Wow! Naomi you have such clear vision. The question is, why don’t most others see what you see? We are all much poorer for what has been done to Christmas.
This is amazingly profound and raises the awareness of what has happened to our Western Culture and America by the evil marxist schemes of division. In my youth I heard and read of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, more brutal and sudden than our governmental societal experiment. I did not realize it was happening here until the SCOTUS began its atheistic march against all decency by removing prayer from public schools, Roe v Wade, and then those decisions to remove nativity scenes and the Ten Commandments from public grounds. It occurred to my adult brain in the 80s that we were no longer a Constitutional Republic spoken of by Lincoln, of the people, for the people, by the people. We were essentially without a voice in these monumental decisions that changed our society and culture forever by Supremely tyrannical court Rulers who were no longer interpreting how laws are followed constitutionally but actually legislating from the bench. Lawsuits became the route to change all manner of authority, tearing down disciplines in schools and free speech in the workplace. It was the courts that shutdown Christmas tradition. The definition of hate speech, hate crimes results in the government rooting out preachers on corners, moms at school boards as terrorists.
As Van Morrison sang, 'Take me back to when the world made more sense.' I grew up in the 60's too when Christmas meant a lot more to many people than it does now, even for non-Christians. We lived in a town in the North of Scotland and the cafe in one of the cinemas was transformed into a Winter Wonderland, which was naturally a magical place for children. It was a time of year when people seemed to be kinder to one another, if only for a short time, which echoes the sentiments of another song, 'I wish it could be Christmas every day.'
I was born in Seattle in 1966 and have always lived under the shadow of that statist city. I grew up in Bellevue, a suburb. In early elementary school during December, those who walked to school could come early to sing Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs in the gym. The week before Christmas in the afternoons we'd have time to make Christmas crafts.
That all disappeared over the summer of 1976, between 3rd and 4th grade. Christmas vacation became winter vacation. No more Christmas songs or dreidels.
We girls put jingle bells on our tennis shoes.
In 1985 I graduated and went to college. I met several students who still had Christmas at their schools. I heard only Seattle and Bellevue schools had outlawed Christmas but the state was pressuring other districts to do the same.
I don't like happy holidays, but now hardly anyone gives any kind of holiday greeting anymore. Stores decorate, but as you say, the spirit is gone.
We still have it in the homeschool community (my kids are now 25 and 20). And, of course, church. I grew up in a church that observed advent. But for most of my adult life I've attended churches that don't. Even children's Christmas programs have disappeared.
Last year, our pastor brought in a advet wreath and lit a candle each week. Real Christmas, preparing for the Christchild.
This is absolutely spot on! Naomi, you have such wonderful insights and then put them into words that express the ideas so very well. Thank you for this. I want to share it far and wide. God bless you!
This isn’t about Marxism and communism. The lockdowns, mandates, and all of that was about fascism. The working class, those who aren’t on Substack, suffered the most. This is about the theft of the Commons.
The United States and Israel have been pretty much merged into the same country — see Gaza, Naomi — just as Christmas and Hanukkah have been merged whereby Christians and Jews now together celebrate 'the holiday.'
Who is the big winner w the merging of the United States and Israel?
The same winner w the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into 'the holiday.'
The promotion of Hanukkah into a major Jewish holiday (LI rabbi: "We've created something that never really existed before.") has obviously been done at the expense of Christmas. Obviously. Holiday concerts?? Holiday lights?? And just try finding the word Christmas in a Lands' End catalogue.
(I actually read in a column recently: 'As Jews worldwide prepare to light the fourth candle of the menorah...'
We all need to come together as never before. With WWIII being promoted by the insane neocons, sane voices must be heard! Part of the WEF's agenda is to destroy religion and the family unit; reaching their goals depends on keeping us fighting each other. Great post Naomi!
Beautifully expressed, and it makes me so happy and so sad at the same time. Happy to receive your hearty "Merry Christmas!" and return it in the same joyous, freedom-loving spirit. Sad to read your eloquent description of what was lost.
We've lost so very much to the communists. They don't only threaten our material wealth. What is far more damaging is how they steal the vitality and goodness of our inner life. And what is downright catastrophic is the realization that we have, by and large, let them take it.
