputin1952]

2. I have found that there are all times of the year when people do

things that aid others, it is just that the focus, and a greater push comes around at this time of year so we notice it more.

There are times when people "need a reminder", and some are more comfortable during this time of year.

[Katherine Brengle]

3. There isn't.

And frankly, when it comes to those for whom this is true, it's better than nothing. Maybe only a little, but still.

[Peace Patriot]

4. I've wondered about that, too. But I think we should be glad that there is ONE

day, at least, on which some folks have to think about OTHERS, even if they don't all year long. One day--or more typically, one week or so (leading up to Christmas)--in which they must think how to please the people around them, even if their considerations are on the material plane, and even if their motives may be mixed--is better than NEVER thinking about the needs or happiness of other people.

For this reason, I have never opposed the "crass materialism" of Christmas. I think that the spark that it contains--the little flame of generosity--is of ancient lineage, and has to do with our common human vulnerability, in times of want, and our...connection to each other, need for each other. You give material gifts to put a smile on someone's face, to connect with them, to express your own love and need, and to assure them that they have inherent value to you. It is also Pagan at its core, and has to do with our deep, ancient prayer to the Sun God to return and bless us with good crops and good feasting and joy all around.

Yeah, it's been crassified and commercialized, but it's still there--the season of hope, hope for joy--hope for the return of joy.

It's not really exclusively a Christian holiday--although the Church did its very best to co-opt this powerful and universal human characteristic (seasonal communal gift-giving/prayer to the Gods for return of the Sun, for prosperity) and to attach it to the Christian story. The ancient Goddess religion understood the connection between physical pleasure and delight in the gifts of the Earth with higher values--they understood material gifts as "signs," and in fact infused the Christian religion with the use of material signs to point to the higher plane of human consciousness. All Seven Sacraments of the Church, for instance, use material objects (water/baptism; wine & bread/blood & body of Christ, rings/marriage, anointing oils/death blessing, etc.) to signify events that connect individuals to Heaven. When we "shower" gifts on people at Christmas, we are showering our BLESSINGS upon them--we are enacting a very ancient ritual of connectedness, pleasure and hope.

And I do think it's an exaggeration to say that "there is only one day a year when people are good and generous." There are a whole lot of people who are good and generous every day. And if it were not for them, our society would disintegrate into Bushite egocentricity, greed, exploitation and attendant horrors. Christmas is just a season when generosity is emphasized, and when others who might not be so good and generous most of the year get roped into the ancient ritual of giving each other hope.

[Ghost in the Machine]

5. Why do you hate the Baby Jesus Claus?

The Christmas Bunny is definetly *not* leaving presents wrapped in brightly colored paper under the bushes in *your* yard this year!

Blasphemer!


:evilgrin: