Topic Tuesday #89 2014/04/01 - "April Fools!"

Topic Tuesday #89 2014/04/01 - "April Fools!"

   No, I'm not pranking you. Pulling pranks is a serious business and warrants a serious examination. I took the time to comb the web and see what was available on the origin of the foolishness. It seems hardly anyone knows where it came from or how it started and there have even been pranks pulled on the origin story itself.

I hit my old encyclopedias (yes, hard copy) and April Fools Day (according to the 1960 World Book encyclopedia), "The observance originated in France after the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. France was the first nation to adopt the new calendar introduced in 1564. Up to that time, the New Year celebration began March 21st amended April 1st. When New Year's Day was changed to January 1st, some people still celebrated it April 1st. These people came to be known as April fools. The custom of fooling friends and relatives on that day became popular in France and spread to other countries. It was widespread in England by the 1600's." Alex Boese of the website 

Museum of Hoaxes

, disagrees with this theory, pointing out that the French calendar reformation was in the late 1500s — after the Flemish poem was written. Also, the French never celebrated New Year's on the exact date of April 1, he said.

   One likely explanation is April Fools was "a hazing ritual" to welcome spring, said Boese, Many cultures celebrated the beginning of the new season with "mischief, misbehavior or deception," Boese told USA TODAY Network.

"Pranks are very much associated with the start of new things," he said.

   Recently a historian traced the practice back to Iran, and further back to the Persian new year (that happens to fall on April first in our Gregorian calendars) dating all the way back to 536 BC. It is called Sizdah Bedar and is thought to be the oldest pranking tradition still practiced. this seems to be the most accurate origin of the practice being linked to a certain day.

The questionable holiday is also popular in the United Kingdon (but generally pranks politely cease at noon). Australia, like America and other English speaking former colonies, don't particularly care about jokes ceasing at any given time.   Scotland colloquially calls it Hunt-the-Gowk Day (gowk translates to cuckoo or foolish person) and one of the favorite pranks is reminiscent of a chain mail joke where you pass it on to the next person.

   Many French speaking countries (note the cultural spread with language traditions) seem to have a thing for placing paper fish on people's backs.

   The Spanish also has a cultural practice of pranks, but not on April first. December 28th, which happens to be a Christian holiday called "Day of the Holy Innocents" is accompanied by pranks in Spain, Argentina, Mexico, and perhaps more (beware).If you hear a phrase with a translation of "Innocent / Gullible", you have been had.

   The Danish and Swedish pull pranks on May first

as well as

April first.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Have fun Everyone!

Topic Tuesday #75 2013/12/24 - "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Topic Tuesday #75 2013/12/24 - "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Santa Claus as an icon owes much of his spitely visage to Clement Clarke Moore (most likely though contested) and his poem published anonymously in New York's Troy Sentinal, 190 years ago today.
I could pick it apart and show you just what I'm talking about, but instead I will include it all below so you can read it aloud this evening and keep (or make) a family tradition of your own. Happy Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"


Topic Tuesday #73 2013/12/10 - "Remain Calm"

Topic Tuesday #73 2013/12/10 - "Remain Calm"

It is the holiday season and many people are freaked out. There's a preponderance of reasons why people go nuts, and particularly at this time of year. Money is often spent frivolously, and often borrowed to do so. Relationships are strained as people remember old times. The holidays are like a cultural birthday, and everyone just got a year older. For many, it's the saddest time, because it used to be the happiest time. We grieve and feel the loss of the ages. We miss those that have left our lives. We feel out of control, like something is just pulling our strings as we go through the motions of the humdrum day to day. There are many reasons why bah-humbuggery is ever present.
What do you do to make it through? To just survive the cacophony and malaise that hearing holiday music (now starting at Halloween) is challenging enough for some.
Our minds play horrible games with us. We hear things that aren't there. We see remembered faces in everything from cocoa to decorations. Our own boogymen haunt our thoughts and demean our self esteems.
By all accounts, it's a lousy time of year!
But it is beautiful.
The houses decorated in lights.
(if you happen to live outside Florida and the southern hemisphere [happy summer folks!])
The leaves turning colors and the remaining ones blanketed in snow.
Children smiling and giggling.
The smell of cinnamon, pine, and deserts like pie and cookies.
Wondering what you might get for a present, or what faces you will get to see.
There is a lot to be thankful for and  to be joyous about.
It's tricky. As we age, the wonder is driven out of us by the piper of progress and responsibility. But if you just sit, quietly, and focus beyond yourself, you may see that the rest of the world is a pretty great place. There is wonder still, if you calm down enough to look for it. New experiences are always there to be had. The seasons show us that life can begin again, year after year. Remain calm. A new beginning is right around the corner, waiting to be found.

