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I know that whenever American Christians bitch about their imagined war on Christmas, they’re really either trying to push their beliefs onto others, or they’re trying force theocratic violations of the 1st amendment. I have no problem with cultural holidays. Thanksgiving is one of my favorites. Obviously I’m not giving thanks to any imaginary being who magically orchestrates our reality behind-the-scenes. Rather I like to remind my kids to appreciate what they’ve got while they’ve got it, and to think about how things would be if we lived …over there, or what if we lived …back then. How would our lives be different? You certainly wouldn’t have it as good as you do right now, eh kids? I doubt they really get it, but it’s worth the effort.
If I lived in India, I would likely celebrate Diwali. When I was a kid, we used to celebrate May Day. That was a Russian holiday, and it was during the cold war! We weren’t about promoting other ideologies; it was just about a cultural exchange. I have also attended a few pagan ceremonies and found them quite charming too. Observing some ritual traditions can be fun, and I have fun with it.
I also have a slightly different interpretation of Santa Claus, and I would like to share that at this time.
The music is the Overture from Pigdom Come by Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel.
The narration, illustrations, and animation are mine.
I think, as it happens, that May Day is a general holiday and not an exclusively Russian one. It’s basically developed from Beltane, the other side of the year from Samhain (which became Halloween). It’s considered a popular secular celebration in Europe, and in England especially it involves people dancing in silly outfits (Morris dancing).
Just a correction…
Yeah, my grandparents used to celebrate May Day. The raised one of those “Poles of Asherah” forbidden in the bible, though they didn’t call it that. By my parents time May Day was being suppressed.
Great video. I think this is by far the slowest I have ever heard Aronra speak.
@Francisco Bacopa #2:
I don’t think there’s a connection.
Article: Wikipedia – Asherah pole
Article: Wikipedia – Maypole
Awesome art Aron! Even as a child the idea of Santa creeped the hell out of me – “He can see me when I’m PEEING?! D=” so thank you for this!
Incidentally, on your newly acquired aronra.com site, I spit my coffee laughing at the mouse-hover picture of you with your arm around Charles Darwin.
Also, err incidentally… now the site is down O_o
Ok I’m an idiot, was going to wrong site…. >_>
As other have mentioned, the International Workers’ Day is, ahem, international. If anything, the US have more to do with its origins than the Soviet Union, since it was originally a commemoration of events in Chicago.
You better not pout, you better not cry
You better watch out I’m telling you why:
Santa Clause is coming… FOR YOU.
This is how my kids would sing it from abut second grade on. I’d like to think my kids were just really creative at a very young age, and not that I did anything to have them turn out twisted.