[Links]
[links] Link salad wonders why the streets are so empty
io9 discusses my novella, Love in the Time of Metal and Flesh
Yesterday on Twitter and Facebook, I linked to this fascinating article on Julian dating — Which is to say, timekeeping. Unfortunately, a whole lot of people thought I was talking about Julian Assange. Hilarity ensued.
The Year Kenny Loggins Ruined Christmas — Hahahahah.
Suitcase Santas — Art guru James Gurney on the traveling spirit of the season.
UFO Santa — From x-planes.
Santa Claus was from Turkey? — Well, yes. Didn’t everyone know this? Home of all right jolly old elves.
Walking Santa, Talking Christ — Why do Americans claim to be more religious than they are? Because, um, Christians are an oppressed minority in this country. Yeah, that must be it!
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays — Are people really so stupid that they are willing to let a bunch of cranks and media opportunists convince them that A) there is a War on Christmas, and B) wishing someone “happy holidays” is somehow akin to attacking their religious beliefs? Apparently, many people are precisely that stupid. (Thanks to lt260.)
?otD: Turkey, ham or goose?
12/25/2010
Writing time yesterday: 3.0 hours (Sunspin outline development)
Body movement: 30 minute stationary bike ride
Hours slept: 8.5 hours (interrupted)
Weight: 250.2
Currently reading: Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban
Posted: 8:20 am Sat December 25 2010 |
Where am I?
You are reading the blog of Jay Lake, speculative fiction writer and author of hundreds of short stories, many novels, and winner of the John W. Campbell Award.
Learn more here.
Cora
December 25th, 2010 at 4:59 pmThe fact that the historical St. Nicholas is from Turkey has long been a favourite argument for German-Turkish kids, most of whom are Muslim, to participate in the Christian based custom of “Nikolauslaufen”, i.e. a sort of trick or treating on St. Nicholas Day (which, for the record, is December 6th and not Christmas). So yes, I thought everybody knew that.
I don’t get the fervency of the “Merry Christmas” vs. “Happy Holidays” conflict in the US at all. The whole “War on Christmas” idea is silly, of course, but I have met US (I presume) atheists who got a bit pissy when I wished them a “Merry Christmas”. I’ve never gotten that reaction in Germany at all. And considering that approx. a third of all Germans are not affiliated with any religion (I’m one of them), there’s a pretty good chance that many of the people you wish Merry Christmas are non-believers. But we have very few of the sort of strident atheists who feel personally insulted when someone wishes them a Merry Christmas.
That said, I wish people “Happy Holidays” when I know or have reason to believe that they are Muslim, Jewish or pagan. Again no negative reactions, when I get it wrong. For Americans of unknown religious background, I usually go with “Merry Christmas or other appropriate seasonal holiday”, because some of them get cranky, if you wish them well for the wrong holiday.
In the end, what does it matter if someone wishes you a happy holiday you don’t celebrate? If someone takes the time to wish you a happy whatever, they only mean well. I’ve also had people wishing me a “Happy Winter Solstice” and “Happy Festivus” and I don’t have a problem with that.
Question of the day: Neither. We had pork curry (lunch) and herring salad (dinner).
Tweets that mention blog: [links] Link salad wonders why the stree... #fb -- Topsy.com
December 25th, 2010 at 9:57 pm[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jay Lake, james hamilton. james hamilton said: [links] Link salad wonders why the streets are so empty | jlake.com: io9 discusses my novella, Love in the Time … http://bit.ly/goZOku [...]