My family traces its lineage to the British Isles, Germany and Scandinavia, but to this very day I’m unclear as to whether the post-pagan Christian preferences of my ancestors ran toward Catholic or Protestant churches.
Given that my grandmother’s maiden name was Marx, there may have been a few Jewish branches on the family tree, too, and even if gentile, these might explain my political orientation as a European-style social democrat marooned in America, where you can indulge in any flavor of politics you like so long as it slots into one of two major parties.
I’d like to think a few non-believers just like me slipped their iconoclastic genes into the family mix. If so, they probably remained sensibly quiet about it, thus surviving to tell the tale.
It is possible that some of my ancestors may have been among the German Catholic immigrants to America who formerly celebrated December 6, St. Nicholas Day, as the day for giving gifts.
Without a religious upbringing to speak of (neither parent regarded the topic as relevant, for which I’m eternally thankful), St. Nicholas Day made no impression on me whatever until December 6, 1991.
At this time I was posing as a teacher of conversational...Read more
