Hmm.. It feels as if I ought to explain this for you. Yes it is a Swedish tradition, and I think it's about one third of the population that watches the show. I didn't watch the whole show yesterday, because my little cousin was very eager to open her presents(which was a bit complicated by the fact that she couldn't read to whom the presents were). I think that was the first time, at least as I can remember, I didn't watch the whole show. And laugh if you want, but aren't all traditions a bit... weird, at least to the unitiated? I think of it more as a modern version of sitting around the fireplace telling stories and fairytales. To me, nowadays, watching Karl-Bertil Jonson's Christmas is more important :shifty:. Yes, the telly is a big part of the Swedish Christmas. Oh, and by the way, today is Christmas Day, which doesn't mean much to me, but still MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Actually, no laughing was intended. I was curious to see if the Slate article was truthful or not. I was pointing out how neat it was that Americans have identical traditions such as catching a rerun on the same holiday. Whereas the Swedish have "Donald Duck and his friends wish you a Merry Christmas," Americans have shows like "Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Frosty the Snowman." Same tradition, different media. .

Doesn't at all seem to be the same thing. There is no such established and closely followed routine in American. Many people have nothing to do with it, My family did not, and neither do I. When it is done, it is not done with the kind of seriousness the article describes. It seems quite different in Sweden.

It is the very same Donald Duck thing year after year. In fact, they raise a fuss unless it is. The same Superbowl is not run year after year (although it might seem so). But, whatever you say. I suppose it pleases you to think that everyone is equally silly.

Ironically, I could ask you about whether or not you really think that the very same Donald duck thing is shown year after year? In many respects, it is not since even the most subtle differences in programming (or even yourself) make it unique from the year before. Can I really step in the same river twice? I get the impression from you that I could in the case of Donald Duck.

!

This is not a philosophical issue. The fact is that it is the same film every year. Heraclitus has nothing to do with it. Happy Holiday to you too.

But I suppose it all depends on how abstractly you want to look at things.

Not so abstractly that the facts are ignored.

I ate my duck, i will not be making it a tradition.

It sounds like you did not enjoy your duck.

in the case of television programming, i think it is safe to say that the same things are rerun every year on holidays-that is how i was usually able to find it's a wonderful life and 'a christmas carol' until i finally bought them on video and could watch them whenever i wanted to. the statistics of how many people actually watch is interesting though-it shows that the tradition is more in running these things on television than watching them...doesnt king kong get run every year along with some football game?

i used to love roast duck when i was young, before i had actually seen them alive. then i became a vegetarian. but before becoming, one year my son (must have been about 8 years old) asked me to make a goose, like in the story 'a christmas carol'. that year in school the class was performing it, and he was playing the part of scrooge. anyway, i like to try new things so i made the goose-it was absolutely horrible, entirely fat free (i think the fat is the best part!) and tough as old shoes. we actually were not able to eat it at all.

That's a very interesting point you bring up. In what way are the facts ignored here? It couldn't be in reference to the fact that the Donald Duck special is played year after year, since no one is denying that. You would have to elaborate more on your point to make it more substantial.

i dont believe in cards either! not even ecards!
i think it must have been the soy sauce that ruined it...duck should be unseasoned for the most part, except for possibly a mild orange sauce...
happy christmas to you too, sometime!

in the case of television programming, i think it is safe to say that the same things are rerun every year on holidays-that is how i was usually able to find it's a wonderful life and 'a christmas carol' until i finally bought them on video and could watch them whenever i wanted to. the statistics of how many people actually watch is interesting though-it shows that the tradition is more in running these things on television than watching them...doesnt king kong get run every year along with some football game?

i used to love roast duck when i was young, before i had actually seen them alive. then i became a vegetarian. but before becoming, one year my son (must have been about 8 years old) asked me to make a goose, like in the story 'a christmas carol'. that year in school the class was performing it, and he was playing the part of scrooge. anyway, i like to try new things so i made the goose-it was absolutely horrible, entirely fat free (i think the fat is the best part!) and tough as old shoes. we actually were not able to eat it at all.