£0 DINnIOns es the other press Kali thurber opinionsubmit@hotmail.com December 3, 2003 We Live in a Country of Thieves Kali Thurber Opinions Editor A couple of weeks ago, my sister and I were discussing the upcom- ing holiday in our usual tone of impending doom. We decided that since our family really isn’t Christian at all, we should stop celebrating a holiday that has absolutely nothing to do with us—and we should give more appreciation to New Year's, per- Jaaps even give presents at that time. After our conversation, I asked to speak to my spoiled nephew to see what hideously expensive present he would ask for this year. Only so that I could, once again, have the pleasure of laugh- ing hardily, and giving him the usual book present (that is way too advanced for his reading skills) and snicker again at the precious little doll when he cries to his mother, whining that I don't like him. But in the middle of our con- versation (which I completely dominate—asking questions and answering them myself) he blurts out, “You can’t change Christmas, you know.” I’m stunned. This isn’t the kind of thing that I (the privileged Auntie) am supposed to deal with. I start to panic—does this mean that I might get the puber- ty questions too? But I react calmly, I babble a simple answer explaining that we don’t want to change Christmas per say, but we just want to move it to New Year's. There's a pause that makes Angela Blattmann OP Photographer Mr me think he might have forgot- ten what we were talking about (he’s nine—I can hardly expect him to keep up with my intelli- gence), but he had not forgotten. He said, quite defiantly, “It’s Jesus’ birthday, you can’t change His birthday, Auntie Kali.” Coming from a family that has never been a supporter of any religion, and being an atheist myself, my immediate response was to yell, “Who told you that?” But he got the better of me, because a second later my sister was back on the phone, asking why I was yelling at a nine-year- old. That little brat always tells on me. His response to our dis- taste for the Christmas celebra- tion did offer me some insight though. And soon I found myself Name: Melissa Age: 19 Program at Douglas College: General Studies Last CD in your stereo? Nickelback, the new album What’s the best part about this time of year? Snow What’s the worst? Too much snow What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas? A new snowboard What gift did you think was the best eve : when you got it? My Little Pony Any big plans for the holidays? Not really. Partying after school is finished, maybe snowboarding. http://www.-otherpress.ca asking similar questions. Christmas is a purely religious holiday, however, I would bet money that most people cele- brating the Christmas cheer are not actually practising their reli- gion outside of this seasonal fren- zy that we call Christmas. What I mean is the fact that over 16 per- cent of Canadians checked off “no religion” in the 2001 census, and I imagine that the number is only getting higher. This per- centage includes me, and it’s also probably true that (like me) these same people are celebrating the Christmas holiday anyway. So why is it that I, and I presume a large majority of Canadians, are celebrating a religious holiday that we don't even believe in? It comes down to convenience. In order to stop celebrating Christmas, the non-participator must go into long explanations of their religious inactivity for practically everyone they know. Trust me, I tried getting out of the hustle and bustle last year, and that’s exactly what hap- pened. Christmas has become such a cultural norm, that to be a non-participator takes much more work than the actual holi- day itself. Everyone that you know, including the fellow atheists, will inevitably ask what your reasons for not celebrating are. I feel that this is quite back- ward. It should be more fitting for the non-patticipator to ask the participators why they celebrate. And what is it that is being celebrat- ed again? My nephew believes that it’s Jesus’ birthday—poor inno- cent boy. December 25 is a day that was randomly _ selected, mainly to replace the pagan worship that was com- monplace in this time of the year. In fact, for the first three centuries of Christianity, Christmas wasn’t in December, or even in the winter. Jesus’ birth was usually celebrated in the spring months, if it was celebrat- ed at all. So the Western world Age: 27 Eminem year? Renfrew continues to ceremonialize (and become more involved in than probably anything else in the year) the day of December 25— Christmas. A meaningless day that we have grasped a hold of, and insisted that it is ours to keep. In reality I believe it to be an insult to the man we pretend to be celebrating. We have stolen the dear soul’s birthday, and it isn’t even accurate! It would make much more sense if what we so wholeheart- edly celebrated in December was something that we actually believed in—say, winter solstice. Now this is a holiday that is worth all the fuss. The longest night of the year, and the hope that comes with the knowledge of every day after this only get- ting lighter, makes this a holiday that is worthy of a celebration. My nephew is right, I can’t change the day of Christmas— however, I can decide to stop glo- rifying a day that makes no sense to me. Maybe this year I'll try giving presents on December 21 instead. Once again I will find myself sighing, and graciously explain- ing to everybody why I have decided to ban the most celebrat- ed holiday of the year. Maybe my family will have forgiven me by April. But then again, that’s the month full of all those carefully decorated eggs, and quite frankly, you don’t even want to get me started on Easter. Program at Douglas College: International Business Last CD in your stereo? What’s the best part about this time of Buying presents for people What’s the worst? Crowded parking lots What would you like Santa to bring you for Christmas? A $1000.00 gift certificate for Holt What gift did you think was the best ever when you got it? Play Station 2 Any big plans for the holidays?