On 12/2/06 11:18 PM, "Jerry Vorpahl" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Christmas,
> (I suspect it wasn't one of his favorite holidays)

Hello;  actually I think Christmas was  probably a favorite holiday for
Twain.  If not Christmas, what would it be?  Independence Day?

Depending, of course, on whatever "favorite holiday" might actually mean--
for instance, I would you say that for many if not most Americans today,
Christmas is their "favorite holiday"--whether they are orthodox and
dogmatic Christians or not.  This might be for a number of reasons:  the joy
of the children, the hopefulness of the "spirit of Christmas," the end of
the year's festive mood, the wonderful holiday music, etc.  The sense that
most people just seem friendlier, more joyful, more compassionate.

I do not have any quotes to add but I am thinking in particular to the
accounts of the many holiday season parties, esp. with earnestly Christian
families like the Twichells--events which were quite religious in tone
(sometimes Twain would sit at the piano and play hymns or carols and sing
for these gatherings.)  There are a number of these accounts in Joe
Twichell's journals.

Also; check out "The Death of Jean," which is even more sentimental (I mean
that term in a good way) and powerful (and, of course, ironic too) due to
its setting during the holiday season, including on Christmas Eve.  Its
poignancy is increased, I think, for these same reasons.


Harold K. Bush, Ph.D
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, MO