One wonderful thing about celebrating Christmas it that it connects us to the past. Not only are we celebrating an event that happened 2000 years ago; we are also joining all the people in 2000 years of history who celebrated Jesus' birth. That we do the same thing every year, generation after generation, preserves words and traditions and thoughts and art that would otherwise have been lost. Can you think of any other contemporary music that becomes timeless so universally?
Words we use at Christmas tend, then, to be relics from the past, captivatingly delivered to the present still speaking of the foreign mystery of the time whence they come. Today I'm going to talk about two of those words. The first is holiday.
There has been much controversy the last few years concerning those who say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Some stores forbid the mention of Christmas, because it was too religious. Christians object to the minute supply of cards that mention Christmas. "Season's Greetings," "Peace on Earth," and "Happy Holidays," are not the most expressive phrases. While I love to say "Merry Christmas," and don't think it should be forbidden, I appreciate - and sometimes use - "Happy Holidays" as well.
Holiday is a compound word. It comes from "holy" and "day." If that is not the point of celebrating, I don't know what is. The word holy is an old word meaning "that must be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated." A synonym is sacred. Keeping the day intact with its meaning, unviolated by the secular world, is what I'm all about. It is a day to worship my holy Savior, in a holy way.
My second word is Carol. At Christmas the songs everyone knows are carols. This word is from Greek originally, and refers to a song that is danced to. Originally the word implied that the tune was played by a flute, and the dance performed in a circular formation. Random House suggests that the etymology might also include a word for garlands worn in the hair. There is some suggestion that it is related to chara, the Greek word for joy. Related words may include: chorus, choir, carrel (meaning "cubicle" or enclosed place for study), coronation, charisma.
For more information:
http://www.baronyofvatavia.org/articles/medcul/carols112001as36.php
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=carol
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/carol
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
To God be all glory.
Monday, December 24, 2007
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