In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I'm Lutheran and we follow the Christian liturgical calendar (other liturgical Christians include a little group I call "Catholics," as well as the Orthodox and Anglicans). This coming Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year. The season that launches the new year is Advent, a penitential season of preparation for Christmas. Christmas begins on Dec. 25 and lasts for 12 days (you've heard, I'm sure, of the "12 Days of Christmas").
I love that we live in a country that celebrates Christmas so exuberantly. It's a great holiday. But man is it weird -- and sometimes tough -- to be a liturgical Christian in this country. We begin our Christmas celebrations at the same moment that everyone else is completely done with Christmas and is moving into New Year/Superbowl prep.
And what's weirder is the tonal difference. Advent is a season of penitence and preparation. It's difficult to honor that with invitations to four parties a night, joyful music that ends on Dec. 25, and all the hustle and bustle of shopping and other preparations.
When we hear about the "war on Christmas," I jokingly refer to it as the "war on the liturgical calendar." All this to say thank you to Nordstrom. Check out the photo. I mean, on the one hand, they're celebrating the "12 Days of Christmas" on the 30 days prior. But at least they didn't do what I've seen elsewhere, where Christmas decorations have been up since just after Halloween.
I'll take it.
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Comments:
Jun '11
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
That's the most wonderful thing I've seen in a loooong time.
Jun '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I'll take it, too. I was at a Conference in a Dallas hotel complex in October and they were already decorating for Christmas, i.e. before Halloween. Give me a break.
Jun '11
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
So the Ricocheteers' DC holiday get together will be after Christmas? :-)
(Oops...bad apostrophe!)
Edited on November 18, 2011 at 5:43pmMay '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I'm with you, Mollie. Advent is such a beautiful, rich-in-meaning season--I hate how it gets completely shafted. We try to keep it in our home. We have the wreath and nightly light the candles, say the prayers and sing "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." We try to go to Mass more often and do small penances. Some years we've managed a Jesse Tree, with its recounting of the Old Testament figures and stories leading up to the Nativity. We postpone putting up the Christmas tree until Latere Sunday, and then postpone decorating it until the last Sunday in Advent. But it all feels hopeless sometimes— like cultural rear guard action.
Trying to make it real for self and children when the world around us knows nothing of it is discouraging.
Edited on November 18, 2011 at 5:36pmMay '11
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
The tradition in our home growing up was to put up the Christmas tree a week or so before Christmas. We always did the Advent wreath before our dinner meal. We always kept the tree up for the 12 days of Christmas.
I always wondered about those who put their tree up the day after Thanksgiving and took it down on 12/26.
Aug '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Katie, do you have any ideas about how to introduce Advent to my husband? He grew up in a nominally Lutheran household, but doesn't know what it is.
Given the many pre-Christmas obligations I have to my family and his (not to mention final exams!), we'll have to start with something simple, I think. I'm fine, BTW, with using Catholic liturgical material -- if Catholics don't mind Proddies like me using it :-)
Does anyone besides me ever feel that obligations to family and liturgical observance come into direct conflict during the holidays? It's a recurring theme in my life, at least.
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Just shared this picture on my Facebook. At least one store has common sense! I've actually seen some Christmas decorations in stores since September!
Dec '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Amen, sister!
Aug '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I want to share my own Discouraging Rushing Christmas anecdote:
I visited Big-Name Home and Garden Center the first week of November in order to buys some more of their bulk daffodil bulbs -- my mom loves daffodils, and I thought I'd plant some more for her before the ground froze (in our area, you can plant til mid-December, as long as you can dig the holes). Guess what? No bulbs! Of any kind!
They had been replaced by acres and acres of plastic Santas and fake fir trees.
Edited on November 18, 2011 at 6:05pmApr '11
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Mollie: What's with the scare quotes around Catholics?
MFR: "I'm fine, BTW, with using Catholic liturgical material -- if Catholics don't mind Proddies like me using it :-)"
Yeah, but be careful. First it's Advent wreaths; then you're crossing yourself and chanting Kyrie and Dominus vobiscum; and before you know it, you're hankering after incense, all seven Sacraments, and Papal blessings.
Dec '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I believe I posted the Christmas Can-Can on the member feed some time in October to celebrate my first sighting of Christmas commerce for the year.
