The War on After Christmas

Last year on the day after Christmas, Tony went into the Albertson's and got a giant Hershey Bar for the teenager. It was marked down to ten bucks or something.

After Christmas sale, right? Tony and I always get all kinds of crap on the day after Christmas. Gift wrap, gift bags, bows, cards, maybe an elf hat.

So today I go pick up Tony at the Starbuck's, and I say, "Hey, let's go get one of those giant Hershey bars for the teenager."

We go down to the Christmas aisle, and it's all Valentine's Day stuff!

You know, Bugs Bunny valentines, Russell Stovers heart-shaped boxes, and the little candies that say "Be My Luv." and "Rock me, Mama!"

It's like there's no break in the retail seasons now. No down time! I guess they'll put the Easter baskets out on February 15th.

I would say can't we at least wait for the Feast of the Epiphany 'til we move on to the next holiday, but I think the Mother Church has pretty much dropped the ball on that one.

See, it used to be the last day of Christmas was January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany. Well, now they just have something called Octave of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which you celebrate on January 1st.

Which, you know, I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here. They traded in Ephiphany for this Octave of the Blessed Virgin Mary because people are too damn lazy to go to Mass on January 6th, but you figure January 1st they all have the day off anyway, right? And what's seventeen-hundred years of liturgical tradition compared to the parishioners' heartfelt need to get home from work in time to watch Nancy Grace.

And if the Octave of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on a Saturday or a Monday, it's not even a Holy Day of Obligation.

What next? Should we reconfigure Lent so it starts on Ash Presidents' Day?

Call me cynical, but I remember when shopping was easy and religion was hard!

Kurt "big daddy" True
26 december 2005