It's the End Of Christmas As We Know It

I'm beginning to do the most aggravating complaint provoking thing that I do on Facebook each year.  And what generates such wrath?  It's not my stance on sensible gun regulation.  It's not my devotion to true universal health care.  It's not my occasional RepubliCorp TeaParty Amerika bashing.  It's not even how I feel about a popular movie or TV series, or some food or restaurant that I trash.  It's Merry Christmas.

I insist on the traditional Anglican definition of Christmas as beginning December 25th and running until January 6th.  This means Merry Christmas greetings during that period.  Of course, in secular Christmas tradition  people are already even wrapping up Christmas and putting it behind them.  So many have little patience for somebody who expresses otherwise.

Should Merry Christmas be just reserved for Christmas Day?  I don't think so.  I've had people say Merry Christmas to me ever since the day after Thanksgiving!  So why can't we say it until Epiphany?  I know there is no commercial reason to say it - the Christmas shopping season is done.  But there is traditional religious reasons to say it, even if it's against the grain of more secular practices.

The reactions I get range from mild amusement (as if I'm being silly), to those who think I mean that every day should be Christmas (which, although not exactly what I'm trying to express, I wouldn't argue with), to letting me know that they've already packed up Christmas, to outright hostility (funny, Tom - now stop joking around!).

So, if you're on Facebook, and you have the pleasure or temerity to have me as a friend, be prepared to be Merry Christmased for the next twelve days!

Merry Christmas!  Ho! Ho! Ho!