Trouble with Christmas

by Tom Flynn

Argues that most Christmas traditions are not Christian, the Santa Claus myth is harmful for chidren, Christmas critics are discriminated against, and Christmas celebrations make religious minorities... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879758481
• ISBN13: 9780879758486
• Release Date: March 1992
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Book For Those Who Wish Christmas Would Go Away

This is a wonderful book written from an atheistic point of view for Scrooges everywhere.It examines the roots of the holiday,how it came to be(quite recent by historical standards) and the problems it has caused.The outline is clear with the social,moral,ethical impacts examined.Not much is said about the economic burden it places on people but we all feel that impact quite readily in January.Do you like it?Betcha you don't.It looks at the religious aspects and how Catholics have made it into something it should never have been.Now it's a commercial tsunami we can't turn our backs on.Santa is explored as well,what a marketing strategy he turned out to be as well as the "traditions" we utilize as if they have been in use since time began from the yule log to the tree.All are window dressing designed to pick your pockets which they do.It seems we have about 6 people to thank for this mess who though not conspiratorily but individually brought a defunct, dull,uncelebrated day, the birth of Christ, back into vogue and have crippled much of society financially all for one day a year. But for all we do for our loved ones and especially our children we usually hear "Is that all I got".Trouble is, even the Bible can't get it right,Just read the gospels that describe the event and compare them closely,you'll see.Christmas is part fairytale part fluff and you spend until you bleed every year for nothing.Read it, it will make you take a closer look at a day that should not be what we've made it,legal robbery, offensive to those who wish to have no part of it and nothing whatsoever at least in its present form to do with the birth of a man named Jesus Christ.The book, nor do I feel that the holiday should be abolished, just celebrated in a more private, solomn way,and not made so public.Tuned down with less emphasis on spending and more emphasis on the reason for it in the first place, you know like the signs say "put Christ back in Christmas".I'm Catholic and I'm sick of it, all the phony crap every December. Read it, it will give you food for thought and hopefully will make you reassess your priorities, er, I mean Madison Avenues and Japans priorities on you.

Don't listen to the previous reviewer!

Flynn's book "The Trouble with Christmas" is a very well-research and informative work that presents an intelligent investigation into the celebration of the Christmas holiday. Mr. Flynn is not a "bah, humbug" as the previous reviewer noted; he is a rational, intelligent individual who asks important questions about the yuletide holiday. His inquiry explores the supposed "historical" roots (pointing out that most of what we celebrate originated in the middle-to-late 1800's, not antiquity). He examines the origins of many xmas symbols (the yule log, Santa, the tree) and relays a wealth of information on about them. Plus, he is sympathetic to those who may not be of Christian origin and asks his reader to consider what it must be like for say, a Jew or a Muslim or an atheist, to have to endure another's holiday and to have to endure scorn and negativity from those (probably like the previous reviewer) who cannot understand why everyone just doesn't celebrate Christmas too.

Grouchy Christians and Weary, Walked-Upon Atheists Unite!

Just as the old ad slogan goes, You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy Levy's Rye Bread . . . I say: You don't have to be atheist to enjoy this wonderful diatribe against the hokum that had grown clogged and weedy around what was once a simple, reflective religious day of remembrance. Christians are enriched by reading of the non-Christian origins of modern Christmas customs. I for one am fed up with the glut of consumerism that has buried the holiday and if Flynn served only as a whistleblower to the holiday's excess, this book would be good enough. But Flynn also writes from the atheists point of view, an amiable atheist at that, and he has this practicing Catholic on his side as one who decries those condescing, oppressing people who poo-poo anyone who doesn't get all visions-of-sugarplumsy at the thought of Christmas. I read this year (2002) that Christmas is catching fire in China with nary a mention of Christ. They just dig the gift giving and the clown in the red suit and if Americans were more honest, we'd happily echo the words of Bart Simpson, who said something like: "Let's remember the true meaning of Christmas...the birthday of Santa Claus."Flynn reminds us that our egotistical view of the holiday -- that it "our" Christmas was the way it always was -- is a myth. In just a blip of history ago, Christmas was a holy day and a humbler day. I long for a return in that direction, and Flynn's book refreshes my overview of the holiday. It consoles me that much of it is hogwash and that I oughtn't feel to glum about feeling glum about it.

any book burnings lately?

I couldn't believe how entertaining this book was. I was really just expecting a book full of putative facts, sleeping material. Not so! As cliche as it sounds: "I couldn't put the book down." I was really impressed with all of the resources that were used in compiling this book. One phrase that sticks in my head even after reading this was the "controversial," mantra : "Keep Christ in Christmas," to which he commented to the effect, "They were having a hard enough time keeping Christmas in the first place." I recommend this book to anyone who "insists" on putting up Christmas lights in the middle of October, and, "Mary Xmas!"

A Good Antidote to End of Year Madness

Santa Claus and his reindeer, Christmas trees and cards, exchanging presents and so on and on. It is good to have in one place a history of all of these diverse elements of the Christmas tradition. Tom Flynn covers a lot of ground and he writes well so this is a fun book to read. The book is even better in presenting the argument against the holiday and describing the "Trouble With Christmas." He demoans the arrogance of adopting a holiday of one religion as a secular holiday in a country that is home to people who have many different religions. Last week when I was watching television I saw the ad the Hallmark Company ran urging people to buy their Christmas tree ornaments. And as I write this review the middle of August has not even come so I know the Christmas season will be in full swing soon. I suggest to others that indeed it is not too early to start preparing for the Christmas season by getting this book. The author presents a good case for having a Christmas free end of the year.