Bonus 6: How was this semester?

Did you accomplish what you wanted to do this semester? What might you do differently? Did you learn something mind-blowing this semester? Did you do something to change this semester?

Bonus 7: Christmas Traditions

“Viewers Noticed Some Very Disturbing Details in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Christmas seems to be one of the few holidays that has a ton of hold-overs from the past. For the 4th we don’t do in 1700’s traditions, nor do non-secular people seem to be bombarded by religious stuff on Easter. (Actually, I’m still annoyed at all the eggs and bunnies that have been adopted into the religion but not commented on by the same person who gets pissy when Starbucks makes their cups less religious.) Anyway. As you can see from the video and the article, there are some justifiedly bothersome issues in some of the old Christmas classics.

I understand the value of tradition. My family is SUPER traditional. There is an old NSYNC glowlight necklace I got from a concert when I was in middle school (mid-late 90s) and a little toy lizard that are on the stairs because they will always be on the stairs. It is not Christmas in my family’s house without Anne Murry, Shania Twain, NSYNC, and Hanson. I’ve only recently added Nat King Cole, Sinatra, and Bing Crosby. So I get why people want to keep things because of tradition.

But should we do something about it? Should Rudolph not be shown on cable anymore? If you do follow a religion that celebrates Christmas, do you change anything to make it more comfortable for those who don’t? If you don’t follow a religion that celebrates Christmas, does all the holiday stuff bother you? What are your own holiday traditions?