This household will be putting away computers when we head out by car to my cousin's house to celebrate Christmas Eve with food and presents. I don't have to cook!
Merry Christmas, Silver! My wife and little boy are napping, so I'm taking a few minutes to check in on some of my blogging colleagues. I'll return to the festivities when shortly!
HEE HEE! The mention of Chanukah in conjunction with Christmas reminds me of one of my liberal friends -- known since third grade otherwise I wouldn't bother. He's a real case, if ever there was one. The son of a Baptist minister, who was a very fine, very agreeable man, my old friend has been obsessed with the foreign, the poor, the downtrodden, the anomalous, the ill and the odd all his life -- to the point where he has completely effaced and repudiated his Whiteness, his Americanness, his Christian heritage, and all claims to American-style prosperity, well-being, and Western identity. In short he is a very sick puppy, and he has raised two limp-wristed, militantly vegetarian sons, now in their late-thirties, to be just like him.
Anyway, every time anyone dares to wishes him a "Merry Christmas," he scowls, looks pained, and reminds them in that somber, scolding, humorless, self-righteous tone that only a true Marxist can muster that, "Jesus -- if He ever existed, which is doubtful -- would want us to remember it is also the season to celebrate Chanukah and Kwanzaa.
I lost patience with his characteristically negative, preachy, sour-mouthed response to a very pleasant mass Christmas email I sent out to ninety of our high school friends with whom we've been happily in contact since our 50th Reunion two years ago, and wrote:
"Why don't you and your activist friends petition the House of Representatives and the Senate to change the names of all three celebrations to CHRISTHANUKWANZAA, and let it go at that? Then members of each competing religious group could be equally offended,equally cut off from their heritage, and equally deprived of their true identity. Why should CHRISTIANS be the only ones expected to sacrifice their integrity and muddy up their understanding of who they are?
So far, I've had no reply from him, but I'll bet he's deeply offended that I had the colossal effrontery to put CHRIST at the head of the composite neologism.
Yes. Some people really are THAT far gone.
At the rate things are going it won't be long before the ACLU sues to Santa's name changed to Salaam al Klaustein.
FreeThinke, The mention of Chanukah in conjunction with Christmas...
Interesting comment.
I do remember a time when Northern Virginia was quite rural. Christians wished other Christians, nominal or otherwise, a Merry Christmas. But Christians didn't wish Jews a Happy Chanukah. Maybe we wished our Jewish friends Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings -- I don't recall.
Of course, back then we didn't have many Jews in Northern Virginia -- except for doctors and pharmacists. At least, that's my recollection from the 50s and 60s.
In fact, I don't remember seeing a synagogue outside of Washington back then. Certainly, there wasn't one in the little corner where I grew up: all Methodist, Brethren, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Baptist churches -- and one tiny Roman Catholic one. Church bells rang out every Sunday morning from any churches with a bell tower.
I sound like an old woman reminiscing about "back in the day," don't I? Sheesh.
It seems to me that, back then, we didn't wish somebody any kind of holiday greeting for a holiday that a person (either the greeter or the receiver of the greeting) didn't celebrate.
For example, our Jewish doctor and pharmacist didn't celebrate Christmas, so we didn't wish them one. Nor did we wish them a Happy Chanukah -- because we Christians didn't celebrate Chanukah. And they didn't wish us a Merry Christmas, either. Perhaps the relationships were more on a professional level -- or something.
If you find yourself with time on your hands today (unlikely, I know!) -- or more-than-a-little bored with too much food and small talk -- try reading this vivid, good-humoured slice of life from the nineteenth-century aloud to your company. You will surely find that Mr. Pickwick and his friends really knew how to have a Merry Christmas, indeed.
~ FreeThinke
THE PICKWICK PAPERS
Chapter XXVIII
”A good-humoured Christmas Chapter, containing an account of a wedding, and some other sport beside: which although in their way, even as good customs as marriage, itself, are not quite so religiously kept up, in these degenerate times”
AOW, you don't in the least sound like an old woman -- just like someone who knew and remembers better times -- just as I do.
Back in the 1940's a 50's people who were "different," didn't make a holy show of themselves with a lot of demands for special recognition and attention. They just did their best to fit in to the dominant culture. I grew up with Jews and Arabs on the same street and we all got along famously.
