Empty Presents

Work work work.

Because of this, let's reflect on the current situation beriddling our society. Let's talk about Christmas.

The media surrounding Christmas tends to confuse me. It's hard for me to grasp the concept of a song written for the sole purpose of celebrating a holiday. You're only supposed to listen to it in November and December. After that, it seems empty and meaningless, if not downright creepy, to listen to the song in the "off" months.

Frankly, Christmas music sucks. You wouldn't listen to the music other than in those two months, that tells you something. It's interesting to listen to "empty" music. If Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" came on at the supermarket in July, you'd think "Why are they playing this? It doesn't mean anything right now!"

Music that is empty except for two months. We find it acceptable to play that music because all of a sudden, the music is flooded with meaning. Memories, family, lights, sleigh rides, horses, Santa, cookies, malls . . .

Because the music is empty most of the time, I can't help but think that it's all weak music. I hear this music and I cringe a little. Yeah, it brings me back, but there's something wrong about it, right? Something off.

Christmas movies tend to be the same way, but I find them to be more acceptable. A Christmas Carol is good, but it's probably the most Christmassy movie I can think of. That, and The Grinch.

A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation are both strictly Christmas movies, but I can bear them. It's a Wonderful Life . . . it doesn't have to be a Christmas movie. It only takes place on Christmas at the end of the movie.

The one movie that makes me utterly confused, but not angry, is The Nightmare Before Christmas. Is it a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie? Halloween movies are anytime movies, but Christmas movies are like Christmas music, you can only play them two months out of the year or something is off. This particular movie is a Christmas movie with Halloween flair.

It is the only Christmas movie that is acceptable to watch year round.

It's like the message of the movie transcends into the emptiness of Christmas pop culture, turning what should be meaningless in July into something of pure delight filled with wholesome empathetical viewing.

What's also strange about this movie is the counterculture it has started. The typical "goth" high schoolers listen to Tool, Type O Negative, Marilyn Manson, and flaunt Nightmare Before Christmas flair.

What I find interesting is that Manson and Nightmare seem to be the most prevalent in this sub-culture's clothing. Manson has recorded a remake of "This is Halloween", the first song of Nightmare. What's interesting is that the Antichrist Superstar has gone hand in hand with one of the biggest corporate entities of the planet, Disney. While I love Disney parks and Pixar, I don't particularly subscribe to the doctrine of Disney Inc. I'm disappointed that Manson, the most eloquent anti-establishment lyrical writer that I know of, has opted to stoop to this level of creativity, going against what he wrote about for some 15 years. It seems like he's given up.

This "goth" sub-culture is also empty. Year round. They have no statement. They are read as anti-establishment but they represent Disney. It's like having Mickey Mouse on their clothes. They have no clue. All I can think is that they don't know what their point in life is at the moment of wearing those clothes. Jnco's and dog leashes and Airwalks and long stringy hair. This gets to me, moreso than Christmas pop.

Empty messages. You find hope in a great work of art only to find it lost on the people who flaunt the advertisments for that great art the most. It seems that this happens everywhere in pop culture . . . coughCHRISTIANITYcough . . .

And what's the holiday that Christians flaunt the most?

It's all subjective. The humble man reaps the most happiness, and I have fun with my family and friends with Christmas, but still . . . this time of year makes me uncomfortable.

Fake. Empty. Lost.

Vic Chesnutt -- "We Hovered with Short Wings"