The holidays of 2025 have descended upon us again. By “the holidays,” I mean Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s. And those are just the most commonly known ones. December 21 is Winter Solstice or Yule, the shortest day of the year. There is also Boxing Day (referring to the donation receptacle for the poor found at churches, not pugilism), and a little-known celebration on December 26 called Zarathosht Diso which commemorates the death of a prophet worshipped by the Zoroastrians for over 4000 years. Followers trek to temples or spend time in reflection and readings.
For the second year in a row, I decided to make limoncello. Those of you who tuned in a few weeks ago know how the initial prep went on Thanksgiving. Since then my hacked-up finger has healed, and the infusion is now ready for simple syrup and distribution into jars to give to excited consumers who enjoyed my first batch.
I still plan the usual beef for Christmas dinner and pork for New Year’s, though my beef this year will be a decent brand of hamburger as the eye roast prices are seriously over budget. A trip to “Ack-a-me” brought out the “Ack!” response upon seeing the price per pound. Albertson’s is having a bad year.
As to other holiday traditions, I and others will tune into a Turner network at some point between Christmas Eve and late Christmas Day to watch Ralphie shoot his eye out with a Red Rider air rifle (A Christmas Story), and folks in Sweden will watch Donald Duck (or “Kalle Anka”) and the legacy Disney ensemble in a traditional holiday broadcast promptly at 3:00 PM on Christmas Eve. Also I will be bingeing a few episodes of my newest diversion on Passionflix, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. And for those rolling their eyes, there appears to be nothing about channel owner Tosca Musk’s character that screams negativity, so I’m checking out the broadcast story before reading the books and supporting the performers.
The mall parking lots are the fullest they’ve been all year, a testament to the return of holiday shopping madness, so I have not set foot in any mall since before Thanksgiving. Also, the stomach virus has infiltrated nearby towns to our west, and so I’m trying to stay more than a lightyear away from anything or anybody from which I could pick up that gastrointestinal terror from the microscopic world of germs.
Next week will be a recap of 2025 and a look ahead. One must have something to look forward to, and a major event is our 250th anniversary as a nation, flaws and all.
Be safe, don’t overspend, and don’t forget to watch something holiday themed on television.
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