Fourteen Reasons for the Season

So, every year I ask myself some questions about Christmas.  This year, I thought I'd share them with you.

1. What should I get my mom?
   
2. Why are there only 17 Christmas songs? (An estimation).
   
3. Why do "artists" feel the need to release an album with these 17 songs every year? (Or even worse, they write new ones).
   
4. Why does Hallmark keep making Christmas movies?
   
5. Why do Protestant Christians actively celebrate a mostly pagan-infused Catholic Holiday? (During the Reformation, Protestants condemned celebrating Christmas).
   
6. Why do parents willingly lie to their children about a mystical bearded man who supposedly breaks into their homes at night? (Breaking and entering is a felony).
   
7. Why do Christians get mad when they see "Xmas"? (The Greek letter chi, or X, is the first letter in the Greek spelling of Christ. It's just an abbreviation, folks).
   
8. Also, why are Christians so concerned that the bad guys (not sure who they are) are taking the "Christ" out of Christmas?
   
9. Would Christ even want to be involved in a consumer-driven holiday like Christmas? (He actually instructed people to sell their stuff and give the proceeds to poor folk, Matt 19:21).
   
10. How would Jesus feel about us using His "birthday" as an excuse to buy each other stuff? (It's obviously not His actual birthday. Scholars cannot even begin to agree on a date. We use December 25th for varied reasons, mostly non-Biblical).
    
11. Why do I always feel discontented with the stuff I get for Christmas? (Oh, right, because it's just stuff).
    
12. Why do Christians say things like, "Remember the true reason for the season!" and then trim a tree, put up lights, buy loads of gifts, and take their kids to see Santa? (Probably because those ARE the reasons for the season).
    
13. Why do suicide rates go up in December in the United States?
    
14. How does Santa feel about fair trade consumerism? (Well, he's not real, but we are and elves don't make Christmas presents;  Chinese people do and I'm sure they're not caroling when they make our Christmas junk for pennies on the dollar).

Call me Scrooge, if you like, but Christmas is absurd.  The thing is, most of us feel it or think it.  So, why does nothing change?  I love spending time with my family.  I do.  But, Christmas is a joke.  It's not about Christ.  Well, it's not about the Christ I claim to know.  Next year, I'll be different.  Maybe?

Much love and much peace.