New Christmas Carol

Raoul’s Two Cents: December 5, 2025

Old Christmas Carols

If you don’t want to ponder, move on to the Jokes.

December. Christmas. Shopping. Presents. Family gatherings. Is it beginning to look a lot like Christmas to you? Somehow this year seems to be lacking something. For one, I don’t hear a lot of Christmas carols anymore.

Once upon a time, we all listened to the radio. It didn’t matter what station we listened to. Each station injected their brand of Christmas spirit somehow. Come December, the old classics of yuletide cheers came out of hibernation to welcome the festive season. Where are they today? Technology (like Spotify) has separated us into our individual music preferences. Music (that’s supposed to be a shared language) needs a little more translation with each passing year. We don’t share the same musical memories anymore, do we?

Case in point, I was asked to coach some kids for an upcoming Christmas presentation next week. As we browsed through a list of potential songs, all I got were blank faces. They never heard of any of my favorites. And the one song they knew was unfamiliar to me. The songs they know are songs from movies like The Grinch, Home Alone, Love Actually, Elf, Die Hard, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Family Man. What happened to A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34^th Street? Of course, Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol is still there … they seem to make a new version every year … and we’re destined to suffer through Christmas past, present and future for the rest of our lives.

Maybe I’m getting old. Maybe MY Christmas is fading and this is just a brand of Christmas that looks different. Maybe my heart just needs to find a new home.

As long as the season still inspires love and warmth, I’m okay with that. As long as we never forget that we celebrate the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ in a manger far far away, I’m definitely okay with that.

Peace on Earth. Goodwill to men. Christ is born in Bethlehem.

TGIF people! Three more weekends before Christmas!

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Quotes of the Week

“Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!” — Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas

“Aren’t we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.” — Bart Simpson

“The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other.” — Johnny Carson

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” — Matthew 1:23

“For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.” — Isaiah 9:6-7

Joke of the Week

I made this up. Hope you like it.

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Colleen of Washington State

Thanks to Jennifer of Los Angeles, CA

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Thanks to Bobby of Boise, Idaho

Thanks to Joe of San Bernardino, CA

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Norm of Encino, CA

I found these:

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

Got any good jokes? Come share it with rest of us!
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