Christmas time is here. The holidays are fraught. Mind you I’m an atheist which is an unusual thing for a Mason to say but we’ll get into that another time. With my sister’s death in September I am alone in a way I have not been before. It’s prep day. I’ve made a fresh pot of iced tea. A cherry pie is baking. In a bit I’ll be making the coleslaw with a chop of olives and artichoke heart. In recent years I’ve done more of the Norman Rockwell menu yet tomorrow’s menu is green chile bacon cheeseburgers (I have a Portobello mushroom in case my favorite vegetarian stops by), crispy fries with blue cheese dressing, slaw and cherry pie with toppings. There will be a frothy chocolate drink (with a bit of cognac) from a dear friend of fifty years and a fresh box of dark chocolates. Here’s the deal. Jesus is a mythical figure. Hundreds of religions have a savior born on 12/25 to a virgin under a blazing star. Three wise guys (Moe, Larry and Curly?) attend bearing gifts. We celebrate the passing of the longest night of the year and our renewed confidence that the sun is coming back to bring us life.