(no subject)

Thank you for your application to the [minimum wage, requiring only a high school diploma, Public Affairs] position at [Big Eastern University]. Although we are unable to further your candidacy for this specific position at this time, we appreciate your interest.

See, rejection letters are like that are the reason I stopped applying to jobs a week ago, so that I wouldn't get any as CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

I'd give up and get a job bagging groceries except they didn't want me either.

(no subject)

Lots of awesome thinky went on in that last post about Christmas.I'm always amused that even when I'm not angling to get information, Iend up having my navel-contemplating questions answered. I haveharnessed THE POWAR OF THE INTARWEB!

Ahem. Yes. And with greatpower, as the philosopher Stan Lee tells us, comes greatresponsibility. Therefore I share with you the collection of "PopChristmas: Where It Came From" links that I amassed.

Websites: How Christmas Works. 'ware of popup ads. A lot of it is history that I knew, but there was definitely some new stuff and for people who haven't studied Classics and paganism for a decade it's very helpful. Also A History of Christmaswhich again is fairly general information but pretty concise. (As withall websites and many television documentaries, caveat emptor; rememberto look for sources cited.) Thanks queenlily and quean_of_swords.

garlandgraves points out Christmas: A Social Historyby Mark Connelly - "This is probably not cynical enough for you, but itdoes examine the development of the Victorian traditions of Christmasand the way they related to already-ingrained cultural attitudes. Andit apparently includes eight illustrated plates." and Unwrapping Christmas,ed. Daniel Miller - "this is closer to what you're looking for, Isuspect, though it's not a unified theory of Christmas so much as acollection of essays."

stvincent suggests the first story from Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors for a different take....

missfarenheit recc'd The Pogues' Fairytale of New York as a good "new" Christmas classic, but I have to say though I love the Pogues I wasn't that impressed with it. Then again, as setissma and dopplegl will tell you, I'm weird about music.

The aptly named Steven Nissenbaum has written The Battle For Christmas, which has a very cool cover, and was recc'd by calliope_jones.

sgt_majorettepoints out that the History Channel is running a history of earlyChristmas in America, but as I couldn't find the specific show I amsettling for a Schedule of Christmas Programming on the History channel.

(no subject)

Okay you guys.

I know someone out there has a recipe for baconost you want to give me. Preferably one in English, since the one I ran through the Norwegian-to-English translator informs me that I must "Begin along with to spatula three baconskiver, lays you them in a forehead, and rather bustle above. As movingly still am wet, drysser you above torn cheese, and shake at forehead, so that cheese descends movingly."

It's for Lucky as a surprise snack on Christmas Eve, since he's a fan of all things Norwegian, being of Norwegian ancestry. Technically so am I, five or six generations back, but then my antecedent was also a pirate and you don't see me pillaging.

Much.