It's hard to tackle that one, because how can you fairly divide people into subtypes and to account for everyone? Let's just look at some of the biggest issues that seem to currently surround our holiday season -- our religious diversity, multi-culturalism, religion v. secularism, the commercialization of christmas, etc. So, I've taken the liberty to divide the general population into some prominent camps that view the holidays contrastingly based on those issues mentioned above. And I hope, by doing so, to add some perspective into our strained celebrations.
Through a crappy attempt at poetry!
This is a sestina -- a poem involving six six-line stanzas, each containing the same set of end-words that appear at a different order each time. I wrote it in free metre, modified two of the end-words (wonder[] and again[st]) and also omitted the customary tercet at the end. I know. I'm a real rebel against tradition.
Chorus
It’s the most wonderful time of the year,
When we solemnly light a candle each night,
For the miracles and the wonders,
And the battles our forefathers made. Against
The window we place the menorah, illuminating the house
Without. Passer-bys remember: This is us. This is what we believe.
These Seven Principles we the community believe
In: self-determination, creativity, faith... The year
Wraps up joyously. Three bright colours decorate the house,
The best one is black - the colour of the candle we light on the first night
On a kinara -- nothing to do with menorahs. We’re against
Judeo-Christianity. But Jesus was black, in case you wonder.
‘Tis the season to celebrate the wonder
Of our Lord’s birth. That’s our Lord CHRIST, in whom we the faithful still believe.
Nowadays, you mention the word ‘[beep]mas,’ everyone’s against
You. It’s gotta be Christmakkwanzaa. Best time of year
Ruined. We will light our tree, Goddamn it, and spend the night
Singing good ole’ carols in the Lord’s House.
Santa’s coming to our house,
Yippee! We were wondering
If we could stay up all night,
Keep a light on and wait for him. We believe
He’ll come. We’ve been good all year.
Yes, he’ll come again---
Stop all this nonsense. You’re all against
Rhyme and reason. We’re appalled. Look at how each house
Is decked with meretriciously flashy lights this time of year,
And all that execrable middle-class consumption! It’s a wonder
How some people still think the holidays are about what they believe.
Whatever. Religion is just an analgesic substance to help you sleep at night.
All the coffee shops closed. Lights out. The night
cold and long. Patched jacket useless against
Wind and snow. A garbage bin. It’s hard to believe
That last December, I had a job, a family, a house.
(How nice would that last one be right now, and not having to wander
these deserted streets, waiting for another year).