Tweet Your Christmas Stories To @TaziKat!

Dear Readers,

Since it is Christmas Eve I will be celebrating with my family and the large bag of kitty snax I see hidden in the far reaches of the Christmas tree; for some reason, my humans thought I would not go after them if they were tucked away there!  Such Christmas fools!

I will get those kitty snax, even if it kills the tree!

I would like to wish you all a very relaxing holiday, and to those who do not celebrate, a relaxing day off tomorrow, courtesy of America's Judeo-Christian traditions. Speaking of which, are any of my Jewish readers going to a "Matzo Ball" this year?

I doubt I will be able to sleep a wink tonight; I will be on the lookout for Santa! I plan on attacking the big guy and digging through his toy sack for just the right gift for Mommie. Do you think she will like a big bag of Skittles candy? She got a four-pound bag last year (that's 7 and 1/2 kilos, my Canadian friends!) and it seemed to go over very well! I love chasing them around the floor, almost as much as I love chasing chipmunks around the house! Speaking of chipmunks, Mommie was not amused with the dead chipmunk I gave her a few  Christmases ago. Personally, I thought it was the best Christmas gift ever!

I plan on attacking the real Santa, too!

What, dear readers, is the best gift you have ever received for the holidays? What is the worst gift you have ever received? Please, share your stories with me! Just this once, I will not mock your crazy human behavior of buying the wife a crock pot for Christmas! I receive so many letters with tales of woe; today I would like to hear your tales (tails?) of happiness and laughter! You can comment here at the end of the column, or comment on Facebook or on Twitter, with the hash-tag AskTazi, or by direct tweet to @TaziKat. I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

I am off to bed now...the quicker you fall asleep, the quicker Santa comes to your house, you know!

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #72 - Let's Create An American "Boxing Day" Tradition!

Dear Readers,

Approximately 250 years ago (237 1/2, to be exact) the American Colonies declared their independence from all things British and over the next few decades created what it now known as the United States of America. Such was their desire to form a new culture that they chose to separate themselves from all things British - a great irony, when one considers the United States' obsession with the British royal family - including British traditions. It is one such tradition I wish to speak upon today, and ask that we put our own, "American" twist to it; that tradition is Boxing Day.

Boxing Day traditionally occurs on December 26th, the day after Christmas and is a day to celebrate those who provide services and therefore must work on Christmas Day. Originally house servants were given this day off to celebrate the Christmas holiday with their own families (having served their employers on Christmas) and were given a boxed gift from their employer as a token of appreciation (thus the name, "Boxing Day"). Modern Boxing Day celebrations include taking part in eccentric sporting activities, like swimming the English Channel; spending time with family; or even shopping the post-Christmas sales. Essentially, Boxing Day has turned into a day of further celebration and indulgence...but what if it could be something more?

Gosh I love Boxing Day...

Among Catholics, December 26th is the much forgotten Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr (and the day celebrated in the carol Good King Wenceslas), a day to bring alms to the poor. I like this tradition much better, and would ask that you consider starting your own Boxing Day tradition in this vein, regardless of your religious affiliation (or lack thereof).

Each December, millions of dollars are spent on presents - toys, clothes, games, electronics, you name it! I ask, is any of this stuff going to replace the things you already have or is it simply going to be added to your stockpile of stuff? Wouldn't it be nice if you could box up your "old" while putting away the "new" and donate it to charities that provide for those in need? Instead of boxing up the Christmas ornaments, why not spend this day boxing sweaters you will no longer wear because you have several new ones? What are you planning on doing with that "old" gaming system now that you have a new XBox One or PlayStation 4? How much do you expect it will fetch on eBay? Why not donate these items to the Salvation Army? You could even get a receipt for the tax deduction!

This year, let's make Boxing Day about extending the true meaning of Christmas - sharing; caring; and giving of ourselves to others, not of overindulging in sweet treats, alcohol, and football.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #69 - The Top 5 Worst Christmas Songs EVER!

[Ed. Note: Email readers may not see the embedded videos. Please click on the song titles to open a new window and view/listen].

