Enjoy It While You Can

Sure we liberals get our fair share of credit for warring against Christmas (and rightfully so), but lost in the acclaim, lost in the platitudes, lost in the wealth and fortune bestowed upon us is any acknowledgement of the person who got us here. It's time to right that wrong and give credit where credit is due. I'm talking about the original warrior against Christmas; yes, I'm speaking of Scrooge. Despite the theatrical community's attempt to present him as some sort of flip-flopper, a repentant warrior against Christmas, those of us in the movement know better. The book and subsequent movie versions were accurate up to a point; Scrooge was a savvy business man. He didn't throw his money around carelessly, he didn't tolerate listless employees, or contribute to things like health care (the man knew a pre-cursor to socialism when he saw it!). And while some doctrinaire capitalists might worry about the message sent by Scrooge's legendary frugality, we should all remember that the kind of mindless consumption required for our society to thrive comes from the poor, not the rich, as Scrooge doubtless knew. Yes, those elements of the portrayal of Scrooge were correct, but does anyone really think that a few apparitions - the existence of which have never even been proven - could shake a man so firm in his mission against Christmas? I think not. Dickens, it would appear, had Orwellian tendencies before Orwell even put his name to them; converting a warrior against Christmas into a Christmas loving fool. Devious, devious, Dickens. Fortunately this distortion of Scrooge's message has failed to deter new generations of warriors (including, notably, the Grinch), and the movement has never been stronger. So to all my friends and loved ones, acquaintances and colleagues, have a very Merry Christmas - God willing, it will be your last.