Holidays

Note: Before reading My Thoughts, please read My Disclaimer!

I find it puzzling that while everyone agrees that it is important for parents and children to form a bond of trust, almost everyone lies to their children about the existence of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, among other characters. While they are busy planting these lies in children's heads, many are also trying to teach their children their religious beliefs -- a task they'd readily admit is truly important. Doesn't this send a confusing message to our children -- teaching them two "stories" about Christmas, one an unimportant lie and the other a very important belief?

The motivation for these lies (other than the fact that "everyone does it") seems to be connected to behavior control: Who hasn't heard a parent say such things as "If you are good, Santa might bring that new toy for you on Christmas."? I can certainly relate to how difficult it is to influence a child's behavior. But, is lying the right way to do it?

Worse yet, the lies detract from the true meaning of important religious holidays. Christmas is not about "being good" so that you'll be rewarded with better toys. It is a religious celebration. Easter is not about searching for decorated eggs in a field and baskets full of candy. It is a religious celebration. True: a young child cannot comprehend the importance of these events. But, how is it better if we focus them on lies instead?

If you "celebrate" Christmas or Easter and you are not a Christian, you disrespect that religion and those who practice it. Can you imagine the outcry if non-Muslims created a commercialized gift-giving ritual to coincide with Ramadan? That outrage would be warranted and it is no different in this case -- except for the fact that we are conditioned to expect it.

Speaking of infringing on some (other) religion's holidays, I find it a little bit surprising that many people don't know that Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") and Halloween ("All Hallow's Eve") are both anti-Christian "holiday" celebrations.

Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent on the Christian calendar. Lent is a time of preparation for Good Friday (marking Jesus' death by crucifixion) and Easter (His resurrection). Traditionally, Lent is a time of reflection on Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. In some denominations, Christians are encouraged to "give up something for Lent" as a small sacrifice -- as a further reminder. Often, though, people seem more focused on depriving themselves of something rather than remembering what Lent is really about: Jesus, but that's a different story. Mardi Gras, then is (inappropriately) viewed as a person's last chance for "fun" before the sacrificial time of Lent. It has escalated into a decadent party just for the sake of itself, in many cases completely overshadowing the period of Lent and the celebration of Easter.

Halloween is the day before All Saints Day on the Christian calendar. As mentioned, it is short for "All Hallow's Eve", with hallow meaning respect, revere, or holy. Halloween is a traditional Celtic festival of the dead, a time when ghosts returned from the dead to this world. Those celebrating would dress up as spirits, tell fortunes, and sacrifice animals to their gods. Surely, the modern celebration doesn't contain quite the same meaning as it used to, but its origins are undeniable. Similarly, this celebration has come to overshadow the true occasion.

As Mardi Gras and Halloween are essentially anti-Christian celebrations, I want no part of them. I just don't think it is right to blatantly disrespect someone's religion that way.