Topic Tuesday #52 2013/07/16 - "Comfort Food"

Topic Tuesday #52 2013/07/16 - "Comfort Food"

Today was a hectic kind of day. Lots of travel with lots of complicated things to do. Pretty stressful. Then I get a phone call, the type of call you do not want to get. My significant other is on the way to the ER.
So that's lovely right? OK, now what? Well I don't want to tell you another tragedy (especially since they're home and all is well), rather I want to talk about something to take our minds off of such hardships. Comfort Food.
We all have them. For me, delicious fried chicken, is just about unbeatable. However a big smoked turkey leg, can turn the worst outing at a theme park into... a walk in the park!
Tonight to take our minds off the malaise of impending batteries of tests to fully grasp the situation, I went old school. Thanksgiving dinner.  Green Bean Cassarole (just how mom made it, from the can), cranberry jelly sauce substance (the kids favorite), stuffing, steamed veggies, and reheated leftover grilled chicken. (Totally didn't have time to roast a bird, or thaw one out...)
It was good, and everyone is feeling a little less stressed out.

I would say more, but... I have to take a nap. I'm sure you understand.

What are your favorite comfort foods? Something that just makes the world a happier place.

Topic Tuesday #39 2013/04/16 - "Work Life Balance"

Topic Tuesday #39 2013/04/16 - "Work Life Balance"


You may have heard the phrase "work life balance" from the internet, news, or propaganda given out at the top of the fiscal year by human resources. It's a great idea, on paper. In practice, in the real world, it generally falls flat on its face in the United States. There are many fascinating statistics about how Americans work more hours per year and generate less work than some of our peer nations. I won't go into them today, as I'm working towards a little more of that balance this week!
I'm headed on vacation with my spouse, alone, without the kids, for the first time since our honeymoon some 9 years ago. We've never been on a plane together in our 12 years together. It's going to be fun, no matter what we do since we will be together, and it is for nothing more than fun and companionship.
What I wanted to indicate is that although I am going to be a couple thousand miles away from work, I will still be in two places at once. I'll have my smart phone. I'll have my laptop. I'll invariably be called and emailed for work. I will invariably log in to take care of some emergency. This is the way it goes. People take calls on their vacation to chagrin of their partners and family. I know of very few that are capable of leaving work at work. I am in information technology, so my job and my own geek life have intermingled heavily. There's no clean extraction of me from work and vice versa. Sure we make efforts to divide, and normally this is just a poorly masked veil of time management. You can't clock out in your head when a deadline is approaching, or when your imagination pops up some exchange you have been mulling over for weeks. We are what we do. There is very little getting around this.
Can you hear me now?
Is this a problem? I would say more for some than others. Certain personality types thrive in this always connected environment with nothing but hustle and bustle. Others need to lead a more sedate existence filled with soothing sounds and incense.
Can there be a balance? Certainly, but it's not what you may think. I am not like my spouse. I can seemingly go on forever in the pattern of the hustle. They need to have a relaxation period that is much larger and more frequent than I. This does cause some stress all on its own. Let me straighten one thing out, I can't go flat out forever. I have brief spurts of "Me Time" where I do only what I want to do, and that is enough. I have a long commute that provides time for me to think, listen, and occasionally concoct notions for posts like this. I stay up later than anyone else in the house, and I am alone left to my own devices. This is all I need to renew myself. I liken it to using the cell phone while it's plugged in. It's doing its job while recharging.
I'm not alone in this and I see many people doing the same thing. Some are not as adapted to this always on existence and need longer periods of R&R to recharge the batteries. And that's ok, as long as they can get it!
Balance is not universal, so do what's right for you, and try not to drive your partner and family crazy in the process.

