Since its already Christmas somewhere in the world

Outside The Beltway
22

In entirely stereotypical New York Jew fashion, Christmas has always been a day when I could watch movies all day, and eat Chinese food for every meal.

I had friends with “hannukah bushes”, and other Christmas-facimilies that their families would play out to make them feel included in the holidays celebrated by all our gentile friends, but my parents had none of that - but, nevertheless they understood Christmas was always going to be a lonely day for me as a kid - a day when all of my friends were going to be otherwise occupied, every restaurant (except for the Chinese food places) and store was closed, and a day that everyone else was celebrating an important holiday that I was excluded from.

So I got to watch movies all day. I wasn’t allowed to watch much TV growing up, and renting movies was a special occasion, so spending an entire day watching whatever movies (subject to parental approval) I wanted was quite a treat.

As I got older, it became a joke and cliche with my friends - when my gentile friends were unable to return to their families for Christmas, due to work or distance or whatever, they would join me for Jew Christmas - dinner at a nice Chinese restaurant in Manhattan, followed by a showing of a movie at a nearby movie theater.

Me and my wife just returned home after spending a few days in New York visiting our families. We went to my dad’s hannukah party, saw my 101-year old grandfather, ate barbecue with her dad and (she) got pedicures with her mom. She’s a nurse, and has to work tonight, so we came back home to the DMV on Monday. She was raised Catholic, but neither of us are religious people, and she took the Christmas shift to both give her colleagues the night off, and for the time-and-a-half pay differential.

Last night I cooked her the Christmas Eve dinner of her childhood - she’s Ecuadorian/Puerto Rican and Christmas Eve has always been the party day - I got recipies from her mom, and cooked lentils and skirt steak, and a couple bottles of red wine.

I think I understand Christmas a little better now, as a adult, than I did as a child. The religious aspects aside, it’s a day to put everything else on pause and celebrate the things you have - family and friends, good food and even just lots of movies.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

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Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.

We actually went into work today, but at least there was virtually no traffic & we got some excellent Chinese food afterwards.

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Merry Christmas all. Remember the reason for the season.

Luke 2: 1-20

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

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Merry Christmas GW. Thanks for the post…

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