Monday, December 25

Christmas day. The day that separates BC from AC (or is that a rock band?) is so important, why isn’t it the first day on the calendar? Why doesn’t the year start on December 25?

And what is with this story of a baby being born in a barn and changing the world? From what I heard the couple were looking for a place to sleep when all the rooms were occupied so they took the option of a donkey, teenage mother and a carpenter would spend the night with the cows and horses and goats and what other creatures in a stable. Now, if you have ever been in a stable you know what that smells like. Sweet dreams.

As the story goes the mommy decided to push out the baby that night. Who boiled the water? So now there is this screaming newborn in the barn in the middle of the night keeping all the neighbors awake.

So these sheepherders come down from grazing their flocks, probably driven out by the Ponderosa cattlemen, to see what all the commotion is about. 

Then there are these three Kings? Kings of the road might be more appropriate. After a night of hard drinking these traveling salesmen stagger through the little town of Bethlehem and come upon the wonder of birth with a chorus of screaming baby, baying animals and annoyed neighbors. It must have been a scene. So these dudes, being in the spirit, offer the couple of Mister and Mistress Christ, for we can only assume they were married by then, sample wares of their trade, Gold (not bad gift of value then and now), Frankincense (an incense that can be burned for fragrance or Frankenstein, one wonders) and Myrrh (an embalming ointment used to keep the stench down from the rotting corpse).

And then there is this Santa guy? What is he all about? He doesn’t seem to be related to ησοῦς (Iesous) or ישוע‎  or Jesús but why call him a Spanish name?

Well as the Beach Boys say “Christmas comes this time each year” so mark it on your calendar. What do California surfers know of Christmas? When was the last time they had snow on the beach?

So the city is shut down. The businesses are shut down. The Chinese restaurants are open.

This year there were no big plans. No parties. No cavorting with silly celebrations. No decorations. Just a cold day on a quiet street in a shut down city listening to soothing guitar music until the big game. No lengthy preparation of substance absorbance but a frozen pizza that will be more than filling. A gingerbread man, some wedding cookies and a cup of mead but that is another story. A surprise message much appreciated yet offsetting. Some silly conversations and the usual post of families gathered around piles of paper and children’s faces that you can almost hear the laughter.

Tomorrow is the 26^th of December. Trash day has been moved back so I have to remember to move the super cans into their appropriate spot before the arrival of my heroes. Tomorrow will be another day of work for those who do work in this last week of the year. Tomorrow will be packing up the car and jamming in the new loot to sit in the traffic jam to get home again. Tomorrow will be the day to return all that crap you got to get other crap or cash in on the cash. Tomorrow will be the day to take down the decorations and put away the tacky sweaters until next year same time. Tomorrow will be trying to figure meals based on half a turkey, left over macaroni and cheese and four bottles of flat wine. Tomorrow is when the real heavy coats and gloves and boots come out for the next stop is Winter.

But today is the day of reflection of good times and good cheer with family and friends hoping this blue ball we reside on continues to spin around a star.

And remember whose birthday this is.