Merry Christmas!
With all the tribulations in our world, it’s nice to be in the midst of holidays that offer distraction, celebration, and the affirmation of life.
Some short Musings for Christmas…
CHRISTMAS TO ME
As a Jew on Christmas, one is used to jokes about our “special” ways to celebrate—like going to an uncrowded movie theatre followed by a visit to the local Chinese restaurant. When I was a kid, we made sure to drive home down streets we knew would be adorned with Christmas lights. I’ve always found it particularly apt that the Hanukkah—the “festival of lights”—occurs around the time of Christmas, celebrated with beautiful lighting displays. The love many Jews have for Christmas extends to the music. I still can sing (well, my version of singing) any number of Christmas carols I remember from fifth grade choir. Back in the day, when we tuned in to radio stations, we heard Christmas music during “drive time” from Thanksgiving through the new year.
But most important, one need not celebrate Christmas—or Hanukkah—to revel in the spirit of the holidays. They bring a sense of shared celebration and good feelings and a much-needed “breather” to count our blessings and commune with family and friends.
A couple of years ago I shared one of my favorite Christmas memories. It’s worth sharing again. As a child, there was a holiday assembly for the kids of our age (I’m guessing around second grade) to which parents were invited. The kids got to meet Santa. My father played Santa—he did this more than once. When I walked up to meet Santa the first time he did this, I whispered to Santa, “Hi, Dad” and told him that he didn’t fool me. Later I asked him why he played Santa. He smiled and said, “I do it so that someone else doesn’t have to do it. This way, all the Christian fathers get to enjoy meeting Santa with their children.” From him I learned to enjoy the Christmas season, not only for the ancillary benefits of joy and music but because it brings such joy to so many other people. This is but one of the many lessons in life I learned from “Dr. Bill.”
CHRISTMAS MOVIES
Some of my favorite Christmas-themed movies and a few selected scenes:
“Thank You Very Much” and “Father Christmas” from Scrooge. Fifty years ago, this often overlooked but faithful and fun adaptation of The Christmas Carol was a favorite. Here’s the wonderful medley with a huge cast singing and dancing their way down the street, toward the end of this musical starring Albert Finney:
It’s a Wonderful Life. There are scenes that choke me up and this one is one of them. Here is the toast proposed by George Bailey’s brother on his homecoming at the end of the movie (“To my big brother George, the richest man in town”):
Miracle on 34th Street, when the “additional evidence” is delivered. How can bags full of children’s letters be wrong?:
And just to give “equal time,” here, once again, is Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song”:
THE SINO-JUDAIC CONNECTION
Every year, someone sends me a picture of this handwritten sign from the window of a Chinese restaurant: “The Chinese Restaurant Assoc. of the United States would like to extend our thanks to the Jewish People. We do not completely understand your dietary customs… But we are proud and grateful that your God insists you eat our food on Christmas.”
HOUSEKEEPING
A reminder that this week and next, I’m taking a little bit of a holiday break. Only Monday, Wednesday
and Friday Musings for two weeks, before returning to the break-neck pace of five days a week
beginning January 8th.
Over the course of the next few weeks, there will be a mid-week Musing devoted to books. I’m finishing up the decade-by-decade best books next month and then launching into a series of “special” lists—best book club books, best sports books, best dystopian books, Brad’s favorites, best books about Lincoln (at his birthday in February), presidential biographies and other biographies. In all, this will cover a span of 20+ weeks of reading suggestions.
Have a great day, whether you celebrate the holiday, the season or just “good will toward men,”
Glenn
Goodwill towards men and women 👏👍
Glenn, you are a blessing! Can I sign up for lunch at HCC in 2024?