[Magdalen] Merry (?) Happy ( ?) Joyous(?) Christmas

[Lynn Ronkainen]

 Don - so glad to see you here and to hear that you are in good spirits. 
Hugs from Houston!
peace and Merry Christmas 2!
Lynn

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Don Boyd" <thedonboyd at austin.rr.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2017 5:38 PM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Merry (?)    Happy ( ?) Joyous(?)  Christmas

> Sistren and brethren
>        Here stand I in a fog of self-pity (always efficacious, that), 
> wondering how to acknowledge my gratitude for so much good will.    The 
> word I've needed has, possibly providentially, arrived.   I can tell you 
> that in the middle of fear and sadness and Loneliness (not whining, just 
> naming the devil) I am experiencing a BLESSED CHRISTMAS and I wish that 
> you can know the sweetness of showering blessings.   God love you.  I love 
> you, companions all.
> Sent from my iPod
>
>> On Dec 26, 2017, at 1:30 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford 
>> <oppenheimerjw at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> “Merry Christmas”: F.A.Q.
>>
>> By Mark Remy <https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/mark-remy>
>>
>> December 19, 2017
>> Hello, and welcome to the official Web page of the Holiday Enforcement
>> Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Jesus.
>>
>> Due to the overwhelming number of queries we’ve received since the 
>> passage
>> of the Compulsory Acknowledgment of Christ Act, we ask that you browse 
>> our
>> F.A.Q. before contacting us. It’s possible that we’ve already answered 
>> your
>> question!
>>
>> Thank you, and Merry Christmas.
>>
>> *What is the Compulsory Acknowledgment of Christ Act, and when did it
>> become law?*
>>
>> The Compulsory Acknowledgment of Christ Act (*CACA*) prohibits the use of
>> the phrase “happy holidays” while mandating the use of “Merry Christmas.”
>> It was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump on October 31, 2017.
>> Merry Christmas.
>>
>> *Some of my best friends are Jewish/Muslim/Hindu/atheist/coastal élites.
>> Must they say “Merry Christmas” as well?*
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>> *Even if they’re alone? Like, in an otherwise empty elevator?*
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>> *What happens if they refuse?*
>>
>> We hope it won’t come to that.
>>
>> *I’ve heard that Jesus is “the reason for the season.” Is this true?*
>>
>> Yes. That phrase actually originated with Christ himself and is a 
>> testament
>> to His knack for catchy rhymes.
>>
>> *If Jesus were alive today, would he insist that everyone say “Merry
>> Christmas”?*
>>
>> Yes. Scripture is very clear on this matter.
>>
>> *What is the origin of the word “Christmas”?*
>>
>> The word itself is Spanish, meaning “more Christ.”
>>
>> *That reminds me—what was the deal with Trump and that taco bowl?*
>>
>> For questions regarding President Trump’s appreciation for Mexican food,
>> please see the official Web page of the U.S. Immigration and Customs
>> Enforcement’s Bureau of Hispanic Love.
>>
>> *I’ve been saying “Merry Christmas” for years, and no one has ever
>> complained or tried to stop me. Have I been doing it wrong?*
>>
>> Yes. Probably you aren’t being heard properly. A bullhorn is a simple and
>> effective way to amplify your message, particularly in a large 
>> crowd—e.g.,
>> cocktail party, music concert, packed courtroom. (A bullhorn also makes a
>> great Christmas present—our special-edition *CACA* model, seventy-nine
>> dollars, delivers fifty watts of joyous sound, in Voice or Siren Mode, 
>> and
>> comes swaddled in a padded carrying case.)
>>
>> *Someone recently said “Happy Christmas” to me and I didn’t know how to
>> react. Can you help?*
>>
>> The correct phrase is “Merry Christmas.” “Happy Christmas,” a British
>> bastardization, is *not* an acceptable substitute. Make that clear by
>> giving the offender a gag “ticket” from our online store (twelve dollars
>> for a pad of fifty). Then report him or her to us via this confidential
>> form. We will take it from there!
>>
>> *What should I do if I wish someone a Merry Christmas and they fail to 
>> wish
>> me a Merry Christmas in return?*
>>
>> See above.
>>
>> *I enjoy saying “Merry Christmas” but wish I could employ the phrase more
>> relentlessly. Any tips?*
>>
>> There are many ways you can incorporate “Merry Christmas” into your
>> day-to-day life. Try answering the phone with “Merry Christmas” instead 
>> of
>> “hello.” Rather than saying “I’m sorry” or “Huh?” or “Oh, my God! Are you
>> O.K.?” say “Merry Christmas.” In lieu of a tip, offer your server or
>> barista a loud and proud “*MERRY CHRISTMAS*!” on your way out, and watch
>> their faces light up.
>>
>> By the way, don’t feel as if you need a reason to wish someone Merry
>> Christmas—there’s nothing wrong with just opening a window and shouting 
>> it,
>> or mouthing the phrase to fellow motorists during rush hour. Remember, 
>> too,
>> that every day except Sunday you have an opportunity to wish your mailman 
>> a
>> Merry Christmas.
>>
>> *You mean “letter carrier,” right? Ours is a woman.*
>>
>> No. We are saying “mailman” again.
>>
>> *I find the phrase “Merry Christmas” insufficiently pious. How can I ramp
>> up the religiosity?*
>>
>> Many people are warming to the phrase “Merry Jesuschristmas.”
>>
>> *Isn’t this whole thing a non-issue? A manufactured “controversy” 
>> designed
>> to deepen divides, feed false notions of victimhood, and distract from 
>> the
>> plethora of real scandals, failures, and ethical lapses that have plagued
>> this Administration from Day One?*
>>
>> Merry Christmas!
>>
>> *But—*
>>
>> We said, *MERRY CHRISTMAS*.
>>
>> *Jesus.*
>> Exactly.
>>
>>
>> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
>> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
>> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>