The War On Christmas

Excellent post at Mahablog:

My point is that if Christians would stop taking affront at non-Christians who don’t kowtow to Christmas, and instead just observe Christmas with all the solemnity and reverence it ought to require, the world would be a better place.

Joseph W. Campbell, in The Hero With A Thousand Faces, made the point that what he calls "the desert religions" in their modern incarnations have lost the spiritual and focused on doctrine. I think there's no better everyday example than Christmas. (Campbell was not kind to the monotheisms in that book.)

I tend to agree with O'Brien: I have no objection to Christmas displays. In fact, I probably have less objection than she does: most of the symbolism is directly appropriated from Paganism, so they fit very neatly into my observances. I should also note that Chicago decorates: the whole damn city is full of lights and pine boughs and ribbons. It's quite nice.