Happy New Year, my true loves. Welcome to the 6th day of Christmas, New Years Eve, or as my father-in-law, God rest his soul, used to say, The anniversary of Baby Jesus' Briss. (It's true, Jews must circumcise their male Children in 6 days.) So what more fitting gift than the freshest Goose Eggs ever... Straight from the... whatever eggs come out of a goose from, of 6 Geese a Laying. Enjoy your omelettes, souffles, and custards for a whole year! I even built you a Goose Coop. Which reminds me of a Beach Boys Song, (Little Goose Coop?)
Speaking of songs, do you know what the number 7 favorite Christmas song of all time is? I'll tell ya. It's the legendary 12 PAINS of Christmas by Bobby Rivers. This was a landmarks song for several reasons. A) It accurately expresses the angst of the holiday season without depressing everyone around. 2) It established that you COULD vary the repetitions of the 12 days when spoofing this song. And D) It's very quotable, and has lent its catch phrases to the traditions of Christmas. What would a holiday season be without at least one person shouting, "One light goes out, they all go out!" or "She's a witch I hate her."
Not as depressing as the number 7 lump of coal in the stocking, "Blue Christmas." Yep. Our survey shows that we tend to dislike the songs about being alone on Christmas without our loved ones or friends. Plus... I CAN'T STAND the backing vocals. "ooOOOooOOoooo." Annoying.
Happy New Year, I'll have some beautiful swans for you to celebrate the new year with.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
12 Days of Christmas - Day 5
Well, my true loves, I got you 5 Golden Rings for today (yesterday) the 5th day of Christmas. Not Gold rings, sadly, but GoldEN rings. See the cost of gold nowadays is just devastating, so I had to get you copper, bronze and brass. So they're goldEN. I hope they don't turn your fingers funny colors.
Anyway, the number 8 Jewel in the crown of the baby Jesus is... White Christmas. It seems to be everyone's opinion that if Bing Crosby isn't singing this song, it's just not worth it. But I challenge that notion, and offer up the Drifters as a clever alternative. I, myself, prefer the doo-wop version to Bing. I can never get around the slow pace of the original song. The falsetto part in the second verse of the doo wop version is priceless and as iconic to me as Bing Crosby's voice is to others.
The number 8 lump of Oxen feces in the manger is.... Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. This song was a part of a trend from the 50s and 60s, the very first attempt at "Rock" Christmas songs. Most of the picks for worst Christmas songs are also attempts to make a pop music new favorite and sneak it into the pantheon of Holiday classics. It's comforting to know that no matter how WALK-fm has been trying, we haven't been falling for it. Rocking Around, and Jingle Bell Rock, and the like are worse offenders, because in hindsight, we realize that it isn't Rock at all. It's Country! These songs date back to the rockabilly era when rock and roll was really country swing sped up. Connie Francis, one of the least rockin' chicks around, tried to capitalize on the new trend by recording this pop flop, and was very effective for a while. But it hasn't stood the test of time.
I'm in the mood for eggs, how about you? See you tomorrow.
Anyway, the number 8 Jewel in the crown of the baby Jesus is... White Christmas. It seems to be everyone's opinion that if Bing Crosby isn't singing this song, it's just not worth it. But I challenge that notion, and offer up the Drifters as a clever alternative. I, myself, prefer the doo-wop version to Bing. I can never get around the slow pace of the original song. The falsetto part in the second verse of the doo wop version is priceless and as iconic to me as Bing Crosby's voice is to others.
The number 8 lump of Oxen feces in the manger is.... Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. This song was a part of a trend from the 50s and 60s, the very first attempt at "Rock" Christmas songs. Most of the picks for worst Christmas songs are also attempts to make a pop music new favorite and sneak it into the pantheon of Holiday classics. It's comforting to know that no matter how WALK-fm has been trying, we haven't been falling for it. Rocking Around, and Jingle Bell Rock, and the like are worse offenders, because in hindsight, we realize that it isn't Rock at all. It's Country! These songs date back to the rockabilly era when rock and roll was really country swing sped up. Connie Francis, one of the least rockin' chicks around, tried to capitalize on the new trend by recording this pop flop, and was very effective for a while. But it hasn't stood the test of time.
I'm in the mood for eggs, how about you? See you tomorrow.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
SLTM Films - A Final Review.
The family and I just shot the final film of SLTM Film's Project 52 this afternoon. I don't wish to spoil anything, but suffice it to say the final film alludes to the other films in the project. This got me thinking of a few things. First off, people who are not familiar with the rest of the films will be a bit confused. Secondly, While I've been doing my part to introduce people to the glory of Sean and Christine's work in a series of blog reviews ( 1 , 2, and 3,) I haven't written about the films at the end of the year, and I really owe them. So, do yourselves a favor... read the previous blogs, and then read below to catch up.
First of all, with the big holidays happening at the end of the year, this means a lot more weeks of the Fitz's playing the "Wild Card." These documentaries are very sweet and quite nicely done.
Week 36 - Follow Our Journey 3 - An Actor's Perspective - The third in the series of films ABOUT the project. This one featuring the actors who make it all happen. We learn not only what Sean and Christine are like to work with, but also what draws all of us to the project.