There was widespread harmony and concord in the immediate post-war years. It was only after "social activism" spurred on by "judicial activism" took hold after The Warren Court imposed its will against that of the majority and forced Eisenhower to send American troops to threaten American citizens that everything started to unravel.
Now everything's topsy turvy and likely to remain so till Kingdom Come.
Hope your Christmas celebration with Mr. AOW went swimmingly?
FT, There was widespread harmony and concord in the immediate post-war years.
Right now, I'm reading a book that brings back those times, albeit a little bit later (1958-1963): Stephen King's 11/22/63, King's first attempt at a historical novel. Clearly, not King's usual! Of course, as a Leftist, King does let a bit of his world view. But not much! So far, anyway; I'm about 60% through and savoring every word.
One particularly evocative portion of the novel: how that, back in the day, on trick-or-treat night, people didn't have to worry about "dangerous" candy in the children's loot bags. Told in first person, the speaker is a teacher, and, at one point, he comments about how wonderful it was not to be tied to a cell phone and a computer.
I do recommend the book, which is on the bestseller list right now -- for good reason.
27 comments:
Great fun!
MERRY cHRISTMAS to you, SilverFiddle! -- and to your family -- and to all our posting friends -- and especially our posting adversaries.
"God bless us, everyone."
~ FreeThinke
Merry Christmas to you, Silver and all on Western Hero!
This household will be putting away computers when we head out by car to my cousin's house to celebrate Christmas Eve with food and presents. I don't have to cook!
A VERY cute video!! I had JUST watched it at Linda's..
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you, your family, and your readers, SF. And thanks for coming by and listening to my song :-)
I hope you can stop by tomorrow, too.
xxxx me
A very Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to you and yours and to all your readers as well.
Mal
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family Silver.
Merry Christmas, Silver! My wife and little boy are napping, so I'm taking a few minutes to check in on some of my blogging colleagues. I'll return to the festivities when shortly!
HEE HEE! The mention of Chanukah in conjunction with Christmas reminds me of one of my liberal friends -- known since third grade otherwise I wouldn't bother. He's a real case, if ever there was one. The son of a Baptist minister, who was a very fine, very agreeable man, my old friend has been obsessed with the foreign, the poor, the downtrodden, the anomalous, the ill and the odd all his life -- to the point where he has completely effaced and repudiated his Whiteness, his Americanness, his Christian heritage, and all claims to American-style prosperity, well-being, and Western identity. In short he is a very sick puppy, and he has raised two limp-wristed, militantly vegetarian sons, now in their late-thirties, to be just like him.
Anyway, every time anyone dares to wishes him a "Merry Christmas," he scowls, looks pained, and reminds them in that somber, scolding, humorless, self-righteous tone that only a true Marxist can muster that, "Jesus -- if He ever existed, which is doubtful -- would want us to remember it is also the season to celebrate Chanukah and Kwanzaa.
I lost patience with his characteristically negative, preachy, sour-mouthed response to a very pleasant mass Christmas email I sent out to ninety of our high school friends with whom we've been happily in contact since our 50th Reunion two years ago, and wrote:
"Why don't you and your activist friends petition the House of Representatives and the Senate to change the names of all three celebrations to CHRISTHANUKWANZAA, and let it go at that? Then members of each competing religious group could be equally offended,equally cut off from their heritage, and equally deprived of their true identity. Why should CHRISTIANS be the only ones expected to sacrifice their integrity and muddy up their understanding of who they are?
So far, I've had no reply from him, but I'll bet he's deeply offended that I had the colossal effrontery to put CHRIST at the head of the composite neologism.
Yes. Some people really are THAT far gone.
At the rate things are going it won't be long before the ACLU sues to Santa's name changed to Salaam al Klaustein.
};-)>
God in Heaven!
~ FreeThinke
Here's an offering from Nat King Cole to help us enjoy the mellow side of Christmas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhzxQCTCI3E
~ FreeThinke
Let's continue our Christmas unwinding with Ella Fitzgerald:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C9kDVKOrX4
~ Freethinke
Merry Christmas, Silver!
