Columnists
Happy whatever
This is the last column of 2025. Next year will be my twentieth year with The Times. Imagine that! Of all of the “jobs” I’ve had since I first started working in the ‘60s, this is the one place I’ve felt at home. Believe it or not, as a contributor to The Times, I’ve only occasionally been inside the International Headquarters in Wellington. When I met with Rick Conroy, many years ago, I wasn’t looking for something to do with my spare time. I certainly didn’t want to sit in a cubicle, head down, nose to the keyboard or to run out to the very next “grin and grab”. I’d done all of that. Two meetings with Rick at a little diner in Cherry Valley (of all places) we agreed to an “every other week” column and to keep it short. And so it was for a few years. Every other week I’d press send and hope for the best.
Once in a while I’ve “pressed send” and thought, “That’s going to stick in someone’s craw.” In the pit of my stomach I would feel a little rumble, but my heart told me “that needed to be said”. For those of you who know me, and you don’t really, I don’t write about controversial topics to incite riots, or provoke vitriol and receive emails from people who think I should be “fired”. I write to say the things a lot of all y’all want to say, but don’t have the forum to do so.
So, today I want to stir things up a little bit. It’s time to remember there are people in our community, maybe living on “your” street or a part of your family, who celebrate different festive occasions during the fall and winter. And I’m going to share a few with you.
- Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights! “Hanukkah Sameach!”
- Bodhi Day is the celebration of Buddha’s Enlightenment. “Anjali Mudra!”
- Kwanzaa is a modern cultural celebration of African Heritage. “Heri za Kwanzaa!”
- Las Posada is the religious and cultural celebration of the journey of Joseph and Mary. “Felices Posadas!”
- St. Nicolas Day honours St. Nicolas of Myra, the patron Saint of children and sailors. “Fine Sinterklaas!”
- St. Stephen’s Day is the celebration of the first Christian martyr. “La Fheile Stiofain!”
- Pancha Ganapati is a modern Hindu festival celebrating family, harmony and the arts. “Shush Basanta Panchami!”
- Christmas/Xmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. “Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas!”
- Yule is an ancient Germanic winter celebration that occurs near Solstice. “God Jul!”
Our culture, our heritage and the way we actually celebrate a festive occasion is unique to our upbringing or to what we’ve adapted to or adopted as our own. My family celebrated Christmas. LOML’s family also celebrated Christmas, but their holiday was very different to ours. But to a certain extent, my family’s Christmas Day may have looked a lot like everyone else’s. We did have neighbours, and family, who celebrated Hanukkah. How we greeted everyone wasn’t ever a problem, growing up. As kids we were far more interested in the cookies, the candies, the toys, the music and having a good time with our cousins. My point is, and I do have one, I wish you the loveliest of whatever it is that makes you happy during the last days of 2025.
Enjoy your solitude or gather your family and friends and make some festive noise. “We’re here for a good time, not a long time.”
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