Week 46 - Make Every Dream Grow - Through a series of snapshots, we see the courtship and marriage of the Fitzgerald family, and celebrate their anniversary.
Week 48 -Measure Your Life In Love - Sean and Christine have a very special holiday celebration every year, and this year's was caught on video.
But then there are the other great fictional films.
Week 35 - Dodge The Bullet - A hitman holds a man at gunpoint, and as he pleads for his life, his life will be forever changed. Intense performances from Jerry Maggio and Steve Wangner in this one.
Week 37 - How I Learned to Love Charades - This one was conceived through a brainstorming session ONLINE. By the fans, starring the fans, and featuring ME and my WIFE! Besides that, though, it's an homage to the Twilight Zone, as a group of friends discover a strange karaoke machine that messes with their ability to communicate.
Week 38 - Kung-Fu Lessons - Hysterical Kung-fu Comedy which teaches us to be very careful when handling your girlfriend. Nicely choreographed fight scenes.
Week 39 - Dear Harold - A beautifully sweet tale of a man who writes letters in a desperate attempt to make a connection with somebody. Rivals "Heart and Soles" as the best film of the year.
Week 40 - Boys Will Be Boys - An intense playlet about the impact of bullying from the perspective of the parents involved. Nicely written and amazingly acted.
Week 44 - Hand In Hand - A sweet Romantic Comedy featuring the actor I love to watch get his heart broken, James O'Connor. Very funny, and guaranteed to melt your heart.
Week 47 - Let It Out - A concept piece about the sadness that engulfs the world. Mesmerizing and emotional.
Week 49 - Game On - Very silly and funny film about two friends competing over the final slice of pizza.
Week 50 - Naughty or Nice - A new holiday classic, at least in my house. A guy, desperately trying to impress his girlfriend's family, volunteers to play Santa at their holiday party. When his suit gets ripped, he improvises, with hilarious results.
Now, Sean is a HUGE fan of horror movies, so he set aside October to do 3. All terrifying, and creepy.
Week 41 - Devil's Night - Trick or Treaters show up a day early. You should really have candy.
Week 42 - Hush - A babysitter hears her worst nightmare over the baby monitor.
Week 43 - All Hallows Evil - Slasher flick. All you need to say.
And finally, a glimpse at the future of SLTM films.
Week 34 - The Awesome Adventures of Captain FlagWaver and the Boy Scout Episode 2 - Capture the Flag - Sean and Christine often talk about turning this into a web series. And I don't think that would be a bad thing. In this episode we see the Boy Scout's origin story, and are introduced to his nemesis.
Week 45 - No Place For Magic - A preview of a film Sean wants to make next year. It's a modern take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Peter is a cop, and Hook is a serial killer. Looks cool, I can't wait.
Now, at this time, I have not seen Week 51, and as I mentioned, we just wrapped week 52. That gives you, oh, about a week to catch up. Since no film is more than 15 minutes, it shouldn't take long to do a marathon.
I'm very proud of Sean and Christine for all their hard work. They've been an inspiration to me, and to everyone I know who has been involved in the films. Good luck to them in all their endeavors.
First of all, with the big holidays happening at the end of the year, this means a lot more weeks of the Fitz's playing the "Wild Card." These documentaries are very sweet and quite nicely done.
Week 36 - Follow Our Journey 3 - An Actor's Perspective - The third in the series of films ABOUT the project. This one featuring the actors who make it all happen. We learn not only what Sean and Christine are like to work with, but also what draws all of us to the project.
Week 46 - Make Every Dream Grow - Through a series of snapshots, we see the courtship and marriage of the Fitzgerald family, and celebrate their anniversary.
Week 48 -Measure Your Life In Love - Sean and Christine have a very special holiday celebration every year, and this year's was caught on video.
But then there are the other great fictional films.
Week 35 - Dodge The Bullet - A hitman holds a man at gunpoint, and as he pleads for his life, his life will be forever changed. Intense performances from Jerry Maggio and Steve Wangner in this one.
Week 37 - How I Learned to Love Charades - This one was conceived through a brainstorming session ONLINE. By the fans, starring the fans, and featuring ME and my WIFE! Besides that, though, it's an homage to the Twilight Zone, as a group of friends discover a strange karaoke machine that messes with their ability to communicate.
Week 38 - Kung-Fu Lessons - Hysterical Kung-fu Comedy which teaches us to be very careful when handling your girlfriend. Nicely choreographed fight scenes.
Week 39 - Dear Harold - A beautifully sweet tale of a man who writes letters in a desperate attempt to make a connection with somebody. Rivals "Heart and Soles" as the best film of the year.
Week 40 - Boys Will Be Boys - An intense playlet about the impact of bullying from the perspective of the parents involved. Nicely written and amazingly acted.
Week 44 - Hand In Hand - A sweet Romantic Comedy featuring the actor I love to watch get his heart broken, James O'Connor. Very funny, and guaranteed to melt your heart.
Week 47 - Let It Out - A concept piece about the sadness that engulfs the world. Mesmerizing and emotional.
