Saturday 25 December 2010

Christmas Day.

So then, that was Christmas Day 2010.

I opened my presents, made sure the birds got lots of food, made a fire in the living room, took Frothgar for a drive to put some charge in his battery, drank some Ardbeg Islay single malt scotch, made an offensive blog post, had an enjoyable dinner, smoked a cigar, read another chapter of Possession (I have to sit an examination on it when somebody gets back from New Zealand) and watched a couple of comedy shows on the TV (good ones, needless to say.) So what’s next, or is that it? I’m bored now.

I know: would you like to hear what my four Christmas presents were? OK.

A hamper of fancy food items from an expensive food store. Unfortunately, I haven’t a clue what most of it is, much less what I’m supposed to do with it. But that’s all good.

Socks.

A big green candle that keeps going out. I suspect the wick isn’t long enough. Story of my life, that. But, as someone once reassured me, ‘It isn’t the gun that’s important, it’s the gunner.’ Some women are more discerning than others.

Scotch.

More scotch.

I know, that’s five. Two came together. The fact that four people got me a Christmas present came close to making me choke. No kid; I’m serious! People giving me things has that effect. That’s why I need the scotch, to help me get over it.

So now I’m listening to some music, and when that’s finished I’ll screw my courage to the sticking place and head off to the frigid wasteland that is my bathroom to get clean. Not that I’m dirty, you understand, just fastidious. And, who knows, somebody might call one of these days and ask to examine my credentials.

On which note, I passed Sarah and her mother in the lane today. Our vehicles crossed on the ice. They didn’t wave. Neither did Sarah or her mother.

When the bathing’s done, I have e-mails to write (especially to the person who sent the socks, because I really needed some new socks,) scotch to drink, and a warm bed to go to. And then it’ll be Boxing Day.

Hope everybody had a Christmas Day at least as good as mine.

4 comments:

swati said...

I don't celebrate christmas!! :D for obvious reasons.

JJ said...

Why 'obvious,' Swati? Religious? Cultural? Christmas has no religious significance for me. It's just a tradition that I tie in with the solstice. I'm genuinely curious to know whether non-Christian Indians celebrate Christmas, courtesy of a hangover from the British Raj.

swati said...

Religious, basically. You celebrate christmas even when it holds no religious significance for you because its happening all over the place and you just get into the spirit of it, if not for the religious sentiments. Mostly, non-christian indians don't celebrate them. Now, some do. But it has more to do with the opportunity to "party" and "get drunk", which is completely opposed to the true purpose of it. You should spend it with people you love rather than jumping up and down in a club getting drunk. That's what's wrong with some classes of people here.
And those who do spend christmas here properly are indian christians, courtesy of the British Raj. You see, there were originally no christians in India. They got converted during the British rule. They follow and celebrate it with the right spirit. I go to a christian college, by the way. So, I have a lot of friends who are christians. Its nice to watch them caroling and all. :)

JJ said...

Well, I'm tempted to give credence to the idea that Jesus spent his early adulthood travelling in India, learning Vedic spirituality, and that his true message was quite different from what the early Christians turned it into. There's no way of knowing, of course. But this is one small angle on why I don't recognise the Christian version of 'Christmas.' I'm more drawn towards the solstice celebration.