The Real “Reason for the Season”?

Copyrighted by Lorna Tedder. Originally published in Third Degree Below.

My Christian colleague stood in front of the bulletin board in her oversized  office and lectured us heathens. “You  all  know  the  real ‘reason  for  the  season,’  don’t you?”

I started to make a joke about keeping the “Soul” in “Solstice,”  but  I didn’t.  I was  having  too  hard  a time grasping the handmade sign she’d just put on the bulletin board behind her:

“Only 17 shopping days ‘till Christmas!”

Not “only 17 days until Christmas,” but “17 shopping days.” Emphasis noted.

Regardless of whether Jesus or the return of the Light is the reason, I’m refusing this year to make the season all about commercialism.