In the last few months during my rambles through the undergrowth of the alternative media, I discovered a writer, W.D. James, who teaches philosophy in Kentucky, USA. He tells us that:

 I’m thinking my way through our current times and I tend to do that by digging into the ‘classics’ of Westen political philosophy to see what light they can shine on the contemporary moment.

My basic stance is characterized by:

• Anti-Modernism
• Anti-Globalism
• Deep respect for pre-modern wisdom traditions, including religious traditions
• Liberty
• Defense of the opportunity for a good life for everyone
• A critique of the modern state
• Grounding in nature/reality, intellectually, morally, and existentially

I find him accessible, challenging and entertaining. From time to time I will draw your attention to stuff of his that touches one of my fragile nerves. He can be found at https://wdjames.substack.com/

Anyway, he’s just produced a post in praise of Christmas, which caused me to scribble this comment. ‘As a curmudgeon and miserablist, I’m in shock! I loved the piece and I might well be having a Scrooge-like conversion. I might well go out and buy a Christmas Tree.’

CHARLIE BROWN: CHRISTMAS AS SOCIAL PRACTICE -the link

W.D begins:

There’ll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
There’ll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago

It’s the most wonderful time of the year
There’ll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near
It’s the most wonderful time of the yearⁱ

I believe that Christmas is a magical time. It is my favorite time of the year. I love the lights, the songs, the foods, the presents, mistletoe, holly (which remains green and oddly bears fruit in the winter), Santa, reindeer, snow, elves, holiday films, and the bringing of trees indoors. I am aware that from a cynical post-everything perspective, I would be seen as a sappy sucker for my naïve appreciation of the holiday. I can only plead guilty to being sappy and to loving Christmas. I agree that it is commercialized and that capitalism perverts everything it touches. But I also believe Christmas is too resilient and in tune with the human spirit to be completely subverted.

So, below all the accoutrements listed above, what do I think Christmas is really all about? I believe it is about the promise of new life. Further, I believe it is a holiday. A Holy Day. I take it that the ‘holy’ represents an aspect of our experience where we feel the transcendent breaks into our ordinary world, shining light upon its ultimate meaning and purpose. In that sense, Christmas might just be the holy day. In what follows, I will attempt to look a little more deeply at what is holy about Christmas and also look at Christmas as a thing we do (an old expression speaks of ‘keeping Christmas’, i.e., celebrating it) which means that it is a social practice that has the power to shape us in various ways.

and closes:

Therefore, perhaps we should keep Christmas. Or, we can call it the Solstice, or Saturnalia, or Hanukkah, or Yalda, or Kwanzaa, or whatever we might term it. However that turns out, may you experience a goodly measure of peace and cooperatively bring about some goodwill this season. The main thing is that it involves a tree; the old-fashioned kind made of wood.

---

Sadly the links to the Charlie Brown movie don’t work but as nostalgic and heartwarming compensation, what about the 1951 version of Christmas Carol with the wonderful Alistair Sim as Scrooge?