It's Christmas - What Do You Say To That?

Are the crowds getting to you? Crowds of your peers, that is.

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In This Issue...

2) Studies (claims) In Psychology:
The Asch Conformity Experiments

3) Entertainment Peck Of the Month:
Christmas in Connecticut

4) Interview of the Month:
The Christmas Goose himself, Mr. W. Bones

5) They Said - She Said:
Dr. Julia takes on the "they"

6) What's New On Advice with Dr. Julia.com

*Special*
Two new Merry Christmas eCards for you to send to your family and friends!

December's Funny Advice

When it comes to gift giving, think it through. And if you get a gift that you don't understand... like breath mints, deodorant, clean underwear, or a vacuum cleaner, maybe someone's trying to tell you something (?)

Studies (claims) In Psychology

Conformity and Christmas. Believe it or not, there is an absolute correlation between these two. How else would you explain the fact that our national tradition and a major part of our culture is basically outlawed?

Confused? Well, for a couple of centuries now, we've recognized December 25th as Christmas. Heck, it's even on the calendar, isn't it?

We get time off from school and work. Offices throw parties for their employees. Stores stay open extra late to accommodate shoppers. Banks are closed. All branches of government (including the postal services) are closed. Why?

According to "them", it's because it's the "holidays". You and I both know that the holiday they are referring to is Christmas, but we are not permitted to say so. "It's offensive," say they.

We have been told to not say "Merry Christmas" at work. Schools have banned Christmas songs. And even big department stores (whose lifeline is its Christmas sales) follow suite and ignore our culture with slogans of "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings".

It is very much like the Asch Conformity Experiments. Solomon Elliot Asch (Sept. 14, 1907 - Feb. 20, 1996) is famous for his experiment that showed how folks will yield to social pressure even when they KNOW it is wrong!

In Asch's experiment, he had a group of individuals that purposely gave an incorrect response to several obvious questions. The one poor sap that wasn't in on the gag was too afraid to say what he absolutely KNEW to be true, and so, just went along with the crowd and likewise gave the wrong answer. To me, it is exactly what we are doing with and to Christmas.

"They" do not want us to acknowledge the existence of Christmas. We know darn right well what time of year it is, but somehow they have convinced us that we are wrong. It's not Christmas. It's a multitude of celebrations all bunched together, you know.

We who celebrate Christmas understand why it's offensive. Christ's birth was met with murderous intents - should it's celebration be any different?

Let me clue you in... the lights you see on your neighbor's house are for Christmas. Your kids are home from school because it's Christmas. The stores are having huge sales because it's Christmas. And don't be surprised when people show up to your house on December 25th for dinner. You know why? Because it's Christmas and all the social pressure in the world can not change that.

***To watch the Asch Conformity Experiment in action, see this Dr. Julia article on What Makes a Good Leader.

Entertainment Peck of the Month

This is a GREAT movie! Barbara Stanwyck plays Elizabeth Lane, the beloved author of the column The Diary of a Housewife.

In Elizabeth's column she writes about life on her Connecticut farm with her husband and little baby. Her readers idolize her and relish in all her scrumptious, farm-fresh recipes. She was sort of a Julia Chicken with a cookbook. However, Julia Chicken is the real thing.

Fact is, Elizabeth lives in a New York City apartment. She is neither married with child nor can she boil water, let alone cook! Her phenomenal recipes come from her good friend and chef Felix (S.Z. Sakall) who has been instrumental in her success.

The wool may have remained over everyone's eyes indefinitely had it not been for our starving war hero, Jeff (Dennis Morgan).

Jeff was longing for a real, home-cooked meal for Christmas, and the powers that be arranged for him to spend Christmas on Elizabeth's Connecticut farm with her family.

What farm? What family? Well, you'll just have to watch the movie to find out - won't you?

***Video will only work for the month of December!***

Interview of the Month: W. Bones

Who hasn't heard tell of the famous Christmas Goose? It is with no small pleasure that Dr. Julia and I bring you Mr. W. Bones, a Christmas goose if there ever was one.

Lora: Merry Christmas, Mr. Bones. So very good of you to visit with Dr. Julia and me today.

W.B.: I must say that I am very excited to be here myself - seeing Dr. Julia is such a celebrity and all.

D.J.: Well, I hear that you, too, have gained a little celebrity status yourself - since your appearance in our In Law Problems article.

W.B.: Yes, and a status I could have done better with out!

Lora: Oh my! Why do you say that?

W.B.: It seems that word spread like wild fire that I "rolled" my eyes at my mother - something that I've caught slack for since childhood. And there I was, "caught in the act" as they say - captured in living color and published for all the world to see.

D.J.: But you have to admit, the photo was very becoming, nonetheless.

W.B.: Not according to my mother!

D.J.: Speaking of the dear, how is she? Will you be seeing her for Christmas?

W.B.: Actually, my mother and the whole flock are coming to our house for Christmas this year... and it's my wife's first time cooking such a feast.

Lora: Ha! I bet she's nervous too.

D.J.: Lora, she has no need to be nervous. We've had a nice chat on how to handle her mother goose in law.

Lora: Uhhhh, gulp! I was referring to cooking a large festive dinner for lots of company, Dr. J.

D.J.: Well, there's nothing to that at all.

W.B.: You're quite right, Lora. You see, being the official Christmas Goose has meant receiving more Christmas Eve and Christmas day dinner invitations than could possibly be accepted. For years, we ran from house to house, trying to keep up appearances. This year we decided to just stay home and enjoy Christmas with our own family.

Lora: To the disappointment of many, I'm sure.

D.J.: Yes, especially for Mother Goose In Law! Ha, Ha, Ha!

Lora: Of course, what I mean is that the Christmas Goose is just as much a tradition as the Christmas tree. Holly, lights, wreaths, eggnog, and a plump and jolly goose! Personally, I will miss you this year.

W.B.: Oh, why you have your jolly, plump, friend Julia Chicken to substitute for me!

D.J.: Heavens to Betsy no, W! I stay far away from anything pertaining to "feasts"!

They Said - She Said

Dr. Julia said... "Merry Christmas!" And she'll continue to say just that.

What's New On Advice with Dr. Julia

• Famous and Funny Phrase Contest Extended!
  Get your entry in before January 5th for a chance to win an original Dr. Julia pen and ink!

• What Do Dreams Mean? is Dr. J's latest discovery... Dream Interpretation! It all started when she explained my dream here.
• Do you have trouble with a toddler that draws on walls? So did this writer. Of course, Dr. Julia has the answer!
• The long awaited About Us Page! Pay particularly close attention to how we make our money - okay?
• Online Stories for Kids
  Make sure you sign up to receive the next installment!
• Looking for a Great Christmas gift? How about a Dr. Julia Chicken Mug!

Is it me or were we really busy this month?

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That's it for this issue of Behind the Scenes with Dr. Julia. Tune in next month for more of the same - only better, of course. And make sure you recommend Dr. Julia to all those individuals that desperately need help.

Until next time,

Lora and Dr. Julia

PS.

Dr. Julia and I would love to know your thoughts on this issue of Behind the Scenes with Dr. Julia, tell us about them here and Dr. Julia herself just might answer you back!