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You guys sent in some great responses to last week’s challenge on myths and urban legends. For this week’s challenge, I’d like to see winter holiday-related facts. This will give you a chance to share facts about holiday traditions, movies, weird history, etc. I’ll get it started with the following story about one of the most successful Christmas gag gifts in history:
Ever wonder where pet rocks came from? Well the genius behind this moronic craze is Gary Dahl, a California ad exec. Gary came up with the idea one evening in 1975 while sitting around at a bar with some of his buddies, pontificating about the hassle of owning a pet and jokingly proposing rocks as the perfect low-maintenance pal. Still amused by the idea the next morning, Dahl created a prototype, complete with carrying case and the Pet Rock Training Manual. In August of that year, he took the kit to the annual gift show in NYC, where Neiman Marcus (strange match) bought all 500 of them. By the end of October, Dahl was shipping 10,000 pet rocks every day! By the end of the holiday season, he’d used up three tons of stone from Rosarita Beach in Baja, Mexico. The fad quickly waned the next year, but not before Dahl made millions off of the idea.
Okay, now it’s your turn to make us all a little smarter! I’ll highlight some of my favorites on Friday.
I’ll start with the big one: Jesus Christ wasn’t born on Christmas Day. No one actually knows when Jesus was born, but it couldn’t have been in the winter time because the angel came to the shepherds when they were “in the fields.” Way too cold to be in the fields with the herds during winter. Probably the whole Christmas thing got started when the Christians overlayed their own religious meanings on already existing pagan festivals; winter solstice celebrated the rebirth of Sun Gods all across Europe at the time.
posted by Rachel on 12-5-2006 at 12:51 pm
As a kid, all the holiday stories seem so magical and wonderful. Everyone can recall the most famous reindeer of all, right? How about the most famous marketing campaign of all?
That’s right, little Rudolph and the story of his unfortunate romp from ugly duckling to pulling-the-sleigh stardom was brought to the public by Montgomery-Ward in 1939. The company did sell the rights of the story back to its original creator (Bob May) but not until 1947, when Monty Wards had made quite the bank off the story.
Consequently and somewhat off-topic, has anyone in their adult years pondered the meaning of the Rudolph story? I mean really, are we supposed to be teaching children that it’s okay to ridicule those that are different than you until they’re useful? Rudolph might as well be a pimply teenager who writes book reports for the class bully:
Rudolph: “Here’s your summary of Pride and Prejudice, Santa. Can I join in the reindeer games?”
Santa: “Ha Ha! Yeah, right after I shout out with glee that you’ll go down in history. Whatever, red-nosed freak.”
posted by Beth on 12-5-2006 at 1:30 pm
Today, children leave cookies to thank Santa for the gifts and for his hard work, but it started because children who had been not-so-nice were trying to bribe Santa into overlooking their behaviour and leaving them some presents. You would think, though, that bribery would be something Santa frowned upon and attempted bribery would lower, not increase, the chance of getting gifts.
posted by Alice on 12-5-2006 at 3:57 pm
The German version of Santa was a little less cheery in the beginning. He would travel around to the different houses with a partner-a troll i think who’s name escapes me at the moment- and would leave gifts for the good children. If the children were bad, then the troll would go up to their beds as they slept and whack them with a bundle of sticks.
My friend told me about it a few years ago and got a good laugh out of the visual.
posted by Heather on 12-5-2006 at 4:28 pm
Well, Rachel, some years ago, an astronomer at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, one of the largest commuter 2 year colleges in the country, did presentations on his theory of exactly when Jesus was born. He believed, based on meteorological data, Jesus was born on September 10th. He was in the process of writing a book. He no longer teaches at COD and seems to have disappeared off the planet. His argument was extremely convincing.
posted by Debb on 12-6-2006 at 9:39 am
Over the years, my appreciation for Christmas had long been jaded. I’ve had to deal with the ugly side of commercialized holidays; demanding clients, their fickle-last-minute changes, and prepetual anxiety of my station’s(s) account reps. Most years, I’m burnt out by the first weekend after Thanksgiving.
However, this year has been different.
Before Thanksgiving, my wife, Rachel and I made a commitment to make the time to slow down and do something the help us better enjoy the holidays and appreciate the real reason for the season.
Last Saturday, we attended a Christmas concert by a hand bell ensemble called “Embellishments” at The Birmingham Museum of Art.
It was beautiful, to say the least.
After the concert, Rachel and I decided to visit the museum’s bookstore and browse. Like most men during shopping duties, my attention span quickly ended and I decided to wait outside the store till Rachel finished shopping. I stood in one of the main galleries and happened to notice a throne-like chair with beautifully decorated Christmas trees on either side it.
Obviously, I thought to myself, this is for the museum’s Santa Clause. But, then again, this is an art museum. So, something that seems like a normal chair to you and I might be some other guy’s idea of artistic expression.
I continued to stare with deep concentration, as I usually do when something fascinates me. It wasn’t long before I noticed that the other people scattered throughout the gallery were staring at Santa’s throne as well.