Dear Readers,

Now that December is here many of you are tuning in to the Christmas songs that radio stations have been running 24/7 since Halloween! Last year, I published a well-researched list of really bad Christmas songs, and the one complaint I got was that I published it too late to save your eardrums! This year - due to popular request for a re-run - I am once again presenting my list of Worst Christmas Songs Ever. If you think I have left one off of the list, let me know via Twitter @TaziKat and I will see about adding it to my website! Now, without further ado, I present....

Tazi-Kat’s List of the

Top Five Worst Christmas Songs Ever (That We All Love!)

#5 – Last Christmas, originally recorded by Wham!

As my Woman’s brother pointed out, this song is not a Christmas song; it is “a breakup song! George Michael just added the word ‘Christmas’ to it and set it to a jingly beat!” I used to kinda-sorta like this song (until the cast of Glee covered it); now, it ranks at #5 on my list.

#4 – Christmas Shoes, by New Song/Bob Carlisle

The reason this song is so pathetically bad is that is designed to bring people to tears over someone else’s misfortune, but when you actually dissect the lyrics you find several large problems with the entire scenario, starting with the fact that a little boy is allowed to run to the shoe store, by himself, while his mother lay on her deathbed! Yeah, that’s very believable…actually, it is more believable than a kid knowing his Mom’s shoe size.

#3 – Father Christmas, by The Kinks 

Perhaps one of the more rockin’ Christmas songs out there, I admit that I have been caught tapping my tail to the beat! However, the whole song is about how a bunch of young, poor children of unemployed parents mugged Santa and made violent requests like “a machine gun, so I can scare all the kids down the street”. The song then suggests that we all “remember all the kids who got nothin’ while you’re drinking down your wine”. Haven’t these people never hear of Toys for Tots or other charities that assist with holiday gifts for the poor?  There is no reason why deserving children should receive nothing for Christmas. On the other hand, children who mug Santa do not deserve presents…

#2 – We Wish You An Adequate Festive Period, by The Happees 

Although the picture of a cat with human hands instead of paws gives me the creeps, my Woman personally loves this song and has been posting it to Facebook (ad nauseam) for the past few Christmases as a joke between she and her closest music obsessed friends. Unfortunately, not everybody is feeling the love for “Dracula laughing for no reason”, which is why this song makes it to #2 on my list (I am saving the #1 spot for a very special song!). A warning for all who choose to play this song: You will not be able to get it out of your head! (My Woman once posted this song to RI Governor Lincoln Chafee's Facebook page in protest of his calling the State House Christmas Tree a "Holiday Tree").

#1 – Do They Know It's Christmas?, by Band Aid 

This song has a very catchy tune, but have you ever listened to the lyrics? They are fraught with bad information! This song deserves a list of its own, so here are the Top 5 worst lyrics in the Worst Christmas Song Ever!

5.      “There’s a world outside your window, it’s a world of dread and fear, where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears”

Has Band Aid never heard of the Nile River? It’s only the longest river in the world, running for over 4,000 miles, from Northeastern Africa straight through to the Eastern-central part of the continent! Additionally, there are dozens of rivers that flow through the various regions of the African continent, and let's not forget Lake Victoria; it's the main reservoir of the Nile River, and the largest fresh-water lake in the world!

4. “And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmastime…”

In 1899, author Joseph Conrad referred to Africa as “the dark continent”; apparently, Band-Aid still sees it that way, generalizing the continent as one giant, generic region, and not a multitude of different countries and climates that make up this vast land that spans the world's two hemispheres. (FYI, Band-Aid: Many regions of the African continent see snow).

3. “Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow”

Okay, I have already pointed out that the Nile river flows through the Eastern portion of the African continent (through Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, and Egypt, to be precise), but I have a problem with the rest of this statement, too. The entire continent of Africa is not a desert! The African continent is home to many lush and tropical regions that are perfect for growing crops and trees. The eastern coast of Africa (including the island of Madagascar) is a tropical rain forest, while the average rainfall across the continent varies from 20 – 60 inches per year, which is similar to rainfall amounts in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom!

