One of the advantages of having a blog, you can write honest true thoughts. I am saddened by what Christmas has become in America. It has developed into commercialism at its best. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the twinkle lights sit next to the Halloween decorations.Wait, there is more.... Someone always gets drunk at the office Christmas party and gives us something to talk about until the next one. Bell ringing Santas get arrested for stealing from the red donation bag. What is going on with Christmas?
A few questions for you....Who came up with the idea to give presents? Why do we put up fake trees or chop down real ones? Did you know most people spend more on a tree than they donate to charity each year? Where did the idea start to inspire people spend days turning their house into a winter blinking wonderland?
A few questions for you....Who came up with the idea to give presents? Why do we put up fake trees or chop down real ones? Did you know most people spend more on a tree than they donate to charity each year? Where did the idea start to inspire people spend days turning their house into a winter blinking wonderland?
Did it just become this self centered and crazy ? Nope, read on.....The Original "Christmas" was very different than the way it is now. Many of our traditions are based in Pagan religion practices.These traveled around the world for centuries and arrived on the Mayflower here in the new America. The wild party continued and the country was split on what to do with Christmas.
During the civil war the North and South had different views on on slaves and Christmas. The North saw it as a sin to celebrate and the south contained the first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday. Alabama in 1836, and both Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838. Christmas was not declared a federal Holiday until 1879.
This video is informative the history of this holiday season.What you see might surprise you!
In the 19th century Washington Irving reinvented Christmas with the book The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon. It included essays and a few involving Christmas He changed it from a wild insane party to family time and people bought into the concept. Want to thank him? He is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery with the Headless horseman in Terry Town New York.
BTW...If you want on my Christmas card list, send me an email!
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