Having followed a random link from somewhere, I got to
http://www.inkycircus.com/jargon/2005/12/of_typepad_and_.html (
Oh yeah; after another night of insomnia, I now leave you all and head back tot he office, for my first half (plus) day of Xmas cover; it’s important I don’t tell anyone we’re closed. It just happens that everyone is on holiday for two weeks at the same time. Marketing people. Aren’t they great?
These attitudes were carried to the New World by English Puritans, Quakers, Baptists and Scottish Presbyterians. In America, reprisals were as harsh here as back in Scotland. In Massachusetts a five-shilling penalty was imposed on anyone found feasting or shirking work on Christmas Day, and in 1621 the Governor of Plymouth Colony reprimanded some “lusty young men” whom he found on Christmas “pitching ye barr, and some playing at stoole-ball and such like sports”.
For the record, my annual attack of grouchyness at Xmas is prompted by people going OTT, enforced frivolity and people going on (and on, and on) about the baby Jesus.
Now, my atheism is well established, and my assertion that atheism is a faith, it cannot be proven thus should be treated and given equal privledges to religion is also something most know about me; I respect those of faith much more than I respect those who “don’t know” or “haven’t thought about it”. But, please. Christians? It’s not your festival. It was hijacked from a combination of different festivals by Pope Julius I, it combines Yule, Solstice, Mithras and a few other things. Jesus was most likely born (if we acknowledge he existed, which I’m prepared to but other historians more knowledgeable than me say otherwise) in March apparently. This isn’t a Christian festival, in fact, true Christians shouldn’t celeebrate it, so say the Church of Scotland.
So I, as an atheist who’s quite happy to get stuck in with secular festivals based on the calender of seasons, can quite happily eat drink and be merry. So can anyone else. But can we put the nativity stuff away? I’ll let you keep Easter, just accept that it’s also Eostre, and I’ll be eating lots more than the usual (excessive) amounts of chocolate.
OK, last year, my parents, being the nice people they are, gave my an expensive DAB car stereo with CD player. y’know, the car I spend about half an hour a day in. I love listening to the radio, but mostly I listen to Radio 4, which I can get anywhere in the country on the old analogue thing installed by the manufacturers.
This year, we agreed not much money on presents. My parents weren’t going to get each other stuff (right, like anyone believed that), and everyone knows I’m a bit skint (the family don’t know how badly, but still).
So, I open my parcel yesterday afternoon. Some shoe polish (yup, from my dad, and even I’ll admit it’s a good idea), a self inflating lightweight pillow (now in the boot with the sleeping bag and blanket, very useful I think), Louis de Bernieres Birds Without Wings (which I’d never buy for myself but I think I’ll like, I think that’s what you call a ’safe’ book buy; it’s good, but it’s not what I buy myself, they know half my debt is caused by the bibliophilia). And then, well, a Phillips DA100 portable! It’s a third the price of last years gift (not much money they said, right…) and it’s GREAT.
Why? Well, BBC Radio 7 of course. It’s like Radio 4, but without the dull bits. Last night, I plugged it into some spare PC speakers and listened to Ladies of Letters make mincemeat which was brilliant. Today? Well, it’s been Narnia day. Prince Caspian is about to finish, and I slept through Magician’s Nephew, and dosed off for Horse and his Boy. So, of the four they’ve broadcast, I missed the two crap ones. Here’s hoping for a quick CD release, go listen again, it’s great (oh, tLtW&tW is here).
Thanks M&D. Oh yeah, it’s small enough to fit in a trouser or jacket pocket and is completely rechargeable but takes AAs as well. Happy happy joy joy.