2. “Here’s to them underneath that burning sun”

The assumption that the entire continent of Africa is constantly under a “burning sun” is just pure ignorance. I realize this song is about Ethiopia (which is never actually mentioned in the song), but does Band Aid realize that Ethiopia has three seasons, and that they are not “hot, hotter, and hottest”? Do they also know that the month of December (a.k.a. “Christmastime”) falls during the coolest season of the year in Ethiopia, with temperatures ranging from 16 degrees C/61 degrees F (in the highlands) to 28 degrees C/82 degrees F (in the lowlands)? This means that if you are toasting Ethiopians at Christmastime, they are quite comfortable, possibly even a little chilly, and not dehydrating under a burning sun.

1. “Well tonight that God it’s them, instead of you”

This has to be the biggest “****; you” in the history of music! What makes it worse is that Bono – yes, the humanitarian and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, that Bono – intones the words, advising us to take a moment as we celebrate in our “world of plenty” to be grateful that we are not among the starving and drought-ridden people of the never-directly-mentioned Ethiopia. Why not ask us to give from our plenty? That seems like the proper thing to ask…

Bono's cat, circa 1985?

I hope you have all enjoyed my Worst Christmas Song Ever Countdown! Feel free to add your own in the comments section below, on my Facebook page, or via Twitter, through the hashtag AskTazi or directly by tweeting @TaziKat.

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi’s Corner #65 – The Commercialization Of Christmas (Quiz)

Dear Readers:

Now that Halloween has passed the Christmas decorations are going up in earnest and the complaints that Christmas has become too commercial (and that Hanukkah, as one reader put it, “gets shafted”) are flying fast and furiously. People are screaming that we skip right over Thanksgiving and large retailers from Target to Nordstrom are listening by waiting until the day after Thanksgiving to put up the Christmas decorations. The truth is they are up before Thanksgiving is actually over; you just don’t actually see them until the stores open their doors at Midnight on Black Friday, the first official minute after Thanksgiving (which ironically forces employees to give up their holiday to come in and decorate).

Do you see the hypocrisy here? Are you a part of the problem or a part of the solution? After researching the matter until I was thoroughly exhausted (and keep in mind that cats get exhausted quickly and easily) I came up with the following quiz for you to take – and send to your friends to take – to see if you are a part of the reason that Christmas* has become so commercialized:

*I do not mean to leave out my Jewish brethren, but this year Hanukkah starts the day after Thanksgiving and is completely left out of the annual madness. Feel free to have fun with this quiz just the same; I included an option for you on every question! No offense is meant to my Atheist, Wiccan, Muslim, and other readers of non-traditional American beliefs either; have fun pointing out the hypocrisy that has taken over the season.

The Commercialization Of Christmas Quiz

By Tazi J. Kat

1.       If you send them, when do you buy your Christmas cards:

a.       Before Thanksgiving, as soon as I see them for sale, so I can have them signed, sealed, and ready to deliver the weekend after Thanksgiving

b.      Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s (you can get a great sale price after the holiday!)

c.       I am Jewish. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find Happy Hanukkah cards among all this Christmas stuff???

2.       Your wrapping paper is decorated with pictures of:

a.       Santa Claus, Christmas trees, skating penguins, and other winter themes

b.      The Madonna and Child, scenes from a manger, and other religious pictures

c.       I’m Jewish! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find wrapping paper with Menorahs on it among all this Christmas stuff???

3.       It’s sometime between Midnight and 6:00 AM on Black Friday and lucky you, you have the day off from work! Where are you?

a.       Out shopping – this is when you get the best sales on the best stuff! It will all be gone by 8 AM!

b.      At home, sleeping. There’ll be other sales between now and Christmas

c.       I’m Jewish! I’m at home preparing the big feast I am hosting tonight, in celebration of Hanukkah. (Incidentally, my gift shopping is long done; thanks for all the Hanukkah sales, retailers!)

4.       To you, the meaning of Christmas is:

a.       An opportunity to spend time with my loved ones and to show love through the giving and receiving of presents (we have to have presents!)

b.      A celebration of my religious faith

c.       A day off with pay, thanks to the religious-bias of the Federal holiday system that requires me to take personal days to observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (yep; I’m Jewish!)

