Hi-

I was just thinking, does Ray deal with the Christmas holiday in any of his writings? For that matter, does winter ever figure prominently into any of his work? I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but that doesn't mean much.

Happy Holidays to all......

The big red-suited gentleman is referred to in "The Exiles" -any others? Rarely is snow or winter a part of the plot or setting of his writings. I am coming up with ???? on this one.


But that reminds me, site Friends and new
visitors, some simple gifts...

"Peace, a Merry Christmas,
Be well, good health, &
God's Blessings in 2003!"

fp

Chrisman43:::: Hey! Good Question !! Got to think about this one. In the meanwhile....

....here is a verbatim of...
Ray's Holiday Card that he sent out for this Christmas, 2002:::


CHRISTMAS GREETINGS 2002
from The Bradburys

"Oh Lord of the bounteous table, O Lord
who furnishes forth an infinite harvest for
your most respectful servants gathered here in loving humiliation, O Lord who
garnishes our feast with the bright radish
and the resplendent chicken, who sets before us the wine of the summer season, lemonade, and maketh us humble before simple potato pleasures, the lowborn onion and, in the finale, so my nostrils tell me, the bread of vast experiments and fine success, the highborn strawberry shortcake, most beautifully smothered and amiably drowned in fruit from our own warm garden patch, for these, and this good company, much thanks. Amen."

Charles Dickens says grace
"Any Friend of Nicholas Nickelby's
is a Friend of Mine"
BY Ray Bradbury

Off the top of my head at 3 in the dark morning:
Out of 500 or more stories, I counted maybe 5 dealing with winter and 3 with Christmas. One is "The Wish," in "Long After Midnight," the other is "Bless Me Father, For I Have Sinned," in "The Toynbee Convector," and the third might be "The Gift," which takes place in outer space. "Banshee" and "The Witch Door" may also contain some winter imagery, and "A Graveyard for Lunatics" contains a brief discussion of Christmas. I long ago noted this glaring lack of winter and Christmas and brought it up in a phone conversation with Ray. About all I could drag out of him was, "It was cold." I understand there was to be a novel called "Farewell Summer," a sequel to "Dandelion Wine," of which only one short story appeared in "The Stories of Ray Bradbury." The problem could have been he couldn't think of as many positive things to say, if any at all, about winter as opposed to the other three seasons. As for Christmas, my only guess would be that most Christmases in Ray's formative years fell during the Depression and it wasn't much of a holiday for kids then--they received "practical" gifts such as clothing and little in the way of toys. How about a "Bradbury write-alike contest, winter style"? Considering the great contributions of other writers on these subjects this would seem sorely needed!

Ray did write a poem entitled Dogs Think That Every Day Is Christmas. It has been published, as a short illustrated book in 97.