Agreed! Communism steals our very souls - which, IMO, is the very heart of it and was intended to do. Albert Pike, the man who got Marxism started, was a satanist, which explains a lot IMO. satanism is designed to steal our souls and suck us dry of compassion for others, of what is human and what makes us joyful and loving. I was in communist Russia in 1977, also Romania and Bulgaria then and all were communist - I ended up for 3 weeks in hospital in Moscow to have my appendix removed which had ruptured. At night, Russians came around our campsite and I saw the hungry sadness in their eyes; they wanted to know what America was like and yearned for the freedom we had then. I'll never forget it, indeed I think often about the people I met. One young university studen I met who I gave 5 copies of my Time magazine to which I had bought while traveling that summer - was overjoyed to receive such a gift because he could then learn what was happening in the outside world. There was no way for anyone in a communist country to know what was really happening outside of their own country, certainly they couldn't learn about America. Peter was overjoyed at my gift to him and next morning, risking his life because he might be seen talking with an American, he brought me his English grammar book that he was studying. I still have it 45 yrs later. I remember crying when communism in Russia finally fell and I rejoiced for the warm people I had met there. And now I am beginning to experience what the Russian people had lived thru for 75 yrs. I've watched as the soul of America is slowly being killed. We can't let this happen. It starts by not allowing our Christmas/Hanukah traditions to be erased/changed. I'd love to see more celebrations of Christmas where our Jewish friends, co-workers and neighbors are invited and I'd love to go to some Hanukkah celebrations if I'm invited. The more we know about each other, the stronger community and country we have. Ms. Wolfe, thank you so very much for this thought-provoking, warm and very lovely and well-written article; it warmed my heart and brought me to tears. THANK YOU! and Happy Hanukkah to you!!
Yes, we just have to live from our hearts. We can do that just by doing it. No one can stop us.
This post and your comment remind me of how Whittaker Chambers explains his conversion from Communism in his book "Witness". Was it a logical refutation of the ideas of Marx? A comparative examination of national economies? No, he heard a baby crying. It reminded him what it means to be human. And he suddenly realized that communism has no place for humanity as such.
t.co/M8xeWGZkbB
I was thinking of this great article this morning as the words, “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas” came to mind. Strange song!
Wow! Naomi you have such clear vision. The question is, why don’t most others see what you see? We are all much poorer for what has been done to Christmas.
This is amazingly profound and raises the awareness of what has happened to our Western Culture and America by the evil marxist schemes of division. In my youth I heard and read of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, more brutal and sudden than our governmental societal experiment. I did not realize it was happening here until the SCOTUS began its atheistic march against all decency by removing prayer from public schools, Roe v Wade, and then those decisions to remove nativity scenes and the Ten Commandments from public grounds. It occurred to my adult brain in the 80s that we were no longer a Constitutional Republic spoken of by Lincoln, of the people, for the people, by the people. We were essentially without a voice in these monumental decisions that changed our society and culture forever by Supremely tyrannical court Rulers who were no longer interpreting how laws are followed constitutionally but actually legislating from the bench. Lawsuits became the route to change all manner of authority, tearing down disciplines in schools and free speech in the workplace. It was the courts that shutdown Christmas tradition. The definition of hate speech, hate crimes results in the government rooting out preachers on corners, moms at school boards as terrorists.
Beautifully presented and argued. Thank you!
Thank you Dr…well written, couldn’t agree with you more!
As Van Morrison sang, 'Take me back to when the world made more sense.' I grew up in the 60's too when Christmas meant a lot more to many people than it does now, even for non-Christians. We lived in a town in the North of Scotland and the cafe in one of the cinemas was transformed into a Winter Wonderland, which was naturally a magical place for children. It was a time of year when people seemed to be kinder to one another, if only for a short time, which echoes the sentiments of another song, 'I wish it could be Christmas every day.'
I was born in Seattle in 1966 and have always lived under the shadow of that statist city. I grew up in Bellevue, a suburb. In early elementary school during December, those who walked to school could come early to sing Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs in the gym. The week before Christmas in the afternoons we'd have time to make Christmas crafts.
That all disappeared over the summer of 1976, between 3rd and 4th grade. Christmas vacation became winter vacation. No more Christmas songs or dreidels.
We girls put jingle bells on our tennis shoes.
In 1985 I graduated and went to college. I met several students who still had Christmas at their schools. I heard only Seattle and Bellevue schools had outlawed Christmas but the state was pressuring other districts to do the same.
I don't like happy holidays, but now hardly anyone gives any kind of holiday greeting anymore. Stores decorate, but as you say, the spirit is gone.