5.       You wish people…

a.       “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings”; I don’t want to offend anyone and besides there are several holidays happening in December

b.      “Merry Christmas”, since America is overwhelming Christian, but will stand corrected if the person celebrates something else and wish them a “Happy ______”

c.       Would recognize that not everyone celebrates the Christian holidays and that the Judaic culture has contributed a great deal to the American culture – like that bagel and schmear they are eating

6.       You take your Christmas tree down:

a.       The day after Christmas – the holiday is over

b.      Sometime between January 1 and the day after the Feast of the Epiphany – Christmas is 12 days long

c.       I don’t have a Christmas tree to take down (but my menorah comes down the day after Hanukkah ends)

7.       What are your thoughts on 24/7 Christmas songs on the radio:

a.       I love them and look forward to them starting in mid-November

b.      I think they should hold off until Christmas week, and even then I switch the station to one that plays a mix of music

c.       Why in the world are Barbara Streisand and Bette Midler (two nice Jewish girls!) singing Christmas songs? Oy vey!

8.       Do you take your kids to see Santa at the mall?

a.       Yes; in fact, we go to the Santa parade and breakfast every year to watch him arrive

b.      Yes, but usually not until mid-December, if at all. Christmas is about Christ, not Santa!

c.       Hey, Santa! I’m Jewish! 

9.       On Christmas Eve/Day, do you attend religious services?

a.       No. My kids are young and really wouldn’t understand the meaning of it. Maybe when they are older, but then again I haven’t been to church in years so maybe not

b.      Always, without fail, unless I am sick in bed which means I am also too sick to celebrate Christmas

c.       Do you really need to ask? 

Bringon the Chinese food and pay-per view!

10.   The day after Christmas you feel:

a.       Let down. So much work went into it and now it’s all over for another year

b.      Contented. Christmas has a way of filling my soul with faith and warn feelings

c.       Hung over. Let me tell you, I had a wild time at this year’s Matzo Ball!

BONUS QUESTION!

11.   Do you own an Elf on the Shelf?

a.       Yes, and I move it faithfully every night! I even pull it out for other holidays, too!

b.      No/My answer may as well be no for all the attention I pay to it.

c.       I am so glad that Hanukkah has not been co-opted by the retailers!

If you got:

Mostly A’s: You are part of the problem about which so many people are complaining. If you are one of the complainants you need to, as Michael Jackson suggested, start with the man in the mirror and make that change. If on the other hand you are happy just the way you are you may want to keep that opinion to yourself lest Bill O’Reilly and his FOX News followers come after you with pitchforks and flaming clubs.

Mostly B’s: You are doing your best to keep Christ in Christmas, and have the right to complain that the holiday has become far too commercial. Your next step is to write or email retailers and let them know that you will not stand idly by as they turn your Advent period into a three-ring circus. To stay silent is to give your blessing.

Mostly C’s: I thank you for staying with me this far! I hope your Hanukkah preparations are going smoothly and that your Festival of Lights is a joyous one! (Only two weeks to go – have you finished your shopping yet? Can you save me a honey puff or two?).

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

College Student Wants Ski Trip; Parents Want Family Time During Semester Break

Dear Tazi:

I am away at college, several hours from home, so I don’t see my family as often as my parents would like. This is my senior year and my friends are all planning a ski trip for the winter break, the second week in January. I would like to go, but it would mean not visiting my family since I cannot afford both airfare home and to the Vermont resort that they have booked. Can you see where this is going?

For the past three years I have paid my own airfare to and from college as the compromise I made with my parents when they gave me their blessing and support to attend school so far from home. This is the final year I will have with my friends and I would like to spend the semester break with them. I will be paying the rent on my apartment over the break, so I might as well stay here and continue to work my part-time job instead of spending six weeks at home alone, bored, and scrounging for temp work for five of them. My parents see things differently.

