Let them listen to Christmas music in Advent (and even before it too!)

I should have written this in December, but it's still a little bit on my mind since it's still the Christmas season!

One fruit of the New Evangelization that I've obsrrved has been the attitude of many Catholics to meet non-Catholics where they're at in their walk of faith. Coupled with a cultural trend of sensitivity to others, the conversation of "Oh, you believe that? That is true and good and beautiful and I have that too, so let's start there and we can be friends and discuss this civilly," can be very winning and effective.

Yet somehow, when it comes to Advent and how to practice it, it seems that the same empathetic Catholics suddenly explode with rAGE oh my GOSH I can't beLIEVE these people listen to Christmas music before December freaking 25th and you don't even KNOW how to Advent properly you heathens get behind me SATAN!

Now, my argument isn't that we should lose our correct focus on waiting for the coming of Christ, both in remembrance of the mystery of the Nativity and in anticipation of the second coming, but if I can imagine a non-believer being turned off by someone going off about how you're doing Advent wrong by engaging in some (fairly innocent and really quite endearing) cultural norms because I as a practicing Catholic are turned off by being preached at about whether I should be putting out my stocking and humming some Jingle Bell Rock, then we are definitely going about the conversation wrong.

I simply suggest we should employ those same methods of evangelization to our conversation on the practices of Advent. Let's start with the truth... sometimes people who listen to Christmas music starting in October aren't shallow and aren't trying to take Christ out of Christmas. Perhaps they are anticipating the joy of Christ so much that they can't hold it in. Even if they're a non-believer...there is still the sense of anticipation of... something. So let's start there. "Oh, you're excited for Christmas? There's something about joy and an 'already-but-not-yet' that you can't quite put your finger on (or maybe just aren't willing to name)? Me too! Let's start there..."

Maybe they are into the (cultural) "Christmas season" because it's a season that would otherwise be dreary, sad, or lonesome for them. We live in a disconnected and messy world and winter hides our much needed source of Vitamin D, and if the message or melody of a Christmas song will lift spirits and bring a spark of joy...let them have their cake and eat it too, for Pete's sake!

So whether early Christmas music grinds your gears, Santa makes you grumpy, or Happy Holidays/Xmas makes you shudder... let's calm down, take a breath, and start with the loving truth. Yes, let's await. Yes, let's be generous. Yes, let's respect others' religious convictions (plus sit back, pop some popcorn, and watch a Facebook debate for the upteenth time about whether December 25th was a pagan holiday and the meaning of the letter X). Happy continued Christmas season!