The Christmas List

For John, BLUF:  Not every movie has to be serious.  This is a movie that relaxes and entertains.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH

Here is the sub-headline:

"CHRISTMAS ROMANCE MEETS OLD HOLLYWOOD MAGIC"

From Movie Guide, by .

Here is the lede plus one:

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH on Great American Family is a delightful “Christmas romance meets Old Hollywood” spectacular.  Mario Lopez stars as Brian Ortega, a small-town mayor who revisits his childhood Christmas wish list.  He discovers a deeper meaning of Christmas and a rekindled appreciation for his community.  Meanwhile, a real estate tycoon has plans to turn the town into something more modern, trendy and corporate.  With the help of his childhood sweetheart, played by Mario’s real life wife, Courtney, the Mayor must find a way to bring in more revenue to save his special town.

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH is an unusually highly entertaining Christmas romance promoting Christmas spirit and the importance of community.  Full of dancing, singing and festive fun, it’s a holiday delight.  Great acting and choreography keep viewers clamoring for more fun.  The movie opens with schoolchildren singing the classic Christmas carol “Silent Night.”  It also has plenty of delightful singing, dancing and Christmas cheer promoting the reason for the season and celebrating love and community.  ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS WISH is a win!

I thorooughly enjoyed this movie, although I fully admit that it is corney.  It is, however, pure Christmas, with Saint Nicholas showing up in the guise of a local Santa playing helper.  The Christmas Wish List has been hidden in a wall in the back stage of the Elementary School Auditorium.  The Mayor, watching a Fourth Grade Student sing a Christmas Carol reminds him of his time in Fourth Grade and the list and why he hid it.  It was his Fourth Grade sweetheart announcing that the family was moving away that made him abandon the list.♠  When he pulled out the list he found the items on the list come to fruition.  And thus the story evolves as the list is completed.

I strongly recommend this movie as a good Christmas relaxation story.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Is there something about Fourth Grade?  The prettiest, smartest, strongest student in Fourth Grade, Susan Sawyer, moved away at the end of the school year.  Her Father had been given the job of Assisstant City Manager for Philadelphia and they had to move to the City.  Tragically, her Father died of a heart attack a short time later.  We never saw Susan again, unlike our Hero, Mayor Ortega, who gets to reacquaint with his Fourth Grade love.

A Long Trip to Bethlehem

For John, BLUF:  Be skeptical of fancy new ideas.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Fourth Sunday of Advent

Here is the sub-headline:

Cycle C

Here is the First Reading (Micah 5:1-4a):

Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;v he shall be peace.

Just in time for Christmas, The Daily Mail has an article "Scientists reveal exactly where Jesus was born - and say it probably Wasn't in Bethlehem".♠ 

On the otherr hand, Bethlehem-Ephrathah fits with scripture, not just the book of Micah, but also the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 2:1-6).

Wise Men from the East Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

The Wise Men out of the East knew to come to Jerusalem, in Israel, where they inquired about the one they sought.  The priests and scribes went ot Micah and guided the Wise Men to Bethlehem, in the land of Judah.  That makes sense to me.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  I question the use of the term "Scientist" to describe the people doing this speculation.  Is this science or is it something else?  I was not convinced by the article.

Acts of Kindness

For John, BLUF:  Here is an act of kindness, freely given, rewarded two years later.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The unlikely Schindler who saved my wife’s family

Here is the sub-headline:

It’s almost certain that if Karel and his family had remained in Prague, they would have died in the camps

From The Spectator, Editor Toby Young, 10 December 2021.

Here is the lede plus two:

As I gaze at my four children on Christmas morning, clambering on to the bed with their stockings, I will think of one particular person to whom, in a roundabout way, they owe their lives.  He was a colonel in World War One and, had it not been for his generosity, my children, their mother, her brothers and sisters, their children, their aunts, uncles and cousins — the entire Bondy clan, in fact — would not exist.

The story begins in 1918, as the conflict was nearing its end. Karel Bondy, my wife’s paternal grandfather, was a young Czech officer in the Austro-Hungarian army who had miraculously survived heavy fighting in Albania.  He was on his way back to barracks from the front line one evening when he encountered a drunk German colonel, slumped in the saddle of his horse.  Karel did the decent thing and asked the officer if he could be of any assistance.  Turned out he was lost.  Could Karel help him find his quarters? Karel took the horse’s bridle and steered the colonel to his tent.

