One Atheist's Holiday Season

Christmas time is a special time for me, not just the celebration of Christ's birth, but it holds so many wonders. Christmas carols, spending quality time with families, giving and receiving gifts, Santa Clause for the young children, and generosity abundant for the less fortunate. People do tend to be more benevolent during the holidays, and as the holidays subside, so to does their charity. No matter what your beliefs are, Christmas tends to gather people into it's spirit.

I love the classic "Christmas Carol" story as Charles Dickens helps us capture the true spirit of Christmas. There are so many variations and versions of this story and so many motion pictures retelling of it. I watch them all, over and over, and I still love the part when Scrooge wakes up Christmas morning and becomes a giving caring person.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to you too, edgar.

November in Houston usually means the fat robins come for a stay and pansies point pekingese faces at us from every flower bed. The trees may or may not be bare, but the leaves still hanging are generally red and yellow by now. The warmth off the gulf and fronts from the north play a tug of war to make us alternately hot and cold, wet and dry. I am in my holiday mode, expecting on Thanksgiving to serve turkey dinner to three of my four children, my wife, and six of my seven grandchildren. That's a pretty good average for showing in many families and I am for the most satisfied. Sure, I want to see my only son, but he and his daughter will not make it. My wife is busy in the kitchen as I write, baking her pies and other goodies, freeing up the oven for tomorrow and the turkey. I have a new dog, one much too active to allow to mingle - She would hurt the children even though she would just be playing. I have built a pen for her outside the back door. Two of my daughters manage eating establishments and the other is a therapy helper, studying to become a nurse. Their men are, a mail delivery person, a mechanic, and one in oil equipment, which is sent overseas. The grandkids are three boys, three girls. Aside from the mongrel mix that is me (Black Dutch, English, Irish, Choctaw, Cherokee, Tejas), and the Polish that is my wife, they are variously Puerto Rican, Mexican, German and Irish. Because it is only a couple of days until one's birthday, we will also have cake and presents this Thanksgiving. Hope your day will be at least this good - eb.

It's awful cold here in MI. Just a few days ago it was 68 degrees. We had a big freeze come in and now my beautiful garden is gone until next spring...I really am going to miss it.

I do not have to cook this year! Yepeee! My brother and his wife are doing the honors this year. My parents are still alive and well and will be there along with my husband, daughter,and granddaughter. I offered to make dessert, but they told me to just bring myself. My two other brothers will not be attending as they have big families of their own to tend to for the holiday. We also will be celebrating my husband's birthday, which will be on the 29th.

I have a lot to be thankful for, sounds like you do too edgar.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Edgar, i sincerely admire your greatness of spirit, which i consider a product of your quietly generous and outgoing nature. I have a greater regard for you than most people i've met in person, and most that i know well. I hope that you will have great joy in the bosom of your family, not only for this and other holidays, but all the year long--and down the roll of years until you gently go into that good night.

ditto

setanta - My respect for you is boundless. I wish for you all the best this and all seasons.

dyslexia
I did not see your post last night. You are also one whom I endlessly admire and respect. I could not imagine going online and not looking for posts from you and setanta.

colorbook
I hope you come online long enough to read this, posted on Thanksgiving morning:
I got the turkey going and didn't even forget to remove the paper packet of giblets first. Happy holiday to you and all who chance to read this.

Dinner is not until 3:00. I think every one does it once...leaving the packet of giblets in the turkey. LOL
My granddaughter is up waiting for the parades to begin. She's almost 5 years old and really excited that the Christmas holiday is finally here. Her and I have been practicing Christmas carols to sing at the Thanksgiving dinner today. Have a nice day!

My son in law is a mail carrier, with less than six months' service under his belt. What that means is, they shove all the dirty jobs on people like him. About an hour ago he called to say he had to deliver some packages to a street he couldn't find. I looked it up on Yahoo Maps for him. His Thanksgiving is much different than anything I'd imagined for at least some government employees.

What a nice posting, Edgar. I agree there is a lot to like about the seasonal traditions without getting religion mixed in. I also agree the posts by you, Setanta and Dyslexia are always worth reading. (Our three wise men!)

