Sol Invictus

As Christmas comes up on 17 centuries of relevance, it sometimes feels like the true meaning is forgotten in all the festive planning and purchasing that's needed to try and ensure relationships with other humans can be maintained for another twelve months so we can all celebrate Christmas again.

And anyway, the true meaning of Christmas is a bit subjective, but...

"And lo, a child was sent, pure and unblemished, to bring unity to the nations and peace to the hearts of all men."

2024 was the first Christmas for my latest nephew, and while his name is not Jesus I feel like he has already done a great job of unifying the world because now instead of having to do one drive to the Barossa and another to the southern beaches I only needed to drive 20 minutes across town.

And jesting aside, it is nice to see the way a baby can provide a focal point for a gathering with much lower cognitive drain than a board game.

"Shortly after dawn Nash went out with them, walking on the lake."

Before the festivities, early in the morning, we took Nash for a short walk and paddle in the lake and a surprise meat puff. It was a hot day, so we took advantage of the angles to maximise our shade and enjoy the outdoors for as long as possible before we returned home for cooking and eating and gift arranging. I made a couple of braided pesto bread wreaths that turned out pretty good.

After a long day and lots of heat, we drove back west to end the day with a walk on the beach and a mid-strength beer to drink as the sun painted the sky.

"And he walked the sandy shore, a beer in hand, as the waves whispered peace to his soul."

To me, that's the true meaning of Christmas. Sol Invictus.

(Thanks to ChatGPT for inventing some biblical-sounding quotes.)