When they arrived, Karel tried to take his leave but the Oberst wouldn’t hear of it.  He sat Karel down and insisted they have a drink together.  One drink led to anothe and at the end of the night the colonel decided to reward Karel for his act of kindness.  He reached for a small wooden box under his bed, pulled out an Iron Cross and pinned it to Karel’s tunic.  ‘This is for you, in recognition of your outstanding gallantry,’ he said.  Naturally, Karel protested, but to no avail.  Not only did the colonel stop him giving it back, he reached into the box again and pulled out a certificate which he completed and handed to him.  ‘Now it’s official,’ he said.

Do the good deed.

Hat tip to my wife for this interesting story.

Regards  —  Cliff

Happy Boxing Day

For John, BLUF:  Or, as we say, the Feast of Stephen.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Boxing Day

As you remember, Good King Wenceslas looks out on the Feast of Stephen, when the snow lay round about—unlike here—deep and crisp and even.  Over a thousand years ago, before Global Warming Climate Change.

Good King Wenseslas should be a model for all of us.

Regards  —  Cliff

For John, BLUF:  Nothing to see here; except the Baby Jesus.

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M E R R Y 

C H R I S T M A S 

Regards  —  Cliff

Merry Christmas

For John, BLUF:  I think it is OK to say Merry Christmas.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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"It’s lonely to be reminded a thousand times every winter that the dominant American cultural event occurs without me."

Professor Althouse writes:

That's Julia Ioffe, providing seasonal fodder for The Washington Post, in "Please don’t wish me ‘Merry Christmas’/It’s impolite and alienating to assume I follow your religion."

Professor Althouse then provides one of the comments at The WaPo on the article.  A great comment.

Hat tip to the Althouse blog.

Regards  —  Cliff

Bauble for the Christmas Tree

For John, BLUF:  It being American, anyone can own one.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The White House Christmas Tree Ornament

Here is the obverse side of the ornament, with the American Eagle and President Franklin D Roosevelt's initials.  The Eagle is the same as the one on the stand in front of President Roosevelt at his first Inauguration:

Here is the reverse side of the ornament, with the White House and a Christmas Tree:

A very nice ornament, approved by the White House.

And a special thanks to my Brother John and his Wife Carol, for again sending us a Christmas Tree Ornament from the White House Historical Association.

Regards  —  Cliff

Hallmark Channel

For John, BLUF:  Yes, Hallmark Channel does contribute to diabetes in the flyover states.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Are You Kidding Me? Liberal Rag Says Hallmark Channel Is A Bastion For Trumpian White Nationalism

From Town Hall and Mr Matt Vespa, 23 December 2017.

Here is the lede of Mr Vespa's critique:

When it comes to entertainment, I’m really not in the cultural conservative camp.  I watch what I want to watch, whether that is Game of Thrones or Rocko’s Modern Life.  Yes, I like action movies.  Yes, I like bloody horror films.  Yes, the bloodier and gorier, the better in that category.  Around Christmas time, yes, I will confess I sometimes watch a Hallmark Christmas movie.  They’re cheesy.  All aspects about it are too good to be true, but to get into the season and to take a break from my usual viewing of graphic violence, I’ve seen worse.  Apparently, though—it’s very problematic because everyone is white, there are no feminists, no Muslims, and the male leads have white nationalist haircuts—whatever that means.  It’s your typical contrarian drivel from Slate, a Washington Post-affiliated site.  Oh, and the areas with the strongest viewership are in states where Trump won.  I smell collusion.  I smell propaganda, right?  No, I actually don’t because I’m not a progressive, but the analysis is quite entertaining.

Here is the original article:

White! Christmas!

The Hallmark Channel’s 21-movie fusillade in the War on Christmas is a ratings sensation.  I’m watching it all to find out why.

The author of this Slate article is Mr Zachary Jason and the date was 12 December 2017.

Before you think that Mr Vespa is just another "White Guy", picking on Mr Jason, go look at his picture.  This is a chap who could be rejected by Harvard based on his race.

There is the question of why Mr Jason thinks Hallmark Channel should be doing something different, given that it is doing a good job meeting the interests of a broad audience.  While some have kneed the NFL, tumbling its attendance and ratings, the Hallmark Channel is soaring.  And the reason is it meets a need.  I have a very progressive friend, and she likes watching Hallmark Channel stories, because they have happy endings.

We hear a lot about the evils of cultural appropriation, so why does Mr Jason wish to change this American small town non-coastal vision of life and Christmas?

