Merry Christmas. I’m not planning much for Christmas, much meaning anything. I will probably see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by myself. If I find I can be productive recording for Folk Music Notebook, I’ll do that; it needs to be done. I did record one segment yesterday. I found it far easier being on the air with Brian, then I could just wing it. I’m going to try recording the rest of my top 10 album list in that style. Then I can get back to Gord’s Gold.
I’m not going to write a typical Christmas entry filled with peace on earth and good will to all men. I try to do that all through the year and I do it every Christmas. This year I’ll try something different. When I was at the Knick game on Monday I told Alan, “I did something yesterday that I you’ve never done and never will do; I went Christmas caroling.” Like me Alan is a Jewish atheist. Unlike me he’s more militant about it. He complained that people make such a big deal about Christmas. “People don’t spend weeks preparing for the Fourth of July.” He’s right they don’t. And he’s right there’s no rational basis for Christmas celebrations. The biblical nativity story makes even less sense than most of the bible. Being resurrected, walking on water, turning water into wine, and feeding multiples from a few loaves and fishes are the kinds of miracles people expect from a god. The stories of the birth of Jesus were later inventions, attempts to shoehorn his life to fit prophesy. It involves different kinds of miracles; Herod ordering the slaughter of all the male children. This not only didn’t result in an insurrection; it wasn’t even reported in the copious Roman records or by contemporary writers. That’s a big story to be ignored. Then there’s the ridiculous census ordered by the Romans where every head of a household has to return to the place of his birth. What possible purpose could that serve? It would disrupt the entire economy and yield a less accurate census. It was put in to explain how a Galilean was born in Bethlehem as required by prophesy. They weren’t just liars; they were bad liars. They couldn’t say something like, “Mary heard there was a really good midwife in Bethlehem?” Or that they went there to visit family?
I understand where Alan is coming from but he’s not understanding where society is coming from. Christmas is not important because these dubious events happened. It’s important because people think it’s important. It comes at the most depressing time of year, short days, long nights, and bad weather; at least in the Northern hemisphere. It’s why so many cultures have celebrations this time of the year. People want something to make them feel good, so they create one out of whole cloth. So, I will sing Christmas Carols and visit the tree in Rockefeller Center. I’ll go to the movies like a Good Jew. Maybe I’ll even have Chinese Food. It’s tradition, and without tradition our lives would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof. See, I really am a good Jew even if I’m an atheist. I’m not going to complain that people are going out of their way to be nice even if the logic behind it is shaky.
There’s even a Christmas miracle. I’m finishing this before 10:30. Jackie and her son our out “doing Christmas things.” Let’s see if I can take advantage of that and the Christmas quiet and record another top album. First I’ll eat breakfast and leave you with this Christmas classic.
Wise Madness 