Holidays and sports...

Yesterday the NY Yankees moved the start time of their game with Boston back because Yom Kippur began at 6:00 pm last night and they wanted to be finished in time to start the Jewish holiday. I don't mean to sound anti-semitic, but WHY? I mean, most important Christian holidays are covered up with football and basketball games. Hakeem Alojuwan of the Houston Rockets used to play during Ramadan even though he couldn't eat. So, I'm not against honoring the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur AT ALL, I just wonder why other religions don't get the same consideration.

I'm torn. I have some guilt about not adequately honoring my own Christian holidays, but I enjoy the heck out of opening presents on Christmas Day and then piggin' out while I watch "The NBA on Christmas Day" doubleheader. But I do feel sorry for those athletes and people working the games, as well as the tv people, who don't get to spend the holiday with their families. I guess, technically, Thanksgiving isn't classified as a Christian holiday since anyone can be thankful. However, we end up making it a Christian holiday as we pray for our Aggies or our Cowboys to win - and oh yeah, we're thankful for all our blessings.

Several years ago the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in Texas made holiday rules so that gung-ho coaches couldn't schedule practices and competitions on the day before, the day of, or the day after a major holiday. Or on Sunday, I think. I don't know what happens if you're caught cheating, but I know there is some cheating because some people are idiots about this sort of thing.

I guess what bothers me the most is that we, as a society, don't honor much of anything anymore. Malls and liquor stores are open all the time; holidays have become just another opportunity for a sale. Families don't seem to spend as much time together - holiday or no. It's sad for me as I remember our holiday and Sunday evening family times when we weren't allowed to have other kids over or go anywhere. It was a time for family to either reflect on the meaning of a holiday, or just to regroup as a family and reconnect. Period. By my teen years such practice made me feel deprived but, looking back, I cherish those times and those memories.