My friend is really struggling with how to deal with the ubiquity of Christmas with her three year old. They're not Orthodox and are very easy-going as far as their religion goes but they don't want to give in to the Christmas-creep, either. They want to raise their daughter Jewish and for her to feel comfortable doing that.

I'm definitely not Christian but accept that Christmas is a Christian holiday. We cherry pick the secular themes and celebrate it without thinking about it.

How aggravating, Hil! It's like the illuminati don't want you to have letters of recommendation.

I think when people get like that, it's best to remind them what Frankie says.

I assume you are referring to the one who went to Hollywood?

Also, still no letter of recommendation from my advisor, and still no response to any email I've sent since the Friday before Thanksgiving. He's teaching a class tomorrow, so I'm just going to wait there when the class is over.

[link]

Other professor emailed me to find out how to get in touch with my advisor. Hell if I know.

yeah. I think a good comparison would be my love as as a secular Jewish for certain types of Gospel music. (Think Odetta). But I don't pretend for a moment I'm not enjoying Christian music that is part of a very Christian culture.

When I was in the FAC, they were emphatic that Christmas wasn't Christian, it was Roman. Celebrated the Sun God, not the Son of God, so to speak.

You were in the FAC too? I thought the FAC was Teppy's thing.

Different FAC.

When I was in the FAC, they were emphatic that Christmas wasn't Christian, it was Roman. Celebrated the Sun God, not the Son of God, so to speak.

If that were how it was actually framed/celebrated, that'd be another story.

I play along with some traditions, some because I like them, others to play along with family. I love the idea of making winter a festive time, and man would it be great if that were the focus in a non-religious way, and then those with religion can also have their extra special parts of it.

But we're a hell of a long way from that, no matter what FACs or O'Reilly's might say.