To all of you for whom this holiday has meaning, I hope that you enjoy it.
As for me, our tiny family gets together on Christmas Eve for dinner. Aside
from that, I am tremendously relieved that the only positive thing about the
isolated life I live now, is that I am protected from holiday advertising and
Christmas music. It is a relief to not be coerced into appearing to celebrate
a holiday tradition that is not mine.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2018 5:41 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Christmas, what's it for you?
And a very special wish for you, Bob, and your family of Kith and Kin.
Because my parents lived in Spokane, and most of the rest of the family lived
on the Western side of the Cascades, we moved our big family gathering from
Christmas to Thanksgiving. Even aafter my folks were both gone, we continued
the tradition. Cathy and I seem to have been "elected" to be the gathering
"Inn". Still, we do often have a fair number around for the Jolly Old Elf to
make it worth his while to drop a load of gifts.
This year, with Cathy's mom in the care center, our nephew and his family are
driving up from Merced, California, and will headquarter at our house until
Sunday the 30th. Cathy's brother, his wife and daughter and grandson will be
here on Thursday. Probably our son and his new wife will drop around for the
day prior to Sam and family leaving. James and Sam are the same age, and grew
up together...mostly staying out of trouble.
And then there is our extended family, the Jefferson County Council of the
Blind. We're down to only 15 members, but Friday, the 21st will be our
December meeting, and a chance to share some Christmas cheer together.
I truly believe that most people enjoy, in fact seek out communion with loved
ones.
So to one and all, a most loving and caring and sharing Christmas.
And may it last for the next 365 days.
Carl Jarvis
On 12/20/18, Bob Hachey <bhachey@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Mostafa and all,
For me, an agnostic, Christmas is a time to gather near to family and
friends and to celebrate another year of good health with good food
and maybe some good drink. Despite my religious indifference, I still
love much of the music associated with Christmas.
But, foremost in my heart at this time of year is the hope that we may
someday experience the peace on earth and good will toward all people
that is promised in the Bible. When I was younger and more naïve, I
believed that we were making slow progress toward that lofty goal.
But, recently, and especially after 911, I'm afraid that we are moving
in the wrong direction, and I don't just mean America, I mean the
whole world which seems to be filled these days with fear and
ultra-nationalism.
I wish to each and everyone on this list a Merry Christmas, happy
holidays and a happy and prosperous new year.
Bob Hachey
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mostafa ;
Almahdy
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2018 12:37 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: [blind-democracy] Christmas, what's it for you?
Hello everyone. As we're reaching this upcoming week, Christmas is
scheduled to be next Tuesday. December the twenty fifth is said to be
Christmas. We wholly knew that it absolutely has nothing to do with Jesus's
birth.
Traditionally, it has just been affiliated with the nativity tale. In
western culture, this day is a public holiday.
Scholarly, however, Jesus hasn't been born on December the twenty
fifth. I do not destine to be argumentative with this piece of
composition. I'd just like to ask, despite your background, whether
you're Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or even Atheist. As you
live in the west, Christmas, what's it for you? What's it like to
experience Christmas in a western country? As far as I knew, it's all
about family gatherings, food and presents. It's a beautiful season
for people to see their families and spend good time with them.
Typically, people live far from their families and Christmas is an
opportunity for loved ones to warmly gather. As we're nearly in the
season, here are some key vocabulary that is related to Christmas.
First we have, Christmas bells. Christmas bells is any of several
plants of the genus Blandfordia having large orange or crimson
flowers. Then, we have Christmasberry, which is an ornamental
evergreen treelike shrub of the Pacific coast of the United States
having large white flowers and red berrylike fruits, often placed in
genus Photinia. Third, we have, Christmas bush. Christmas bush is an
Australian tree or shrub with red flowers, often used in Christmas
decoration. Fourth, we have got, Christmas cactus. It's epiphytic
cactus of Brazilian ancestry widely cultivated as a houseplant having
jointed flat segments and usually rose-purple flowers that bloom in
winter. Fifth, Christmas begonia, which is hybrid winter-blooming
begonia grown for its many large pink flowers. Sixth and ultimately,
Christmas fern, is aNorth American evergreen fern having pinnate
leaves and dense clusters of lance-shaped fronds. That was the first
segment which is pertained to Christmas plants. Now, to the second segment,
which is related to Christmas typical items, dates, activities and medical
terms. First, Christmas card.
It's a card expressing a Christmas greeting. Second, Christmas carol,
is a joyful religious song celebrating the birth of Christ. . Third,
Christmas day, is a Christian holiday on 25th December celebrating the
birth of Christ. Fourth, Christmas disease, is a clotting disorder
similar to hemophilia A but caused by a congenital deficiency of factor IX.
Fifth, Christmas Eve, is the day before Christmas. Sixth, Christmas
factor, is coagulation factor whose absence is associated with hemophilia B.
Seventh, Christmas cake is a rich fruitcake, usually covered with
icing and marzipan and eaten at Christmas. Christmas traditional
celebration is a relatively newcomer to the purportedly initial Christmas
chronicle.
Dubiously, is Christmas still a Christian holiday? What's the
relationship between December 25th and Mithra?
This is ancient Persian god of light and truth, sun god. What's the
association between this and Christ's allegedly attributed nativity
tale? I think this has to fairly be asked to major clergy. If this
season is of essentially pagan essence, how has it gotten into your
religious tradition?
Christ's actual nativity tale is accurately related in the Noble
Koran. The Koran attributes the miraculous birth to Jesus. Our belief
in Jesus is of orthodox origin. I keenly look forward to hearing from
you. Merry Christmas and happy new upcoming year. I wish each and
everyone pleasantness and prosperity in 2019.
Thank you so much for patiently reading, Mustafa
--
(Seeking knowledge is compulsory from cratle to grave because it is a
shoreless ocean.)