Christmas - 2/7 - CoupleDumb

THE Relationship Blog

So, this is the post that gets us in trouble. Please understand, we do not mean to offend but to clarify. Currently there are a lot of tensions building over a topic that we consider to be asinine and ultimately way off the mark. We are talking about the idea of keeping Christ in Christmas. We are talking about the campaign to boycott retailers who do not acknowledge Merry Christmas and instead use the antiseptic term Happy Holidays. We are talking about a large group of people who have completely lost the true meaning of this time of year to lobby for the Almighty. Here’s a hint, God does not need PR.

Let’s get something straight, we love Jesus. Love His style. Love His message. Love how He loves! When we hear things like ‘Jesus is the Reason for the Season’, our educated self screams at the stupidity! Let us clarify our position. Jesus is a great guy and everything but by no means does he monopolize December. For Christians, December means Christmas and the celebration of the birth of Christ. For Jews, December is the time of the Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah, where they celebrate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem for 8 days. Muslims sometimes celebrate the Islamic New Year in December depending on the day it falls. Buddhists have Boddhi Day which celebrates the day that the Buddha attained enlightenment. African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa which celebrates universal African American heritage and culture. Pagans have long celebrated Yule and the Winter Solstice around the 21st of the month. So, by saying only Merry Christmas, we are completely ignoring, disenfranchising and disrespecting the faith and priorities of others. Now, that does not sound like Jesus Christ, does it?

Another known fact that Christians tend to pretend not to know is that Jesus was born at the end of September around 2 BC, not December 25^th. Therefore, why all the fuss about keeping Christ out of Christmas? If you know it really isn’t his birthday and just an arbitrary day to reflect and celebrate the birth of the Christ than why monopolize the entire season of celebration?

Yes, Santa has taken some of the focus off of the religious significance of the season. You can say that retailers have bogarted the end of the year to fill their coffers with silver before the long winter. You can say a whole lot of stuff but it still does not give you the right to believe that your religious observance is any more important than anyone else’s. Christians are supposed to love their neighbors as Christ taught you, not bludgeon all of society into wishing you a Merry Christmas because we wouldn’t be drinking eggnog without Christ’s birth.

All of the arguments are stupid, near sighted, exclusive and bigoted. This is a time of sharing for all faiths and to pretend that your celebration is more important than that of others is downright….unChristian. Jesus would be on our side on this one. Jesus brought people together and did not encourage us to build walls to separate us. Jesus doesn’t need your fury, activism or violence but requires all of us to love one another. And besides, Jesus celebrated Hanukkah and never wished anyone a Merry Christmas.

So Happy Holidays to everyone in whatever way you celebrate this precious time of year. May you be blessed with an abundance of health, prosperity, joy and love. May your family stay together and support one another and honor the gifts they are given. May you and your loved ones have a wonderful time in all of your celebrations, no matter what they are.

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THE Relationship Blog

The holidays are around the corner. Everybody knows someone or many someones who have everything. It is getting harder to shop for them every year. We suggest purchasing a gift that gives back. The Heart of Haiti campaign was created to help Haitian artisans. Aside from the masterful craftsmanship in each piece, you are directly affecting the lives of Haitians. Rebuilding after the horrible earthquake of 2010 has not been easy especially for those who were already lining in poverty. The Heart of Haiti campaign empowers these artists to create and earn enough to help their families.

Heart of Haiti is a “Trade, Not Aid” initiative launched by artist and social entrepreneur, Willa Shalit, The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and Macy’s. Each item is a one-of-a-kind design and handmade by a Haitian master artisan from raw materials such as recycled oil drums, wrought iron, papier-mâché and stone. The collection features more than 40 home decor items including quilts, metalwork, ceramics, and paintings.

Accessories include vases, candleholders, serving trays, picture frames, mirrors, coasters, necklaces, clutch purses and more! The craftsmanship and technique behind these works of art, ranging from papier-mâché vases to hand cut metal frames & wall hangings, is truly remarkable. The collection is made almost entirely from recycled and sustainable items such as old cement bags, cardboard, oil drums & local Gommier wood.

Already, The Heart of Haiti collection has led to employment of 450 artists in Haiti providing financial benefits for an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in the country. With the holidays quickly approaching, sharing a ‘gift that gives back’ is a great way to raise awareness and celebrate artistry and regrowth. Heart of Haiti products are available exclusively at 25 Macy’s stores around the country and on Macy’s.com. The new collection can be found here. 2011 Fall Collection. Most items fall in the range from $25-$60.

We received the lovely angel for this review. All opinions are our own. Thanks to the Everywhere Society and Heart of Haiti at Macy Stores.