Tender is the Turkey

... and other X-mas traditions of the twenty-something generation.

Today is Christmas Day, a day when millions of Christians, pseudo-Christians and other believers of the Catholic faith come together to celebrate the birth of their Lord by maxing out their VISA cards on lavish and expensive gifts for loved ones, eating a ridiculous amount of food and dessert, drinking a bit too much champagne and wine and other spirits, all to sit back with the tele on, dozing as we wait for the annual X-mas turducken to baste in the oven.

As an avid celebrator of either Festivus or Yule, and with parents who celebrate Christmas, I always find this time of year ... Interesting. Before my science-laden common sense clouded my Catholic-school education, Christmas was a time of pageants, nativity scenes, extra long masses adorned with candles, and Christmas carols, oh the Christmas carols! But as I'm sure all of us have realized, X-mas is less and less about a religious holiday than it is a big spend-for-all with a one day break in between the 24th (the last possible day) and the 26th (when the REAL fun starts).

My brother Greg and I have drifted away from our previous beliefs, siting the grand commercialism of the holiday and our love of science... plus the whole PC-ness of the "Winter Holiday season". The most interesting debate I had eavesdropped on was the "campaign to save Christmas" heard on the Colbert Report and at the dinner table of Vegas' parents. Both parents refuse to edit their "Merry Christmas'" to those who do not celebrate the holiday, citing the fact that as native Canadians (see it as you may), they do not feel the need to address the feelings of "immigrants" who come to their country and then become offended by the locals holiday traditions.

They raise an interesting point as I certainly would NOT enter a Muslim country and throw a hissy fit around Ramadan, citing my right as a 'citizen' to not only celebrate what I believe in, but to PC another religions celebration to equalize it with my own. Nor would I enter a Jewish community and insult the 8 days of Hanukkah... so why does Christmas get picked on?

Maybe because the commercialization of Christmas is driven first and foremost by its followers. The very same people who preach from their soapboxes about the evils of abortion and the abstinence is the only way sex-'education' are still the ones purchasing expensive gifts for their families, throwing the lavish parties and eating more food in one night than some families eat in a month.

So I guess it is kind of hard for my brother and I, and other twenty-somethings would rather celebrate Festivus in lieu of other 'traditional' holidays that have fallen prey to their own leaders; but in the mean time the turkey is basting, the tree is adored with lights, and my new lulu sweater and warm up pants are just dying to be tried on!