Originally Posted by Master_Shake

Maybe so, but the greatest description of a Christmas I've ever read is in the Autobiography of Frederick Douglass. He describes how the slaves were allowed to get drunk on Christmas. At first, he considered this a showing of sympathy and genorosity on the part of the slave owners. But he soon realized how insidious it really was.

First, allowing the slaves to get drunk only one night a year ensures that he/she would get very drunk, and as a result, suffer the monstrous hangovers the next day. Imagine being sent out to work (hard physical work, not some office crap) at 5 AM the day after a whiskey binge. Such effects ensured the slave was none-too-eager to engage in such conduct again.

Second, allowing the slaves to get drunk lets them blow off some steam, and helps to diffuse potential rebellions. Were it not for Christmas, the slaves would have revolted long ago. Consider that the next time you're knocking back some eggnog.

Christmas kept people in bondage.