Week 49 - Game On - Very silly and funny film about two friends competing over the final slice of pizza.
Week 50 - Naughty or Nice - A new holiday classic, at least in my house. A guy, desperately trying to impress his girlfriend's family, volunteers to play Santa at their holiday party. When his suit gets ripped, he improvises, with hilarious results.
Now, Sean is a HUGE fan of horror movies, so he set aside October to do 3. All terrifying, and creepy.
Week 41 - Devil's Night - Trick or Treaters show up a day early. You should really have candy.
Week 42 - Hush - A babysitter hears her worst nightmare over the baby monitor.
Week 43 - All Hallows Evil - Slasher flick. All you need to say.
And finally, a glimpse at the future of SLTM films.
Week 34 - The Awesome Adventures of Captain FlagWaver and the Boy Scout Episode 2 - Capture the Flag - Sean and Christine often talk about turning this into a web series. And I don't think that would be a bad thing. In this episode we see the Boy Scout's origin story, and are introduced to his nemesis.
Week 45 - No Place For Magic - A preview of a film Sean wants to make next year. It's a modern take on the classic story of Peter Pan. Peter is a cop, and Hook is a serial killer. Looks cool, I can't wait.
Now, at this time, I have not seen Week 51, and as I mentioned, we just wrapped week 52. That gives you, oh, about a week to catch up. Since no film is more than 15 minutes, it shouldn't take long to do a marathon.
I'm very proud of Sean and Christine for all their hard work. They've been an inspiration to me, and to everyone I know who has been involved in the films. Good luck to them in all their endeavors.
12 days of Christmas - Day 4
Whassaaaap? My True Loves! On this... the fourth day of Christmas, I give to you all four calling birds. Now, I will tell you that I had no idea that they would call quite so much until I got them home. And so often and so loudly. Sorry. Oh, well, just like the other birds, feel free to fry these suckers up as well!
Let's get to the important part... the NUMBER 9 Best Christmas song of all time according to all of you all: That would be... I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Wow... In Dulci Jubilo, then It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, then this. When your head stops spinning, I'll tell you that this song is very cute, and sweet. I thought for years as a kid, that this song was about mom cheating with Santa. It wasn't until literally last year that I "got it." I know no elementary school assembly is complete without this song on the program. Which is kinda sick if you think about it.
At the other end of the scale, is the number 9 worst infectious pustule on the face of civilization that is... Frosty the Snowman. Let's face it, it's a dumb ass song! A magic hat brings a snowman to life. Really? A guess we're fortunate that it's a friendly snowman. I think many a horror movie was based on this premise going the other way. He leads them down through the streets of town, and only pauses a moment when the traffic cop yells stop. Really? I think panic would ensue when a living talking snowman is playing around with our kids. Leading them through the streets of town. And what the F is up with all the thumpety thump thumps???
I'm going to Jared. See you tomorrow!
Let's get to the important part... the NUMBER 9 Best Christmas song of all time according to all of you all: That would be... I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. Wow... In Dulci Jubilo, then It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, then this. When your head stops spinning, I'll tell you that this song is very cute, and sweet. I thought for years as a kid, that this song was about mom cheating with Santa. It wasn't until literally last year that I "got it." I know no elementary school assembly is complete without this song on the program. Which is kinda sick if you think about it.
At the other end of the scale, is the number 9 worst infectious pustule on the face of civilization that is... Frosty the Snowman. Let's face it, it's a dumb ass song! A magic hat brings a snowman to life. Really? A guess we're fortunate that it's a friendly snowman. I think many a horror movie was based on this premise going the other way. He leads them down through the streets of town, and only pauses a moment when the traffic cop yells stop. Really? I think panic would ensue when a living talking snowman is playing around with our kids. Leading them through the streets of town. And what the F is up with all the thumpety thump thumps???
I'm going to Jared. See you tomorrow!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
12 days of Christmas - Day 3
Happy Day, My True Loves. I give to you, today, on the third day of Christmas, Three French Hens. Because they are French, they are very snobby, and dislike Americans. So either enslave them in cages for their eggs, or, use them to make a groovy Chicken soup. Or Coq Au Vin. Or Chicken Burgers.
The Number 10 Best, most joyful and delightful Christmas Song, according to our survey is... It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. It's one of the lesser performed carols, but it's got to be one of the most beautiful and meditative. Like many Christmas Carols that appear in hymnals everywhere, the true beatuy of the poem is not in the first verse only, but the others as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Came_Upon_the_Midnight_Clear
On the other hand the number 10 song that makes us all want to take up Ebenezer Scrooge on the whole Stake of holly though the heart thing... is... The Chipmunks Song. Maybe it's backlash against the idiotic movie franchise, or as one voter put it, it puts emphasis on the Christmas list thing. (Thank God, not in the way Santa Baby does.) Whatever the reason, we hate it, and we want it to die a long slow death by hula hoop.
I'm off to call on some more birds. Have a happy day!
