Have my cake and eat it too!

Time for another analysis of holidays in the Christian tradition:

As we near one of the holiest times of the year (another being Christmas), I am reminded of how picky us Christians can be. During the season of Lent and the celebration of Easter, a common complaint is about the commericalization of Easter. It goes something along the lines of "but there weren't chocolate eggs and bunnies at the crucifixion of Christ!"... Well no.... but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with the holiday.

The meshing of traditions is an amalgamation of many factors: the solemnity of Easter, the pagen spring solstice celebrations, and card/candy companies wanting in on the action. The store fills with candy, eggs, dyeing kits, big fluffy bunnies and chicks, and the ever present sugar covered peeps (now available in bunnies as well as chicks - who knew? - btw: if you have never Peep Jousted... you are missing out). Many of the more "hard core" complain about the celebrations and parties associated with Easter. I happen to enjoy watching the little kids search for eggs and eat their candy. I like dyeing and decorating eggs. So, if you don't mind conservatives - I am going to have my Easter celebration of the transformation of Christ AND my candy filled eggs and stuffed bunnies, thank you very much!

Tis the season?

As we near the beginning of October, I am excited for my favorite holiday: Halloween. Many people tell me that I must worship Satan because I like Halloween and my church regularly gets angry phone messages banishing us to hell for having a pumpkin patch on the property. Really people? I just like dressing up... and candy... so much yummy candy. :) Like every year, I will be going to Disneyland's Halloween party, dressed up and excited to experience my favorite holiday. I have thought long and hard as to why Halloween is my favorite holiday, it must be because Halloween is the gateway holiday.

Halloween reminds me that we are heading into the veritable barrage of holidays (quick grab your pith helmet - it's the advertising companies!). The holidays always held a special place in my heart, not just for the quality family time that it provides but because it is the time of my favorite church season. How many people can say that they have a favorite church season? *two thumbs to the chest* This girls right here. How many people even know that there are church seasons? Probably not many. For those who don't know, the 4 sundays leading up to christmas are the season of Advent -my favoritest church season. It is the time when we talk about the angel's message to Mary about being pregnant, the mandated registration (a biblical census if you will) and journey on donkey and of course the ever full inn and manger birth. It is a time to remember the miraculous and celebrate the coming of christ. It is one of two times a year when people feel obligated to go to church (the other being Easter).

To me, though, Advent represents the garlands, christmas trees, and christmas lights all coming out of church storage. In fact, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is called the Hanging of the Greens and it is when we see the church decorated for the first time and we go over what the historical significance for all the decorations. (By the way, the greenery fairies don't decorate... that would be me and my family, sitting for hours fluffing the fake greenery - we call ourselves professional fluffers *tongue in cheek of course* - and dusting off baby jesus' face). Advent represents the candles that we light every sunday counting up to the candle for Christmas Eve. It also represents the two church services that I attend on Christmas eve. Most families will go to one or the other services. No, I go to both. Thankfully, my dad has a different sermon and focus for each so it is not too tiresome, but still... two services on Christmas eve? Yeah, and that's the way I like it. I get to appreciate both the message and the behind-the-scenes goings on during the greatest time of the year.