A scholarly article about why December 25th is celebrated as Christmas:
http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/christmas.asp. Read it and you'll be back where you began. Essentially, it's borrowed but no one is really sure--maybe from existing pagan holidays and maybe not. Two of the synoptic gospels mention Jesus' birth (the oldest, Mark, does not) and John is so apology driven that it's unreliable (my take). Not really important in the big scheme of things. I was thinking about Christmas this past weekend and how it's more of a winter celebration and a time of family joy (and sorrow) for everyone, even if you're not Christian. Sure, the songs feature Jesus and all, but the tunes are part of a familiar fabric that says lights and Christmas trees, and shopping (the horror) and all that goes with Xmas. We can count on the certainty of the "putting Christ back into Christmas" lectures from excitable ministers but that quickly passes and everyone resumes their happy march to an anticipation of hopeful seasonal happiness and the inevitable "Holy Shit!" when the January Amex bill arrives.
http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/christmas.asp. Read it and you'll be back where you began. Essentially, it's borrowed but no one is really sure--maybe from existing pagan holidays and maybe not. Two of the synoptic gospels mention Jesus' birth (the oldest, Mark, does not) and John is so apology driven that it's unreliable (my take). Not really important in the big scheme of things. I was thinking about Christmas this past weekend and how it's more of a winter celebration and a time of family joy (and sorrow) for everyone, even if you're not Christian. Sure, the songs feature Jesus and all, but the tunes are part of a familiar fabric that says lights and Christmas trees, and shopping (the horror) and all that goes with Xmas. We can count on the certainty of the "putting Christ back into Christmas" lectures from excitable ministers but that quickly passes and everyone resumes their happy march to an anticipation of hopeful seasonal happiness and the inevitable "Holy Shit!" when the January Amex bill arrives.
Went to get a real live Xmas tree yesterday. We've had artificial ones all these years until ol' dad finally got the red ass one day trying to step over the thing right in the middle of the storage shed and decided to unceremoniously haul it off to the dumpster. Mrs. Bulba had done some low level bitching about the artificial tree in previous years, so the issue had been simmering a little. Anyway, $115 lighter, I hauled a genuine 7 1/2 foot fir of some type (I think it was a "Noble" as in "how noble of you sir, to shell out that much cash for a dead tree you'll throw away in a few weeks") home and apparently successfully settled it into the tree stand. Of course, we couldn't locate the tree lights which meant a trek first to Loew's (sorry communist bastards had minimal lights in their inventory) and then to Home Depot where I completely overdosed and bought about 18 boxes more than we'll ever need. Yes, this is Christmas. Had to stand there and hold HOLD light strands as Mrs. Bulba wrapped them EXACTLY as specified in her PROPER CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHT STRINGING TECHNIQUE that she personally developed and has caused about twenty four arguments each and every year we've spent Xmas together (for the record, I'd rather be beaten with a board than hold curtains or Xmas lights and I'm not joking). Great fun.
Oh, one other thing. Can't stand "Season's Greetings" uttered aloud or in print. It's "MERRY CHRISTMAS, GODDAMNIT!" and I make a big effort to make sure that any card sent out this time of year says it. Doesn't matter what you are, if you take offense at hearing or reading that, I suggest Mecca or some other shithole would make a much better home for you.
2 comments:
Did the same yesterday - although I only paid paid 39 bucks for a 7 ft. Noble Fir. Guess it'd be nice if it still had needles on it...
Have always had a live tree, and learned long ago (for the reasons you mentioned) to take charge of stringing the lights, meaning everybody else has to stay the fuck out until I'm done. Takes me about 15 minutes, then it's fire in the fireplace, spiked egg nog, cheesy music, and ornament time. Best part of the season.
$39 here, too, nimmer.
I'd wager the Bulba's hit one a them upscale gardening centers, the kind one that offer valet parking and buttered scones with tea. Taras had heard they once served wine bisquits, too. The place where we got our tree served potted meat product; we had nothing and liked it.
And, yes, nimdok, I "take" tea.
Post a Comment