The Number 10 Best, most joyful and delightful Christmas Song, according to our survey is... It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. It's one of the lesser performed carols, but it's got to be one of the most beautiful and meditative. Like many Christmas Carols that appear in hymnals everywhere, the true beatuy of the poem is not in the first verse only, but the others as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It_Came_Upon_the_Midnight_Clear
On the other hand the number 10 song that makes us all want to take up Ebenezer Scrooge on the whole Stake of holly though the heart thing... is... The Chipmunks Song. Maybe it's backlash against the idiotic movie franchise, or as one voter put it, it puts emphasis on the Christmas list thing. (Thank God, not in the way Santa Baby does.) Whatever the reason, we hate it, and we want it to die a long slow death by hula hoop.
I'm off to call on some more birds. Have a happy day!
12 Days of Christmas -Day 2
Greetings, my true loves! I searched and searched, and found you two turtle doves. You know, love birds. They make great pets. And look, I think they love each other. What? Ew. They REALLY love each other. And they aren't stopping. OK, I'll cover their cage, and tell you all about the next songs on our countdown.
Our number 11 Favorite tune of magical wonderment is... In Dulci Jubilo. Otherwise known in English as "Good Christian Men Rejoice," or if you're PC, "Good Christian Friends Rejoice." It's a joyous carol that really captures for me the spirit of Christmas. For me, Christmas just sounds medieval or Baroque. As much as the more modern songs are lovely, the melodies that date back to ancient times are the ones I love best,
Meanwhile, the number 11 piece of burnt fruitcake in the sugar cookies is.... Santa Baby. This song taps into the worst part of holiday gift giving: telling people that you want expensive ridiculous presents, and suggesting that there will be sex involved if they get it. But you know it's not going to happen. This year, we made the patheticness a bit more creepy when Michael Buble included the song on HIS Christmas album. Ewww. It IS Hysterical, however, how while changing the lyrics to be more masculine, it comes off as over compensating.
OK... I'm off to get some French Hens. Enjoy your day!
Our number 11 Favorite tune of magical wonderment is... In Dulci Jubilo. Otherwise known in English as "Good Christian Men Rejoice," or if you're PC, "Good Christian Friends Rejoice." It's a joyous carol that really captures for me the spirit of Christmas. For me, Christmas just sounds medieval or Baroque. As much as the more modern songs are lovely, the melodies that date back to ancient times are the ones I love best,
Meanwhile, the number 11 piece of burnt fruitcake in the sugar cookies is.... Santa Baby. This song taps into the worst part of holiday gift giving: telling people that you want expensive ridiculous presents, and suggesting that there will be sex involved if they get it. But you know it's not going to happen. This year, we made the patheticness a bit more creepy when Michael Buble included the song on HIS Christmas album. Ewww. It IS Hysterical, however, how while changing the lyrics to be more masculine, it comes off as over compensating.
OK... I'm off to get some French Hens. Enjoy your day!
Monday, December 26, 2011
12 Days of Christmas - Day 1
courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com
Greetings, my true loves! Merry Christmas. Today is the 1st day, which means you get a partridge in a pear tree! What are you supposed to do with a partridge in a pear tree, you may ask? Well... um... Partridge is delicious! Or, if you're a vegetarian, perhaps they can be trained to deliver messages. Or.. Hey! Train them to deliver pears to people! I wonder what the average air speed of an unladen partridge is?
Anyway... It's time to count down YOUR favorite, and least favorite Christmas songs or all time. We got many, many interesting votes, but s few kept coming back around. Also, I put in my 2 cents, and that skewed the totals a bit. But here we are, and here we go.
Your number 12 song that brings a tear to your eye, and the Christmas spirit to your heart is.... Deck The Halls. It's just such a classic that it's undeniable. I can think of no song written since that captures most effectively the joy of decorating at Christmastime. And the Fa La La part is fun to play with. I've heard it done in 7/8 time, reharmonized, and even set to the tune of other classical pieces. It just... never gets old.
The number 12 tune that makes you all cringe with nausea around the winter season is... Do They Know It's Christmas? Yeah... I remember the 80s, too. I remember back when the famine in Ethiopia was so terrible, that Bob Geldof decided to help out with the proceeds from this song. It also brought about a new genre of music, the "Getting superstars together to raise money for a cause" genre. Often mocked, and, let's face it, no longer effective. Apparently, the famine was solved, because between Band Aid, Live Aid, and USA for Africa, we no longer hear about hunger in Africa. Now, we hear about genocide in Africa. Now, I don't know if the two are related at all; all I know is that this song is no longer relevant, not that it was a very good song in the first place.
Well, I'm off to find someone who sells turtle doves. No real reason. See you tomorrow!
Greetings, my true loves! Merry Christmas. Today is the 1st day, which means you get a partridge in a pear tree! What are you supposed to do with a partridge in a pear tree, you may ask? Well... um... Partridge is delicious! Or, if you're a vegetarian, perhaps they can be trained to deliver messages. Or.. Hey! Train them to deliver pears to people! I wonder what the average air speed of an unladen partridge is?
Anyway... It's time to count down YOUR favorite, and least favorite Christmas songs or all time. We got many, many interesting votes, but s few kept coming back around. Also, I put in my 2 cents, and that skewed the totals a bit. But here we are, and here we go.