Every Christmas my extended family gets together for a big celebration and I am expected to be there, which is why I went last year only to find that half of my cousins were not there – they were off with their boyfriends or girlfriends families! I am tired of coming home to see people I only see once a year, but have done it out of respect for my parents. Now that my generation is starting to drift off and do their own thing for the holidays, I think I should be allowed to do the same. My parents disagree and are arguing that after I graduate I may never come home again and they want to have “one last Christmas’ with me. I would buy this argument if they didn’t give my older sister the same argument ten years ago, only to see her move home after college and find a job only a few miles away.

How can I get my parents to see the logic in letting me spend this one last holiday with my friends, since they will most likely have moved on by this time next year?

Signed,

Growing Up

Dear Growing Up:

If it hadn’t been for your school email address I would have thought you were pranking me with a Very Brady Christmas story! You have to admit the resemblance of your story to Cindy Brady’s is very c lose! However, I am not going to advise you to pull a Cindy and pull out on your friends because Mom and Dad have called you home; I am going to suggest you put your big girl pants on and face the situation head-on.

Explain to your parents that last Christmas your cousins all went their own way, and that the Christmas they expected was not the Christmas that occurred. Explain to them that you and your friends will most likely not be staying in the Midwest after graduation and that this may be the only big trip you will get to take with them. Tell them that you have an apartment, a job, and responsibilities were you are now and that six weeks back home between semesters is five weeks too much, since everyone but you is at work during the day. Then, tell your parents that you cannot afford both airfare home and airfare to Vermont and that you will be going to Vermont! If they want to see you for Christmas, they will have to pay your airfare home. This is their half of the compromise. Your half will be to sacrifice a few weeks pay and/or vacation time to go home and spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s with your family.

If your parents threaten to pull their financial support out from under you, you will have to decide which is more important to you – graduating student-loan free or making college memories on a ski trip. It is hard to put a price on either one, but like your signature says you are “growing up”; part of doing that is learning to make the hard decisions life throws at you.

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with Bachelors degrees in Communications and in Gender and Women's Studies. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Share Your Christmas Traditions With Tazi!

Dear Readers,

Since it is Christmas Eve I have decided to take a rare vacation for the next few days to celebrate with my family and the large bag of kitty snax I see hidden in the far reaches of the Christmas tree; for some reason, my humans thought I would not go after them if they were tucked away there!  Such Christmas fools!

I will get those kitty snax, even if it kills the tree!

I would like to wish you all a very relaxing holiday, and to those who do not celebrate a relaxing day off tomorrow, courtesy of America's Judeo-Christian traditions. Speaking of which, are any of my Jewish readers going to a "Matzo Ball" this year?

I doubt I will be able to sleep a wink tonight; I will be on the lookout for Santa! I plan on attacking the big guy and digging through his toy sack for just the right gift for Mommie. Do you think she will like a big bag of Skittles candy? I love chasing them around the floor, almost as much as I love chasing chipmunks around the house! Speaking of chipmunks, Mommie was not amused with the dead chipmunk I gave her last Christmas. Personally, I thought it was the best Christmas gift ever!

I plan on attacking the real Santa, too!

What, dear readers, is the best gift you have ever received for the holidays? What is the worst gift you have ever received? Please, share your stories with me! Just this once, I will not mock your crazy human behavior of buying the wife a crock pot for Christmas! I receive so many letters with tales of woe; today I would like to hear your tales (tails?) of happiness and laughter! You can comment here at the end of the column, or comment on Facebook or on Twitter, with the hash-tag AskTazi, or by direct tweet to @TaziKat. I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

I am off to bed now...the quicker you fall asleep, the quicker Santa comes to your house, you know!

Snuggles,
Tazi


Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #24: Tazi-Kat's List Of Worst Christmas Songs Ever

[Ed. Note: Email readers may not see the embedded videos. Please click on the song titles to open a new window and view/listen].

Dear Readers,

A Merry Christmas season to all who celebrate! This year, as my Christmas gift to you, I have decided to do a little research into what family, friends, and strangers with whom I come into contact think are the worst Christmas songs ever – and then, I clawed apart the lyrics to see why they were so bad! There were many, many entries, and I had to spend valuable nap-time to sort through them all, but for my readers I will brave even a lack of sleep! Without further ado, I present…

Tazi-Kat’s List of 

Top Five Worst Christmas Songs Ever

#5 – Last Christmas, by Wham!

