Melanie welcomes in December, the final month of 2019, with this week’s Share Your World prompt, which is pretty much focused on December’s holidays. As you’ll see from my answers, I’m not a fan of December’s holidays, but not being a fan of something doesn’t stop me from talking about it! So let’s get to it.
What’s your remedy for the Holiday blues?
Holiday blues? What holiday blues? I try not to think much about it, but I have no doubt that before it’s over, I’ll rant about the bogus war on Christmas promoted mostly by Fox News and Donald Trump.
In fact, I just saw a blurb in today’s newspaper about the mayor of Charleston, W.Va., who wanted her city to be more welcoming to all faiths and people, so she changed an annual celebration from the “Christmas Parade” to the “Winter Parade.” It didn’t last long. Some people thought renaming the parade was an attack on Christianity. People in the overwhelmingly white, Christian city talked about how renaming of the parade was an insult to “the almighty Supreme Being.” One person posted that, “Christmas is all about Christ, not some winter parade.”
Of course, once Fox News got hold of the story, it was too much for the mayor of Charleston, who reversed her decision and agreed to keep the “Christmas Parade” name.
Your favorite beverage (if it differs) during the holiday season? If it doesn’t differ, just answer the ‘what’s your favorite beverage” part.
I have two favorite beverages and neither is very exciting nor in any way related to any holidays. In the morning, it’s coffee. At other times, it’s caffeine-free Diet Coke.
This one has been asked before, but what’s your take on pumpkin spice?
I have no take on pumpkin spice. To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never tasted anything that is pumpkin spice flavored. And since I don’t particularly like the taste of pumpkin anything, it’s unlikely I ever will.
Is there is a person or god connected with your holiday?
- Who are they and do you believe in them?
- If you do not believe in these people or gods, does the celebration/honoring of that being, bother you in any way (e.g., ignored, dismissed, angry, etc.)?
No, there is not any such person or deity that I connect with any holiday. As an atheist, I don’t believe in deities, and as a skeptic, there are very few people I believe in. As to the question about getting angry or dismissive of people who do celebrate these holidays, I don’t. I’m a whatever floats your boat kind of guy. But I do get pissed at people who try to force their believes down my throat, whether personally or legislatively.
Gratitude:
Share a song that you enjoy during this Winter season (whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, The Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, and so forth).
This, That, and the Other 
Not only did we give the same answer to the next to last question, but we used the same words. Mine will be up just after midnight.
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Great minds think alike, right?
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How is that possible?
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How is what possible?
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The same wording.
Funny coinkidink.
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A song for the winter parade! I like Dean Martin too. And, even though I believe in a creator and a messiah, I prefer the winter festivities being wintry… except when specifically about faith — not all mixed up like snowflakes were falling on the little baby. His birth can be remembered IN the winter but not as if it’s what winter is.
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Ah so that must be where Trump got his rhetoric from. A “progressive” wanting to rename something traditional.
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As for me, I was Messianic [that is part of a Jewish synagogue believing in Messiah] and very conservative [which I had been all my life] in the midst of when I wanted winter songs about staying in a place from which you really should leave and shopping for red and green sweaters and kissing Santa, and all that, to be separate from remembering the birth. Really, almost no one else was seriously going in that direction then [other than varied sects of Christianity]. And that is when Republicans, but especially FOXnews, started “the war” about Christmas.
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It seems real “dark ages” to me here in the UK, where I think we’re more relaxed about it. I mean, there is anti-Semitism and anti-Isamic behavious, but a lot more subtle.
I’d probably go so far as to say that Christmas is pretty secular here – that sounds crazy but it is true. It is all driven by the supermarkets, and the only thing they worship is money.
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Thanks Fandango for putting in your two cents! Logical and reasonable as I expected. I have no row to hoe about religion nor spirituality (or lack thereof), for me personally it is rather annoying to name everything “Winter” when the tradition has been Christmas for … well for a long time. Actually if they went back to Winter Solstice, that’d be okay with me, because isn’t that the basis for the Christmas holiday anyway? The thoughtful Christian (and I consider myself one of those) remembers Christ whether or not some calendar date tells them to or not. And He was apparently born in April or March, so……plus no snow. It doesn’t snow in the Middle East, does it? I just like traditions. So I’m a traditionalist I guess. Merry Holidays sir and let us go listen to that wonderful song! I got to hear that one on my car radio today! 🙂
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Good answers. I love your song choice!
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