Your number 12 song that brings a tear to your eye, and the Christmas spirit to your heart is.... Deck The Halls. It's just such a classic that it's undeniable. I can think of no song written since that captures most effectively the joy of decorating at Christmastime. And the Fa La La part is fun to play with. I've heard it done in 7/8 time, reharmonized, and even set to the tune of other classical pieces. It just... never gets old.
The number 12 tune that makes you all cringe with nausea around the winter season is... Do They Know It's Christmas? Yeah... I remember the 80s, too. I remember back when the famine in Ethiopia was so terrible, that Bob Geldof decided to help out with the proceeds from this song. It also brought about a new genre of music, the "Getting superstars together to raise money for a cause" genre. Often mocked, and, let's face it, no longer effective. Apparently, the famine was solved, because between Band Aid, Live Aid, and USA for Africa, we no longer hear about hunger in Africa. Now, we hear about genocide in Africa. Now, I don't know if the two are related at all; all I know is that this song is no longer relevant, not that it was a very good song in the first place.
Well, I'm off to find someone who sells turtle doves. No real reason. See you tomorrow!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
War on Christmas - The Final "Battle"
courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/
In case you haven't read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3 of my 4 part trilogy about the "War on Christmas" Fox news keeps harping on; I don't believe in it. To sum up: In a world where tinsel throws up every which way from November to December 25th, and the Christmas holiday is all you see on TV and Advertising, the Christians are not being persecuted; it's faux-Christians reacting to the realization that there ARE other religions in the world who celebrate other things in December, and the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol of the life within the Earth, not a holy relic.
Just to put the final nail in the coffin of ignorance, allow me to refer you to my new favorite bible passage: Romans 2:24 - As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Meaning the actions of people calling themselves Christians which are less than Godly give Christians a bad name. As the comedian said, "Jesus is like Elvis: I like HIS work, but his fans get really annoying at times."
The so-called Christians who want to "Keep Christ in Christmas," and complain that the word "Happy:" being chosen over "Merry" are celebrating Christmas right now. They shouldn't be, you know. They should currently be celebrating ADVENT; the preparations for Christmas. Christmas doesn't happen until the 25th of December, and must continue for 12 days afterwards until January 6th. That is, according to the Church Calendar.
People who claim to be true Christians should recognize that there's only one good reason for the Christmas Season to start on Thanksgiving... It sells toys. This is the most wonderful time of the year for shoppers and retailers. In fact, retailers are starting earlier and earlier; like, Halloween! And yet, on December 26th, all of it will stop.
This is the reverse of what the Christian Church says about celebrating the season. The church designates the four Sundays before Christmas as Advent, a time of preparation. We tell the stories of the prophesy, and the angels coming to Mary and Joseph, and the journey to Bethlehem, but Christmas actually starts at midnight on the 24th. And we're blessed this year to have Christmas Day be a Sunday. I'm looking forward to going to church on Christmas morning. I'm even preparing special holiday music for the event. How about you?
If Bill O'Reilly is in church on Christmas morning, I'll take him seriously with his defense against the dark arts teachings. If ANYONE from Fox news is still greeting people with a Merry Christmas the first week of the new year, then I'll allow them to preach their anti-war-on-Christmas hate speech unharassed. But they won't. They, like too many of us, frankly, are caught up in the manufactured frenzy that is the Holiday Shopping Season.
The same frenzy that make people actually believe that if they don't tackle the crowd in order to be the first to get the Rock Me Elmo doll for their kid; well, then they're committing a Christmas sin of the worst magnitude. The frenzy that makes people forget the whole "peace on earth, good will to men" thing and nurture hatred of anyone who doesn't acknowledge a holiday they don't even celebrate. The frenzy that makes us forget the child who united the world as brothers, and instead attempts to divide us into those who celebrate Christmas and those who don't; rather than all of us who are celebrating happy holidays together.
Well, gentle readers, thank you for letting me vent. And for listening. I hope you'll bring up the points I've made next time someone ignorant harasses you for celebrating how you wish. And I wish you all a Merry Happy Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Epiphany, Ramadan, and Buttering of the Great Holy Potato.
P.S. Book mark my Blog page, and check in every day for the ACTUAL 12 days of Christmas. We'll count down the 12 best and 12 worst Christmas songs as selected by YOU the reader. Comment your 5 favorites and your 5 least favorites to vote. Or contact me via Facebook.
In case you haven't read Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3 of my 4 part trilogy about the "War on Christmas" Fox news keeps harping on; I don't believe in it. To sum up: In a world where tinsel throws up every which way from November to December 25th, and the Christmas holiday is all you see on TV and Advertising, the Christians are not being persecuted; it's faux-Christians reacting to the realization that there ARE other religions in the world who celebrate other things in December, and the Christmas tree is a pagan symbol of the life within the Earth, not a holy relic.
Just to put the final nail in the coffin of ignorance, allow me to refer you to my new favorite bible passage: Romans 2:24 - As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Meaning the actions of people calling themselves Christians which are less than Godly give Christians a bad name. As the comedian said, "Jesus is like Elvis: I like HIS work, but his fans get really annoying at times."
