Christmas in 1953 - same old story
How well C. S. Lewis captures my longtime thoughts about Christmas. In his book, Letters To An American Lady, which I recently scored in hardback (woo-hoo, thanks, Half Price Books!), Lewis says this, on November 27, 1953:
“I feel exactly as you do about the horrid commercial racket they have made out of Christmas. I send no cards and give no presents except to children.”
My always-changing view of Christmas includes the following elements:
- Christmas has great music! At least the traditional and historical music…
- Christmas is two holidays! If I celebrate elements of the “commercial racket,” it’s not because I believe it has anything to do with the other holiday.
- I like my family, and I like doing nice things for them! But maybe we could give all that stuff a new name….?
- Maybe the Puritans were right when they abolished Christmas?
Comments? Anybody who wishes to comment should probably read Lewis’s wonderful essay, Xmas and Christmas.