An interesting read on the Christmas Season

Danny Carlton blogged From Tidings Online...

We need more Advent and Christmas, not less --- but we need them at the proper time, which is the Church's time, not Macy's time or Wal-Mart's time. Taking Advent seriously would be a good beginning.

Go read the rest of the piece, it's really good.

Personally I've always liked the idea of Christmas being celebrated on Christmas day, and not for the three months prior

I know I really don't like seeing Christmas decorations appearing before Thanksgiving. It sort of buries that holiday.

(which leads to, IMO, a terribly anti-climatic Christmas morning with five minutes of wrapping paper flying through the air, followed by a half an hour of "Is that all I got?!?") The first year I talked my wife into doing it my way it turned out really great. We had someone watch the kids (who were asleep anyway) while we went out to get a Christmas tree (Did you know many places let you have them for free after midnight Christmas Eve?) We brought it back, trimmed it, and to our children's amazement a large fully decorated tree appeared in our living room, Christmas morning, complete with presents beneath.

An interesting idea

But my wife likes the "tradition" of celebrating Christmas for as long as possible, so we've gone back to that. Some of our kids, though, have said they like the idea of putting up the Christmas tree the night before Christmas.

One tradition I have been adamant about is that of taking turns opening presents, one by one, on Christmas morning. It makes the event much more pleasurable, and last longer, and reduces the complaint, "Is that all I got?!?" Simply opening a present is a joy, and few people realize that once they're all opened, that's it; you can't open any, anymore. That's where the disappointment comes in. It's better to do it slowly so both the giving and receiving can be relished.

I fully support that process.

I'm not that much into Advent

I believe that Advent is mainly a Catholic holiday.

, (my wife has always tried to do some of it with the kids) but as a defense against the commercialization, I see how useful it could be.