You (Unfortunately) Can't Spell Christmas Without Christ

The other day I was goofing off at work on break, checking out Facebook, when I saw a friend’s status update mention that he and his husband were out to eat and he was less than thrilled because a religious Christmas song came on. It got me thinking:

I, myself, am not religious. While I was raised Roman Catholic, and spent about 16 years in the Catholic educational system, I remember reaching a point in that education (around senior year of high school) where I found it all quite distasteful, duplicitous and shameful; owing to having known too many Catholics (both professionally and recreationally) who were just awful, rotten people. Still, I wound up attending a catholic college (for the education) and it’s been more than a decade since I last received Communion or sought penance; since to do either seemed hollow and hypocritical. Nowadays, with all the crap being handed to the gays by right wing religious nuts, I find most organized religions abhorrent and especially bristle when it comes to “Christians”. The “Christians” drive me particularly nuts, since most of them are so ridiculously cult-like, preying on the dimwitted, weak-willed and empty; not to mention the tentacles of evil that have wound their way into politics. Nope, I’m not a fan of religion.

 Except when it comes to Christmas. I love Christmas; always have and always will.

 

• I love shopping for people, giving gifts and (naturally) receiving gifts.
• I love Christmas trees, with their ornaments and garland and wreaths;
• I love the smell of pine and bayberry.
• I love sending and receiving Christmas cards.
• I live to spend two days baking cookies to bring to work and to friends.
• I love Christmas specials and Christmas episodes of my favorite TV shows.

Most of all, though, I love Christmas music.

By now, most of you know that Christmastime means my annual 40 days of non-stop holiday music. For you newbies to TSG, from Black Friday to New Years Day, all I listen to is Christmas music from the time I open my gorgeous brown eyes ‘til I rest furry head on my memory foam pillow. Fret not, I have more than enough songs to make it through the season without going completely tinsel-shitting crazy; there are 914 Christmas songs on my trusty iPhone at the moment, of which I’ll listen to 700 in a steady- shuffled- rotation, with occasional breaks in between to listen to specific albums or artists (the other 200+ are there for variety, on the off chance I get bored with the 700). You’d gag to see how many good, versions of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer I have. Now, you’d think, with my loathing of religion and all its nonsense that I’d have removed all the religious Christmas music from my repertoire and listen only to the songs about Santa Claus and Silver Bells, but you’d be wrong. I actually love the religious Christmas songs, like O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know, as much as the non religious ones. Don’t tell the Christians I said this, but I’m absolutely cognizant of the fact that Christmas is (for better or worse) a religious holiday, no matter how you slice the fruitcake.

I remember singing the traditional church hymns like Silent Night and Joy to the World when I was an altar boy, at midnight mass or as cub scout caroling at the VA hospital. Over the last few years, as I’ve amassed my music collection, I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy pop stars’ covers of the traditional hymns(Chris Cornell’s Ave Maria, Casey Stratton’s God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) and more spiritually centered pop songs like the Killers' Joseph, Better You Than Me, Jessica Simpson’s Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song) and David Bowie/Bing Crosby’s Little Drummer Boy-Peace On Earth. The songs are so rich and poignant and the artists’ renderings so filled with passion, that I occasionally get choked up (especially Bette Midler’s O Come, O Come Emmanuel). The ecclesiastical music of the season is deeply woven into the tapestry of my holiday traditions and memories, I simply cannot imagine the holiday without them. No matter what my issues are with Catholics and/or Christians- and there are many- I find it impossible to only embrace the commercial/secular side of the holiday.

While you’ll never see my ass in a pew, at midnight mass, or see a nativity on my front lawn, odds are good if you happen to drive next to me on the Staten Island expressway, you’ll catch me belting out O Holy Night with Linda Eder. Just don’t tell Rick Perry.