Holiday Cheer

A day or so ago, I met with my friend Ron, for coffee. I made an observation about Americans and traditions and he, of course, challenged my reasoning. Well, I thought about it.



Good Sir:

Not being one to let sleeping dogs fart in the their sleep and get away with it, I drug out Webster's and looked up "tradition". This is, of course, per our talk about my earlier observation that many Americans mistake (oftentimes) habits (or habitual behavior) for tradition. (Habit, by the way, comes from habere, meaning to have or hold...as in clutch, hold on to, maintain). Tradition, however, comes from the Latin, tradere, to hand down, or to surrender (hand over). It would seem to imply that whatever is being handed down is also being entrusted, (to later be handed down another day) and that whatever it is, it must (or should) have some value attached to it or intrinsic in it. I do not (pardon the use of ther word, here) traditionally and automatically attach intrinsic value to routine habit. Most of what we "hand down" in this country are court decisions or matters of red necked bigotry, and their value is frequently in question. ( and I know, before you say it, that both are frequently simply the unexamined transference of ignorance). For me, the only item ever truly "handed down" or "surrendered" to me was my wretched first name, which came from my grandmother's first boyfriend, whom she regretted not marrying soon after she married my drunken grandfather. I think curses may also be traditional. I also have my birth certificate, but it is currently under review by the Dept. of Homeland Security.

Be all that as it may (or might be...or might not be...I smell an argument coming), I suppose my remark/observation is based upon the fact that having a holiday party simply to have one (because we always have had one, and not to "celebrate", as in rejoice, remember, commemorate, observe with reverence; or routinely giving a gift (especially if it is a new gift, and not, say a hand-me-down) probably does not constitute a "handing down" or a "surrender" of anything that has a particular value, either intrinsic or manufactured for the occasion. And if these actions are done repetitively and most probably without pre-meditation, and as a matter of course (because "we've always done it this way" ), the repetitive act is merely a "habit" (something we hold on to without thought) and not a "tradition", as described above. This could be held to mean that in many instances, we attempt to have our cake and eat it, too, while not surrendering any of it. Sadly, for many, habits can be addictive and may cause tunnel-vision, thereby limiting perspective and personal growth. In other words, we choke on our cake.

And habits can be hard to break (un-have, no longer wear, as in "I will have nun of it") because any such occasion requires us to take a fresh look at any situation at hand and then muster the raw courage (gumption?) to actually DO something differently (or perhaps not at all). Which is the reason why (in great likelihood) insitutional resistance to change is so great, because th"we never did it that way before" (bald-faced lying seems to be a tradition among our politicians and there is sadly little value there, either. I suppose that means it is merely a habit?Or addictive?). This also helps to further understand the definition of insanity, wherein we "keep doing the same old things we've always been doing and expect to get different results."

In conclusion, let me say that this is the essential reasoning behind my cause celebre to say "Bah Humbug" at this time of year and to hypothesize that you are now wishing to hell you had never asked me to clarify this over a freaking cup of coffee. Merry Christmas. Have a piece of cake.