German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder directly stated in his speech that it would be better if Germans did not spend money on buying rockets and firecrackers, but instead donated it to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami. The Germans heeded their leader's call, for which he immediately paid the price: the German Trade Union had already managed to blame him for its own problems – the traditional pre-New Year shopping in Germany turned out to be far less profitable than shop owners had hoped.
However, many Europeans have other reasons for their depressed mood, of a more long-term nature. The Christmas tree, lights, lanterns, decorations and tinsel, Father Frosts, also known as Santas and Nikolauses – all these cheerful attributes of Christmas may well not be seen by the next generations of Europeans. Or they will be forced to go to Russia or China for Christmas – this is what, in particular, Finnish journalist Konstantin Ranks believes.
On the eve of Christmas, he happened to witness a conversation between two gentlemen holding quite respectable positions in different firms. One was talking about his plans for the Christmas vacation and said that starting December 23 and until January 3, there would be no one in their office. The second participant in the conversation, speaking with a noticeable German accent, shook his head sadly, and then noted that they would only celebrate New Year – with a short day on December 31. The first asked his interlocutor in surprise: "What about Christmas?" The second explained, carefully choosing his words, that due to the fact that a considerable number of people in his department do not profess Christianity, it was decided not to traumatize their feelings with a religious holiday. "And what will happen when Turkey joins the European Union?" the first asked. The second only shrugged his shoulders...
Within the European Union, people of Christian culture are ready to argue among themselves about whose vision of Christianity is more correct, "till they are hoarse, till they fight," as Zhvanetsky said. These contradictions are perhaps especially vivid in Germany itself – it is no wonder that a joke is very popular here in which a graduate of a Catholic boarding school tells the mother superior of her desire to become... a prostitute, and she blesses her for this trade with the words: "Just not a Protestant, my daughter!"
Protestants often find themselves "at odds" with Catholics, Uniates in a most severe conflict with Greek Orthodox, etc. At the same time, politicians and cultural figures shamefully lower their eyes when asked the question: what will happen to Europe if the system of Christian values and traditions is abolished as interfering with politically correct "multi-culti"? After all, as is known, they have already successfully ignored the Pope's call to enshrine the Christian roots of Europe in the text of the EU Constitution...
Interesting fact: the majority of Turks, Vietnamese, Chinese, Africans, and Arabs are completely calm about the Christian traditions of the country that has become their new home. At the same time, the behavior of the Chinese should be recognized as the height of tolerance, who, due to their Confucian traditions, treat any authority, earthly or divine, with understanding, if it does not completely and finally stifle them. However, the same Muslims happily decorate their homes with Christmas garlands, the same Jews calmly congratulate their Christian neighbors "on your Christmas of our Christ".
Of course, Europe also has its share of zealous fighters for the purity of faith (insert the needed faith), who prefer to sit like wallflowers and demonstratively ignore the "infidels" celebrating their holidays – however, by and large, they do not make a difference. Nevertheless, waves of misunderstood political correctness continue to wash over Europeans.
All this only indicates that modern Europe is characterized by a total crisis of self-identity. Traditions have lost their original meaning and turned into just another excuse for shopping. The news broadcasts of European TV channels, like dispatches from battlefields, give figures of the money turnover of their countries' shops during the holidays, not forgetting to compare them with last year's indicators.
On the eve of the current holidays, the Berlin institute Forsa conducted a survey of five thousand German children aged 8 to 12. They were asked a single question: "What is Christmas?" 23% answered that it is the birthday of Nikolaus, another 12% seriously believe that it is such a special public holiday on which all parents are obligated to buy gifts for their children.
Religious faith has ceased to be a moral criterion for European society. At the same time, the right of representatives of other, non-Christian cultures to act according to their faith is recognized. European civilization, having made compromise its modus vivendi, is increasingly entangled in the policy of double standards. Thus, the heads of several of the largest French supermarket chains, as Reuters reported on the eve of the holiday break, officially ordered their salespeople not to dare wish customers "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year," but to limit themselves to an indifferent "Happy Holidays!" – so as not to offend anyone's religious feelings!
There is serious concern that a conflict may soon arise between those who stubbornly adhere to this conformism and those who will seek a way out in a "return to the roots" – which is also potentially fraught with extremism, now on Christian ground.
Perhaps Europeans would do well to adopt the rational approach of the Chinese to other people's traditions. Managers of Chinese factories producing New Year toys for the whole world assure that their workers have also started to celebrate Christmas and the European New Year, because it is interesting, fun, and beautiful. But it does not occur to them to give up their own Chinese New Year for this. After all, they believe, there are not so many holidays in life, so why give up additional ones?