Merry Christmas to all

[Scott Lloyd]

We spend so much time and energy interacting with one another here, it seems a shame that, almost without exception, we will never know one another as anything more than disembodied screen names.

At this beautiful season, I wish everyone a joyous Christmas and a prosperous and happy new year. And that includes any whom I might have crossed rhetorical swords with over the years. No hard feelings. I wish you all of life's goodness.

I offer this impromptu oration from one of my favorite characters in my favorite novel of all time from my favorite writer of all time:
 

Quote

There are many things from which I might have derived good, by which I have not profited, Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good, and I say, God bless it!

-- Scott

Edited December 21, 2016 by Scott Lloyd

[Kenngo1969]

Don't you mean, "Merry Smith-mas"?  

Thanks, Scott.   Right back atcha.

[strappinglad]

Merry Christmas to everyone. To those I may have offended this past year, sorry for that. To those who have offended me this past year, I'll get over it... eventually.

 To one in particular, many thanks for your calming presence.

[Duncan]

Merry Christmas one and all!

[Kenngo1969]

6 minutes ago, Duncan said:

Merry Christmas one and all!

"God bless us, every one!"  

[Scott Lloyd]

3 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

"God bless us, every one!"  

That sort of talk will get your school play canceled in Lancaster, Pa.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Scott Lloyd

[rodheadlee]

Merry Christmas everybody. i have nothing witty to say, but it would be really cool to have a party where we all meet.

[waveslider]

Mele Kalikimaka!

[Scott Lloyd]

56 minutes ago, waveslider said:

Mele Kalikimaka!

Love Jimmy Buffet's recording of that!

[Rivers]

God bless us. Everyone.

[Kenngo1969]

2 hours ago, waveslider said:

Mele Kalikimaka!

Mahalo!  

[Kenngo1969]

51 minutes ago, Rivers said:

God bless us. Everyone.

Someone might've beaten you to that.  Just sayin'!  

P.S.: But, hey!  If it's worth sayin', it's worth sayin' twice!

Edited December 21, 2016 by Kenngo1969

[Kenngo1969]

5 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

"God bless us, every one!"  

 

4 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

That sort of talk will get your school play canceled in Lancaster, Pa.

Yep.  And that's a perfect illustration of throwing the "culture baby" out with the "religion bathwater." 

https://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/christmas-is-culturally-significant-even-if-not-religiously-so/

Edited December 21, 2016 by Kenngo1969

[Bernard Gui]

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo a todos.

 

Edited December 21, 2016 by Bernard Gui

[Abulafia]

We are in Spanish territory for Christmas so "Feliz Navidad",  and we'll be sharing gifts on Reyes Magos with a quiet day on the 25th.(When in Rome!) 😀

[CV75]

10 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

We spend so much time and energy interacting with one another here, it seems a shame that, almost without exception, we will never know one another as anything more than disembodied screen names.

At this beautiful season, I wish everyone a joyous Christmas and a prosperous and happy new year. And that includes any whom I might have crossed rhetorical swords with over the years. No hard feelings. I wish you all of life's goodness.

I offer this impromptu oration from one of my favorite characters in my favorite novel of all time from my favorite writer of all time:
 

-- Scott

Thank you Scott and a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours and to all and theirs

...and to crossing plowshares in 2017!

[Scott Lloyd]

10 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

 

Yep.  And that's a perfect illustration of throwing the "culture baby" out with the "religion bathwater." 

https://greatgourdini.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/christmas-is-culturally-significant-even-if-not-religiously-so/

How grateful I am that such debilitating political correctness has not afflicted us at the high school level -- not where I live, anyway. 

At my son's high school music program, there were plenty of Christian- and Christ-oriented selections performed: "O Holy Night," "Halleluia!" chorus, "Mary, Did You Know?" and some less-familiar ones.

They even had the audience sing along on two carols: "Joy to the World"  and "Angels We Have Heard on High."  Of course, we sang lustily. The arrangements, apparently taken from the LDS hymnal, were familiar to many of us. 

It helped, I think, that the choral director and vocal ensemble coach is a member of the Tabernacle Choir. 