Evidently, my staring at it caused them to stare as well. It wasn’t long before there was a group of people standing next to me, all staring with that contemplative, what the heck is that, look on their face.
Then, it dawned on me, because of my staring, they’re having a tough time deciphering what the artistic significance is of a big, throne like chair, with Christmas trees on either side is.
Then, I over-heard a woman whisper to her male companion “What is that?”
I couldn’t help myself, I had to seize the opportunity.
“It’s where the art museum Santa sits” I quietly and politely jumped in.
“Ah, yes, how sweet,” she replied.
“But, since this is an art museum,” I continued, “these aren’t ordinary Santas, they’re thematic Santa’s celebrating the different types of popular art.”
As if that wouldn’t suffice, I had to embellish further. Everyone there took their attention off of Santa’s throne and looked towards me, as if I had the solitary explanation to their latest query.
“On Monday’s, a man wearing nothing but a red T-shirt comes in and sits on the throne,” I furthered. “He’s minnimalist Santa Clause.
“Then, on Tuesday’s, a fella comes in wearing a Santa suit with the sleeves sewn shut at the shoulders. Having no arms, he’s Santa de Milo.”
It was only then that the group figured out I was being a clown. But, they laughed any way.
I went on. “They had to cancel the Wednesday guy….”
The woman asked why.
I explained “well, Wednesday was surreallist Santa day. But surreallist Santa scared the heck out of the kids because his face was where his arms were supposed to be. Thursday is Van Goh Santa day-and….”
“Don’t tell me,” the woman quickly quipped-”He’s missing an ear!”
“You’re right on the money, ma’am!”
“And what about Firday’s” her male companion inquired.”
“There’s a pile of red and green blocks sitting on the floor. That’s cubist Santa.”
It wasn’t long before everyone’s eyes were rolling and a few chuckling. And the security guard standing several feet from us just stared at us as if to wonder what in the heck was going on. After all, anyone having that much fun in an art museum, of all places, can’t be right. Goofy-assed, white folks and their damn goofy art.
They have a special midnight Saturday Night Santa. But, he’s not the least bit “family friendly.” He’s the Maplethorpe Santa Clause.
Rachel then appeared from the store with bags in hand. It was time to leave. And so, the group scattered.
She wondered what it was that had me so tickled. I began trying to explain, but found myself at a loss for words. For that momentary gathering of people, all staring at a chair with two trees, trying to decipher was it functional or just another artistic expression, was too much for me. The joy was spontaneous and the laughter infectuous. Yet, had you not be there to enjoy it, few words could have described it.
It’s not easy being deemed “creative.” Your mind wanders a lot. Anything fascinates you. And your mind can go into countless directions all at once. I wish more people could see the world through the eyes of this goofy-white boy. It’s not really that bad a place.
I hope you get the opportunity to stop and stare at a chair. Those momentary lapses of reason can be life’s most precious gifts.
Merry Christmas
-Mike
posted by Mike McKenzie on 12-6-2006 at 11:58 am
Have you ever wondered why if the birth of Jesus is how we reckon our calendar why New Year’s day is when it is and not on Christmas? It has to do with the fact that Jesus was Jewish. Jewish boys were routinely circumsised 7 days after their birth. (which by the way has to do with the levels of Vitamin K in the blood) Before the circumsision Jewish boys were not considered to “be”. SO actually we should all be blowing horns in celebration of Happy Circumsision Day!!
posted by Cindylou on 12-6-2006 at 1:05 pm
Beth, I have often, in fact every time something remotely leads me to think of Rudolf, wondered if I had the story right. I mean we spend so much time telling kids to be liked for their selves, and that if people (or reindeer) like them only because they are popular then they are not really friends, but BAM it Christmas and now you have follow in Rudolf’s hoof-prints.
posted by Ellen on 12-6-2006 at 9:53 pm
A few Christmas notes:
— The original Swedish Santa Claus was Thor riding a cart being pulled by goats.
— The writer of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” messed up. Santa’s last two reindeer were Dunder and Blixem in “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (which, incidentally, may or may not have been written by Clement Clarke Moore).
— During WWI, German and British troops exchanged gifts and played soccer during an undeclared “Christmas Truce.” Outraged generals back home then invent the concept of “troop rotation,” limiting time on the front lines so soldiers don’t grow too fond of the enemy.
posted by Ben on 12-7-2006 at 1:35 pm
Re: Ben’s final comment
He probably knows this already, but the “Christmas truce” story is beautifully told in the movie “Joyeux Noel”, which was nominated for, but did not win, the Foreign Film Oscar last year. I love movies that can successfully show things from multiple perspectives.
posted by Kaberi on 12-15-2006 at 3:53 pm
Sharks can sense your heartbeat.
posted by GoingLikeSixty on 6-22-2007 at 10:26 am
RSS readers sometimes dredge up old posts.
posted by GoingLikeSixty on 6-22-2007 at 10:27 am