Whatever Happened To What's-His-Name?
Dagnabit. Had it on the tip of my tongue. We were talking about it for so long and, all of a sudden, I forgot his name and all the folderol that went along with him.
Oh, yeah – Santa Claus. That’s it; fat guy, red suit, sleigh, reindeer. Christmas music, special programs on tv, decorations all over the place.
The say there’s nothing that’s over as much as Christmas. Starts sometime in October, gets up a head of steam in November, overpowers us in December and, POOF, just like the old guy himself, it’s gone as soon as December 25 turns into December 26. Even the Christmas morning newspapers have ads for after-Christmas sales. When it’s over, it’s over. O-V-E-R. Over. Next?
One thing the Catholics got right is the practice of starting the Christmas season on the day itself and continuing it for eight days. Ok, it’s not original with them; they stole it from the Jews. But it’s the idea that you start the celebration when the day arrives and keep it going; you don’t start ahead of time and then forget all about it at the traditional time when carriages turn into pumpkins.
Commercially, the Christmas season is over and it’s time to look forward to Valentine’s Day. Religiously, this holy season has just started (remember the Twelve Days of Christmas song?) and will continue on for a while yet.
The fat man is gone, but the Little Child remains.
Oh, yeah – Santa Claus. That’s it; fat guy, red suit, sleigh, reindeer. Christmas music, special programs on tv, decorations all over the place.
The say there’s nothing that’s over as much as Christmas. Starts sometime in October, gets up a head of steam in November, overpowers us in December and, POOF, just like the old guy himself, it’s gone as soon as December 25 turns into December 26. Even the Christmas morning newspapers have ads for after-Christmas sales. When it’s over, it’s over. O-V-E-R. Over. Next?
One thing the Catholics got right is the practice of starting the Christmas season on the day itself and continuing it for eight days. Ok, it’s not original with them; they stole it from the Jews. But it’s the idea that you start the celebration when the day arrives and keep it going; you don’t start ahead of time and then forget all about it at the traditional time when carriages turn into pumpkins.
Commercially, the Christmas season is over and it’s time to look forward to Valentine’s Day. Religiously, this holy season has just started (remember the Twelve Days of Christmas song?) and will continue on for a while yet.
The fat man is gone, but the Little Child remains.
posted by Tom Carten at 11:25 PM
2 Comments:
One thing the Catholics got right is the practice of starting the Christmas season on the day itself and continuing it for eight days.
Eight days? I thought it was 12---just like in the song you referenced. Epiphany/Little Christmas is 12 days out. Have I been leaving my decorations up too long?
No wonder the neighbors point and laugh.
Octave of Christmas is Operation Day: Circumcision. The only time we have to go to Mass based on a male sex organ ritual cutting.
Octave, from "eight." But there are Twelve Days of Christmas because of the Epiphany when wise men (unnumbered) from the East brought presents. We don't know if they were bought or regifted; check the sales slips.
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