Eat, drink and be merry - for tomorrow you die

Tonight Maria and Tim hosted Christmas Eve dinner - only 17 bodies as we wait for John, Adrian, David, Frankie and Theo all of whom arrive sometime tomorrow. . . .As we ate and drank and made merry, this being a common Christmas message I am reminded of the origins of the December Christmas tradition. Like many Christian traditions this was adapted from the Roman festivals this one was Saturnalia celebrated annually in Decemberr

Saturnalia was week long period of lawlessness During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. Obviously we haven't kept up this part of the tradition or else Tim wouldn't be on Police duty tomorrow!!

The Other key feature of the festival was that Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25^th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.

So the eating, drinking and making merry we have retained - but relinquished the martyrdom part. Probably for the best