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