V / video

[heckblazer]

[ You know what the network hasn't had in a while? Footage of a man who looks simultaneously to be a 1980's punk rock star and on the brink of homelessness, lounging in a nondescript location and smoking while he smirks into the camera. John looks contemplative - although it should be noted that isn't the same thing as taking things seriously. Bastard is smirking as much as ever. ]

So, the holidays are just around the corner, hey? Simple little word - derived from Old English, meaning of course "holy day". But not without plenty of history and meaning imbued into it. Meant to be a time of celebration, innit? Get together with loved ones, give and receive gifts, have a drink or five and preserve your strength to get through the cold days. Perfectly charming, especially with all the rituals stacked onto it over time by the silly thing called the human race.

Colour me, curious, though. What do folks from different worlds get up to? Can't imagine something like Christmas can be explained to someone from outer space or a world of dragons and ice and fire without sounding like a nutter. Or how 'bout people without connections to celebrate with? Maybe even some of the happiest and well-connected of us still wish they could disappear for a few days in winter?

Contrary to popular belief, I don't always hate hearing what you lot have to say.

Comments

voice;

[slightlyoffchilt]

Our holidays tend to mark higher opportunities for serial killers to hunt.

[Cheery.]

[heckblazer]

Would that be something you've read somewhere, or found out the hard way?

[slightlyoffchilt]

I have personal experience in the field, you might say. [He clears his throat.] It isn't that we haven't any religion in my world, mind. We're just all godforsaken.

[devoutish]

Is Christmas honestly that so difficult to understand?

[heckblazer]

Well, just me own opinion, but explaining a that people celebrate a bloke who was born in a stable and would go on to be worshipped as the saviour of mankind, mushed up together with the astronomical marking of the start of winter, and coated heavily with exercises in excess spending and gluttony might look like one of those "had to be there" things for people not from Earth.

[devoutish]

Ah, no, you don't have to get into all of that, mate. Just say it's the holiday where people string lights on trees, give each other gifts, and decorate as much of the city's public space as they possibly can.

video;

[kanyounot]

I guess now's your chance to explain this... "Christmas" to someone from outer space.

[ Hard mode: he's a blind outer space guy so you can't rely on visuals! ]

[heckblazer]

[ There's an audible inhale, and then: ]

Roundabouts two millenia ago, a kid was born apparently without having a biological father. Did a lot of rabble-rousing against the rule of the Empire in his day, which got him executed, but also hailed as a saviour of mankind. For all the good it did him.

Some other cultures who worship nature like to celebrate the coming of winter, and after a while, the two blended together, resulting in the bloody mess that you see on worlds like this around this time of year. Though nowadays, people focus on getting each other expensive frivolous gifts, drinking and eating into oblivion and arguing with friends and loved ones about politics.

Mind you, there's some details I've omitted for ease. [ Namely, how that poor woman got pregnant in the first place. Or how, eons later, the thing that "blessed" her met his end at the hands of one scheming, chainsmoking mortal bastard from Liverpool. It's not polite to brag, after all. ]

[kanyounot]

So a kind of Chosen One mythos, combined with a seasonal change festival. But now mostly just an excuse to buy things and eat too much.

[ FASCINATING. ]

Though, didn't we already just have an "eat too much" holiday?

video.

[hardcut]

Hālig dæg? [ If you'd like the native pronunciation, for fun. ]

It's just midwinter, mate, it's not that big of a deal.

[heckblazer]

[ ooh, shiny. ]

Call me too easily-amused, but some of the viking traditions like setting trees on fire and drunken dinner fights never quite had the novelty wear off.

[hardcut]

[ He laughs, ] That's the trouble with vikings, they sell you on that shit being once-a-year traditional so they can look down at the rest of us who have bouts of it monthly.

video;

[wouldificould]

I imagine people not from Earth would find it odd that some folks believe in a magical savior child born of a virgin in a barn.

[ Trish shrugs. Call her healthily agnostic. ]

Back home, I usually spend the holidays trying to keep my best friend from disappearing. Or from drinking straight rum and calling it eggnog.

[heckblazer]

[ With heavy sarcasm: ]

You mean, it's not eggnog? I'm scandalized. Have I been doin' it wrong all this time?

text

[pummelgranite]

borning anwers ..

[heckblazer]

That's your opinion. Yours truly just got to explain Earth theology to one of the space folk.

video

[hellosirs]

We have a week-long winter holiday called Candlenights, sir! It's pretty laid-back and pan-religious - not in the sense that it's dedicated to Pan, but in the sense that just about everyone celebrates it.

[heckblazer]

That's fascinating, truly, but I have a terrible allergy to being called "sir". You were saying, though?

[hellosirs]

Oh! Sorry si--

... I mean, sorry! It's... um, Candlenights? It's sort of a general winter holiday for everybody? There's a bush that we put lights on, and everybody exchanges presents and parties down and generally has a good time!

video;

[storyseeker]

My favorite holiday tradition is drowning my grumpy friends in seasonal cheer.

[heckblazer]

I've no idea what you mean.

[storyseeker]

Suuuure you don't.

I'm mostly kidding, though. I wouldn't really drown you in festiveness. I would share some eggnog with you, with extra nog.

video

[poreiavian]

Christmas is the best, all other holidays are trash. Don't mess with perfection.

[ this from the space alien who only knows of christmas through corny sitcom specials. ]

[heckblazer]

You could do worse for a favourite Holiday, I suppose. I'm more of an Easter fella, me'self. Not even I can resist chocolate.

[ That, and it's the one weekend a year where his guilt complex isn't out of place. ]

[poreiavian]

Worshiping a giant rabbit who supplies chocolate versions of itself to feast from. Like, making you eat its own body... in chocolate form. You're such a strange man.