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The Holidays and Christmas December 23, 2008

Posted by A in Holiday, Life, Morality, Politics, Religion, Western Civilization.
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Ok, this has been bothering me for some time now.  I’ve seen so many stories and read so many articles about Christmas celebrations being canceled, school pageants being canceled, carols are forbidden, and decorations are labeled as “offensive”.  They’re canceled because someone feels threatened.  Why?  I don’t understand this.  Why does someone feel threatened by another’s beliefs?  Especially when it’s a holiday.  I’m talking specifically about Christmas.  Granted, if the celebration involved shooting guns/rifles in the air, I’d feel quite threatened, especially by stray bullets.  But the face of Christmas includes a decorated fir, Santa Clause, and stockings on the fireplace.

I’m not Christian, so I don’t celebrate Christmas, but when people wish me “Merry Christmas”, I wish them happy holidays or say “thanks, you too”.  It doesn’t bother me to have a 10-story tall Christmas tree in the shopping center or one at work.  I think they’re beautiful.  Certainly not threatening.

If people believe in Christ and want to celebrate Christmas, what’s wrong with that?  Pesonally, I think the people who are threatened are the ones who want total and complete control over YOUR life, and YOUR beliefs.  WHY?! Are the beliefs of the threatened that weak that they can be swayed by seeing a decorated tree?  Are their beliefs so weak to be swayed by good cheer and warm wishes, by lights on the outside of the house and an inflatable Santa?

As long as celebrations are peaceful, let people celebrate.  Let them believe what they believe even if those beliefs don’t match your own.

So, to those who celebrate Chrstimas: Merry Christmas.  To those who don’t: Happy New Year (or any other holiday you do celebrate).

Yay! It’s December… December 1, 2008

Posted by A in Holiday, Life, Random, Relationships.
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Actually, I’m not sure why I’m so excited that it’s December. Yesterday was my dad’s and my best friend’s birthday. I never knew anyone who was born on the same day I was born, so I think it’s interesting that both my dad and my best friend share the same calendar date when they were born (not the same year, in case that wasn’t clear).
But my family members have a few more birthdays coming up and then it’s New Year’s. Maybe that’s what I’m excited about. Hmm….. Gotta think about it. Maybe I’m just tired.

4th of July is NOT a holiday… July 4, 2008

Posted by A in Holiday, Life, My Favorite Links, Politics, Random, Society.
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…but Independence Day is.  July 4th is a day on our calendars.  Independence Day is the day we celebrate the birth of the greatest country out there.  Also, people don’t call “December 25th” a holiday, they call it Christmas.  Why do people denigrate this most American holiday by calling it just “July 4th”?  Is it really just laziness?  Or is it something more?  I don’t know.

But I do know that I am one of the luckiest people because I live in USA.  It’s a privilege to be a citizen of this country.  I don’t understand those who hate this country.  Why not move, if it’s so bad?  And if it’s so bad, why are millions upon millions of people risking their lives to come here?

It makes me livid to see commercials on TV with all these “4th of July” deals and sales.  This holiday has been hijacked into a long weekend, or a day to do house updates, or do chores or go shopping.  Nobody takes even a fraction of a second to think what this holiday means. 

This holiday means Freedom.  Consider the following sentence from the Preamble:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
What other country is based on this? None. The founding fathers recognized the individuality of people and that Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness are a basis for a country. As far as I’m concerned, this is the best country.

So let’s celebrate what this country is really all about, not use this wonderful holiday as a day to do chores.

Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas December 9, 2007

Posted by A in Holiday, Life, Politics, Religion.
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Annually during this time of the year, the debate of “Happy Holidays” vs “Merry Christmas” gets intense.  I don’t see what the problem is.

Christmas isn’t the only holiday being celebrated this time of year, especially since stores start their Christmas season before Thanksgiving.  It’s only natural to wish someone “Happy Holidays” then.

If we’re talking about after Thanksgiving, then I still don’t see what all the ruckus is about.  New Year’s is after Christmas.  Though it’s not a major American holiday, lots of people celebrate it. 

Additionally, there are other religions that have holidays during this time of the year.  It’s only polite to wish someone Happy Holidays.  To assume that everyone you talk to is a Christian or celebrates Christmas is arrogant and presumptuous.

If someone tells me Merry Christmas, to me, it means nothing, so I take it as “have a nice evening”.

Though, it’s absolute stupidity to call a Christmas Tree anything other that.  It’s not a Holiday Tree.  Nobody else uses it as part of a ritual or celebration.  See my previous post for my views on that.

Thanksgiving November 22, 2007

Posted by A in Holiday, Life.
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Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I love having family over for a large dinner (or a small one, or for any reason at all).  And by large, I mean that I take the Wednesday before Thanksgiving off so I can cook.  This year, this is what I made:

  • Goat cheese and Olives stuffed Chicken Breast
  • Lasagna Rollups (stuffed with Portobello mushrooms, spinach and ricotta)
  • Mashed potatoes (with cream cheese and sour cream)
  • Ratatoulle 
  • Stuffing (ok, this one was out of the box, StoveTop)
  • Turkey (well, Duh!)
  • Crab salad (Grandma brought this over)
  • Salad (our version: tomatoes and onions only with salt)
  • Cookies (I am not much of a baker, so I gave this a try, and these particular “cookies” turned out ok.  Easy to make dough and filled with strawberry and apricot preserves)

Sounds like I had the entire population of a small country over for dinner, but it was only 5 people.  No, we didn’t eat everything.  LOTS of leftovers.