tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post8877637848157850297..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: Christmas Into SolsticeAssistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-18478825681899567812022-09-29T18:31:29.302-04:002022-09-29T18:31:29.302-04:00On that score, even Boston, a northern city in the...On that score, even Boston, a northern city in the US, has days two hours longer on the Solstice than say, Edinburgh. And we are also, as you note, in a time of electric lights. Light was hard to come by not so many centuries ago. William Manchester's evocative title <i>A World Lit Only By Fire</i> was about Medieval times, not the Dark Ages.Assistant Village Idiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-37173458255172786632022-09-29T13:47:48.056-04:002022-09-29T13:47:48.056-04:00The costumes look like the Muppets Christmas Carol...The costumes look like the Muppets Christmas Carol, now that you mention it.<br /><br />The solstice isn't an obvious thing for new-age-moderns to celebrate; they're probably only latching onto it <i>because</i> it's a non-Christian reason for a festival at this particular time of year. If you live your life inside under artificial lights, in houses or office buildings that are heated in winter and cooled in summer, the passing of the seasons is not of nearly so much interest. If you no longer even commute to work, so you don't have to step out into the cold and dark even to get to the office from the house, less interest still. If your food including your favorite produce is year-round available at the grocery store, even less interest. <br /><br />The rhythm of the seasons matters a lot to those who live close by them, and whose food and death may be governed by them being mild or harsh. One can understand taking a religious interest in such things. This is just an excuse to hold a party without participating in anything icky like faith.Grimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07543082562999855432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-78999250994373623282022-09-28T20:44:22.331-04:002022-09-28T20:44:22.331-04:00Irish, Mexican, and Jewish this year. One of the t...Irish, Mexican, and Jewish this year. One of the three would have been alert to the Winter Solstice.Assistant Village Idiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-19597896948169189232022-09-28T20:17:41.474-04:002022-09-28T20:17:41.474-04:00The costumes seem to be for a festival of internat...The costumes seem to be for a festival of international time travelers.jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01792036361407527304noreply@blogger.com