The so-called Christians who want to "Keep Christ in Christmas," and complain that the word "Happy:" being chosen over "Merry" are celebrating Christmas right now. They shouldn't be, you know. They should currently be celebrating ADVENT; the preparations for Christmas. Christmas doesn't happen until the 25th of December, and must continue for 12 days afterwards until January 6th. That is, according to the Church Calendar.
People who claim to be true Christians should recognize that there's only one good reason for the Christmas Season to start on Thanksgiving... It sells toys. This is the most wonderful time of the year for shoppers and retailers. In fact, retailers are starting earlier and earlier; like, Halloween! And yet, on December 26th, all of it will stop.
This is the reverse of what the Christian Church says about celebrating the season. The church designates the four Sundays before Christmas as Advent, a time of preparation. We tell the stories of the prophesy, and the angels coming to Mary and Joseph, and the journey to Bethlehem, but Christmas actually starts at midnight on the 24th. And we're blessed this year to have Christmas Day be a Sunday. I'm looking forward to going to church on Christmas morning. I'm even preparing special holiday music for the event. How about you?
If Bill O'Reilly is in church on Christmas morning, I'll take him seriously with his defense against the dark arts teachings. If ANYONE from Fox news is still greeting people with a Merry Christmas the first week of the new year, then I'll allow them to preach their anti-war-on-Christmas hate speech unharassed. But they won't. They, like too many of us, frankly, are caught up in the manufactured frenzy that is the Holiday Shopping Season.
The same frenzy that make people actually believe that if they don't tackle the crowd in order to be the first to get the Rock Me Elmo doll for their kid; well, then they're committing a Christmas sin of the worst magnitude. The frenzy that makes people forget the whole "peace on earth, good will to men" thing and nurture hatred of anyone who doesn't acknowledge a holiday they don't even celebrate. The frenzy that makes us forget the child who united the world as brothers, and instead attempts to divide us into those who celebrate Christmas and those who don't; rather than all of us who are celebrating happy holidays together.
Well, gentle readers, thank you for letting me vent. And for listening. I hope you'll bring up the points I've made next time someone ignorant harasses you for celebrating how you wish. And I wish you all a Merry Happy Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Epiphany, Ramadan, and Buttering of the Great Holy Potato.
P.S. Book mark my Blog page, and check in every day for the ACTUAL 12 days of Christmas. We'll count down the 12 best and 12 worst Christmas songs as selected by YOU the reader. Comment your 5 favorites and your 5 least favorites to vote. Or contact me via Facebook.
Friday, December 9, 2011
War on Christmas - Part 3 - Christmas Trees
courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/
For a moment there, I dared to hope against hope and wish against wish that I'm writing these blogs unnecessarily. I prayed that people were over this, and I'm just hashing out old, outdated opinions, even though the matter, in everyone else's mind has been settled. But... No.
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show jumped on my bandwagon this week by satirically declaring war on Christmas, and Bill O'Reilly shot back. This bit was a reaction to a conflict Fox "News" seems to have over the Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee leaving "Christmas" out of the Statehouse tree lighting ceremony invitation.
This of course is ridiculous, as previously discussed in the First Two Parts of this series. This was done to be inclusive of all people of all religions, not to exclude. I think the complaining has less to do with what Gov. Chafee did, and more to do with the fact that it's RI's first Christmas with a Democrat Governor. But I see their point. The Christmas Tree is a Christian symbol of a beautiful, loving, caring holiday; a symbol of peace, and of Christ's birth.... right?
Well, actually - I hate to be this guy again; you know, the smart, well informed one - but no, it isn't. The Christmas Tree that you are defending in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ... is a pagan symbol.
The tradtional evergreen branches started in Germany and the surrounding regions during the dark ages. It was called "Julmond" (Yule-Mont), or Yule for short. The Evergreen is green year round, and during the winter, a time when all trees, grass, and foliage around us are dying and withering, the Yule symbolized the life still dormant in the earth that WILL come again in the spring. It's a symbol of hope for next year's planting season for those who worship the spirits of the Earth.
At some point, people decorated the Yule with lights and pretty ribbons, and just as Christians usurped another Pagan Celebration, Saturnalia, they also incorporated the symbolic evergreen into their Christmas celebration, in the form of a fully formed Evergreen Tree.
The Christian symbolism assigned to the Tree is that it's everlasting green-ness symbolizes Christ's everlasting life. Well, if that's the case, my fake tree is more effective than your real live tree which will wither and die before New Years eve, it's lack of moisture and brittleness resulting in a potential fire hazard to the entire household. Merry Christmas! It also wasn't long before people grasping for straws pointed out the triangular shape of the tree symbolizes the Holy Trinity, but again... that's a stretch.
My point, Christians, is before you march into war, staging protests, to defend this very Christian symbol, you should really make sure that it is yours to defend. To quote Gov. Chaffee, "If it's in my house, it's a Christmas tree, but when I'm representing all of Rhode Island, I have to be respectful of everyone."
