The Death of Christmas

The streets of my neighborhood are lined with trees. This morning, however, there is much more foliage than usually. The poplar and Chinese elm trees which are currently adding their red, orange, and gold autumn colors to the charm of the victorian buildings and the newly created Parisian-style boulevard (see comment) are now accompanied by myriad spruce, fir, pine, cedar, (and even a few plastic) evergreens which only yesterday adorned the living rooms of the surrounding homes.

It seems that people can't wait to get Christmas over with. I have to laugh (to myself) when I compare this current trend to that which was in vogue during my childhood on the East Coast where it was not unusual to have to remind someone, "Okay, it's February. It's time to take down the tree."

It's not news to anyone that Christmas has long lost it religious significance --(not to all but to many, if not most) -- and is mainly a commercial holiday. In fact it's the make-or-break period that many retailers depend upon for their fiscal survival.
 

The Sun God Mithra slaying a bull

25 December is not even Jesus' birthday. That particular date was chosen (by some accounts) to usurp the pagan celebration called Saturnalia which commemorated the birth of the sun god. The Romans called this celebration "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti" (Nativity of the Invincible Sun), commemorating the birth of the sun god Mithra. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Third Edition, 1998) in its article on "Christmas" details the history of the dating of Christmas. The article points out that the time of Christ's birth was a matter of speculation and even dispute in the early centuries of the Christian church. The celebration of Christ's birth on a specific day did not become a general practice until the 4th century. The earliest mention of 25 December is in a calendar representing Roman practice of the year 336, the date probably chosen to oppose the pagan feast of the sun.

Other traditions of the dating were present, including the Eastern tradition of connecting Christ's birth with Epiphany on 6 January (a practice still followed in the Eastern churches). Christians celebrated 25 March as the Feast of the Annunciation, a commemoration that continues today. Since 25 December falls exactly nine months after the Annunciation, it seemed the most natural day on which to celebrate Jesus' birth (although, as noted above, Eastern Christians follow a different tradition and opt for 6 January, twelve days later than their Western counterparts).

Annunciation: the announcement to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel of the Incarnation

Incarnation: the Christian doctrine of the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ

There's much debate on the subject (among scholar and lay person alike). A simple google search turns up a litany of articles addressing both why 25 December is not the real date of Jesus' birth and how it became the date of celebration.

And now, with all of the attention on the literal "separation of church and state", Christmas has almost become a dirty word in so many circles. I truly believe that a persons beliefs are a personal thing and shouldn't be forced on anyone else, and in our "politically correct" society which currently embraces so many sects* other than just Christianity and Judaism, it's become increasingly important to confine one's religious beliefs to one's self ...or at least to one's religious group. Not everyone is a Christian. Not everyone is even a theist. And yet, [the celebration of] Christmas has been such an integral part of our culture. What will we ever do without it? -- *(Click for a "humorous" comparison of [some of] societies popular religions.)

Quote of the Week: "Believe those who are seeking the truth, but be wary of those who claim to have found it."

Oh, Christmas Tree

XXX XXXXX "GOD JUL" "BUON ANNO" "JOYEUX NOEL" "FELIZ NAVIDAD" "MERRY CHRISTMAS" "KALA CHRISTOUGENA" "N PRETTIG KERSTMIS" "VROLIJK KERSTFEEST" "FRÖHLICHE WEIHNACHTEN" "BUON NATALE-GODT NYTAR" "Z ROZHDESTYOM KHRYSTOVYM" "HUAN YING SHENG TAN CHIEH" "WESOLYCH SWIAT-SRETAN BOZIC" "MOADIM LESIMHA-LINKSMU KALEDU" "HAUSKAA JOULUA-AID SAID MOUBARK" "EEN GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR-SRETAN BOSIC" "MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR" "ROOMSAID JOULU PUHI - KUNG HO SHENG TEN" "FELICES PASUAS - EIN GLUCKICHES NEWJAHR" "PRIECIGUS ZIEMAN SVETKUS - SARBATORI VESLLE" "Z ROZHDESTYOM KHRYSTOVYM - CHRISTOS SE RODI" "BONNE ANNE-BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDADR-FELIZ NATAL" XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX

This week I'm refraining from my usual insightful observations and witty banter (tic) to sit back and enjoy the holidays.

Be sure to check out the current "Image of the Week" in the side panel; it has an interesting twist.

The intention of this post is not to promote any particular sect, exclude any person or groups, or to impose any beliefs on those who don't acknowledge the sentiment. It is simply to extend to all [during this holiday season] a wish for peace, light, and happiness.


Quote of the Week: "Whoever said 'money can't buy happiness' didn't know where to shop."

Passion

In this post, I want to talk about passion. I'm not simply speaking of romantic passion, however, that is not to be excluded, since passion, however manefested, is still passion. I'm addressing anything in life that is approached with that all consuming obsession that motivates, no, drives you on and on.

Examples of those consumed with passion are the athlete who pushes past the pain to achieve that elusive goal, the writer who foregoes food and sleep to flush out and develop that idea, the dancer who continues to perform on feet that are battered, bruised, and even bleeding, the singer for whom it's a matter of having to (needing to) sing anywhere, anytime ...irrespective of success or fame, and the artist who, despite monetary failure, opts to live in poverty so as to continue his creative endeavors. There are those who hunger for knowledge, for no other reason than to expand their minds and broaden their horizons. How fortunate the child who, in youth, develops a passion for learning.