Aug '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Grendel:
Yeah, but be careful. First it's Advent wreaths; then you're crossing yourself and chanting Kyrie and Dominus vobiscum; and before you know it, you're hankering after incense, all seven Sacraments, and Papal blessings. · Nov 18 at 9:16am
Well, I'm not saying it'll never happen (though I'm not sure whether it'd be Roman or Greek Orthodoxy). But I take Orthodoxy too seriously to convert lightly. I wouldn't want to convert only to regress into "cafeteria Catholicism".
Love the smell of incense, though. Wish it didn't also make me sneeze and wheeze :-(
Aug '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
That is possibly one of the Best. Christmas. Medleys. Ever.
As an observant Christian (well, not as observant as I should be, but you know what I mean) one of my pet pet peeves is the overwhelming awfulness of most Christmas medleys. Seriously. In my experience, many of them are so schlocky that the only thing they could possibly inspire is a perverse desire to kick the infant Jesus for causing a season in which such dreck is possible.
God deserves better than Muzak.
Edited on November 19, 2011 at 4:50amMay '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Katie, do you have any ideas about how to introduce Advent to my husband?
I love Magnificat. It's probably too late get the December issue in the mail, but if you subscribe, you can have access to it online.
My cousin is a priest in The Brotherhood of Hope. They have a CD of Advent music called A Season of Hope: Rediscovering our Advent Heritage that I listen to all season to help me get in the prayerful expectation mode. Most of the lyrics are Scripture verbatim. It includes a booklet with lyrics, catechesis, and meditations.
It's not Palestrina. It's not the Mormon Tabernacle choir. Some of the music is on the tacky side, I fear. Being musically gifted as you are, Midge, you may not like it. My husband doesn't. But for me, the faith and meaning really come through and lift my heart. I listen while I drive or cook.
"Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Fear not, here is your God. He comes with vindication. He comes to save you."
If you check it out on i-tunes, maybe listen first to track 5: "Come Lord, and tarry not."
May '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Does Nordstrom sell anything online? I'd like to make a token purchase, to reward this good behavior.
Dec '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I'll get a little cynical here. I'm sure Nordstrom is simply seeing the herd doing what it does and using this as an opportunity to stand out from the pack. It is an elitist type store and is just trying to demonstrate that it is above the stores of the unwashed masses who cannot even celebrate their holidays with proper dignity.
Aug '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
katievs
I love Magnificat. It's probably too late get the December issue in the mail, but if you subscribe, you can have access to it online.
Thanks, Katie! I may actually still be able to pick up a paper copy on campus. (It's easier to share a booklet with someone than a computer screen, I think.)
katievs
Some of the music is on the tacky side, I fear. Being musically gifted as you are, Midge, you may not like it. My husband doesn't. But for me, the faith and meaning really come through and lift my heart. I listen while I drive or cook.
Really, there's much contemporary worship music that I don't have a problem with -- and even like. There's nothing wrong with worship being accessible and participatory -- it must be. Nor is there anything wrong with worship being fun -- I've read at least one great essay on the theology of worship as play.
It's mostly the Dreaded Christmas Medley (often heavily secularized or commercialized) that provokes such wrath in this wee snake's heart.
It sounds like my hubby is like yours, though. Compared to his musical tastes, even mine seem trendy :-)
Edited on November 18, 2011 at 7:23pmRe: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
I'm a member of the Reformed Church, also a liturgical denomination, and I teach Sunday school for the 3rd through 5th graders at our church. In our classroom, we have a giant felt version of the circular liturgical calendar as well as a giant piece of colored felt by the entrance that marks what church season we're in. I'm looking forward to next week, where I'll have the children move the arrow of the calendar from the last "great green growing season" (ordinary time) square to the first purple square which signifies the start of Advent. And we'll change the giant green felt at the entrance to purple. Such simple gestures really do act to heighten the anticipation for Christmas for both the children and the teachers.
Btw, MFR...you and the hubby should get a copy of a collection of readings for Advent. I recommend Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas. Beautiful, digestible essays for each day of Advent and Christmas.
May '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
Here's an Advent book for families with little children. One chapter a night (10-15 minutes) gets you to Christmas :)
Oct '10
Re: In the War on Christmas, Nordstrom Is Switzerland
The King Prawn
I'll get a little cynical here. I'm sure Nordstrom is simply seeing the herd doing what it does and using this as an opportunity to stand out from the pack. It is an elitist type store and is just trying to demonstrate that it is above the stores of the unwashed masses who cannot even celebrate their holidays with proper dignity. · Nov 18 at 10:05am
I'm not going to concern myself with their motivation. Maybe it's sincere, maybe it's just commercial. Doesn't matter. Fact is, they're doing good and they're doing right, and so I'm going online right now to see what they sell.