(The framework of this article was written years ago. But I finally got around to finishing it!)
Pagan Origins (and Why I Love Christmas)
Reply
Tag Archives: Christmas
Merry Christmas
I’m sitting here listening to Josh Groban sing “O Holy Night,” part of my 8+ hours of Christmas music. I’ve enjoyed all the Christmas greetings that have come in today, mostly through Facebook.
God Invented Christmas Tree Lights
According to an October 25, 2008, Quirks and Quarks podcast, pine cones give off infrared heat. When viewed with infrared technology, or as “seen” by a particular kind of beetle, the cones actually glow. The beetle that is the subject of the podcast does not actually see the infrared with its eyes, as far as scientists can tell, but it has special sensors on its abdomen that allow it to sense the heat from a great distance, with an acuity that is probably as good as insect vision.
So maybe the Christmas tree lights used to decorate trees during the holidays aren’t so far off after all. They are somewhat cone-shaped. To beetles they may seem perfectly natural!
Christmas Insanity
On July 15, I received my first adertising by mail for Christmas cards. This comes from National Geographic. I need to write to Lands’ End and L. L. Bean, and ask them if their marketing departments are asleep. I mean, if they were following the lead of National Geographic, they’d be selling holiday sweaters and winter wear, instead of swimsuits and summer duds.
Each year it seems the Christmas season gets pulled further ahead. You may have seen this cartoon (it’s been around), but I think it depicts the situation perfectly.
Christmas At My House
This is the first year that my family has had Christmas at my place. It is also the first time I’ve had Christmas at my place, since moving here to work at 3ABN in 1999. It was a little bit stressful, since Christmas fell immediately on the heels of the GYC convention. Getting home from GYC was a challenge in itself. You can read all about it at the end of my post about GYC on my Xanga blog.
I had hoped to have a Christmas tree, but a full week before Christmas all the local suppliers (including Wal-Mart, Menards, Home Depot, Lowe’s) were completely sold out. I don’t really care for artificial trees … they just seem so fake … so this year we went without a tree. Well, not completely. My rubber plant and ficus did extra duty as stand-ins.