I was speaking to a friend the other day who was complaining about being bored. Boredom is something I honestly can say I've never experienced. With so many exciting things inside me yet to be expressed, who has time to be bored? Anyway, I asked him, "Well what do you want to do, is there anything you're excited about? I felt so terribly sad that his answer was, "No, nothing!"

Being passionate about something, anything -- an idea, an activity, a goal, a cause, a project, a talent, anything -- is for me what "divine fire" is all about. That which makes you impatient to get out of bed in the morning and reluctant to have to stop for rest at night, a preoccupation so consuming, that commonplace activities like eating and sleeping (although necessary) are unwanted interruptions. Working would also fall into this category, if you were not fortunate enough to be working at that very thing about which you're passionate. I guess there are many people who are about "nothing" and simply wait for life to stimulate them. In such a case, I guess one could [easily] get bored.

People who are successful in life -- however they choose to define success -- are probably people who were (are) very passionate in their pursuits. Even if that pursuit were just the desire to be rich. (A passionate desire to be wealthy is not the same thing as not wanting to be poor.) For many people, the simple process of living, maintaining, supporting and being supportive of family (however defined), is all consuming and yet there are those who do this with passionate deliberation, while others merely do what's required to get from one day to the next.

Liz Taylor and Calvin Klein market fragrances under such names as "Passion" and "Obsession", but these names are only suggestive. Would that it were as simple as getting inspiration from a bottle.

It's not for me to critique anyone else's life, mine is hardly a model existence, but if I didn't constantly have within me this passion to express and create, a passion that has guided my every decision for as long as I can remember, I don't know how I would've (could've) survived. For me it's never been about acquisitions, social accomplishments, praise or approval. I suspect this is why I've chosen a life that is unencumbered with many the common trappings of living, those things that would consume all my time and energy and not allow for my passion for personal expression.

Quote of the Week: "A rich person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least."

50 Books A Year

There was (is) this project where a group of people attempted to read 50 books in the year 2005 and using blogs or other devices, they would post a record of their progress, the books read, and their critiques. 50 books in a year. That's approximately a book a week. Not being a graduate of EWA (Evelyn Wood Academy), I find that a rather ambitious undertaking ...even if a lot of it were "light reading".

All that reading would definitely cut into my movie-watching. Now if we were taking 50 "films" a year, that would not only be do-able, it falls well below my usual intake of celluloid (or video/digital tape or whatever). I watch very little TV per se, but I'm constantly using my [big screen] TV as a monitor for watching movies ...I love movies, all types of movies. I watch a lot of movies.

Click here to view a [small] sample of my film choices.

I generally don't like seeing a movie after having [read] the book from which it was adapted. Invariably, the film will be a disappointment. The approach I prefer, if I like the film, is to then read the book. Yes, I still do find (make) the time to read.

Sure I like the hit movies and the blockbusters, the sensory roller-coaster created with all the latest technology, but my main appreciation of film is as an artistic medium ...not just a showcase for the "stars" used to draw an audience and put butts in the seats. Which means I watch a lot of independent and foreign films.

I really like foreign films, but, in spite of the language barrier, I prefer them subtitled rather than dubbed. In this respect, French films are better, because they tend to be more about emotion and ambiance. They're not heavily subtitled so you can really get immersed in the film. Hispanic films tend to be very heavy on the dialog, fast paced dialog, which means lots of subtitles. And since you can't (I can't) watch the movie and read the subtitles simultaneously, I generally (if I like the movie) have to watch it at least twice. The first time is mainly to read the subtitles so I know what being said. The next time through, I can concentrate on the visual artistry; the filmmaker's vision and how [he] uses the medium to express this; the techniques used by the cinematographer and how they differ from our domestic style of filmaking.

In the past I collected any movie that I really liked, but then after I'd amassed a considerable number of titles, I realized that liking a moving is not a reason to add it to your personal library. The movie has to be re-watchable, and not all of them are, even some of the good ones. Case in point: As much as I enjoyed the "surprise" in "The Crying Game", the movie has very little merit once you've seen it ...except to remember how unprepared you were (at the time) for that unexpected revelation. And a movie like "Bridges of Madison County" which was thoroughly enjoyable the first time through, is totally unwatchable a second time. The pace is waaay to slow. Now, take a movie like "The Ritz" (with Rita Moreno). I find myself rolling on the floor howling with laughter every time I view it, and I've seen the movie so much, I can quote all the dialogue and act out all the parts.

And then there are those titles that you love to watch and re-watch, but you find yourself watching them [faithfully] only when they're being "broadcast"; you never watch the copy from your own library. I think it has something to do with the time commitment. If you play your copy, you're obligated to watch it, giving it your full attention. But if it's being broadcast, you can watch it in a half-ass way -- you already know what it's about -- and divide your attention among other things.

I must admit, writing this post has given me pause to consider the [book] titles in my library that seemed so interesting when I picked them up in the bookstore, but have since languished on the shelf waiting to be read. I might, for the upcoming year, set some sort of [book-reading] goal for myself ...but nowhere near 50.

Quote of the Week: "It never turns out like the picture in the book."