Whether you call it a Christmas Tree, Hannukah Bush, or Symbolic Conifer of Unspecified Derivation (SCUD, my personal favorite) remember that the tree symbolizes the SEASON; it symbolizes hope that no matter what is happening now, things will get better, and prosperity will come again. And people who celebrate ALL holidays may place whatever meaning they wish onto the tree, join hands around it in a circle and sing "Yahoo Flores, Dahoo, Dores..." if they want to.
I, personally, am looking forward to putting up and decorating my SCUD this weekend.
For a moment there, I dared to hope against hope and wish against wish that I'm writing these blogs unnecessarily. I prayed that people were over this, and I'm just hashing out old, outdated opinions, even though the matter, in everyone else's mind has been settled. But... No.
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show jumped on my bandwagon this week by satirically declaring war on Christmas, and Bill O'Reilly shot back. This bit was a reaction to a conflict Fox "News" seems to have over the Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee leaving "Christmas" out of the Statehouse tree lighting ceremony invitation.
This of course is ridiculous, as previously discussed in the First Two Parts of this series. This was done to be inclusive of all people of all religions, not to exclude. I think the complaining has less to do with what Gov. Chafee did, and more to do with the fact that it's RI's first Christmas with a Democrat Governor. But I see their point. The Christmas Tree is a Christian symbol of a beautiful, loving, caring holiday; a symbol of peace, and of Christ's birth.... right?
Well, actually - I hate to be this guy again; you know, the smart, well informed one - but no, it isn't. The Christmas Tree that you are defending in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ... is a pagan symbol.
The tradtional evergreen branches started in Germany and the surrounding regions during the dark ages. It was called "Julmond" (Yule-Mont), or Yule for short. The Evergreen is green year round, and during the winter, a time when all trees, grass, and foliage around us are dying and withering, the Yule symbolized the life still dormant in the earth that WILL come again in the spring. It's a symbol of hope for next year's planting season for those who worship the spirits of the Earth.
At some point, people decorated the Yule with lights and pretty ribbons, and just as Christians usurped another Pagan Celebration, Saturnalia, they also incorporated the symbolic evergreen into their Christmas celebration, in the form of a fully formed Evergreen Tree.
The Christian symbolism assigned to the Tree is that it's everlasting green-ness symbolizes Christ's everlasting life. Well, if that's the case, my fake tree is more effective than your real live tree which will wither and die before New Years eve, it's lack of moisture and brittleness resulting in a potential fire hazard to the entire household. Merry Christmas! It also wasn't long before people grasping for straws pointed out the triangular shape of the tree symbolizes the Holy Trinity, but again... that's a stretch.
My point, Christians, is before you march into war, staging protests, to defend this very Christian symbol, you should really make sure that it is yours to defend. To quote Gov. Chaffee, "If it's in my house, it's a Christmas tree, but when I'm representing all of Rhode Island, I have to be respectful of everyone."
Whether you call it a Christmas Tree, Hannukah Bush, or Symbolic Conifer of Unspecified Derivation (SCUD, my personal favorite) remember that the tree symbolizes the SEASON; it symbolizes hope that no matter what is happening now, things will get better, and prosperity will come again. And people who celebrate ALL holidays may place whatever meaning they wish onto the tree, join hands around it in a circle and sing "Yahoo Flores, Dahoo, Dores..." if they want to.
I, personally, am looking forward to putting up and decorating my SCUD this weekend.
Monday, December 5, 2011
War on Christmas - Part 2
courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/
As it is, the first reason I have for NOT believing in the alleged "War on Christmas" is a good one: It's stupid.
But if you need another one, how about this: It's Anti-Semitic. Let's face it. The complaints are not a reaction to Ramadan or Kwanzaa. It's Hanukkah.
During our drive into the city for Thanksgiving, my daughter expressed a troubling bit of news. She told us that one of her classmates said that Hanukkah only exists because the Jews don't celebrate Christmas. My first gut reaction, of course, was of disgust; but I always try to respond to ignorance with education. If this comment was to be considered bullying; I am less concerned with stopping the bully, which often will never happen, than I am with strengthening my daughter's response. However, I realized as I tried to explain the way things truly are to my daughter, that this chick wasn't entirely wrong.
Fact: Christmas is the second most important observance in the Christian calendar, second only to Easter. Fact: Hanukkah, just,... well,... isn't. It's a lovely celebration, and special to the Jewish people, but it is not to the Jews anywhere close to the importance and significance of Christmas and Easter. In fact the two most important high Holy days in Judaism are Yom Kippur (and arguably the whole New Year celebration starting with Rosh Hashanah) and Passover. Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday.
So, why do I get pressure to include Hanukkah music on my Winter Concert? Why MUST there be a Menorah alongside that Christmas Tree? Well, imagine that you're a young Jewish kid, going to school in a mostly gentile neighborhood. We Christians don't just observe Christmas, we allow Christmas to explode all over the freakin' place. Christmas Lights everywhere, non-stop Christmas music on everyone's radio and iPod, Shopping frenzies! Now through all the hubbub about Christmas, here is a lonely solitary Jewish child who doesn't celebrate it. How left out they must feel, and how lonely. As much as people might try to include them in their Christmas merry-making, the fact remains, Santa's not bringing toys to their house, this is someone else's celebration.