We still have it in the homeschool community (my kids are now 25 and 20). And, of course, church. I grew up in a church that observed advent. But for most of my adult life I've attended churches that don't. Even children's Christmas programs have disappeared.
Last year, our pastor brought in a advet wreath and lit a candle each week. Real Christmas, preparing for the Christchild.
Brilliant, beautiful, deeply discerning and totally true.
This is absolutely spot on! Naomi, you have such wonderful insights and then put them into words that express the ideas so very well. Thank you for this. I want to share it far and wide. God bless you!
https://jewdicious.substack.com/p/christmukkah
What a beautiful way to begin Christmas morning! Thank you!
Merry Christmas with love, gratitude and blessings to you and your family.
This isn’t about Marxism and communism. The lockdowns, mandates, and all of that was about fascism. The working class, those who aren’t on Substack, suffered the most. This is about the theft of the Commons.
Not the point.
The United States and Israel have been pretty much merged into the same country — see Gaza, Naomi — just as Christmas and Hanukkah have been merged whereby Christians and Jews now together celebrate 'the holiday.'
Who is the big winner w the merging of the United States and Israel?
The same winner w the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into 'the holiday.'
The promotion of Hanukkah into a major Jewish holiday (LI rabbi: "We've created something that never really existed before.") has obviously been done at the expense of Christmas. Obviously. Holiday concerts?? Holiday lights?? And just try finding the word Christmas in a Lands' End catalogue.
(I actually read in a column recently: 'As Jews worldwide prepare to light the fourth candle of the menorah...'
And that's how it's done.)
We all need to come together as never before. With WWIII being promoted by the insane neocons, sane voices must be heard! Part of the WEF's agenda is to destroy religion and the family unit; reaching their goals depends on keeping us fighting each other. Great post Naomi!
Beautifully expressed, and it makes me so happy and so sad at the same time. Happy to receive your hearty "Merry Christmas!" and return it in the same joyous, freedom-loving spirit. Sad to read your eloquent description of what was lost.
We've lost so very much to the communists. They don't only threaten our material wealth. What is far more damaging is how they steal the vitality and goodness of our inner life. And what is downright catastrophic is the realization that we have, by and large, let them take it.
Agreed! Communism steals our very souls - which, IMO, is the very heart of it and was intended to do. Albert Pike, the man who got Marxism started, was a satanist, which explains a lot IMO. satanism is designed to steal our souls and suck us dry of compassion for others, of what is human and what makes us joyful and loving. I was in communist Russia in 1977, also Romania and Bulgaria then and all were communist - I ended up for 3 weeks in hospital in Moscow to have my appendix removed which had ruptured. At night, Russians came around our campsite and I saw the hungry sadness in their eyes; they wanted to know what America was like and yearned for the freedom we had then. I'll never forget it, indeed I think often about the people I met. One young university studen I met who I gave 5 copies of my Time magazine to which I had bought while traveling that summer - was overjoyed to receive such a gift because he could then learn what was happening in the outside world. There was no way for anyone in a communist country to know what was really happening outside of their own country, certainly they couldn't learn about America. Peter was overjoyed at my gift to him and next morning, risking his life because he might be seen talking with an American, he brought me his English grammar book that he was studying. I still have it 45 yrs later. I remember crying when communism in Russia finally fell and I rejoiced for the warm people I had met there. And now I am beginning to experience what the Russian people had lived thru for 75 yrs. I've watched as the soul of America is slowly being killed. We can't let this happen. It starts by not allowing our Christmas/Hanukah traditions to be erased/changed. I'd love to see more celebrations of Christmas where our Jewish friends, co-workers and neighbors are invited and I'd love to go to some Hanukkah celebrations if I'm invited. The more we know about each other, the stronger community and country we have. Ms. Wolfe, thank you so very much for this thought-provoking, warm and very lovely and well-written article; it warmed my heart and brought me to tears. THANK YOU! and Happy Hanukkah to you!!
Yes, we just have to live from our hearts. We can do that just by doing it. No one can stop us.
This post and your comment remind me of how Whittaker Chambers explains his conversion from Communism in his book "Witness". Was it a logical refutation of the ideas of Marx? A comparative examination of national economies? No, he heard a baby crying. It reminded him what it means to be human. And he suddenly realized that communism has no place for humanity as such.