This time of year, numerous local high school choirs perform at separate venues on Temple Square and in the Church Office Building. 

Some years ago Neil Diamond released a Christmas album. He is Jewish. I remember him saying in an interview at the time that his affinity for the culture of Christmas stems from his participation in high school choral groups. 

Edited December 21, 2016 by Scott Lloyd

[Tacenda]

33 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

How grateful I am that such debilitating political correctness has not afflicted us at the high school level -- not where I live, anyway. 

At my son's high school music program, there were plenty of Christian- and Christ-oriented selections performed: "O Holy Night," "Halleluia!" chorus, "Mary, Did You Know?" and some less-familiar ones.

They even had the audience sing along on two carols: "Joy to the World"  and "Angels We Have Heard on High."  Of course, we sang lustily. The arrangements, apparently taken from the LDS hymnal, were familiar to many of us. 

It helped, I think, that the choral director and vocal ensemble coach is a member of the Tabernacle Choir. 

This time of year, numerous local high school choirs perform at separate venues on Temple Square and in the Church Office Building. 

Some years ago Neal Diamond released a Christmas album. He is Jewish. I remember him saying in an interview at the time that his affinity for the culture of Christmas stems from his participation in high school choral groups. 

Neil Diamond is coming to Salt Lake again, still need to go to one of his concerts.

Merry Christmas Scott, although we disagree sometimes, we've shared some laughs too! Enjoy your missionary's call, I'm sure you're like a kid counting down the days till Christmas! 

[Scott Lloyd]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

Neil Diamond is coming to Salt Lake again, still need to go to one of his concerts.

Merry Christmas Scott, although we disagree sometimes, we've shared some laughs too! Enjoy your missionary's call, I'm sure you're like a kid counting down the days till Christmas! 

Actually, I kind of don't want him to come home. I have too much fun mentioning him in conversation!

Thanks for remembering him, and thanks for the Christmas wishes. 

[ERayR]

All I can do is add my MERRY CHRISTMAS to all the rest.

[Daniel2]

Thanks for this thread, Scott!

I join with you all in wishing everyone a warm Christmas season filled with love, family, presence, joy, hope, and remembrance.

And I'll also add two of my favorite Christmas stories/reflections:

The first is called Trouble at the Inn.  My mother read this story from "The Reader's Digest Christmas Book" every Christmas eve as my brothers and I were growing up, just before my Dad read the nativity story from the scriptures.  To this day, I can't get through reading it without choking back a few tears.  It can be read by clicking here.

The second is a poem called Now the Work of Christmas Begins, by Howard Thurman:

Quote

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal the broken,
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoner,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among the people,
to make music in the heart.

Edited December 21, 2016 by Daniel2

[Jeanne]

Fa.la.la.la.la....la.la.la la!!  If this thread had said Happy Holidays...I would have just ignored it.  Liberal as I am...there isn't anything..anytime..or any one..who is going to stop me from wishing one and all...MERRY CHRISTMAS!!  May the new year bring all of you love, safety, security...peace...and a whole lot of laughs!!

[Scott Lloyd]

2 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Neil Diamond is coming to Salt Lake again, still need to go to one of his concerts.

Merry Christmas Scott, although we disagree sometimes, we've shared some laughs too! Enjoy your missionary's call, I'm sure you're like a kid counting down the days till Christmas! 

This isn't the interview I was referring to, but in it, Neil Diamond talks about being a Jew who loves Christmas. It's a new interview that was on NPR on the occasion of his having released yet another Christmas album: "Acoustic Christmas."

In the interview, he talks about a tour planned for next year. Of course, the Salt Lake date will be part of that tour.

[HappyJackWagon]

Merry Christmas! I hope you all have a delightful time celebrating the birth of Christ while enjoying family and friends.

For those who struggle at this time of year for various reasons, peace be unto you. God bless!

[Daniel2]

OK, another Christmas favorite... we listen to this all year round, several times every Saturday or Sunday morning while cleaning the house (and usually my hubby cries, every time!)... (I'm not exaggerating on any of the above points... lol)

 

Edited December 21, 2016 by Daniel2