There are many descriptive word to describe this past year, some vulgar, some darkly humorous. It is not a time anyone would wish to repeat. Even the Christmas season has been spoiled to some extent. Nevertheless, celebrating the birth of the doubtless most consequential individual in human history should elate us. Not going to dwell on what Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem, now in the State of Israel, caused the next twenty and a quarter centuries to bring forth. There are numerous writings from all perspectives in that regard.
Several year ago I mentioned on this blog that Walter Russell Mead Bard, Bard College professor and editor at The American Interest, wrote interesting essays on his Yule Blog for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas Eve. I commend two of those essays to readers, and am certain that Mead’s others can be found and appreciated by those interested. These essays can be appreciated by nearly anyone irrespective of their religious belief. His Fourth and Fifth Day ones are at these links:
http://www.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/12/28/the-hinge-of-fate-2/
http://www.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/12/29/the-meaning-of-christmas-3/
God Jul
Craciun fericit
Wesolych Swiat
Linksmu Kaledu
Hyvää Joulua
Sretan Božic
Veselé Vánoce
Frohelich Weihnachten
Buon Natale
Joueux Noel
¡Feliz Navidad! (If you live in Texas and don’t know what this means, you reside in a cave.)
In other words, Merry Christmas (to all and to all a good night.)
