Merry What You Say?

By BJ

This year, it has appeared that the annual “War on that winter holiday of some significance that isn’t Boxing Day” brigade was taking a hiatus as economic carnage and other issues approaching real news took centre stage. Things have been so quiet on the front that many of us were beginning to wonder if a ceasefire had been declared. Fortunately, this day before the eve of the holiday whose name couldn’t be avoided by Buddhist monks in a Tibetan monastery, the Moonie Times has devoted several column inches to look at the pernicious silencing of The Word.

What’s truly striking about this column that rises above the average ramblings of the season, is that the target, outside of a preliminary swipe at a certain tree display, (and let us all ignore the clearly pagan iconography implicit in such displays), is the advertising circulars of various retailers.

Yes, our intrepid holiday inspector has waded through the forest of trees sacrificed in the hopes of enticing you all to separate yourself from your money in a search for examples of The Word being missing. Clearly, his examples show just how terrifyingly pervasive this lack of acknowledgment of the holiday in question truly is.

He starts with the “Black Friday” after Thanksgiving, which has come to include deaths by trampling, of people looking for savings on purchases, statistics show, that are mostly for themselves, (spirit of the season, indeed!). and carries right through to this weekend, finding such gems as:

Macy's announced its "The More the Merrier Sale" - "merry," as in, well, you know.

We do? Then why are you bothering us with it?

Circuit City boasted of having "The Most Wanted Gifts of the Season" (what season, it doesn't say). Toys R Us claimed to have "The Lowest Prices of the Season" (ditto).

I have to figure out the season myself? Why oh why can’t it made more clear on each and every single ad circular that I normally throw into the garbage without looking at?

The Sports Authority: "Only 25 Shopping Days left" ('til what?);

Seriously, I can’t read a calendar! And besides, being how pervasive this inability to print said holiday’s name is, I’m sure it wouldn’t be labeled as anything more than some innocuous, non-denominational, statutory day.

Seriously, I won't argue that there are cases where some overzealous official's interpretation of the PC god's wishes haven't resulted in some equally ridiculous results, but even an avowed atheist like myself has been known to utter the dreaded "C-word" during this winter holiday season in the course of well-wishing folks.  As such, I have consistently failed to see the massive conspiracy to remove its existence from public discourse.

In any case, Parisi's column looks more like an exercise in self-mockery, for a reason that Ed Morrissey at least, is self-aware enough to note:

I’m at a loss to understand the offense taken here by Parisi and the Times.  Christians have complained for decades about the utter loss of a religious holiday to commercialization, and for good reason.  Now suddenly we measure the depth of commitment to Christmas by the way retailers exploit the birth of Jesus to sell goods?  If we’re arguing on those grounds, haven’t we already lost?

Probably, but chin up! With this season nearing its ultimate day, we godless secular heathens will be shifting our sights to the next great religious observance being thrust upon us all via a long weekend.

Rally the troops for the War on Easter!