What are your plans for keeping sane? I'll check back next week. :-)

Topic Tuesday #30 2013/02/12 - "A Big Fat Tuesday"

Topic Tuesday #30 2013/02/12 - "A Big Fat Tuesday"

MARDI GRAS!!! 
What is "Mardis gras" all about? Boiled down to brass tacks, le mardi gras (literally translated, "Fat Tuesday"), is the binge before the purge. Let me elaborate.
Believe it or not, this festival of mirth and merriment, and costumes and cocktails, are all because of Easter.
"Fat Tuesday" is the day before "Ash Wednesday" which marks the beginning of the 40 day fasting / prayer / penance of "Lent". The last week of "Lent" is called the "Holy Week" and contains the "Easter Triduum" and "Maundy Thursday". "Maundy Thursday" (or "Holy Thursday" if you're Catholic), commemorates the "Maundy" (Washing of the Feet) and the "Last Supper"; then followed by "Good Friday" (commemorating the crucifixion). Then of course, Easter Sunday (commemorating the resurrection) itself. Easter is the most important holiday, and moveable feast, for all of Christianity.

So it's all about getting it out of your system before paying penance for 46 days. It's become a fun, gluttonous celebration before the self denial known as Lent.

Celebrating is different in many countries, but for here in the US, we have adopted New Orleans and the French Creole Cajuns to serve as our mainstays of what to do. Beads and Booze, Food and Fun, Masks and Casks, Parades and Parties, and Kings and Queens.  The Colors  - Purple for justice, Gold for power, and Green for faith, decorate everything. Let the good times roll! (Laissez les bons temps rouler)

February 12th, not to be subjugated entirely by Mardis gras, is also the birthday of many famed individuals including; Abraham Lincoln (1809), Charles Darwin (1809), Arlen Specter (1930), and Christina Ricci (1980).
Some notable things occurred too;
1912: The last Emperor of China, Hsian-T'ung was forced to abdicate, ending 2,000 years of imperial rule.
1924: First radio address by a president (Calvin Coolidge),  First day commercials appeared in broadcasts.
1935: The last of the United States rigid frame airships, the USS Macon, crashed.
1958: Transatlantic jet service started between New York and London.
1973: The first US prisoners of war were released from North Vietnam.
2004: Defying a California law, San Francisco officials began performing weddings for same-sex couples.
2008: The Writers Guild of America screen writer strike ended (and TV viewing was restored)
2010: Winter Olympics opened in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
2011: The remains of the ship that inspired Moby Dick ("The Two Brothers") was discovered off the coast of Hawaii where it sank in 1823.

What did you do today? Or.. What can you tell us you did tonight?
"Laissez les bons temps rouler!" 

Topic Tuesday #24 2013/01/01 - "Happy New Year!"

Topic Tuesday #24 2013/01/01 - "Happy New Year!"

How lucky that Topic Tuesday has fallen on Christmas and the New Year! So the obligatory holiday education post is at hand. Let's look at the Calendar for origins of this, our only Global/Universal, holiday.

On the Calendar(s): The primary calendar that we have wide familiarity with is the Gregorian Calendar, but the story doesn't start there. Let's go back to it's earliest incarnation.
Roman Calendar
Numa Pompilius (753–673 BC; reigned 715–673 BC), second king of Rome, created the Roman Calendar which was superseded in 46 BC by Julius Caesar's "Julian Calendar". Caesar's version had the year beginning in January, unlike the Roman calendar that started in March. The Julian Calendar was utilized by most of Europe from 45 BC until it was superseded by the Gregorian calendar commencing in 1582. The Julian Calendar is still in use in parts of the world today and is primarily used to track observance dates of fixed feasts and  moveable feasts.

