On the “Hallmark Holiday” syndrome

“Hey you – that’s right, you over in the corner of the sanctuary with the roses and plans to go out to have a nice brunch.  You can’t do that on [insert holiday here]!  It’s just another holiday with Unitarian roots that Hallmark’s bastardized in order to sell cards.  You very clearly don’t belong here, so take your roses and your good intentions and get the hell out of here.”

Ok, so that wasn’t actually ever said at any UU service that I can recall.  But today, for example, we were told how Mother’s Day was all about pacifism and peace and how the person who started one of the incarnations of Mother’s Day was so horrified how it turned out that she wish she had never thought of it.

Trashing Americana, which at these points these kooky holidays have become, generally isn’t terribly conducive for growing our denomination or making people feel warm and fuzzy upon leaving the sanctuary doors.  I’d rather not go to church and come away feeling guilty for partaking in Americana (can we say…pop-UU?)

I’d rather not go to church or delve in a religion where angry!liberal!activists are hellbent on educating us on the true origins of a holiday.  If we Unitarians truly cared about the origin of things, I do believe we UUs would all be Christians, since, after all, that’s the origin of both Unitarianism and Universalism.   This is not a crusade against ignorance these angry!liberal!activists are waging – it’s a campaign for them to feel better by putting down the opinions and beliefs of others.  If your version of celebrating a holiday hinges on destroying it for others, maybe you should just skip church that day, stay at home, glaring at the phone just in case someone calls you to wish you a happy holiday…oooo the nerve of them…but if they do at least you can yell at them over the phone and educate them on the real reasons for the holiday…even if it’s just a telemarketer.
This isn’t just about Mother’s Day – For example, I’m not a huge fan of the alternative reading list Beacon Hill has up on their website for Memorial Day.   Memorial Day is about honoring those who died in the Armed Services, no matter what you think about war, about cookouts, and about the Indy 500.  Americana.

UUs seem to have an obsession with what I call the “Hallmark Holiday syndrome” – trashing holidays not based on their chosen religion or one that they particularly care about, in order to try in vain to make some statement about American Culture that will do nothing other than offend people…or at least make they feel guilty about wanting to celebrate said holiday.  What a fun place to be.

Now sure, I thought the history of Mother’s Day was interesting [and still love the person who said it from the pulpit] since I have been known to be a angry!liberal!activist [I ran the 04 Kucinich state campaign for goodness sakes], but this is just an example of a larger problem I see with Unitarian Universalism.

I can’t see how this general attitude helps UUs create a positive public image and create a warm, welcoming environment.

So in case you don’t hear it anywhere else – Happy Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and any other “Hallmark Holiday.”  And if you feel anyone’s giving you any guilt over wanting to celebrate…be sure to buy them a nice big Hallmark card for the occasion and give it to them the next time you see them.

It’s ok if it’s late.  I think they’ll still…appreciate…it.