Generations of Americans were raised on popular holiday films and songs perpetuating the myth that "being together as a family" is the high holy sacrament of Christmas, which i have to imagine was meant to unify groups of disparate Christians to sell more tickets https://twitter.com/kmaustinyoung/status/1330900000553963521

I don't mean to sound cynical, i just think for those of us who attend high churches it's obvious that attendance at church is a much bigger deal than "going home for the holidays"

Entire swathes of films about being stuck in traffic trying to get back "home" for a day

Santa Claus and presents are believe it or not, not precepts of the church

Anyway, You're Welcome for the discourse

The most generous view of all this is that people were so shellshocked and happy to be in america after the horror of two world wars that they romanticized the home front beyond the point of reason and made a fuck ton of black and white films and now here we are

I'm never even one of those folks online yelling that everyone should become a priest or religious sister, but if family truly is the Highest Societal Good then why is the celibate religious life considered to be even higher. Absolutely no one should do it, if Family is Best

I keep going off on tangents but all of this to say, if we truly are the body of Christ on earth, we are together when we share in worship of God, even if we are far apart, and perhaps our energy might be better spent in reflection on this truth

I'm sure this thread will upset someone deeply and i can only say I'm sorry, there's no way around the fact that people can't be with their families and it sucks. A lot of people are losing family members and can't grieve. That sucks too. Let's try to avoid more of that.