Pope Gregory XIII

The Gregorian Calendar was promulgated by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582; the decree, a papal bull, is known by its opening words, Inter gravissimas. Reform was required because too many leap days are added with respect to the astronomical seasons on the Julian scheme. On average, the astronomical solstices and the equinoxes advance by about 11 minutes per year against the Julian year. As a result, the calculated date of Easter gradually moved out of alignment with the March equinox. The Julian calendar gained a day about every 134 years. By 1582, it was ten days out of alignment from where it supposedly had been in 325 during the Council of Nicaea. 
The Gregorian calendar was adopted initially by the Catholic countries of Europe, with other countries adopting it over the following centuries. Since the Julian and Gregorian calendars were long used simultaneously, although in different places, calendar dates in the transition period are often ambiguous, unless it is specified which calendar was being used. The notation "Old Style" (OS) is sometimes used to indicate a date in the Julian calendar, as opposed to "New Style" (NS), which either represents the Julian date with the start of the year as 1 January or a full mapping onto the Gregorian calendar. This notation is used to clarify dates from countries which continued to use the Julian calendar after the Gregorian reform, such as Great Britain (switched in 1752),  Russia (1918), or Greece (1923).

January : "Ianuarius" is the original Roman designation of the month January. The name is either derived from the two-faced Roman god Janus, from the Latin word 'ianua', which means "door", or it is the masculine form of Diana, which would beDianus or Ianus (Janus). The Romans dedicated January and specifically New Year's Day to Janus. Janus is usually depicted as a "two-faced" god since one face is looking forward to the future and the other face looks backward to the past. January 1 was new year day: the day was consecrated to Janus since it was the first of the new year and of the month (kalends) of Janus: the feria (Latin -"free day") had an augural (fortune telling) character as Romans believed the beginning of anything was an omen for the whole. It became customary to exchange cheerful words of good wishes. For the same reason everybody took a break from their usual business, exchanged dates, figs and honey as a token of well wishing and made gifts of coins. All these were called 'strenae'.
Cakes made of spelt (dinkel wheat, or hulled wheat) and salt were offered to the god and burnt on the altar. It is interesting to note that, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, many of these customs have migrated to Christmas.

Celebrations:

Roman: Fortuna (Latin: Fortūna, equivalent to the Greek goddess Tyche)
Roman: Agonalia
Feast of Juno and Janus, god of beginnings and thresholds. On this day, no evil may be spoken, so that the day and the year may be sweet. "Words have weight, and the ears of the Deities are open." (Ovid, Fasti). Friends exchange small jars of honey with dates or figs, along with good wishes and coins. These were called Strenae, after the Sabine Goddess of Health. This custom has continued in France to this day.
In medieval times, people wore animal masks on this day; this was called "guising."
Greek: Gamelia, Feast of the Goddess of Marriage, Hera (corresponding to the Roman Juno).
Anglo-Saxon: Wassail (Old English wæs hæl, literally 'be you healthy') "Be Hale (whole)"  Additionally the tradition of wassailing which falls into two distinct categories: The House-Visiting wassail and the Orchard-Visiting wassail. House-Visiting wassail, caroling by any other name, is the practice of people going door-to-door singing Christmas carols. These have also migrated to Christmas.
Roman: Feast of Aesculapius (Greek Healing God), his mother Coronis, and his daughter Salus (Health), whose Greek counterpart is the goddess Hygieia, though her functions differ considerably.
Sumerian: Inanna's (Sumerian goddess of sexual love, fertility, and warfare.) Nativity feast is begun by lighting a white candle at sunset. It is to burn through the night and is extinguished at dawn.

Modern Day, We drink, dance, sing songs, like Auld Lang Syne, to which we always get the words wrong.


Happy New Year! May your hearts be full and your days easy.

Alud Lang Syne 
English translation(minimalist)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old lang syne ?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
and surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Topic Tuesday #23 2012/12/25 - "Happy Holidays!"

Topic Tuesday #23 2012/12/25 - "Happy Holidays!"