Then there is the accusation of Blacks who "exist only to cheer on the dreams of the white leads".  Yes, most of the actors are Caucasians (is that word too hard for people to spell?), but it is not like Blacks do not show up in some responsible positions.  Yes, not the stars, but running the local inn, managing a star's professional life, MCing the gingerbread contest.

This Slate article is just more of the guerrilla warfare against Christmas.  Sad.  Very sad.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Santa's Unusual Entry

For John, BLUF:  Humorous feel good story about Christmas.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Qui Nhon Christmas

From the Vietnam Veterans of America, November/December Issue, by Ms Anne Watts, who was a British nurse serving in the Children’s Centre in Qui Nhon, during the Vietnam War.

Here is the lede plus two:

Christmas was hot, humid, and dusty with incoming mortars and sweating soldiers.  But we were not going to allow such details to interfere with celebrations.

As a way of thanking U.S. military personnel for their magnificent help, the Vietnamese staff invited them to spend Christmas day with us at the Centre.  Christmas is about children, after all, and we certainly had plenty of them.

The soldiers were very enthusiastic and set about planning the day with gusto. Many had young children back home, and this might lessen their homesickness.  It was terribly important to them to make this Christmas happen, and preparations became their obsession.  The Centre became a hive of activity.  Some Army nurses taught the children how to make brightly colored paper chains, and the soldiers shared with them Christmas cards from back home.

Christmas is a celebration wherever and whenever it is.

Regards  —  Cliff

Traditions Vary

For John, BLUF:  I think it is nice.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Why Japan Celebrates Christmas with KFC

The sub-headline:

How a fast-food marketing campaign turned into a widespread Yuletide tradition for millions.

From The Beeb and Reporter By Eric Barton, 19 December 2016.

Here is the lede plus one:

Every Christmas, Ryohei Ando gathers his family together for a holiday tradition.  Just like their father did as a child, his two children will reach deep into a red-and-white bucket and pick out the best piece of fried chicken they can find.

Yes, it’s a Merry KFC Christmas for the Ando family.  It may seem odd anywhere outside Japan, but Ando’s family and millions of others would never let a Christmas go by without Kentucky Fried Chicken.  Every Christmas season an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families treat themselves to fried chicken from the American fast-food chain, in what has become a nationwide tradition.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Christmas Getting Squeezed Out

For John, BLUF:  The Heckler's Veto, but with maiming and death.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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French City Cancels Christmas Market, Can't Afford € 20,000 in Security Costs After ISIS Attacks

I make that roughly $20,000, but if you want the real number based on the exchange rate this evening, $23,699.60.

From Pajama Media and Mr Tyler O'Neil, 3 December 2017.

Here is the lede plus two:

This week, the French city of Lyon announced it would cancel its world-famous Christmas market after seven years, as costs to protect the market against potential terror threats escalated to € 20,000 — a price the city could not afford.

Security around Christmas markets in Europe has increased following Tunisian Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist Anis Amri's truck attack in Berlin, Germany last year.  Amri targeted the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market, murdering 12.

"Unfortunately, this end of the year 2017 Place de la Croix-Rousse will not welcome its Christmas market and farm animals," reported the French newspaper Le Progrès.

Think if Lyon needed to build a new High School.

The good news here in Lowell is that we have our displays up and running down by City Hall.♠

But, the year after next?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  I was told, as of this morning, Sam Poulten, of WCAP, still had not delivered the Menorah, but it is on its way.  The Buddhist shrine is in place.

For DC Metro the 25th of December Doesn't Exist

For John, BLUF:  These kinds of things are why folks talk about a "war on Christmas".  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Archdiocese of Washington Sues Transit Authority After Rejection of Christmas Ad

From Pajama Media, by Stephen Kruiser, 28 November 2017.

Here is the lede:

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) rejected a Christmas advertisement from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese on the grounds that it ran afoul of guidelines for religious advertising.

Go to the Link and view the advert.  Doesn't seem that "offensive" to me.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Christmas in Fascist Germany

For John, BLUF:  Coopting the culture is important when one is trying to transform a society.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Nazis Fought the Original War on Christmas

The sub-headline is:

As they rose to power, party leaders sought to redefine the holiday to suit their own political needs

This is from the magazine of the Smithsonian Institution.  The author is Mr Joe Perry.

