Christmas Quotes

As you know, I've got strong opinions on a lot of topics. Lots of other people do, too. This morning, let's look at what some other people have had to say about Christmas:

Dave Barry - "In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!"

Erma Bombeck - "There is nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child."

Larry Wilde - "Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all thirty feet tall."

Neal A. Maxwell - "More presents were likely put under the tree than there were gifts placed in others' storehouses of self-esteem. More bright wrappings may have been scattered about than bright words of good cheer."

Mark Twain - "The approach of Christmas brings harassment and dread to many excellent people. They have to buy a cart-load of presents, and they never know what to buy to hit the various tastes; they put in three weeks of hard and anxious work, and when Christmas morning comes they are so dissatisfied with the result, and so disappointed that they want to sit down and cry. Then they give thanks that Christmas comes but once a year."

Charlotte Carpenter - "Remember, if Christmas isn't found in your heart, you won't find it under a tree."

Mrs Paul Ell - "They err who thinks Santa Claus comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart."

Bob Hope - "When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness."

And finally...

One of the greatest of Christmas quotations was published in The Sun, a New York newspaper, in 1897. Almost everyone knows the phrase, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," but few know the whole story. The website of The Newseum has the whole wonderful story here; this is a picture of the actual editorial, written by Frank Pharcellus Church, that ran on September 21st, 1897:

Christmas is only a few days away. Time to clear the cobwebs from your heart and remember that, as The Mistress of the Dark reminded me in a comment a few days back, even the Grinch's heart grew many sizes on Christmas.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo