Not sure why I am posting this picture to start my Christmas message, but this is our meal at Ethiopios last Saturday evening. And to let you know that Ethiopian Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar, which means they aren’t going to celebrate Christmas until January 7. Same with Greek and Russian Orthodox Christians. And it used to be the same with Ukrainian Orthodox Christians but, if I remember correctly, they adopted the Gregorian calendar a few years ago, so today is Christmas in Kiev. They changed the date of their Christmas to show how “western” they are. Am I right about that? I am not going to look that one up.

But that would show that, at least in Ukraine, politics trump (sic and sick) religious doctrine. Of course, it also seems clear both to religious scholars and historians that Jesus was not born on either December 25 or January 7, but rather some time in the spring, and that the winter date was adopted by the Roman empire in the 4th century  to supplant what had been a winter solstice holiday, and the date stuck and spread. What does all this mean? It may mean that “Jesus is the reason for the season” is, historically speaking, fake news. Whatever. Not really important. But interesting.

As for my Christmas, I don’t celebrate it religiously, of course. This makes me a real American, I think, aligning with our true forefathers the Puritans who did not allow it to be celebrated in Massachusetts. And with groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

As I keep reading that Jews often celebrate Christmas with Chinese food, and I don’t do that, I am not mainstream with my own religious community, either. Although, come to think of it, I may get Chinese food on January 7. Do you  think that is what Jews in Ethiopia and Russia do?

I do expect every year to get presents from Santa, of course, and every year I am disappointed. Santa, from what I am told, expects to get cookies and milk from me, and he is equally disappointed. Such is life.

Speaking of disappointment, we were supposed to have lunch at daughter Michelle’s today, but Santa brought 14 year old Ian a temperature of 102, so plans were canceled. We are going for supper to friends Dick and Irene’s this evening for their annual party. How many decades has this been going on? And still no Chinese food!

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and those who don’t. Do I include Donald Trump in that group? The answer is “no”. His Christmas spirit is limited to offering free flights for immigrants who had come to America so they can spend the holiday and thereafter with friends and family in the countries from which they escaped. Humbug.