Thanks for the well-wishes, guys. I can't say thanks to DH enough for the cleanup. I mean, I was all set to go, but he just did it. Such a nice man. (Cash, I always have that mental snicker when I use the term, too. Cock and ball, hee.)

I'll go to Christmas Eve Methodist service (and sing in the choir), I'll give and receive presents under the Christmas tree from all my family members, I'll play games with my little cousins and ask them what santa gave them, and I'll probably join Gershwin Girl for at least one, and possibly several, menorah lightings. It's what my thoughts are and should be that's confusing.

Well, unless you're having a crisis of faith, and I either skipped or skimmed too much, 'cause I missed if you said, your thoughts are really your own. You can completely be with whomever you're with at the moment, and allow them to celebrate whatever they're celebrating, make some space for them to do that. Observe how they do that, the differences between what each holiday means to each of your family and friends, and how they're similar, how they differ, and what the societal meanings are for each, for both. You're being a nice guy, you're being an attentive friend and/or family member, and can feel quite good about that. Relax. Unless you have a driving need to make a point of your new or your lack of faith, it doesn't need to come up at all. Just my opinion, of course. But I've been operating this way for a long time, and so far it seems to work for everybody.

I honestly think it's just another means for the faux-persecution complex.

Me too. OTOH, if Target put up a sign over their christmas section saying "Christmas: Celebrating the birth of Christ", I can't see why that should be offensive to anybody.

Yeah. Sadly, I've not felt very Christian for a long time, but I still enjoy carols and Vince Guaraldi.

Sparky, that is AWESOME.

I got to see Minke whales in Nova Scotia. Before we spotted them every movement was "is that a whale? is THAT a whale?" but once we saw a whale there was just. no. doubt.

I can't say thanks to DH enough for the cleanup. I mean, I was all set to go, but he just did it.

I've taken the stance of girly girl in the last couple years when it comes to things like bathroom disasters, and vermin remains from the cat cleanup. Hey, I got 3 boys around to do the icky stuff. hee cock and ball I did all the nasty jobs for the last 30 years myself and have just recently decided that I don't want to anymore.

I generally send non-religious, non-secular christmas, holiday cards.

I usually send out enough that I can send a secular and religious one. that is, if I find a religious one that I like.

I'm too lazy to send cards. For just about anything.

I'm in Cashmere's corner.

I just don't get what the snub is here.

I'm not saying I'm agreeing with it -- just playing devil's advocate, in that that's what I assume the AFA thinks the snub is.

By the same token, though, Trudy's example of Columbus Day is a little different. Columbus Day is not, as far as I know, a traditionally gift-giving holiday. So the stores' decision to throw sales that weekend is up to them, and I don't think any consumers care why they're getting 50 to 75% off or whatever.

Not ALL shopping in December is holiday/gift related.

Of course. But it's also true that a huge portion of the retail economy now revolves around holiday spending. Toys 'R Us is having trouble staying afloat (the brick and mortar stores, that is) even *with* holiday/Christmas shopping. Take that away, and they're probably gone. (And that might be partly due to the increase in web shopping, too -- I don't know.)

And that's our fault, really. Somewhere along the way, people (by values of people equalling those who shop for Christmas or other holiday gifts) made Christmas all about the gifts, and retailers decided to help them do more of that. It's their business to make money, after all. I guess maybe it does seem a little hypocritical to me for retailers to then worry about possibly offending the people who *aren't* shopping for Christmas gifts, when a huge portion of their annual bottom line is courtesy of the people who *are*.

And again, I don't really care if they say Happy Holidays or Festive Festivus or Groovy New Year, or whatever. If I choose to get gifts for friends and family, I don't expect my shopping experience to be anything but me handing over hard-earned money to underpaid clerks. I'm not looking for meaning in my trip to the mall.

Ok, I'm back, coverage to start one month from today. It appears that the medical insurance is with the outfit that has a deal with the local rec center - they'll cover $20 of the $30 monthly dues if you actually show up 8 times in a month.