Most of my family met last night - seven adults, five kids. We were missing three adults and three grown-kids so it turned out Mr. P and I were the oldest there, which isn't so bad after all. There is truly a special camaraderie with families. I'm glad you have that, too. I'll bet you are the apple of your daughters' eyes. Happy Thanksgiving!

piffka
Like all families we have our problems, but we always come together for the holidays - One of the best reasons of all to have them. I sieze on this opportunity to put any grievances that may have been building to rest.
Now they've all gone about their lives and we have a pleasant experience to look back on.

It is during these holiday season we see the best of American's generosity. Many help at soup kitchens to serve turkey and all the trimmings for people who otherwise would spend a lonely holiday. The smiling faces for more people by sharing is what it is all about. During this holiday season, the San Jose Mercury News publishes a Wish Book for folks that can't afford to buy things for themselves or their children. Many are handicapped or unemployed folks and children. Donations during this holiday season usually far exceeds the requests in the Wish Book. I know they will be successful again this year. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. c.i.

Happy holidays, CI.
I have a boss who always has the right spirit. A woman both of us knows came into the office limping from bad shoes last week. The boss took her to a shoe store and bought her a nice pair, unasked, no strings attached.

Edgar
Edgar, I fear I will never recover from my persistent crush on you!

Maddy enjoyed his first Thanksgiving with me at Asherman and Natalie's house. Ash's youngest son flew in from San Francisco and we had fun bugging his mom and pop with our liberal views on everything.

Maddy behaved pretty well and charmed everyone. He wasn't still for a moment all day and on the way home in my car finally fell asleep on the front seat---the first time. A tired but happy puppy.

BBB

BBB
It must have been a fun holiday for you. Personally, I'm pumped for the big one next month -

Edgar, I have always maintained that holidays are about family, and generosity, rather than some spooky religion. Being born Jewish, and married to a Catholic, I get the best of all holidays, and we do them secular-style. However, with my family, the Jewish holidays have always seemed to end up being a competition between the siblings who host them. Chanukah is coming up (although I prefer the spelling 'Chewbacca'), and since last year, giving presents has been outlawed, as one aunt thought the competition to give the best, most finely wrapped presents was getting out of hand. It may have been a practical choice, but personally I find this sad and silly in it's entirety, and quite frankly, Mrs. cav and I are not looking forward to the occasion. A holiday without joy is no holiday at all.

I love this season -- and if it happens to coincide with some religious celebrations going on at the same time -- I overlook them.

A holiday without joy is no holiday at all. I am sad for the ones with no joy in the season. It's like a chunk out of my joy. I wish for just once there could be a true Father Christmas to visit all the people of the world. I believe that one visit would alter history for the good.

You're all so wise. I am so glad that all of you had a great Holiday Season Starter Day. I consider myself in great company...hmph.
on with my little bittle...
When I was younger, my family would gather togehter for all kinds of occassions, and a fat lot of people there would be - but over the years this has changed. My mom is a grudge holder who doesn't invite my uncles over (she lives in my passed on grandma's houe) and they're so busy ignoring her grudge that they don't even call...

I try my very best to enjoy all of my family during the holidays and to restore bonds that once were very thick. It is hard. Yesterday, we (mr. onyx, kiddies and myself) went to Tampa to my mommy's house and my little brother came from GA (he just got back from baghdad after a year) and it was a wonderfully familial day. My uncle - who if you can believe it lives right NEXT DOOR, did not come over once to offer a happy thanksgiving or tell his sister and her family he loved her. I, of course, and my family and my brother when he got in went to show his family that we loved them and that we want them to have a joyous holiday.

Why the hell can't BLOOD RELATIVES - SIBLINGS OF ALL THINGS look past old hurts/gripes/grudges and give thanks for all you have - not the least of which is living family?

I'm sorry I'm unloading and stuff...this should be in my 'dear diary' posting on that thread....it just pisses me off that's all...but I don't let it ruin my holiday.

I wonder what they're going to do next year when they come to my house (I live in an apt now...so no room) and see each other sitting at MY TG Table???