He's coming!

St. Nick – NOT always the fat, jolly old dude!

No, not Santa – unless you’re five years old and your parents actually indulged you in such folderol. I don’t necessarily think it’s a harmful fairy tale. I just don’t see the point. Isn’t the season magical enough without some fat, old white guy breaking into houses all over the world to leave boys and girls “presents” of socks and underwear?

Did you know? Yule or Yuletide (which runs from December 21st through January one is NOT the same as Christmas. With the spread of Christianity, the two seem to have merged or, at the very least, overlapped. Originally Yule was all about the Solstice – the return of the sun. This was, as well it deserves to be, a big fucking deal.

"When a new religion called Christianity popped up, the new hierarchy had trouble converting the Pagans, and as such, folks didn't want to give up their old holidays (can you blame them?!) . Christian churches were built on old Pagan worship sites, and Pagan symbols were incorporated into the symbolism of Christianity. Within a few centuries, the Christians had everyone worshiping a new holiday celebrated on December 25, although scholars believe it is more likely that Jesus was born around April rather than in the winter." (source)

Marketing and playing the rubes!

I don’t ever remember believing in Santa. I must have at some point though – don’t all kids? Didn't you? If so, when did you stop believing?

I do recall being way more keen on the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny. I knew that they too, were fairy tales – that it was my father who left money for teeth and my mother who drew elaborate maps to help us find our colored eggs and new Easter dresses. They just seemed more fun and far more egalitarian.

So then, back at who’s coming (and not just to dinner!) – TEN! His flight gets in at 3:51 this afternoon . He’s just boarded at the little airport outside of his home in Bend, Oregon. I could NOT be more excited!

What will we do while he’s here (for 10 whole days!)? Given how much the damn cold set back my surgery recovery, we’ll mostly be chillin,’ big time.  We will, however, go into Cambridge for some museuming at Harvard and MIT, MAYBE take a drive out to Western MA, hit the best breakfast joint on the planet (Stars), take walks on Nantasket and in the Blue Hills, stroll the North End and, just generally, take it very easy.

On Christmas we’ll observe the usual Donna tradition – brekkie (along with complicated and mondo delicious, chocolatey breakfast cocktails) with Jen and Oni and then, later, Chinese food and movies. We’ll hit the library tomorrow to pic our flicks. Will we go for the traditional Scrooged or Die Hard? Maybe Eyes Wide Shut? Bad Santa ? Trading Places? Krampus maybe? Possibly The Ref?

SO many good choices!