'Tis the season

Michael and I were at a Christmas party last night, hosted by our neighbors from across the street. We met them at the pub on the corner and became friendly, and it was very sweet of them to invite us. But in retrospect, they could have prepared us a little.

Their house is very modern and elegant, but in honor of the season, it was done up to look like the post-Christmas clearance bin at Wal-Mart exploded in the middle of the living room. Everything had a Christmas decoration on it, and I mean everything. There were ornaments hanging from all of the doorknobs and drawer pulls. The tablecloth was embroidered with Christmas trees. The dishtowels all had Santa's face on them, as did the disposable plastic cups set out by the punch bowl. The paper plates and napkins were poinsettia-themed. There were three advent calendars (three!), one of which was magnetic and stuck to the fridge. A shockingly large fraction of the men in attendance were wearing bright red sweaters that would have made even Mr. Rogers blush.

Forget the "war on Christmas," this was all "war FOR Christmas." As if we were to suddenly forget the reason we were crowded in the kitchen munching on hors d'oeuvres and baby carrots, there was always some reminder underfoot (literally in the case of the tinsel). I'm thoroughly convinced that we were the only Jews at the party, and that's quite an odd position for us, being academics and all. Whatever, we had a good time and met some nice people and I'm very glad we went.

But here's what I'm wondering: Is this normal? Is this what most people do on Christmas? Is it typical to string colored lights over every inch of one's ceiling while wearing a pair of Santa Claus earrings and listening to the all-Christmas station on the radio? Am I just so hopelessly, provincially non-Christian that this kind of dedication to the birth of Our Lord and Savior seems excessive to me? Or is it just that I'm used to Christmas parties being more "Christmas parties" than this sort of high-wattage goy-ism? Seriously, people, I need to know. 'Cause it would seem creepy if I went to the home of a Jewish friend to find it smothered in blue and white lights with little stars of David pasted to every available surface with pot-holders that had a picture Judah Maccabee on them.

And then what the heck does one do with all these decorations when it's not Christmastime? I know they have a large basement, but really, this stuff must take up half of it when it's all boxed away, and that's not counting the ornaments that were actually hanging on their seven-foot-tall tree. Well, God bless 'em for their dedication. Or something.