As my Mommie’s brother pointed out, this song is not a Christmas song; it is “a breakup song! George Michael just added the word ‘Christmas’ to it and set it to a jingly beat!” I used to kinda-sorta like this song (until the cast of Glee covered it); now, it ranks at #5 on my list.

#4 – Christmas Shoes, by New Song/Bob Carlisle

The reason this song is so pathetically bad is that is designed to bring people to tears over someone else’s misfortune, but when you actually dissect the lyrics you find several large problems with the entire scenario, starting with the fact that a little boy is allowed to run to the shoe store, by himself, while his mother lay on her deathbed! Yeah, that’s very believable…actually, it is more believable than a kid knowing his Mom’s shoe size.

#3 – Father Christmas, by The Kinks 

Perhaps one of the more rockin’ Christmas songs out there, I admit that I have been caught tapping my tail to the beat! However, the whole song is about how a bunch of young, poor children of unemployed parents mugged Santa and made violent requests like “a machine gun, so I can scare all the kids down the street”. The song then suggests that we all “remember all the kids who got nothin’ while you’re drinking down your wine”. Haven’t these people never hear of Toys for Tots or other charities that assist with holiday gifts for the poor?  There is no reason why deserving children should receive nothing for Christmas. On the other hand, children who mug Santa do not deserve presents…

#2 – We Wish You An Adequate Festive Period, by The Happees 

Although the picture of a cat with human hands instead of paws gives me the creeps, I personally love this song and have been posting it to Facebook (ad nauseam) since last Christmas. Unfortunately, not everybody is feeling the love for “Dracula laughing for no reason”, which is why this song makes it to #2 on my list (I am saving the #1 spot for a very special song!). A warning for all who choose to play this song: You will not be able to get it out of your head! (My Mommie posted this song to RI Governor Lincoln Chafee's Facebook page in protest of his calling the State House Christmas Tree a "Holiday Tree").

#1 – Do They Know It's Christmas?, by Band Aid 

This song has a very catchy tune, but have you ever listened to the lyrics? They are fraught with bad information! This song deserves a list of its own, so here are the Top 5 worst lyrics in the Worst Christmas Song Ever!

5.      “There’s a world outside your window, it’s a world of dreaded fear, where the only water flowing is a bitter sting of tears”

Has Band Aid never heard of the Nile River? It’s only the longest river in the world, running for over 4,000 miles, from Northeastern Africa straight through to the Eastern-central part of the continent! Additionally, there are dozens of rivers that flow through the various regions of the African continent, and let's not forget Lake Victoria; it's the main reservoir of the Nile River, and the largest lake in the world!

4. “And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmastime…”

In 1899, author Joseph Conrad referred to Africa as “the dark continent”; apparently, Band-Aid still sees it that way, generalizing the continent as one giant, generic region, and not a multitude of different countries and climates that make up this vast land that spans the world's two hemispheres. (FYI, Band-Aid: Many regions of the African continent see snow).

3. “Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow”

Okay, I have already pointed out that the Nile river flows through the Eastern portion of the African continent (through Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, and Egypt, to be precise), but I have a problem with the rest of this statement, too. The entire continent of Africa is not a desert! The African continent is home to many lush and tropical regions that are perfect for growing crops and trees. The eastern coast of Africa (including the island of Madagascar) is a tropical rain forest, while the average rainfall across the continent varies from 20 – 60 inches per year, which is similar to rainfall amounts in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom!

2. “Here’s to them underneath that burning sun”

The assumption that the entire continent of Africa is constantly under a “burning sun” is   just pure ignorance. I realize this song is about Ethiopia (which is never actually mentioned in the song), but does Band Aid realize that Ethiopia has three seasons, and that they are not “hot, hotter, and hottest”? Do they also know that the month of December (a.k.a. “Christmastime”) falls during the coolest season of the year in Ethiopia, with temperatures ranging from 16 degrees C/61 degrees F (in the highlands) to 28 degrees C/82 degrees F (in the lowlands)? This means that if you are toasting Ethiopians at Christmastime, they are quite comfortable, possibly even a little chilly, and not dehydrating under a burning sun.

