And the point of this segment was what exactly?

I love Ira Glass’ radio programs as I am a classic NPR addict. However, this morning conversation really angered me especially since it was set in the contest of exalting the intellectual depth of Ira’s analysis.
It was about Jewish people being unaware, then forsaken by the Christmas epic and eventually finding their way of assertion through contempt (Las Vegas and Atlantic City trip for Christmas for one day among the lost souls.)

I am Italian-born (Nov 1959), and although I am not, and my family was not, religious, I grew up in a Catholic country when still religion and, by definition, Catholic religion was a mandatory subject in school. I must break your bubble now: when I was a child Christmas was not synonymous with buying. Presents for kids came at the feast of Santa Lucia (December 8th), nothing at all for December 25th, and few or just one present for the Three Kings (I tre re Magi) on January 6th.
Christmas and its Eve were celebrated actually with fasting on the eve noon, special fish food on the evening and characteristic lunch on Christmas day, likely varying region to region. More to it, the Christmas tree has been accepted by the Catholic church just recently as a necessity to follow the spirit of the time, being it a Nordic animistic tradition, alien to any scripture.
Then the consumerism came and led to what we see today in Italy and here.
I don’t know how Christmas time was in the early 60ies in the USA but I am pretty sure that this absurdity of mall decorations, sales and buying for the sake of maintaining the economy (don’t Christmas sale represent 40% of all retail sales?) are a less sincere injection of consumerism into the American society as well.
Thus stop blaming Christian religion necessarily and figure out, given the intelligence and depth of your expose`, how the reality we live now in the USA came to be. By being condescending and snobbish you perpetuate a self-serving opposing picture that does not go to the hearth of the matter that is consumerism.
I am an Atheist and thus belong to the most hated faith group and I too cannot stand the decoration and the frenzy. To me, this is the coldest part of the year, there are school vacations, maybe snow, some relent in the daily routine and more time to spend with friends and family and an occasion to celebrate our friendship with food and spirits and, maybe, spirit.

Expect better from you,

Margherita

In New York, Jews head down to Chinatown on Christmas. It is crowded, so I get there early, and then try to get into a crowded movie filled with Jews burping wonton dumplings...

On the home front, I have always had the "Chanukah Bush..." Besides presents under the bush, I wrap all the crap and rubble that is laying around the house, and gift wrap it in boxes...this makes for a clean house when people come over, and it looks like I am a hell of a generous gift giver. On January 2nd, I start opening up the smelly boxes and start sorting again.

The truth is, all my friends are getting Oliver Sacks new book this year...he made it simple.