Christmas at the Stone Family Household

[flwyd]

I invited my Chinese coworker to eat with my family last night. He therefore got to learn about Christianity from five non-Christians (but not anti-Christians) ranging from "shaman" to "pagan" to "I like Jesus and I like gospel, but I don't go to church and I don't like the Old Testament." Things started with an explanation of why there were three wooden camel statues on the table and meandered through discussions on why Christmas is on December 25th when the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is on December 8th, Jesus's role as a political radical, Yule log qua "giant tree that gets stuffed in the fire in the long house day by day," the significance of birth in hay, the striking resemblance borne by my father and I to Jesus and Santa Claus, and how Martin Luther King, Jr., was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi who was inspired by Henry David Thoreau who was inspired by squirrels and therefore civil rights were made possible by squirrels. We left Easter for another discussion. We also told him he'd have to have Christmas at some Christians' house at some point.

Earlier in the day, Tamara and I decided someone ought to write an Ebonics Bible. The best Google had to offer was Big Daddy's Rap, AKA The Lord's Prayer.

It was observed that when a person gets few gifts, their quality is usually better. I got a hat in the shape of a hand throwing a peace sign styled as an American Flag. I also received Earth From Above, a 10-pound book of aerial photos of various parts of the Earth. I am told that it sat open on the dining room table for two and a half weeks, since nobody wanted to wrap it yet. My dad also gave Tamara and I a Babar's Museum of Art calendar, not knowing that our current calendar is Babar and Celeste doing yoga. Also the 20th annual Polar Bear calendar. And in the coordinated couples giving category, I received a warm penguin hat from rubicantoto and a Tux anti-SCO shirt from mlechan. Apparently I am the penguin on my rhino's back.

In other holiday news, I drummed up the Solstice sun at Red Rocks on Tuesday with fifty to a hundred Pagans. Most of us were wise enough to wear warm coats and play hoop drums, though the morning was pleasant and snow-free. What the Winter Solstice lacks in morning warmth it makes up for by having the sun rise at 7:20 instead of 5:35.

And may you have a very merry Boxing Day!

Comments

[dr-tectonic.livejournal.com]

What's the significance of birth in hay?
Also, I think that "I like Jesus and gospel, but not church or Old Testament" definitely counts as "Christian". Though I guess that's trumped by people's right to identify as they choose.

[teal-cuttlefish.livejournal.com]

You may already know this, but the Immaculate conception was Mary's, not Jesus' conception. She was born without Original sin so she would be fit to carry the Son of God.

[directbetween.livejournal.com]

So, we can assume that this obviously global, clandestine squirrel organization has ties with other terrorist networks?

Or is there another side to this looking-glass?

Hail Eris?

[slyviolet.livejournal.com]

I would just like to point out that:

001. I was also instrumental in the Ebonics Bible discussion.

002. Our gifts were not coordinated or intended to be as such, and therefore weren't. It was mere coincidence, and had I seen it coming earlier, I would have taken sufficient measures to make it otherwise, as I, as stated to you at the time of the gifting, absolutely HATE coordinated couples gifts.