1. “Well tonight that God it’s them, instead of you”.

This has to be the biggest “$%#&! you” in the history of music! What makes it worse is that Bono – yes, the humanitarian and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, that Bono – intones the words, advising us to take a moment as we celebrate in our “world of plenty” to be grateful that we are not among the starving and drought-ridden people of the never directly mentioned Ethiopia. Why not ask us to give from our plenty? That seems like the proper thing to ask…

Bono's cat, circa 1985?

I hope you have all enjoyed my Worst Christmas Song Ever Countdown! Feel free to add your own in the comments section below, on my Facebook page, or via Twitter, through the hashtag AskTazi or directly by tweeting @TaziKat.

Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Tazi's Corner #22 - Diversity vs. Acceptance; Can't We Have Both?

Dear Readers:

I live in Rhode Island where our Governor decided to rename the State House Christmas Tree a “Holiday Tree”, in order to be inclusive of other religions that use an evergreen tree to celebrate their December holidays.  I know of no other religion that uses a cut evergreen decorated in lights to celebrate this festive season.  Some have told me that “pagans” use the evergreen, and that the Christmas tree is based upon the tradition of decorating an evergreen to celebrate the Winter Solstice. These people are only half-right. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, and that appears to be what has happened here. 

I do not disagree that our pagan ancestry decorated evergreens in honor of the Winter Solstice, but they decorated live, planted evergreens and they used items found in nature!  The religions we call pagan – in particular Wicca, from which Christianity draws many of its celebratory customs – worshiped nature.  No faithful of a pagan religion would dare to cut down a live tree to celebrate nature!  If I were a follower of Wicca, I would be insulted that one would try to pass off a cut evergreen as a symbol of my beliefs in an attempt to be “inclusive” of my beliefs!  This is tantamount to someone hanging a crucifix upside down and thinking that it all means the same to a Christian. 

In our attempts to be inclusive, we offend those that society has deemed safe to offend.  Nobody would dare to call a Menorah or a Kinara a “Holiday Candelabra”, even though other religions and cultural celebrations use candles in their celebrations, too.  Why has society deemed it appropriate to offend the majority in its attempts to promote the diversity of our culture?  In the wise words of Abraham Lincoln, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”.  Room must be made for all at the holiday celebration, but not by pushing long-time guests out of the house.

Religion is a part of culture; in fact, it is one of the few anthropological universals.  Even as society as a whole moves away from the strict observation of religious mores, Christmas is still celebrated on a large scale because it has become more than a religious holiday; it has become a cultural [read: secular] celebration of our hope for peace on earth and a reminder of our own attempts to practice goodwill towards others.  These values spring not from any one religion or faith, but of the cultural views of countless nations.  How ironic that the Christmas tree – a symbol and reminder of what we celebrate as a culture, regardless of religious belief or non-belief  – has become the symbol of a divided nation!

This holiday season I send wishes to all who read this for a blessed holiday, regardless of what holiday or holidays you celebrate.  I ask that those who would normally react with intolerance towards a holiday symbol – be it a Christmas tree or a Menorah or a Kinara or a Festivus Pole – to temper your intolerance and instead indulge in curiosity.  Rather than condemn the symbol, ask questions about what it means to the person who has displayed it.  What you learn could go a long way in the fight to promote a diversity that does not discriminate.

Snuggles,

Tazi

P.S.  In order of their appearance on the calendar, I would like to wish you all a...

Hanukkah 2012 started last night!  אני מקווה שהאור של הנס באת לנצח

Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish readers!

Winter Solstice is on 12/21/12.
Wishing you a blessed and festive solstice celebration!

Festivus is on 12/23/12, for those unfamiliar with this celebration!
Click here to air your grievances, Festivus revelers! 

     

December 25th - January 6th, for those who celebrate all twelve days.
That's a lot of partridges and pear trees!

