A Christmas Gift:

In my family we celebrate Festivus. We have done the feat of strength. So now the time has come for the airing of grievances.

Some people who visit regularly are in the habit of dipping into the intellectual treasures I offer to my more discerning readers and taking away bits and pieces of them to post under their own names, without attribution. Yes, it does happen, gentle readers, it grieves me to say. Believe it or not. However, let us not be too hasty in our condemnation. Since the over-estimated qualities of good manners and decency have never been these people's strongest qualities, a measure of proper compassion must be extended to them. Some allowance for mitigation due to diminished responsibility must be factored into our judgment when we consider the ethically-challenged . . . So I've decided to forgive them for these small intellectual thefts, which have been taking place throughout the year, in the spirit of Jesus instruction: "Forgive them for they know not what they do."

And by way of suiting action to word, to prove my generosity, I will make them a gift of an erased donkey.

(Update: I am mortified that I have to inform my readers that my generous gift has been reciprocated in the spirit of the Grinch. In other words, the ethically-challenged continue in their sad denial of any wrong-doing. )

Merry Festivus to all the Bobs and Lorettas who share my traditions, near and far.