Merry Christmas

[Uncle Al]

This is my "Alter Ego" until December 24th.
Then it's back to my skirted/kilted look

Santa Update V2 2017-12-16.jpeg

Santa Update V1 2017-12-16.jpeg

Uncle Al

[denimini]

Ho Ho Ho, the beard looks amazingly real. I am sure it will be fun and probably not worth messing with tradition as a kilted Santa.
Santa outfits don't suit our 40C+ Christmas period where I live. I am sure Skirtsdad could create an alternative for hot climates????

[Uncle Al]

Ho Ho Ho, the beard looks amazingly real.

It IS real.

Santa Al

[Caultron]

You know, I don't think the original Saint Nicholas ever wore trousers...

[moonshadow]

Ho Ho Ho, the beard looks amazingly real. I am sure it will be fun and probably not worth messing with tradition as a kilted Santa.
Santa outfits don't suit our 40C+ Christmas period where I live. I am sure Skirtsdad could create an alternative for hot climates????

I've wondered from time to time, as "the holiday season" seems to center on the customs and traditions surrounding winter solstice with it's promise of longer days starting afterwards, do folks in the southern hemisphere celebrate "Christmas" in June?

I could thread drift this thing into kingdom come, but the question nags at me.... a lot of western "Christmas tradition" stems from winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, various Gods and Goddesses bringing new life to the land come spring, etc etc... how does this jive south of the equator? You all essentially have your "harvest" about the time we have our Beltane....

*MoonShadows sits cross-legged in the floor by his heater eagerly awaiting a Australian Christmas story from Anthony....*

For what it's worth, it's more logical for Santa Claus to live on the SOUTH pole... at least there's an actual continent down there. On the north, it's just frozen ocean....

Damned science! Messing up my childhood!

[john62]

Some people will do a Christmas in July celebration, but never in June, why not June I have no idea.

John

[beachlion]

One time I celebrated Christmas and New Year in Uruguay. We were doing a BBQ and I was in a T-shirt in the middle of the night in the back garden with a glass of champagne. It felt so unreal.

[Caultron]

One time I celebrated Christmas and New Year in Uruguay. We were doing a BBQ and I was in a T-shirt in the middle of the night in the back garden with a glass of champagne. It felt so unreal.

Actually, there's much to be said for that.

Nobody in the Bible is reported as shoveling show or freezing their asses.

[beachlion]

One time I celebrated Christmas and New Year in Uruguay. We were doing a BBQ and I was in a T-shirt in the middle of the night in the back garden with a glass of champagne. It felt so unreal.

Actually, there's much to be said for that.

Nobody in the Bible is reported as shoveling show or freezing their asses.

I like your point of view. As a heathen I don't know much about the details but if you can sleep as a shepherd in the fields, it was certainly not in the snow.

[Kirbstone]

OK, In the Bible lands they do get snow high up in the mountains, but apart from the 'Temptation of Christ', where the Devil is supposed to have taken him into a 'high place', the Bible stories are played out in the lowlands, where the climate remains warm throughout most of the year.

On the 'Flight into Egypt', undertaken by the Holy Family to flee the soldiers sent by King Herod to slay the first born innocents, they would have been at 36,000 feet of course, well above the snow-shovelers!

A close friend who lives in Melbourne AUS. E-mailed me a couple of days ago reporting that he drove the 600 miles from Melbourne at 38 deg C. to Sydney at 40 deg.C via Canberra, in the hills where it was a mere 36 deg. C. and his air-con didn't miss a beat. It is the advent of air-con. in both houses and vehicles that has made these places habitable in the Summer.

I wrote back and reported that at 2 deg. C and pelting rain & sleet, my windscreen wipers didn't miss a beat all the way home from work the other day!

Tom

[denimini]

I've wondered from time to time, as "the holiday season" seems to center on the customs and traditions surrounding winter solstice with it's promise of longer days starting afterwards, do folks in the southern hemisphere celebrate "Christmas" in June?

I could thread drift this thing into kingdom come, but the question nags at me.... a lot of western "Christmas tradition" stems from winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, various Gods and Goddesses bringing new life to the land come spring, etc etc... how does this jive south of the equator? You all essentially have your "harvest" about the time we have our Beltane....