The lighter side of Christmas with Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters -- bring me right back to "Victrola Days in the Forties:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX3jyIaU8zQ
~ FreeThinke
To help celebrate the more ridiculous "cutesy" side of Christmas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVM-Vnjk4J8
~ FreeThinke
The ORIGINAL recording of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry -- another relic from my childhood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ara3-hDH6I&feature=related
~ FreeThinke
Merry Christmas to you and your family Silver.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Merry Christmas, Curt, er I mean Silver.
FreeThinke,
The mention of Chanukah in conjunction with Christmas...
Interesting comment.
I do remember a time when Northern Virginia was quite rural. Christians wished other Christians, nominal or otherwise, a Merry Christmas. But Christians didn't wish Jews a Happy Chanukah. Maybe we wished our Jewish friends Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings -- I don't recall.
Of course, back then we didn't have many Jews in Northern Virginia -- except for doctors and pharmacists. At least, that's my recollection from the 50s and 60s.
In fact, I don't remember seeing a synagogue outside of Washington back then. Certainly, there wasn't one in the little corner where I grew up: all Methodist, Brethren, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopal, and Baptist churches -- and one tiny Roman Catholic one. Church bells rang out every Sunday morning from any churches with a bell tower.
I sound like an old woman reminiscing about "back in the day," don't I? Sheesh.
It seems to me that, back then, we didn't wish somebody any kind of holiday greeting for a holiday that a person (either the greeter or the receiver of the greeting) didn't celebrate.
For example, our Jewish doctor and pharmacist didn't celebrate Christmas, so we didn't wish them one. Nor did we wish them a Happy Chanukah -- because we Christians didn't celebrate Chanukah. And they didn't wish us a Merry Christmas, either. Perhaps the relationships were more on a professional level -- or something.
If you find yourself with time on your hands today (unlikely, I know!) -- or more-than-a-little bored with too much food and small talk -- try reading this vivid, good-humoured slice of life from the nineteenth-century aloud to your company. You will surely find that Mr. Pickwick and his friends really knew how to have a Merry Christmas, indeed.
~ FreeThinke
THE PICKWICK PAPERS
Chapter XXVIII
”A good-humoured Christmas Chapter, containing an account of a wedding, and some other sport beside: which although in their way, even as good customs as marriage, itself, are not quite so religiously kept up, in these degenerate times”
~ Charles Dickens
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=DicPick.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=28&division=div2
Merry Christmas everyone...Redneck Ron
One of the Ultimate Musical Tributes to our dear Saviour's Birth:
For Unto us a Child is Born
from MESSIAH by George Frederick Handel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eN7fmNjpRA
~ FreeThinke
Merry Christmas to all
AOW, you don't in the least sound like an old woman -- just like someone who knew and remembers better times -- just as I do.
Back in the 1940's a 50's people who were "different," didn't make a holy show of themselves with a lot of demands for special recognition and attention. They just did their best to fit in to the dominant culture. I grew up with Jews and Arabs on the same street and we all got along famously.
There was widespread harmony and concord in the immediate post-war years. It was only after "social activism" spurred on by "judicial activism" took hold after The Warren Court imposed its will against that of the majority and forced Eisenhower to send American troops to threaten American citizens that everything started to unravel.
Now everything's topsy turvy and likely to remain so till Kingdom Come.
Hope your Christmas celebration with Mr. AOW went swimmingly?
~ FreeThinke
FT,
Hope your Christmas celebration with Mr. AOW went swimmingly?
It did! The best Christmas we've had since 2008!
FT,
There was widespread harmony and concord in the immediate post-war years.
Right now, I'm reading a book that brings back those times, albeit a little bit later (1958-1963): Stephen King's 11/22/63, King's first attempt at a historical novel. Clearly, not King's usual! Of course, as a Leftist, King does let a bit of his world view. But not much! So far, anyway; I'm about 60% through and savoring every word.
One particularly evocative portion of the novel: how that, back in the day, on trick-or-treat night, people didn't have to worry about "dangerous" candy in the children's loot bags. Told in first person, the speaker is a teacher, and, at one point, he comments about how wonderful it was not to be tied to a cell phone and a computer.
I do recommend the book, which is on the bestseller list right now -- for good reason.
Fun stuff.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Silverfiddle. Wishing you blessings all year long.
Post a Comment