Author Topic: The first day of 2009, and it's the last 6 days before 'Little Christmas'--  (Read 19559 times)

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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If I ever make it to the class! It's blizzarding in Denver right now!

I wish I was there. I like snow. Just ask Adam how happy I was in the snow in Wyoming in October.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Front-Ranger

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It was very pretty snow today, friend. Little snowflakes, like powdered sugar, drifting lazily through the air. A very suitable atmosphere for Epiphany.
"chewing gum and duct tape"

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Christmas is celebrated on December 25 because Julius Caesar's astronomers goofed when they calculated the date of the Winter Solstice. They calculated it as December 25 when, as we all know, it's usually more like December 21. The Romans celebrated the Saturnalia on December 25, and later in the Empire period December 25 was made the celebration Natalis Solis Invictus (not sure I've got the spelling right on that Latin!)--the Birth of the Unconquered Sun. Christianity preempted--or usurped--the date for the Birth of the Son of God to compete with the non-Christian festival, and to keep all those new Christians from backsliding because all those non-Christians were having a good time on December 25. It gave the Christians something to celebrate.

Actually, within Christianity's own frame of reference, there is a certain logic to celebrating Christ's birth in December, and this may well have had something to do with the choice of date. According to Luke's birth story, the Angel Gabriel visited Mary in the sixth month. Evidently the Church assumed that Luke was using the Jewish calendar, where the year begins usually about the middle of September. That would place the Annunciation--Gabriel's appearance to Mary--about February--March-ish. I haven't done any research into when the Annunciation was pegged at March 25 (thought to have been the Vernal Equinox), but nine months after March 25 is December 25.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline ifyoucantfixit

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   I loved seeing your lovely pictures of New York.  Specially since it was at the special season.  I also loved
hearing the story of Prometheus.  I have seen many many photos of that landmark and never knew the
history of it before.  It is almost as facinating as the original story of why it is there in the first place.
   I have never been to New York, in any season, but have always wanted to go.  It was always drawing me
like some mythical place that I needed to see, before I left this soil.  I suppose I shall never make that
trip, but you have helped me feel that I have been there somewhat.  Your photos were exquisite, and
very meaningful..  Thank you Jimmy Olsen.  You have done an honorable job.  Janice



     Beautiful mind