The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”—not “Weep and Repent.” And the good will is expressed in a material, earthly form—by giving presents to one’s friends, or by sending them cards in token of remembrance . . . .
The best aspect of Christmas is the aspect usually decried by the mystics: the fact that Christmas has been commercialized. The gift-buying . . . stimulates an enormous outpouring of ingenuity in the creation of products devoted to a single purpose: to give men pleasure. And the street decorations put up by department stores and other institutions—the Christmas trees, the winking lights, the glittering colors—provide the city with a spectacular display, which only “commercial greed” could afford to give us. One would have to be terribly depressed to resist the wonderful gaiety of that spectacle.
I ask those who submit articles to please let the more negative commentaries on politics and news rest for this roundup and instead turn in something related to the theme and the holiday. I really want the Christmas Edition of the ORoundup to reflect the mood of the holiday. So write about the Objectivist interpretation of Christmas, about your own holiday activities, the year in review, or perhaps the year ahead. Write something that celebrates life, achievement, and productivity that allows Christmas to exist. And be sure to turn it in before 11 PM on Wednesday, Dec 23.
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