It seems like one big party here in the United States of America from our Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November through our New Year's Day on January 1st-the latter being a day on which people of my cultural tradition eat black eyed peas for good luck in the year ahead, along with cornbread. I like black eyed peas any time of year.
Traditionally, our Thanksgiving Day in November is a day set aside for giving thanks for our blessings. Those of us who give thanks almost daily throughout the year (and I'm one of those people) don't need a special day, but others of us who lead very busy lives appreciate having a day set aside to give thanks. Eating turkey is traditional for people of my cultural tradition on this holiday (although I haven't done so for about 25 years, being vegetarian/vegan).
The Christmas tradition is very strong here in the USA, and is a time of gift giving. The food tradition for many is ham; for others, the food for this holiday is tamales, which are traditionally made with pork. (Needless to say, this 25-year vegetarian/vegan is repulsed by these foods.) Christmas began as a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on the date chosen (December 25th), but it has evolved into a more secular and even multi-faith experience which begins the day after Thanksgiving in November and continues through the official holiday--and beyond if you consider the days between December 25th and January 1st, when people are exchanging and returning gifts for correct sizes and items they want more, and taking advantage of the widespread sales of merchandise at very low prices.
There are people who are quite outspoken in their criticism of the "materialism" of Christmas, their religious holiday. Personally, I imagine that at Christmas time Jesus Christ at Heavenly Home claps his hands in glee and yells, "Party on!" If one's heart isn't in the gift giving, and if one dreads the purchasing of gifts and the hustle and bustle of the season, then one doesn't have to participate. If one can't give with kindness or consideration or love or appreciation or joy, then perhaps it is best that one not give at all.
Actually, December 25this not really the birthday of Jesus Christ, but was a date chosen for its celebration-a date around the time of a pagan "holy day" so as to incorporate Christianity in pagan celebrations. Truth is that no one knows the exact birthday of Jesus the Christ, although various scholars have narrowed down the year to be four to six years before the year originally established. Who cares about exactness?
I like to give thanks and give freely all year long-but find even more joy in doing so at this time of year. Party on!
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Angel-Light Love
Healing/Wellbeing Facilitator
(Spirit-Mind-Body-Environment)