So, what do you do for that child? You talk to them about their own celebration. "Hey, aren't you celebrating something this month? What's that holiday all about? You give each other gifts, too, right? And you play that game with the top, right? And wait... you fry stuff? AWESOME!" Maybe then, the child feels better about their own culture, and can be included in everyone's celebration. The only downside to this inclusion, is that it often breeds competition. Which holiday is better?
This competition, in the mind of the uneducated, can evolve into hatred of the other holiday, and thus, a war is invented. Like my 5 year old who doesn't yet understand that when another child shares her toys, they aren't TAKING them away, she still gets to play with them, too. She throws a fit, and we step in, the voices of reason, and remind her that it's about fairness. She does that... because she's 5! Adults are supposed to have outgrown that kind of selfishness. However, some still believe that if we share the holiday season with people of other cultures, who celebrate other holidays; that they're taking their holiday away.
Whenever I hear the words "War on Christmas," I can't help but hear, "Those damned Jews jumping on Christmas' bandwagon. Why should I bother to acknowledge their culture?" Answer: Because that what civilized people of good character do, nimrod.
Epilogue: My wife brought that child's comment to the attention of our daughter's teacher, and she suggested that my wife bring in some dreidels, teach the class to play, and talk about Hanukkah. We're even bringing in gelt for the kids to bring home. (Nut-free for the allergic.) Another example of ignorance defeated by education. If everyone bothered to learn about other people's culture, maybe we wouldn't feel the need to compete during December, and instead could focus on what the holidays are really about.
Besides, who can argue with a week-long celebration of Frying?!
As it is, the first reason I have for NOT believing in the alleged "War on Christmas" is a good one: It's stupid.
But if you need another one, how about this: It's Anti-Semitic. Let's face it. The complaints are not a reaction to Ramadan or Kwanzaa. It's Hanukkah.
During our drive into the city for Thanksgiving, my daughter expressed a troubling bit of news. She told us that one of her classmates said that Hanukkah only exists because the Jews don't celebrate Christmas. My first gut reaction, of course, was of disgust; but I always try to respond to ignorance with education. If this comment was to be considered bullying; I am less concerned with stopping the bully, which often will never happen, than I am with strengthening my daughter's response. However, I realized as I tried to explain the way things truly are to my daughter, that this chick wasn't entirely wrong.
Fact: Christmas is the second most important observance in the Christian calendar, second only to Easter. Fact: Hanukkah, just,... well,... isn't. It's a lovely celebration, and special to the Jewish people, but it is not to the Jews anywhere close to the importance and significance of Christmas and Easter. In fact the two most important high Holy days in Judaism are Yom Kippur (and arguably the whole New Year celebration starting with Rosh Hashanah) and Passover. Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday.
So, why do I get pressure to include Hanukkah music on my Winter Concert? Why MUST there be a Menorah alongside that Christmas Tree? Well, imagine that you're a young Jewish kid, going to school in a mostly gentile neighborhood. We Christians don't just observe Christmas, we allow Christmas to explode all over the freakin' place. Christmas Lights everywhere, non-stop Christmas music on everyone's radio and iPod, Shopping frenzies! Now through all the hubbub about Christmas, here is a lonely solitary Jewish child who doesn't celebrate it. How left out they must feel, and how lonely. As much as people might try to include them in their Christmas merry-making, the fact remains, Santa's not bringing toys to their house, this is someone else's celebration.
So, what do you do for that child? You talk to them about their own celebration. "Hey, aren't you celebrating something this month? What's that holiday all about? You give each other gifts, too, right? And you play that game with the top, right? And wait... you fry stuff? AWESOME!" Maybe then, the child feels better about their own culture, and can be included in everyone's celebration. The only downside to this inclusion, is that it often breeds competition. Which holiday is better?
This competition, in the mind of the uneducated, can evolve into hatred of the other holiday, and thus, a war is invented. Like my 5 year old who doesn't yet understand that when another child shares her toys, they aren't TAKING them away, she still gets to play with them, too. She throws a fit, and we step in, the voices of reason, and remind her that it's about fairness. She does that... because she's 5! Adults are supposed to have outgrown that kind of selfishness. However, some still believe that if we share the holiday season with people of other cultures, who celebrate other holidays; that they're taking their holiday away.
Whenever I hear the words "War on Christmas," I can't help but hear, "Those damned Jews jumping on Christmas' bandwagon. Why should I bother to acknowledge their culture?" Answer: Because that what civilized people of good character do, nimrod.
Epilogue: My wife brought that child's comment to the attention of our daughter's teacher, and she suggested that my wife bring in some dreidels, teach the class to play, and talk about Hanukkah. We're even bringing in gelt for the kids to bring home. (Nut-free for the allergic.) Another example of ignorance defeated by education. If everyone bothered to learn about other people's culture, maybe we wouldn't feel the need to compete during December, and instead could focus on what the holidays are really about.
Besides, who can argue with a week-long celebration of Frying?!
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