December 10,
2012German is such a poetic language. I don't think there is a single American or English dish called cheesy feet (or anything called nuns' farts, for that matter). A cheesy foot is a stinky food. These are savory cookies made with fragrant but not-so-stinky cheese in the shape of a foot.
From 4,000 years ago, we find ourselves in the present, in Plano, Texas.
Stuever is a reporter for the Washington Post; he spent Christmas before the Great Recession in Texas interviewing, shadowing, and alnost living with a number of residents to learn how they celebrated Christmas.
The choice of Texas was inspired. I often think Texas is to the US what Bavaria is to Germany: big, thinks of itself as semi-indepedent, and the source of almost all stereotypes about the country.
If you are looking for insight to be handed to you about modern Christmas in perhaps the most-Christmas-obsessed nation, you won't find it here. Stuever is a reporter, a chronicler, not an interperter, which is perhaps for the best.
Stuever describes the Christmas celebrations of three families: Jeff Trykoski, whose videos of his home-grown Christmas light show led to designing the local municipal show; Tammie Parnell, whose love of decorating at Christmas led to a side business decorating the homes of people without the time or inclination for decorating; and Carol Cavazos, member of a prosperity-gospel megachurch. By examining how they celebrate Christmas, Stuever shows how they, and many Americans, find and give meaning to the holiday.
Because American Christmas is stretched over such a long period — for Parnell and Trykoski the planning and buying last all year long, but even for the less Christmas-obsessed it starts well before Thanksgiving — this is not the simple and deeply-moving holiday of Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. It's complex, and ambivalent, often not quite up to expectations, and yet with some good if not perfect moments.
Copyright 2012 Susan J. Talbutt; all rights reserved.
Last updated December 2012