What are you doing in 2012?

This must be the blog post for simultaneously looking backwards and forwards; the last days of 2011, the cusp of 2012.

2011 was a pretty good year. I finally realized my lifelong dream of getting published. It didn’t happen like I’d been visualizing for years. There were no publishers competing to sign me. There was no six figure advance. There’s currently no movie in the works. Strangely enough, after trying for so long to get an agent…and finally getting one, I ended up breaking off that relationship so I could self-publish unencumbered.

It’s a new world for the author, and one must embrace change. As they say – a bend in the road isn’t the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.

But it’s okay. My agent said my first book pegged me as an historical fantasy writer and that must be my focus for awhile. I didn’t much like that box; and now I don’t have to follow that rule. And that made me realize I didn’t like a lot of the “rules” of the old publishing model. I can write and publish whatever I want. The agents and publishers are no longer the gatekeepers. The readers now have that role.

So, that takes me to my brief message at the end of the year. If you haven’t already done so, make this the year you find yourself. Finish that book, take those last three classes to get your degree, learn that foreign language, take up that hobby you’ve been putting off. Do what makes you happy. Think the “rules” will hold you back? Actually, not so much as you think. As Morpheus says in the Matrix, some rules can be bent, some can be broken.

Ho, Ho…Who? Part II

This post, and the one before it have to do with the Christmas season. The last one talked about how we not only have the date wrong, but we probably don’t understand that gift giving thing very well either. In this post, let’s talk about…Santa Claus. Surely a more benign figure cannot be found. Santa is the epitome of kind benevolence. He represents the spirit of giving we associate with the season. Indeed, how could you not love Santa? Always jolly, working around the year to bring gifts to everyone, he is an example of selflessness worth emulating. And best of all, he is non-secular, scattering joy to anyone who will embrace him.

Where did this guy come from anyway? The prototype that everyone seems to go back to is Saint Nicholas, a generous 4th century Catholic bishop who found ways to help those in need. However, there other influences to the story as well. Germanic people have pulled in the story of Odin, their Father god, blending in some of his characteristics. It’s easy to see a common resemblence with this well known old picture.

The Dutch added to the story with Sinterklaas, a saint associated with the giving of gifts. Sinterklaas is depicted as wearing a long red cape, or chasuble. During the reformation, this giver of gifts was changed to the Christ child, called Christkindel. This effort to change the focus was short lived, however, because Christkindel became Kris Kringle, which brought us right back to Santa Claus.

In the 17th century, in some parts of Europe, this personification of the holidays became known as Father Christmas, and was often seen dressed in traditional garb, except it was then the color green.

In the British North American Colonies, SinterKlaas became Santa Claus and evolved into an American version of a large jolly elf. The legend became set even more with Clement Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas”, and numerous magazine illustrations by the cartoonist Thomas Nast.

The legend has become complete, with names for his reindeer, the declaration that he has a wife, that he lives at the North Pole and has a large contingent of elves working for him year round.  Santa has found his way into advertising, books, song, and movies, becoming a popular icon around the world.

He’s the perfect spokesman, giving credibility to any endorsement, no matter how naughty or nice. His image can be freely used; he requires no pay, no royalties. He bears no copyright burden and is claimed by no author.Some people have speculated that Coca Cola was the company that changed the colors of his uniform.

I would tend to think this was set in place somewhat earlier. Please have a look at the slideshow below.  With the exception of Santa and Wodin, these are all portraits of various popes of the Catholic Church over a period of several hundred years.The dates are the years in which they became pope. My theory is that the image of Santa Claus is one deliberately crafted and handed down by the Catholic Church. Think that’s farfetched? Consider that the word “Pope” means ”Father”.  Our word “Christmas” literally means “Christ’s mass.”

Now, think again about one of the other names for Santa Claus: “Father Christmas.” Take a look at the previous post of that hat everyone wore during Saturnalia, the Pileus. Make it red, put some white fringe on it and a ball on top…looks like Santa’s hat to me…

All images courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

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Ho, Ho, Who?

Apologies…I originally posted this as a separate page instead of a post. I’m moving it here because I’m putting up the follow up tonight:

It’s that time of year. The time of year when we start thinking about that guy. Which guy? Well, it’s an election year, and January primaries are just around the corner, so maybe that “guy” is your political party’s hoped for nominee for president. But let’s say it’s not an election year. That narrows it down. Now we’re down to two contenders for public attention. The first choice should be the only choice. He’s known by several names: The Babe of Bethleham, Jesus Christ, The Savior, Immanuel, The Prince of Peace. But it’s rather strange that we celebrate his birth at this time of year. It says the angels went to the shepherds with news of the savior’s birth. They were out in the fields with their sheep. It would be very unusual for shepherds to be spending a December night in the fields with their sheep. This would be a springtime activity. Well, wait, you say. There must be a good reason we celebrate Christmas in December. You’re right. There is. It’s the same time as the Winter Solstice. And there’s this ancient Roman holiday that fell right at that time of year. It’s called Saturnalia. There’s not room in this blog post to explain it all, but look it up sometime. It was a celebration filled with eating, drinking, the lighting of candles and giving of gifts. Start with the article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia Oh, more about this in the next blogpost, but here is a picture (also from Wikipedia) of a Pileus, the type of hat everyone wore to this festival. But wait, you say. We give gifts at Christmas time because the Wise Men took Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to Baby Jesus. My Nativity scene proves that!

Uh…back up. Jump from Luke over to Matthew chapter 2. The Wise men visited the “young child” (it says ‘young child’  more than once. It never says baby.) And Herod killed all male children from two years down to birth in an effort to destroy what he perceived as a threat to his throne. The wise men came significantly later.

So far: We’re celebrating at the wrong time of year, and we’re not finding any valid reasons to justify going to Walmart at midnight on Thanksgiving.

Have a look at my blog tomorrow. We’ll have a closer look at that “other guy” who, one may argue, takes over the #1 spotlight at this time of year.