We could identify Christmas stuff even if it wasn't things that were directly connected to Christianity

Okay, so an ankh isn't really extant in anything other than co opted (NPI) Christianity, so I'm trying to think of something else--the Hindu "Om" symbol? Yin yang sign? Lotus flower?

Those still too vague? I guess, you grow up in a predominantly Christian country, those are the symbols that you don't accept but do recognise right away.

(Not making light of anyones celebrations, just making note, how intertwined Christmas has become in many different traditions. Norse. Germanic. Roman. Dunno what else off the top of my head. Most of which have nothing to do with the birth of the baby Jesus, which many think happened in September, not December.)

As I understand it, it's the other way around. Christians co-opted and incorporated existing celebrations into Jesus birthday funtimes.

Hil, I'm sorry you feel uncomfortable. I guess with all the mice business, you're probably not inclined to make a deal of this. Are you lighting a menorah (just curious)?

Religious and holiday stuff can pretty fraught. I grew up treating Hanukkah and Christmas pretty casually, being in an interfaith home (Methodist and Reform). But D didn't celebrate Hanukkah at all when very young, and while he and his family were Lubavitcher it meant passing out menorahs to other Jews. And now he's basically atheist (I think). So I'm all like, LATKES WHEE! and he's all like, sure I'll eat some potato pancakes.

Also, weirdly, my mother kind of believes there's a war on Christmas. I'm like, you have been married to a Jew for over forty years - WTH?

an ankh isn't really extant in anything other than co opted (NPI) Christianity

I still see what you did there.

Probably the stretchiest pun I didn't quite make.

YOU GUYS!!! The Bloggess emailed me back!! OMG OMG OMG.

AIMS!!! O. M. G. !!!!

I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?

It might be totally ridiculous to be this excited about it but I totally am!!

OMG!!!! AIMS That's AWESOME!!

What is not awesome is how disgusting my new medication is. It's complicated, you can't have wet hands, you have to open the pack carefully, you cannot eat or drink anything for 10 minutes. You cannot swallow it. I think I might have swallowed it.

It is the most disgusting thing ever and I think this is suppopsed to be Black Cherry flavor. And if it is it's black cherry from hell. the pdoc suggested a listirine strip but I think I could take 5 of those and there would not be enough to kill the taste.

And my tongue is numb. 8:17 can't come soon enough.

Blergh. That sounds nast. Sorry you have to deal with nasty gross meds, babe.