I sit here wishing everyone the joy of this season while also thinking very sad that for some, instead of joy, there is horror and extreme grief. I am talking about those killed or injured in an evident terrorist attack in Magdeburg, Germany by another, by my guess, follower of the so called Religion of Peace - Islam. He reportedly plowed a rental car in a large crowd at a Christmas market, more at https://www.foxnews.com/world/car-drives-idyllic-germany-christmas-market-suspected-terrorist-attack-report. If it was up to me, then hypothetically, it would be quite possible the nukes would rain down on Mecca and several other choice locations in the Middle East. If this shit keeps up, they will win in their quest to take over the planet and rid it of infidels (that would be you and me) if only because one scumbag takes out scores of innocents with each such attack. If inclined to pray, pray for the victims of that truly abhorrent attack.
Anyway back to being joyful:
My Christmas shopping is done; that is except for whatever I do on Christmas Eve. Shopping on that last day before Christmas day is a tradition for me. One I love and hope to continue for my forever; heck I have been doing it since I was a pre-teenager. While I miss even the outside chance of snowfall on Christmas Eve and or Christmas day, I can live with the expected 65 degree temp expected that day in my current neck of the woods which will make shopping on Christmas a bit easier than if snowed in. Not having to shovel is also a plus, but to be truthful, I kind of liked that chore. Somehow my aching back almost always felt better after shoveling snow.
Speaking of shopping on Christmas Eve, I have everything I need for everyone on my gift list except my dog and my son's dogs. Oh yeah, I probably also will get my next door neighbor's three kids something and am likely to pick up something for her too. If I am home and not at my son's place on Christmas Eve, I may ask her to take the kids along and go shopping with me - for them. Nice lady with nice kids and she has done a few favors getting my mail and such when I have been traveling. Other than that - I am done shopping unless I get something for myself. Hopefully you my readers are done with it too; it can be a bit of a hassle but then you see the smile on the faces of those to whom you give gifts, it makes it all well worth the efforts. And what is Christmas all about except the giving of gifts; after all it is the day that God the father gave his only begotten son to humanity as the best gift ever. Then the three wise men and others brought gifts to the Christ child and the tradition has not ended in well over 2,000 years. It is all about gift giving and if everyone was of that mindset, we would be better off by giving to one another than by doing all the nasty shit we sometimes do to other people.
This year, I hope to go to Christmas mass, maybe even midnight mass if they hold one locally. I am not very religious but many Christian values were instilled deep within me when I was younger and midnight mass was a tradition I upheld for many years maybe even a couple of decades.
I have not sent out a single Christmas card this year. It is not like I cannot afford them, I have dozens from the last three years. The thing is that, it has been two weeks now after my gall bladder surgery and I still fell like I just drank a quart of rat piss or worse. I have been very fatigued and still have some abdominal pains and upset. That has put me in a mood to not do much of anything; although, I have been going to the local dog parks twice a day with my mongrel Skye and I started walking her again a few days ago besides just letting her walk herself in the dog parks. Mostly, she just lies there waiting for a squirrel to appear so she can stalk it but she is always eager for us to go for a walk even if the most I can accomplish with my bum hip now is about a mile at a time.
This year, instead of cards, I will just send out Merry Christmas or happy Hanukkah emails. I have a little ditty and a picture of Santa for the Christmas emails:
Money is tight
Times are hard
Here's your Bidenomics
Christmas card!
I guess that may get me a well deserved lump of coal in my stocking. Which, by the way, might not be too bad considering the nights here have been somewhat cold for an old geezer like me.
As for a happy Hanukkah email, it won't have Santa's pic nor my ditty. Just for your info, Hanukkah commences on Christmas night this year. So, if you are sending out Hanukkah wishes by email, I guess do it before or by then.
More about Hanukkah here. More about Christmas (and Advent) can be found here. For the rest of us, there is Festivus. I am certain I can air grievances but also just as certain I am in no shape for the feats of strength - at least not this year.
Party hearty for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Festivus - just not too much and please don't drive unless sober.
All the best,
Glenn B
