I have to say, though…when I first read your post title…I was thinking of “effed” in a whole different way…haha! SO glad to hear it was “finished” instead of…well, you know!

Our problem is that I don’t allow any religious Christmas tunes in the house at all. Our Christianity believes a) no mechanical instruments of music for religious songs; and b) if you don’t see Christians in the New Testament doing it then we don’t do it (worship-wise that is — electric lights and flush toilets don’t fall in the “worship” category). So, since the early Christians didn’t leave any record of celebrating Christ’s birth in the New Testament, we don’t either.

I didn’t grow up that way, though. I grew up singing all the Protestant favorites (no “Ave Maria” in Baptist churches). That means I’m really conflicted about religious Christmas music. So, it’s lots of “Holly Jolly Christmas” and “Rudolph” in our house. But, sometimes, when I’m in the car alone and the local NPR station is playing a 14th century carol, I don’t change the channel. I feel guilty about listening to “Joy to the World” (even though it’s my favorite Christmas carol), but I don’t mind unfamiliar Latin chants or German carols.

Odd, eh? It’s funny where our individual journeys of belief (or disbelief) take us.