Dear Tell All: I hate to say it, but you missed the mark on the response to the lady whose husband is a real Grinch at Christmastime ("My Husband Hates Christmas," 12/20/2012). Insinuating that he will be magically transformed by a child's wonder, like some kind of Hallmark movie, or else he's "too far gone," is a real disservice to the guy, and to all of us who don't like Christmas. His choice not to celebrate or even enjoy the season is as valid a belief as any. It's hard enough to go through two months of commercials and holiday-themed movies; then we get marginalized by people who think that if we don't like Christmas, there must be something fundamentally wrong with us.
No, he doesn't have to be a grump about it. But his wife should have known about this before they got married, and should have worked on a compromise. People with different views on important topics like politics and religion can still get along and stay happily married, so why not do the same with Christmas?
Sam
Dear Tell All: A guy doesn't like Christmas commercialism, music, decorations and enforced holiday cheer, so you tell his wife to either coerce him into loving Big Brother, a.k.a. Santa Claus, or divorce him and destroy the life of their 3-year-old daughter?! If there were licenses to give advice, you should have yours revoked.
But maybe you're right. Maybe this guy should be sent to a Christmas Reeducation Camp at the North Pole, where Santa could waterboard him while little CIA elves pull out his fingernails until he finally gives in and gets with the program.
Seriously: Anyone who can tolerate the way Christmas is celebrated in our insane, insipid, homicidal, ecocidal, omnicidal, hyper-materialistic culture needs to have their head examined.
Aggrieved
Guys: I wasn't criticizing the man for not liking Christmas enough. I was counseling a woman who feels beleaguered by a cold, hostile, uncompromising husband. If he can't let her enjoy something she really loves, whether it's Christmas or whatever - well, yeah, I think she's right to consider her options.
