Skip to main content

What I would like to do for Christmas

I've railed about Christmas before (here and here) and what I think is wrong with the way it is celebrated in this part of the world... so let me try and explain what I would really like to do for Christmas this time around. Its Boxing Day already in DC and I don't have to go to work because of the generosity of our company (they said... no work this (and only this) December 26 for US employees... and that is awesome).

If I could, some day, I would like to be in Bethlehem on Christmas. I would like to see what the modern day people of Bethlehem celebrate the birth of the son of god, a prophet, someone perhaps hundreds of millions believe in to be their lord and saviour, I would like to see how they celebrate that most blessed of events in the city where he is purported to have been born. I hope that they do not have to worry about sweaters for great-aunt Susan or diamonds for your wife because every kiss begins with the letter 'k' or why they should buy a car with a novelty bow attached to it. As an aside, has anyone ever bought a car or considered buying a car because of a car advertisement?

I also hope someday to go to Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican to see how Catholic folks celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I also wonder what it must be like for the other Christmas, you know, the one that falls on January 7. Same guy, same parents, same place, same manger... but the Orthodox Christians have a different date for the same birthday.

I may not make any friends by saying this... but I would much rather prefer it if Christmas was about celebrating the birthday of someone important and leave it at that. No more presents, no more Santa, no more carols and so forth. Also, what's the deal with Santa and the birth of Jesus Christ anyway?

Anyway, that's my spiel for this Boxing Day. I hope everyone has a happy holiday, spends time on things that are important and hopefully, will have an eventful, successful and happy new year. Personally, I hope 2009 will be a good one for me. One where I will get what I want.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Strange is one way to put it

Life has been a bit strange of late. I've gone from being incredibly happy to depressingly sad. I don't quite have the answers to why that is and I am not really sure I care to find out. I almost feel like its easier to give up than try and work towards some worthwhile conclusion to the problem. I love going on vacation. I hate coming back from there. Generally, when I get back from vacation, I go through a period of adjustment that starts with the lack of sleep (because I am usually not in the same time zone as my vacation destination was), self-pity and loathing at the state I left my place in, in my hurry to get out of here. It progresses to outright hatred of having to go back to work and dealing with the routine in general. I resolve to find better things to do in life, learn more, improve myself, lose weight etc etc. And eventually, I end up no further than where I was, where I've been for over 2 years. I can find any number of reasons and excuses to make this someone...

Retro is the new cool

A week ago, something important happened in my life. I skied Whistler for the first time ever. If you don't count the time I sort of limped down the mountain on a snowboard, many years back. It was, by far, the best ski day of my short ski season. The conditions, terrain and my skill level allowed for a much better experience than before.  But that's not what this story is about. This is about my now crippled BlackBerry Tour. I've had BlackBerry devices since 2005. For a while, I had 2 devices; a personal phone, and a work BlackBerry. That changed when RIM released the Pearl 8100. I got mine in late 2006 and never looked back. This was still well before the iPhone and the madness that all these apps bring about. The Pearl still works btw. As part of my ski trip, we took a break for lunch. I noticed that the pocket where I had my phone  was not zipped up all the way. And I had many a tumble in knee-high pristine powder. Still, my phone seemed to work, mostly. I not...

Finding happiness

I have been put up to a new task. I am allegedly supposed to find out what makes me happy and start doing it. Those are orders from the boss. Apparently my happiness or more appropriately, the lack of it has an affect on everyone else. I never knew that. There is one slight problem with this. The trouble with finding happiness is two-fold; on the one hand, you have a very hard time describing what happiness is, what makes you happy; on the other, you are afraid that you might actually find it. Then what? Well, be happy right? Really? We are human. I get bored of things quickly. But I think I will give it a shot. So, I embark on my given task. I wonder if I keep saying I am happy if I will buy into it. Likely not. How do I figure out what makes me happy? I don't know. Alcohol? Not really. I collect, but I don't consume. Finish work on time? Well, that could work, but then I would have to figure out what to do once I leave. Sleep? Can sleep make you happy? Money? I think money ma...