Holidays -Interrupted

Some time ago I started a series on holidays but have struggled to have time to write. St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's and Easter have come and gone. Well, April Fool's is not really a holiday, but it is fairly well known. AND many of us do something unusual on that day if we have time or feel a little "foolish". This year I put salt on everyone's toothbrush in my family-but they saw it. Rats. However, I digress.

Recently, Newsweek magazine sported a cover story referring to a new study that says the USA is no longer "Christian". More on that later, but I find it interesting that they admitted that it ever was. Most of those on "the left" and those opposed to our faith consistantly rail on about how we never were-seperation of church and state, many of the founders were Deists, and so on. It's all rot of course, but as I was thinking of holidays, it occured to me:

Almost every American holiday has some sort of connection to Christianity. Many are obvious (Christmas, Easter, etc.) Others perhaps are not so clear-I doubt many people know that St. Patrick is celebrated because he brought the Christian gospel to Ireland-this gets lost in the green beer, etc. How about the 4th of July? Does not the first line of the Declaration of Independence refer to the Creator (which ALL of the founders knew to be the God of the Bible, despite their differing views of doctrines). Mardi Gras, a pathetic perversion of it's original intent, originates from the rememberance of the suffering of Christ. And yes, even April Fools! (I won't take time to explain here. (Take a look at:
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/April_Fools_Day_-_Origin/)

So the next time someone tries to say our heritage is not profoundly Christian, ask them why nearly all our holidays reflect that faith. And yes, many of them had pagan origins, but they were "Christianised" long before this country got started.

It is our heritage, plain and simple.