[Vision2020] On the season

[Phil Nisbet]

My youngest son made an interesting comment to me that bears thinking of.

"Who doesn't worship the jolly fatman who gives gifts?"

Christmas is an American Holiday.  Yes I know that you of the Christian 
faith have it as your specific celebration of your religion and its pretty 
easy for those of us who are not of your faith to forget that that is what 
the date is all about per se.  But from holiday shows to shopping for 
presents and a bunch of other things, all of us other religions have taken 
to picking off this holiday thing as well.

I know that some will think its a bad thing that the commercialization of 
Christmas exists, but its made it one of the marks of being American.  They 
have no Santa in most other countries and they will look at you strangely if 
you talk about Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer or yammer on about the Grinch.  
And regadless of what else we may take from an association with this 
particular Christian holiday, there is a lot to be said for a season when we 
first remember good will toward our fellow man

I hope I am not stirring up any more controversy so soon after settling the 
last one, but I can think of so many things that are totally just being 
American of all faiths that are part of htis time of year.  "Its a wonderful 
Life" on the tube or the Grinch for that matter and another reason to buy 
and eat a whole freaking turkey, the pretty lights on the houses in the 
snow. . .

Its good to be an American, regardless of our politics or of our religion.

So as my kids says "All hail the jolly fatman"

And bless us everyone.

Phil Nisbet

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