An interesting read.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

A Christmas Story

For John, BLUF:  You would think a person could get some down time while on vacation.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Why ‘Die Hard’ Is The Greatest Christmas Movie Of All Time

The sub-headline:

Here’s why the 1988 thriller “Die Hard” is not only a Christmas movie, it is one of the best of all time.

The author is Mr James Clark and the venue is the web magazine Task and Purpose.♠♥

Here is the lede plus two:

The holiday season is a time for family, gift-giving, and most importantly forgiveness.  Unless you’re John McClane, then it means all that, plus a ton of mayhem and violence.

The 1988 holiday classic centers around John McClane, a New York City detective who’s in Los Angeles to try to save his marriage when all hell breaks loose.  A group of heavily armed villains break into McClane’s wife’s office building during their Christmas party and take the staff, including his wife hostage.  Side note:  her name is Holly, as in “deck the halls” and “fa-la-la-la-la” holly — subliminal messaging on the part of the movie’s screenwriters, no doubt.

It’s left to McClane, played by Bruce Willis, to save the day.  Crawling around in air ducts and crashing through a number of windows, he takes out the bad guys one by one before dropping their leader Hans Gruber, played by an acerbic Alan Rickman, some 30 stories to his death.

And here is a good sentence:

It may not seem like a Christmas movie at first, but “Die Hard” hits all the marks, if you think about it, it’s basically “Home Alone,” but with live ammo.

And so it is.

Interestingly, the action takes place at the fictional Nakatomi Plaza, in LA.  The Japanese love Christmas.

By the way, I don’t think Die Hard was as bloody as the original Christmas Story.  Remember the Slaughter of the Innocents, celebrated on 28 December.

Your opinion invited.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Task and purpose, as in a good superior issuing a mission provides both the task and the purpose.
♥  The article is, in the last paragraph, NSFW.  You have been warned.

Gaudete Sunday Readings

For John, BLUF:  Yes, I am a little late on this one.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Third Sunday of Advent

This would be last weekend's reading.  Pink Candle.  Here is the Wikipedia writeup.

I was the last minute sub at the Saturday Four at the Immaculate.♠  For me the most interesting reading was the second, the reading from the Epistle of James, 5:7-10.

Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
being patient with it
until it receives the early and the late rains.
You too must be patient.
Make your hearts firm,
because the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

The thing that caught my attention was "Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.  Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates."  Seems pretty clear to me—do not be cranky toward your friends and relatives and don't be judging them.  Give them a little space to be less than perfect, just as we are less than perfect.

In other news, Jimmy, you are welcome.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  The Scheduled Reader called in that he was stuck in traffic.  Being over-scheduled is a problem.

Banning History and Tradition

For John, BLUF:  Something about enjoying others enjoying their special days.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Pajama Media and Ms Julie Prince, we have an update on the "War on Christmas" in Brooklyn— "One Brooklyn School Finds Out That Banning Thanksgiving, Santa and the Pledge Is a Bad Idea".

Annually I am assured by my Progressive friends that there is no "War on Christmas".  And, I admit, these actions by Principal Eujin Jaela Kim are an aberration.  That said, the writer does capture something when she says about public schools:

They have gone from teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic to teaching kids how to be secular.

And there you have it, the substitution of one faith for another.

All that said, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Merry Christmas, Again

For John, BLUF:  Different calendars.  In this case the Julian Calendar, vice Gregorian Calendar.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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If you are an Eastern Right Christian, today is Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Regards  —  Cliff

A Christmas Carol

For John, BLUF:  Argument makes sense to me.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Maggie's Farm we have a link to a blog that argues E Scrooge was a Progressive.

I can see the author's point.

Regards  —  Cliff

Daiku

For John, BLUF:  A wonderful performance and tradition.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Mental Flosswe have this short article on Beethoven's Ninth being performed in Japan.

In Japan, it's an end-of-year tradition to sing "Ode to Joy," the final movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.  The song is so well-known in Japan that it's known simply as daiku, literally "number nine."  In Osaka, a 10,000-person-strong "Number Nine Chorus" of amateur singers performs daiku every December, to thundering effect.  While there are some professionals involved (the soloists and orchestra), the Number Nine Chorus is largely a community effort.  And the sound of 10,000 singers, trained or untrained, is unbelievable.

And a link that doesn't work.

However, this link worked for me a few minutes ago.  Here is a You Tube version of this year's performance.

Regards  —  Cliff

Birth

Mele Kalikimaka

Regards  —  Cliff