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Happy Holidays!!
5 years ago
Hello to y'all. Hope you're having some happy holidays!!
For me, I'm making do. This is my second Christmas since my mother passed away, and while it's been easier than the last one, I still find myself missing her dearly. I miss telling her about the Christmas lights I'd see on my evening walks around this time of year. I miss our close talks, our heart-to-hearts, and how she was always tried to encourage me.
I never got to tell her I was nonbinary - by the time I realized it myself, she was already going downhill really quickly, and she was no longer herself. Where she would've likely accepted it before, she probably would have just been confused - and she was already confused enough as it was.
But that's not all that's been on my mind this season. My relationship with Christmas, as a holiday, has been quite complicated. When it comes to actually celebrating the holiday, it's always fallen rather flat for me, and yet I still have a love for the concept of it. And I think I realize why now.
It's about hope and community. The idea is, the weather is cold, but people find warmth in their community. The river is frozen over? Time to ice skate. Colorful decorations help contrast the bleakness of the snow and the clouds covering the sky. Children are encouraged to explore their creativity with snow sculptures, then come inside and sit by the fire for a cup of hot cocoa. Sweets are plentiful, to help bring good cheer during the bleakest of months.
Of course, this is an *ideal*, a *concept*. The cold reality is, it's not real. But that doesn't mean it's valueless. If even one person has hit up a friend and brought good cheer to them, then the holiday has merit on that alone.
It's just a pity it's become a consumerist nightmare, not unlike Valentine's Day or, really, any other holiday.
Ironically, lately I find myself more attached to the image of the Krampus - the demon goat that punishes bad children while Saint Nicholas delivers presents to the good children.
Not because I like his symbolism or the role he serves, or because he's hot (though that goes a long way towards it)
More the whole concept that he's a demon that Santa apparently tamed and bound to his service. So everything he's doing is basically under Santa's orders, making the distinction meaningless (which is probably why Krampus really isn't a thing outside of Europe and the Furry Fandom)
I suppose the real reason I'm attached to the image is that, once again, it's of a character being cast as an evil demon, given a bad rap, and expected to take the fall for another character who's more "saintly".
And believe me, I've been seeing quite a bit of that happening lately to real people. Especially in America and Britain. I won't go into depth to spare everyone's blood pressure, including my own, but if you have an inkling of my politics you can probably guess what I'm talking about, vaguely. (This is not an invitation to send me your guesses, I will add.)
The dark, the ugly, those symbols, representations, and outcasts that strike fear into people's hearts due to one religion's superstition becoming absorbed into secular culture...
I think all that deserves a "Happy Holidays" too, to be honest.
For me, I'm making do. This is my second Christmas since my mother passed away, and while it's been easier than the last one, I still find myself missing her dearly. I miss telling her about the Christmas lights I'd see on my evening walks around this time of year. I miss our close talks, our heart-to-hearts, and how she was always tried to encourage me.
I never got to tell her I was nonbinary - by the time I realized it myself, she was already going downhill really quickly, and she was no longer herself. Where she would've likely accepted it before, she probably would have just been confused - and she was already confused enough as it was.
But that's not all that's been on my mind this season. My relationship with Christmas, as a holiday, has been quite complicated. When it comes to actually celebrating the holiday, it's always fallen rather flat for me, and yet I still have a love for the concept of it. And I think I realize why now.
It's about hope and community. The idea is, the weather is cold, but people find warmth in their community. The river is frozen over? Time to ice skate. Colorful decorations help contrast the bleakness of the snow and the clouds covering the sky. Children are encouraged to explore their creativity with snow sculptures, then come inside and sit by the fire for a cup of hot cocoa. Sweets are plentiful, to help bring good cheer during the bleakest of months.
Of course, this is an *ideal*, a *concept*. The cold reality is, it's not real. But that doesn't mean it's valueless. If even one person has hit up a friend and brought good cheer to them, then the holiday has merit on that alone.
It's just a pity it's become a consumerist nightmare, not unlike Valentine's Day or, really, any other holiday.
Ironically, lately I find myself more attached to the image of the Krampus - the demon goat that punishes bad children while Saint Nicholas delivers presents to the good children.
Not because I like his symbolism or the role he serves, or because he's hot (though that goes a long way towards it)
More the whole concept that he's a demon that Santa apparently tamed and bound to his service. So everything he's doing is basically under Santa's orders, making the distinction meaningless (which is probably why Krampus really isn't a thing outside of Europe and the Furry Fandom)
I suppose the real reason I'm attached to the image is that, once again, it's of a character being cast as an evil demon, given a bad rap, and expected to take the fall for another character who's more "saintly".
And believe me, I've been seeing quite a bit of that happening lately to real people. Especially in America and Britain. I won't go into depth to spare everyone's blood pressure, including my own, but if you have an inkling of my politics you can probably guess what I'm talking about, vaguely. (This is not an invitation to send me your guesses, I will add.)
The dark, the ugly, those symbols, representations, and outcasts that strike fear into people's hearts due to one religion's superstition becoming absorbed into secular culture...
I think all that deserves a "Happy Holidays" too, to be honest.
I know the feeling. I'm here in California while the rest of my family is in Chicago, but my adopted family is here with me enjoying the holiday. Despite a small bit of a cry and stress cuz of not being there and not doing things as I would usually, I'm glad they're here and spending the holiday with me. As you say, community. :)
And I just in general like the idea of Krampus, he's just interesting and something that should be known about more, cuz something like that is cool, and shows that there is a sort of yin-yang to the holiday. :)
Hope it's a good one! :)