December 26th - January 1st
Seven days of  thanksgiving and a celebration of African culture

More Snuggles,

Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.

Reader Thinks Man-Child Might Be Proposing, Hopes She Is Wrong

Dear Tazi:

Christmas is coming and I have a feeling that my boyfriend is going to ask me to marry him.  The problem is, I do not want to marry him.  I do not want to break up with him - I enjoy his company - but I do not feel compelled to get married because of some unwritten societal rule that states we must get married because we have been together for a couple of years now.

"Steven" is a great guy, but I do not think he would make a very good husband.  He still lives at home with his mother, who does everything for him, from cooking to laundry.  He is completely helpless around the house, and cannot handle even the smallest repairs.  He either cannot or will not cook for himself, preferring to ask me to cook for him or ordering take-out if his mother is not around to do it for him.  His mother sees no problem with her enabling Steven to remain a child; she says it is her job as a mother to care for her son, just as it would be my job as his wife if we were to get married.  Right!

On top of all this, Steven does not pay rent or board.  He has a good job, and spends his money on guy toys - his motorcycle, his sports car, his stereo system, video games, etc.  I am not certain if he even has a savings account because the few times I have tried to bring up financial responsibility he changed the subject.  Other than his inability to take on the responsibilities of adulthood, Steven is the perfect boyfriend.  We have similar interests, he always treats when we go out somewhere, and he lets me have my independence to pursue my own interests, separate from our mutual interests.

I am a financially independent woman with a good career, good friends, and a supportive family.  I would like to get married someday, which is what I tell Steven whenever he brings up the subject; I tell him that marriage is on my list of priorities, but it needs to be to the right man.  He would get upset, saying he would like to get married, and would like to think that he is the "right man", but I can not see him giving up his lifestyle in order to make the necessary financial and domestic sacrifices needed to live apart from his mother.  If Steven does ask me to marry him, do you think I would be leading him on if I said no, but that I would like to continue seeing him?

Signed,
Liking The Status Quo

Dear Liking The Status Quo:

I can see why you enjoy the status quo - you are dating a man-child who treats you like a princess; you have the emotional security that comes with being a part of a couple and the freedom to follow your own, separate interests.  Your boyfriend has no financial responsibilities to anyone but himself, leaving him free to spend that money on you and some really cool toys.  You would like a lifetime commitment to someone who treats you this way, so what's not to love?  Oh, that's right; his inability to shoulder his share of adult responsibilities.

If your boyfriend wants to ask you to marry him, this may mean that he feels ready to man up and be the kind of man worthy of the title "husband".  Perhaps he has decided that it is time to grow up (you do not mention how old you are) and that getting engaged - thus putting another woman before his mother - is his way of cutting the apron strings.

Obviously, Steven is not ready to get married; not if he thinks that life will be just like living with Mom, only with an added sexual aspect to the relationship.  However, this does not mean that the man is hopeless.  If he asks you to marry him, which you do not want to do, saying that you would like to stay together would be giving him hope for the future.  Could there be hope for a future between the two of you?  It appears that you would like to see a future Steven; just a new and improved version of him.

I would suggest to you that you give an explanation for your refusal to marry your boyfriend, should he ask.  Explain to him that you do not want to take the place of him mother, that you want an equal partner in life; then, I suggest you start acting like one yourself.  The next time Steven asks you to cook for him, offer to teach him how to make a few basic but nutritional dishes.  If he is open to this idea, try teaching him how to do his own laundry; see if his friends can teach him how to make minor household repairs, which is something you should know how to do, too!  Home repairs are not gender specific chores!

If, in time, if you start to see changes in Steven's behavior you may find that you feel differently towards marrying him.  If, however, you still cannot see yourself offering him the commitment he seeks, you must be fair to him and be honest about where you see your relationship going - as in nowhere further.  If he can accept this, I see no issues.  If not, I see a break-up in your future.

Snuggles,
Tazi

Ask Tazi! is ghostwritten by a human with a Bachelors of Arts in Communications. Tazi-Kat is not really a talking feline.