Madam, - It has been suggested that society is now prematurely celebrating the birth of Christ in November because retail stores have decided to play "Christmas" music. May I be so bold as to suggest that there is nothing remotely "Christian" about this particular practice?
Quite simply, retailers have reverted to an old pagan trick of bombarding people with Dionysian music to achieve an end - in this case mass consumption and soaring profit margins. By using Christian lyrics in this way, society is manipulated into thinking it is celebrating a Christian festival.
Some of us are not so easily deceived by these pagan tactics. To the retailers may I say this: play your Dionysian jingles but keep Christ out of it. - Yours, etc,
SIOBHAN DOWLING, Knockane, Berrings, Co Cork.