Yes, I changed the Christmas song to fit 2020 needs, and yes, Santa should be referred to as a “they” and not a “he” because this is 2020 and if Santa wants to be a she, he or they...then let them own it and move on with your life. (Jamie said they identify as a ‘her’. 😉)
Equally as important...
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Christmas is not the actual day of Jesus’ birth and it sure as anything wasn’t originally about gift giving or huge feasts. The reality? It was first celebrated in AD 336 by the Romans, many years after Jesus walked this Earth, and was a day of riots, gluttony and hedonism.
In actuality, Charles Dickens is credited with giving us “Christmas” in its more modern form, thanks to his classic novel “A Christmas Carol”. Published in 1843, the novel became a best-seller that changed people’s view of Christmas to a time when kindness and charitable acts were seen as paramount.
Why am I sharing this? Because Christmas - in the modern way that we celebrate it - is about kindness. The gift-giving? That’s a product of capitalism and its praise of excess for its own selfish gain.
If we *really* want to celebrate Christmas, we need to put kindness first. That is the essence of the Christmas spirit and holiday, after all.
And what does that look like in 2020? It looks like not exchanging Covid as a “gift”, as it can easily and quickly become both the last gift for many, as well as the gift that unfortunately keeps on “giving” for the 1 in 5 #covid_19 patients that endure 5+ weeks of complications, or the 1 in 10 #covid patients (like me) that experience 12+ weeks of complications, with both chronic cases being referred to as #longcovid.
I’m still trying to figure out how to return my case of #covid, but until then, please (please!) do right by the real holiday *and* your loved ones by putting kindness first: stay home, video chat until the wee hours, and if you feel so inclined, send small business gifts to your loved ones everywhere.
(Curious when Jesus was actually born? That makes all of us, but this is an insightful read: https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/christianity/articles/when-was-jesus-really-born.aspx)