"There is a remarkable breakdown of taste and intelligence at Christmastime. Mature, responsible grown men wear neckties made out of holly leaves and drink alcoholic beverages with raw egg yolks and cottage cheese in them."       -P. J. O'Rourke

"Early in life I developed a distaste for the Cratchits that time has not sweetened. I do not think I was an embittered child, but the Cratchit's aggressive worthiness, their bravely borne poverty, their exultation over that wretched goose, disgusted me. I particularly disliked Tiny Tim (a part always played by a girl because girls had superior powers of looking moribund and worthy at the same time), and when he chirped, 'God bless us every one!", my mental response was akin to Sam Goldwyn's famous phrase, 'Include me out.'"  -Robertson Davies

"A little girl said she like Santa Claus better than Jesus because 'you have to be good for Santa only at Christmas, but for Jesus you had to be good all the time.' Much of the Christmas observance at church is not far removed from that attitude." -Vance Havner 

Dear Mary: Just a very hurried line-- (1). To condole with you on the loss of Fr. ________. (2). To tell a story which puts the contrast between our feast of the Nativity and, all this ghastly "Xmas" racket at its lowest. My brother heard a woman on a 'bus say, as the 'bus passed a church with a Crib outside it, "Oh, Lor'! They bring religion into everything. Look...they're dragging it even into Christmas now!" Love and sympathy from us both. Yours, Jack.                -C.S. Lewis, Letters to an American Lady 

"What you do not understand, treat with reverence and be patient, and what you do understand, cherish and keep." -Augustine of Hippo, Sermons for Christmas and Epiphany  (4th century)  

For FinishingWell,

Barry Morrow