[Magdalen] Home for the Holidays.

[Sibyl Smirl]

On 11/30/16 8:52 AM, Cantor03--- via Magdalen wrote:
>
>
> This is not an unique observation, but for some reason I've been more
> aware this year of the portrayal of the Christmas holiday as extremely
> important
> to families but this does not translate into even the slightest realization
> of the real essence of the holiday.
>
> There are a half dozen series that I follow on television and  Christmas is
> always featured as very important to the characters, but never is  there
> any idea of participating in religious observances which are the  foundation
> of the holiday.

Actually, I suspect the foundation of the holiday, like all the others 
about this time, is the Winter Solstice, which is common to all Northern 
Hemisphere humans.  We _know_ that Jesus wasn't actually born at this 
time, from detail in the Nativity stories, but the holiday season 
connected to people being happy at the sun returning, the days 
lengthening, was a convenient peg to hang the celebration on.


> Christmas trees and decorations are prominently displayed, and there  are
> often subplots involving Santa Klaus.  Families fight tooth and nail  to get
> together for the holiday usually portrayed on Christmas Eve.
>
> I am reminded of the three medical residents assigned to my area
> over the Christmas holiday whom I observed having a heavy duty  argument
> over who would be off for the holiday.  One was Jewish, one was
> Moslem, and one was Hindu.
>
> Such is Christmas in North America.
>
>
>
> David S.
>
>


-- 
Sibyl Smirl
I will take no bull from your house!  Psalms 50:9a
mailto:polycarpa3 at ckt.net