Clarification of the term 'Happy Holidays' seems to be needed nearly every year. Given that I reside in the United States of America where we are graced with the Constitution and its amendments, there is plenty of reason to call attention to this. Certain media outlets insist that there is a war on Christmas every time someone says something other than, "Merry Christmas". The origins of celebrations during this time of year date back to when man realized that the longest night/shortest day of the year occurred, the Winter Solstice. Since the axial tilt of the Earth is considerable (approximately 23 degrees 27 minutes) the sun does not rise high at high latitudes in (local) winter. Those that found themselves in more northern latitudes, would experience significantly longer nights to the extent of a twilight lasting 20 hours to 179 days at the poles. This was a big deal to early agrarian and hunter gatherer cultures in the northern hemisphere. Additionally humans are not designed for this kind of environment. The period of polar night can trigger depression in some people. Cases of SAD or seasonal affective disorder are generally exacerbated by these conditions. The polar night may also be implicated in some instances of solipsism syndrome. It's easy to see why traditions would get setup around such a pivotal time of year. The harvest was in, the snow lay thick, and travel was ill advised. Best to just stick with your family and close neighbors and as we say in the south, hunker down. The combination of events fostered traditions of feasts and reverie. Myths and fairy tales of ghosts, and vampires and werewolves are also said to have their origins in the longest nights.
December 25th was a pretty popular day! The following list celebrate the day as a festival or birth or both.


  • Zoroaster - Persia - c 6000 - 10,000 BC
  • Osiris - Egypt - Father of Horus Pre- 5th Dyanasty C3000 BC|
  • Horus - Egypt - c.3000 BC
  • Mithra - Persia - c.1200 BC AKA "deus sol invictus" (Unconquered sun god)" 
  • Festival of natalis Invicti [Birth of the Unconquerable (Sun)] c.1200 BC
  • Attis - Greece - c.1200 BC
  • Krishna - India - c.900 BC
  • Dionysus - Greece - c.500 BC
  • Saturnalia (December 17-25) The day marked the dedication of the Temple to Saturn in the Roman Forum in c.497 BC
  • Marduk Sumerian sun god of Babylon
  • Wittoba Of The Bilingonese
  • Gentaut
  • Tammuz
  • Quexalcote Of Mexico
  • Thor Son Of Odin
  • Xamolxis Of Thrace
  • Apollo
  • Winter Solstice (Julian calendar Dec 25th from 45 BC until it was superseded by the Gregorian calendar commencing in 1582)
  • Jesus** - Roughly 1 AD
  • Boxing Day - Current calendar - December 26th
**December 25th was specifically chosen to be the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the 4th century by Pope Julius I. An arbitrary day had to be set as there was none given within the scriptures (births were not celebrated 2000 years ago, only the dates of deaths were observed). It served another purpose, that of conversion. Stephen Nissenbaum, professor history at the University of Massachusetts  Amherst, wrote in reference to Saturnalia (December 17-25), “In return for ensuring massive observance of the anniversary of the Savior’s birth by assigning it to this resonant date, the Church for its part tacitly agreed to allow the holiday to be celebrated more or less the way it had always been.”

