02 December 2010

Decorating delight

I really like decorating for the holidays.  Growing up, I always decorated a lot for Halloween and Christmas.  Halloween lost its charm for me several years ago, though it has revived a bit.  But Christmas was a mainstay.  Last year, though, I wasn't really 'into' Christmas so much.  Now that I'm  some distance from my first realization that Christmas's meaning was likely to shift drastically for me, I'm enjoying the season again without so much concern that it's now a hollow shell of what it was, or that it no longer belongs to me and I therefore am wrong to embrace it, or that celebrating it implies support of religious beliefs I don't share.  Its essence remains, and I'd just as soon let the warmth and spirit of the season in rather than push it away because of the religiosity from which it was formed.

I stayed at a friend's house last night which I helped decorate a week or two ago.  It was fun to help put out the candles and scented pine cones and to decorate the tree.  It did make me long for a family of my own to decorate with someday, but in a more sweet than bitter way, and I enjoyed sharing the festivity with a fellow single friend.  I have to say, I love bundling up on the couch in the warm light of a Christmas tree with a snow storm blustering outside.  It's magical.  And I smiled last night at the red and white and brown on the tree backed by the red-and-white-capped Space Needle in the distance out the window.  It looks like a Santa hat on top.  Fun.

Ha, I'm listening to my "secular Christmas music" playlist which I had previously separated out to have the real Christmas music for playing on Sundays and most of the season.  I've become one of those secular Christmas people.  It's different, and I may tweak it over time, but it's still good.  And even if I don't necessarily believe the story the holiday is based on, I love the principles it stands for to so many, Christian and otherwise.  I'm aware the historical integration of pagan practices and celebration wasn't so much to share as to convert or assimilate, and part of me consciously resists that assimilation, but I'd like to think that today it's a holiday Christians have developed and share with the world to share the spirit of their rejoicing over salvation and God's generosity, and maybe it's OK to celebrate the principles and values of generosity, family, wonder, illumination, and love alongside those whose reasons are religious.  Rationale aside, I like the season, and I think I'll keep it for now.

So, from this agnostic, Merry Christmas!

6 comments:

Bravone said...

From a recovering atheist/agnostic, Merry Christmas to you my friend. I do love how the season from Thanksgiving to Christmas causes me to reflect on what matters most to me, and from whence comes my greatest happiness. Good friends, family, and random acts of kindness top my list.

Original Mohomie said...

Hm, so do I get to call myself a "recovering Mormon"? I can't deny it feels like that a lot of the time, even though I always thought that term was pejorative towards and insulting to LDS believers when I was one. *shrug*

Your list sounds pretty good. It lacks a key element, though: chocolate.

Joned Rahadian said...

Merry Christmas too!

I really hope someday I can celebrate Christmas with my family or friends.

I'm the only Christian in my family and the Christmas celebration in the church here sucks.

Joned ^_^

blj1224 said...

OM -- You've already helped decorate for Christmas; I'm sure you'll spend your holiday either with good friends or family; and you can combine the other two happinesses by doing a not-so-random act of kindness and make something chocolate for your friends and family for Christmas (it begins with "f") . . . that should cover all the holiday happiness bases :-)

Mister Curie said...

Merry Christmas from a fellow recovering Mormon. ;)

Bravone said...

O-Mo, I truly didn't mean it to be pejorative. I used the phrase very deliberately though, but only as it applies to me. I'll have to post about it sometime.....