Re: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays???
Celebrate the solstice! After all, it's the real reason for all mid-winter holidays (in the Northern hemisphere anyway). There was record turn out at Stonehenge this year, in fact. Besides the more you look into the "Christmas" tradition the less "there" is there. If you actually read the Bible, most folks don't bother, you first have to decide which "infallible", yet utterly contradictory version you're going to use (did he go to Egypt or not? depends which "gospel" in which version of the bible you read; protestant, catholic, eastern orthodox, even the Qur'an. Each have differing accounts, so you'll have to decide which one you like best). Most folks go with Luke ("for unto you a child is born...") in the NKJV, but there are of course other versions.
You'll then soon realize there is no St. Nick, no tannenbaum, no candy canes, no weasel, nor would there have been shepherds "watching their flock by night" in December in Palestine b/c it's freezing and winter, oh and there weren't "three" wise men, just wise men, no specific number is given. Neither will you find any mention of mistletoe toe, eggnog, christmas ham (Jesus was a kosher Jew after all, if not THE kosher Jew). If most "All American" families were to see how my family German family celebrates christmas you wouldn't recognize half of it, and yet the traditions are much older and, in fact, little more than good ol' Pagan nature worshiping traditions, hence the evergreens in winter ("deck the halls with boughs of holly......"). Then there's Krumpus from my other grandparents home in Austria. Not exactly Norman Rockwell. Oh, and what about folks in Australia (Southern Hemisphere) where it's now the middle of summer and Santa comes to town on a surf board? Some how tales of snow flakes, jingle bells and yule logs gets lost. Shoot, they're silly here in Florida. Although, I am proud to say we have our own Festivus pole!
Of course, then there are the pesky issues of how dates and calenders have changed and been misinterpreted over the years. Again, the more you look the less you find.
The Solstice on the other hand is as constant as, well the stars, has been studied and revered the world over from the beginning of time and is also a real measurable phenomena with benefits for one and all as any and all of my gardener friends will know. Spring will be here any day now.........
In other words, this :
most definitely did NOT happen