*MoonShadows sits cross-legged in the floor by his heater eagerly awaiting a Australian Christmas story from Anthony....*

We probably celebrate the summer solstice for similar reasons as the weather in summer can be quite hostile here and most people are getting sick of hot days, although the hottest seems to be in January and February. It amazes me how many people adhere to the roast dinner tradition, although it could be emu instead of turkey, including my late partner Heather with a roast lamb. A climate where one feels more inclined to a salad finished with ice-cream with fruit and rum in it. One has to keep everything on plates well covered, not just because of the flies but things can dry out to a crisp in a few minutes, OK for a crisp but not for cakes and sandwiches.
We only have one Santa in town and as there is no snow for a sleigh, he rides on the back of the local fire truck (which happens to be red). Like Uncle AL, he has a real beard. A lot of itinerants, like nurses, police, teachers, council staff, etc. go away over summer, before Christmas, so we had a community celebration Saturday night with some good fireworks which the humans loved - and the dogs hated. Only the silly travel through here on Christmas day as it is usually hot and you can not buy fuel and the nearest town is 200kms away. I like being home for Christmas as it is quite free of commercial hype and remains more of a family time. I don't have family here but feel like most of the town is my family. Sadly for those living here with a faith, the priest is going away for Christmas - (a bit like the local baker used to close for lunch).
Thankfully (to whoever) there is going to be a cool change for Christmas day but no snow.
One great thing is that minskirts are appropriate apparel for Christmas here and I will choose something special.

For what it's worth, it's more logical for Santa Claus to live on the SOUTH pole... at least there's an actual continent down there. On the north, it's just frozen ocean....

Yes, with climate change, he might not have a home.

Wishing everyone an enjoyable Christmas.
Anthony

xmas2017_forecast.JPG

[crfriend]

It amazes me how many people adhere to the roast dinner tradition, although it could be emu instead of turkey, including my late partner Heather with a roast lamb. A climate where one feels more inclined to a salad finished with ice-cream with fruit and rum in it. One has to keep everything on plates well covered, not just because of the flies but things can dry out to a crisp in a few minutes, OK for a crisp but not for cakes and sandwiches.

In looking at that weather forecast, I can see how the climate would dessicate almost anything in no time flat -- high 30s/low 40s and low teens for relative humidity. That's nuts. Of course the first part of that last sentence reminded me of something I'd not heard in decades.

One great thing is that minskirts are appropriate apparel for Christmas here and I will choose something special.

[moonshadow]

I just realized there are three seasons represented in Al's second photo....

Al himself as Santa Claus, for winter, an Easter basket for spring, mason jars for autumn (harvest time)...

All that's missing is one of Anthony's mini skirts for summer!

[Darryl]

Moonshadow,

How do you KNOW there's no continent at the North Pole? Given that old (how old?) Santa's got to be wielding some kind of "magic" or "sufficiently advanced technology" to distribute all the goodies in one day, keep tabs on the 'naughty/nice' list, replicate all those copyrighted/trademarked gift items, operate and maintain a flying machine that can disappear or even appear to be a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and operate out of the North Polar region lo these many, many years.... I'd postulate that his home is cloaked in some manner.

[Kirbstone]

While the geographic North pole is ocean usually covered by ice, the Magnetic North pole is on dry land near Bathurst Island in the far North of Canada, but is constantly on the move. (Look up nautical charts over the years).

Re: Santa's delivery schedule, Some time ago the Round Earthers won and imposed different time zones on us all. This gives Santa a 24-hour run at his deliveries. Leave out all the Hindus, Buddists,Taoists, Muslims &c and concentrating on the Christians, the Eastern Orthodox guys did Santa a great favour by sticking to the 'old' calendar and celebrating their Christmas thirteen days later.

This further lightens Santa's load on the 24th of December, but requires him to do another stint on January 6th. He has been informed that there will be no fewer than four grandchildren 'resident' at Kirbstone Towers this year, so he won't overfly us, that's for sure.

Tom.