Very Funny, Happy Holidays. Your Friend,

Hi Linda Thanks for all the funny jokes. Sometimes you wonder..What has the world come to? An employer is a traditional enemy. (So also your next door neighbour). Is it so difficult to appreciate a good gesture from an employer or representative of an employer. You can not please all the people all the time.. Cheers Laisa

LOL That's the first I 've seen of this! I can not even imagine trying to organize this with all that going on :) Thanks for sharing!

Hi Linda, I had a good lauch at this one it is sad but true in so many cases. I hope your Christmas Lunch today goes a lot better than this. Don't forget to have a drink for me. Cheers Pam

TO: PATTY LEWIS Humar Resource Director Dear Patty: I am so glad you are out of the loony bin, it might feel funny to you now, since much of the so called normal world is crazier than thou. I hear that you have some interesting seminars inside, and you were enlightened somewhat on the origins of the Winter Holidays, whatever mythology has adopted them to their beliefs through the ages. They are all a take-off on the Earth Event, the Winter Solstice, or the Longest Night of the Year ( on the Norhtern Hemisphere). The Romans celebrated Saturnalia on the 215th of December, with gifts, dancing and feating, in reverence of Father Time, Saturn. The precursor of Santa Claus was female, bringing rich gifts of fruit, breads and sweets, offerings from the Goddess Flora and Diana. The only prophet who is documented to be born on the 25th of December was a Persian, Mithras, who was born about a century earlier than Jesus, and he was of course born with no pleasure for his Mother, supposedly raped by a Father God. Christmas tree is a take-off on Ygdrasil or the Norse Tree of Life, on which Odin was crucified upside down for a change. The tree was added to christianity in Germany, in the 8th century, and several christian denominations were staunchly against it, decrying it as pagan ( pagan comes from latin "pagani", or countryfolk). Particularly enjoyable to all Wiccans (followers of New Age resurrected tradition, based on Earth's and Moon cycles, and celebrating both a God and a Goddess in joy and love, without martyrdom and guilt) is to see the five armed stars decorating everything possible in this season. The most cherished Wiccan symbol- the pentacle, or pentagram - is an very ancient symbol, evident on the seal of King Salomon, and symbolizing the 5 elements of the Universe, air, fire, water, earth and - guess what - Spirit( the last one pointing upwards). Thank you, dear Patty for this short historical overview of the Yule traditions. I know there is much more you would like to share, but I think this will do for the start. Joyous Winter Solstice, and Happy Yule to you, Izabel Ganz, PhD (in Human Resource Development)