An AP article in today's Monitor observes that we don't have a clue when Jesus was born and maybe 4th Century Christians co-opted the pagan solstice bacchanalia. On the other hand, the Annunciation (Gabriel informing Mary of her holy pregnancy) was on March 25, and you do the math. The pagan connection helps explain why we drag trees indoors for a month, place candles in windows and put up with Johnny Mathis. Santa, some elves and a couple of reindeer visited dorm parties Wednesday evening after study hall:
Another--older--Santa (the Boston accent revealed C. Norris) terrified little children before the faculty/staff dinner party-and-dance Thursday night. Santa: "Have you been good?" Health Services Director Lorraine Roberts: "No!"
The weekly ritual of polar swimming strikes me as vaguely pagan. There's self-sacrifice, but only after a hedonistic sauna.
Hmmm... Are glazed doughnuts a neo-pagan assimilation of the bagel?
