In case anyone was waiting for a passport . . .

(KSL News) Government officials say a bag of nearly 700 passport applications, including some from Utah, is missing.

Officials say the bag was reported missing December first, and no one has been able to find it.

State department officials say most of the applications were from California and Texas. However, an unknown number were from Utah.

So far, officials say no incidents of identity theft have been reported

The celebration of Christmas is culturally pretty divorced from its origins. So much of the practice, even by the religious, has nothing to do with the original miracle at all. You'd have to cover Baby Jesus, then the evolution through various cultures and accruing traditions, then the present traditions. Easier to just say "this is what people do on Christmas".

Hanukkah, on the other hand, is almost only its origins -- there is nothing else to teach. It's much more streamlined. Oil, miracle, food fried in oil...

Dreidles I guess are pretty much the only equivalent of santa, the tree, etc. (unless there is some religious dreidle observance I am unaware of)

Eh. I love you both, but you're both so full of shit, your eyes are brown.

Teaching the story of the oil is pretty much the same as teaching Santa. IMO. It's the magical kiddie version of the origin story, existing solely because "oh fuck, we missed Sukkot" just doesn't make a very good legend.

Eh. I love you both, but you're both so full of shit, your eyes are brown.

I'm not sure which of my assertions is shitty.

This part...

Too much litigation, too many factions.

Was just concurring with your point that they're a'scared.

This point...

Besides, Christmas is kind of divorced from its origins for much of the country. I'm not sure of the numbers, but for a lot of people it's more of a cultural than religious event. It is for me anyway.

Is pretty well qualified as a personal opinion, with many mealy-mouthed qualifiers.

One of the energy generating thingies (magnetron?) in my microwave burnt out. The others still work. Can I get away with using it until after the holiday rush? Or is it dangerous; should stop using it now?

Teaching the story of the oil is pretty much the same as teaching Santa. IMO. It's the magical kiddie version of the origin story, existing solely because "oh fuck, we missed Sukkot" just doesn't make a very good legend.

Isn't the origin of Chanukkah that the oil lasted eight days and that's the miracle we celebrate?

The origin of Christmas has nothing to do with Santa.

Typo, you might try asking about the magnetron over in Buffistatech. Unfortunately, I get them confused with Magneto, so I'm not of much help.

Unfortunately, I get them confused with Magneto, so I'm not of much help.

Keep them away from your Titanium Man. That's all I got.

The origin of Christmas has nothing to do with Santa.

The meaning of Christmas (sez this purist) has nothing to do with him at all.

I'm reasonably grinchy. I exchange gifts with my immediate family if we're spending the day together (and we strive to, but don't sweat it if we can't), and with a friend or two, depending. There is some special food, and it's a day where not much is to get done.

It's purely cultural for me. And not rigidly observed.

I dig the religious significance of Christmas. I'm just overwhelmed by the Santa and the elves and the snow imagery and the songs that have nothing to do with Jesus. I can sometimes make it as far as a tree, but then I'm done.

Teaching Santa is dumb to me unless you're teaching the evolution from St. Nick, at which point you've touched religion anyway.