Forced Merriment: The True Spirit of Christmas
Christopher Hitchens on why the Puritans found the holiday suspect—and we should, too
Mr. Hitchens, who died on Dec. 15, was a columnist for Vanity Fair and the author, most recently, of “Hitch-22: A Memoir” and “Arguably,” a collection of his essays. This is a previously unpublished essay commissioned by the Journal, an abridged version of which appears in the print edition of the Review section.
The first “War on Christmas” was waged almost 400 years ago by our Puritan forefathers. The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were outraged by Christmas, partially because it did not originate as a Christian holiday. The upper classes in ancient Rome celebrated Dec. 25 as the birthday of the sun god Mithra. Beyond that, the Puritans considered it historically inaccurate to place the Messiah’s arrival on Dec. 25. They thought Jesus had been born sometime in September. They felt so strongly about the holiday that in New England, they banned Christmas celebrations entirely. Christmas Day was only formally declared a federal holiday in 1870.
Best holiday card award goes to SNL
(via popculturebrain)
(via dustynine)
Pres. Obama greeted by “elves” at Christmas at Washington taping. (Pool photo by Mike Majchrowitz/Fox News)
“The Times reports from the Santa school, where prospective St. Nicks are now being taught how to quickly assess a family’s financial situation before responding to children’s requests in such a manner that leaves them feeling cheerful, but not overly expectant. Some Santas plan to tell kids that times are tough even in the North Pole, while another strategy is to tell kids that not everyone gets everything they ask for.”
Photo found on Facebook:
“The Chinese Rest. Assoc. of the United States would like to extend our thanks to the Jewish people. We do not completely understand your dietary customs…but we are proud and grateful that your GOD insist you eat our food on Christmas. Happy Holidays!”
“As a Christian, no one has to remind me of the importance of Christmas for all of the Christian faith, for all their families, all across America,” he said. “I don’t need to hear the sanctimonious lectures of Sen. Kyl and [Sen. Jim] DeMint to remind me of what Christmas means.”
After Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) accused Majority Leader Harry Reid of grinchery for suggesting that the Senate work the week after Christmas, Reid blamed Kyl’s party for the delay that may push votes past the holiday.
President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and daughter Malia, react as Sasha, at left, pushes the button to light the National Christmas Tree during a ceremony on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 2010.
Christmas Comes to the White House
View from the Grand Foyer
The tree stands in the Blue Room, and the large stone urns are filled with birch, beech and crystal branches.
