And So This is Christmas?

Jane Lynch and the Two Carols
It's that time of the year to put up the Christmas decorations and my favourite decoration is one I bought years ago from an internet site that sold Christmas decorations from Chesapeake Bay.

I like it on so many levels, "the sign of Cancer (crab) is said to be associated with the characteristics: water, phlegmatic, cardinal, northern, nocturnal, tenacious, intuitive, and fruitful.
Those who are born from June 22 to July 22 are born under Cancer.
Cancer is a northern sign and its opposite southern sign is Capricorn.
Places that Cancer is associated with are the sea, rivers, brooks, wells, wash-houses, marsh grounds, and trenches."
Wells?!
The Man, The Well (and how he fell)
I am not born under the star sign of Cancer (I was born on the cusp of Virgo/Libra), but in Australia Christmas falls in the summer time (and Cancer would be a summertime zodiac sign in the northern hemisphere, but a winter one in the southern hemisphere) and to many Aussies, or anyone born in the southern hemisphere, Christmas is still seen as something that occurs in wintertime ... because we are brainwashed with movies and TV shows from the northern hemisphere.
Also, because it's summer down in my part of the world, who in their right mind wants to eat a hot meal on Christmas Day?
I usually opt for a cold seafood lunch (lots of prawns ... no crabs) and beer.
"In Chinese star lore, Cancer is in the 23rd (I was born on the 23rd) of the 28 mansions or xiu.

This mansion is called Gui which roughly translates to "ghosts".

The Chinese divided the sky into four quarters, each with its own direction, season, and mythical creature. 

Cancer exists in the Red (Vermillion) Bird of the south. 

It is associated with summer."
Oops, Buddhists are vegetarian, so that photo at the top seems a bit inappropriate in a way, but that's just how it sits on my desk ... doesn't mean the Buddha wants to eat the crab though ... he is probably thinking like I do, how most humans want to bring each other down at any cost, just like crabs in a bucket will do to each other.

"Crab mentality, sometimes referred to as crabs in the bucket (also barrel, basket or pot), is a way of thinking best described by the phrase, "if I can't have it, neither can you."

The metaphor refers to a bucket of crabs. 

Individually, the crabs could easily escape from the bucket, but instead they grab at each other in a useless "king of the hill" competition which prevents any from escaping and ensures their collective demise.

The analogy in human behavior is claimed to be that members of a group will attempt to negate or diminish the importance of any member who achieves success beyond the others, out of envy, spite, conspiracy, or competitive feelings, to halt their progress."
Hmm ... do you know anyone like that who may be sharing a Christmas meal with you this year?-)

Which is also kind of ironic when you consider that some people say that the sign for Cancer is also the ouroboros.
'Arrival' and The World Card of the Tarot
I find that a bit hard to swallow ... but maybe it's because Christmas tends to make me crabby;-)

I'm sure that you'll be sick of hearing the above song long before Christmas hits, especially the Celine Dion version;-)

And maybe consider the lobster,
as well this Xmas;-)

And when it comes to the drink ...

to ...

Crystal Head Vodka, Father's Day and Death
"It's a sentimental Christmas, I've got vodka on my wish list ... a sentimental Christmas this year"

Merry Christmas.