warm and fuzzy greeting cards

Where does the tradition peace centered Holiday and Christmas cards originate? I can recall some song lyrics -- "peace on earth, good will towards men" -- so, it seems to be a long standing practice, but for some reason, seeing "Peace" all dolled up on the front of a card is hitting me really hard this year.

My reaction is just scowly and ironic.

Welcome to a poigantly anti-peace Christmas for the citizens of the United States.

I guess the ironic nature of the "Peace" Christmas card should be clear by observing that well over half of these offerings come with repro art of cartoonish bears and owls carolling in a snowy wood. Okay, I get it, the content is ficiton, right?

Or can we still believe in these greetings? Can we send them to loved ones with good faith? With a believe that we work for peace in this world? Because right now, I'm doing just about diddly for peace. Besides my little Amnesty Intl donations, I'm not spearheading any letter righting campaigns to end war in _________(fill in with favorite war-torn land mass), and I'm sure as heck not a doctor without borders or a UNESCO operative.

These cards don't bear practical messages, like "Here's the direct line to the XXXX oil company exec, please let him know your thoughts on environmental devestation in Africa." They're sort of a warm and fuzzy thought, like "Smell of Gingerbread" or "Take Your Photo with Santa."

Here's what I'm thinking. We model this sort of warm and fuzzy to our children AS A WAY OF LIFE. We say peace on earth, good will towards men. Teachers and parents encourage copying such sayings onto cutout Christmas trees and snowflakes. We hold concerts where multi-colored children sing "We are the World." We give the appearence, we create the appearence of all things bright and beautiful, but really most folks in the US are contributing to global inequity through their day to day actions.

Myself included. I am big enough to admit it, but at the same time crushed by this truth and trying to figure out what to do about it.

Oprah Winfrey was on the David Letterman show tonight, talking about her work to help oppressed folk in South Africa. She says don't be stunned into inaction by the size of the problem, just do what you can do to change things. Life is short, as we all like to say as one year closes and another begins.

I just know that we can get caught on a path so quickly in our youth, and I want to choose an agreeable comfortable one for me, but I feel like I'm idling time while making this nebulous calculation. You've got to jump in, right? You never know until you try.

Ah, it's late and I'm all aphorisms. Maybe I'd better make my own ChrisHanaKwanzaa cards this year. Good night, Ben.