Iconography:
Yule Log: English historian Henry Bourne, who, writing in the 1720s, described the practice occurring in the Tyne valley. Bourne theorized that the practice derives from customs in 6th to 7th century Anglo-Saxon paganism.
Ginger Breadmen: Saturnalia, local custom primarily in the more Germanic regions. Biscuits shaped like humans, dating back to some of the more colorful human sacrifice rites that were often performed.
Caroling: As part of Saturnalia, there was often drunken and naked singing though the streets. This was "adjusted" by the church when Saturnalia was co-opted into singing hymns.
Mistletoe: Norse mythology recounts how the god Balder was killed using a mistletoe arrow by his rival god Hoder while fighting for the female Nanna. At some point it gets twisted into kissing under the mistletoe from a combination of the debauchery of Saturnalia and the traditions of some druidic sects. 
Christmas Tree: The Asheira cult, worshiped trees. At the time of the Winter Solstice, they would decorate the very trees they worshiped. In another attempt to win the pagans over to Christianity, the practice of bringing a tree into your home and decorating it was incorporated into the newly formed celebration of Christ’s birth. 
Gift Giving: The emperors of pre-Christian Rome compelled their citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the Saturnalia (in December) and Kalends (in January). This ritual/tradition expanded to include gift-giving among the populace. Christian flavor was added by re-rooting it in the gift-giving of Saint Nicholas. Boxing Day is also a gift giving celebration.
Santa Claus: Nicholas was born in Parara, Turkey in 270 CE and later became Bishop of Myra. He died in 345 CE on December 6th. He was named a saint in the 19th century.
Nicholas was among the senior bishops who convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and created the New Testament.
In 1087, Nicholas remains were moved Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy. In Bari, Nicholas supplanted a female boon-giving deity called The Grandmother, or Pasqua Epiphania, who used to fill the children's stockings with her gifts.
The adopted Nicholas gift giving spread north. It was adopted by groups who worshiped a pantheon led by Woden –their chief god and the father of Thor, Balder, and Tiw. Woden had a long, white beard and rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn. When Nicholas legend merged with Woden, he shed his Mediterranean appearance, grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, rescheduled his flight for December, and donned heavy winter clothing.
The Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas legends and traditions and taught that he distributed gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th.
In 1809, Washington Irving wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled Knickerbocker History. The work refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.
Dr. Clement Moore, a professor at Union Seminary, read the book and in 1822 he published a poem based on the character Santa Claus: “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hope that Saint Nicholas soon would be there…” Moore innovated by portraying a Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys.
The Bavarian illustrator Thomas Nast elaborated the imagery of Santa Claus with more than 2,200 illustrations appearing in Harper's Weekly from 1862 through 1886. Nast gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children.
In 1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted the Swedish commercial artist Haddon Sundblom to create a coke-drinking Santa. Sundblom modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face. The corporation insisted that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright and Coca Cola red. The Modern Santa was born – a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol.

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope your day was as enjoyable as mine, no matter what you believe or celebrate.

Topic Tuesday #21 2012/12/11 - "The Shopping Apocalypse"

Topic Tuesday #21 2012/12/11 - "The Shopping Apocalypse"

It's that time of year. The scent of artificial pine is in the air and random Santa's in the park give away candy canes. (they were safe and individually wrapped, not creepy, and quite nice.)
It has occurred to me, and many others, that the Christmas Season is starting to cannibalize other holidays!
Once upon a time, the church only advocated celebrating the day of death. Easter is still more important to Christianity than Christmas because of the death and rebirth of the Christ. Time marched on and birthdays became special anniversaries. The obvious thing that was needed was a birthday for Jesus. It's not in any of the 4 gospels about Jesus's life. The various ecumenical councils came up with borrowing, or consolidating, holidays from the pagans they were bent on converting. They took on the winter solstice, Saturnalia, Yule, and many others that were all celebrated in mid to late December and declared it was Jesus's birthday. 
Centuries pass and the celebrating could not be contained; it expanded to Christmas Eve to have more time to share the love and giving. Then the 12 days of Christmas, which starts on the 25th and runs through January, in some strange competition with Hanukkah, I suspect. Then the real commercialism started in. Decorations started going up earlier and earlier. Now we have ended up with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And now... there are stores open on Thanksgiving! This year I was able to shop for Christmas decorations at the same time I could buy candy corn and slasher masks on Halloween. 

What's my point? Stop bashing Christmas? I'm not bashing anything except blatant commercialism. I should not have a mix station with the "Monster Mash" and "Away in a Manger" or "Tubular Bells" and the "Little Drummer Boy"... Shouldn't we give proper respect to our holiday traditions? What's the point in having them if all they do is blend? Christmas now contains, itself, New Years, Thanksgiving and now Halloween. It's the unstoppable juggernaut holiday. 
But there is some solace to be found in the shopping apocalypse that has befallen us. Eggnog is available earlier. That make me very happy. 

Happy Holiday Season(s)!