Taking down Christmas decorations can be difficult when they serve as buffers to memories as painful to remember as one is grateful not to have forgotten them, especially as we age: my father has been dead nearly 50 years, but that chasm of time disappears in the still-vivid hammer sounds of the crèche he built us every Christmas, and the joys of my mother’s New Year’s Day parties before lives became war zones.
Commentary
St. Francis and the Nativity Scene’s Nativity
Francis in 1223 sought permission from Pope Honorious III to do something “for the kindling of devotion” to the birth of Christ. As part of his preparations, Francis “made ready a manger, and bade hay, together with an ox and an ass,” in the small Italian town of Greccio.
Here’s Why, Scientifically Speaking, Sloppy Gift-Wrapping Is Better
Consumers in the U.S. spend billions of dollars a year on wrapping gifts, in most cases to make their presents look as good as possible. But beautiful presentation doesn’t lead to a better-liked gift. A study showed that those who received a sloppily wrapped gift liked their present significantly more than those who received a neatly wrapped gift, regardless of what was inside. Yay for the sloppy!
Night of the Pies: Christmas Eve, 1967
My after-school job my senior year of high school was in a bakery attached to a supermarket in my home town, a sort of Jurassic Publix setup. On the night before Christmas Eve, we had orders for a little over 400 pies. The baker asked if I would work with him through the night and, needing the money for my college fund, being locked in an empty supermarket to bake 400 pies for twelve hours at overtime rates seemed like a wonderful idea.
Trump Claims Constitution Gives Him Immunity. Judges May Not Agree.
Former President Donald Trump has claimed he is immune from prosecution – specifically on the federal charges that he tried to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election. He says that his actions in connection with the 2020 election were part of his official duties, and he also argues that because he was not convicted during either of his impeachments, he cannot be tried in a criminal court for his actions.
Grief and the Holidays
The holidays negatively affect many people’s mental health as the holidays for many are stark reminders of grief and of whom – or what – they have lost. About 10% of bereaved adults are at risk of prolonged grief disorder, and those rates appear to have increased in the aftermath of the pandemic.
America’s Obsession with Evil: ‘The Exorcist’ at 50
In the 50 years since “The Exorcist” premiered, the cultural fascination with Satan has persisted. But as religiosity has waned, popular portrayals of Satan have also changed. Rather than embody pure evil, Luciferian characters that are complicated – even likable – have emerged.
A Constitutional Scholar Explains Colorado Court’s Trump Ballot Ban
Taken as a whole, the structure of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment leads to the conclusion that Donald Trump is one of those past or present government officials who by violating his oath of allegiance to the constitutional rules has forfeited his right to present and future office.
Guadalcanal Memories: Remembering the Mosquito Bowl on Christmas Eve, 1944
No football game ever played, or ever to be played, will exceed the drama surrounding the Mosquito Bowl, played on insect-infested Guadalcanal in 1944. The 4th and 29th U.S. Marine Corp regiments faced off before their next stop, Okinawa.
Why Did This Bottle of Whiskey Sell for $2.7 Million?
Some investors see luxury collectibles, such as high-end whiskey bottles or casks, as an alternative to other assets like stocks and bonds. But the high price may also have a lot to do with the increasing focus on the purported authenticity of craft products – especially ones like Scotch whisky, which trade on their heritage as much as their flavor.