Come Gather ‘Round, Children, as Uncle Egor Tells You Stories of Famine in the Old Country

Me in a sweater and flat cap.

I think my Christmas gifts of a sweater and a flat cap lend me a certain continental charm. Once I am done terrifying the younger generation with stories of eating shoes to survive in the Great Starving of ’98, I will go out to the foothills to check on the goats. As one does.

In actuality Christmas has been lovely and I hope yours has been too. And if you don’t celebrate Christmas, at least it’s Friday, and that’s not nothing. Enjoy your day!

— JS

27 Comments on “Come Gather ‘Round, Children, as Uncle Egor Tells You Stories of Famine in the Old Country”

  1. May we all have a brighter New Year!

    And dagblummit, flat caps are “cool,” as the young’uns say. Flat caps will always be cool! And don’t you be mocking the Great Starving of ’98 or gordang, next thing you know, you’ll be a-mocking the Bowling Green Massacre or the War Against Christmas. You’re a role model, gashdiggit, and a role model needs to act like a role model, as my grandpappy was always sayin. Or someone’s grandpappy was sayin. And that’s as sure a thingamaboozle as the existence of Croaker Bone Soup.

  2. Well, as my older daughter is a farmer (on a rugged little mountain homestead) who raises goats, and whose kids–the human ones, that is–answer the question “What are you getting for Christmas?” with “A lecture on the evils of capitalism…”, she enthusiastically approves the sentiments and the outfit. (All phone calls with her these days are had to the deafening chorus of the ten new kids in their herd.)

    And I’m quite envious of both the sweater and the cap, both very much my style. You wear them well!
    Happy Christmas, Yule, Chanukah, New Year and all the other winter festivities, everyone. Stay warm and well.

  3. I like that sweater. I’d wear it (in my size, of course). The cap, not so much.

    Merry Christmas, Scalzis.

  4. Merry Christmas John, to you and your family. Thanks for making all of our lives a little brighter over the years.

  5. You rich people had shoes? Shoes? We had to eat wooden clogs.
    A joyous Festive Winter Solstice Holiday Season to all.

  6. [Deleted for the person saying they’re sorry for being a scold, which they obviously weren’t, otherwise they wouldn’t have done it. Dude, if you’re going to be a fucking scold, just be a fucking scold and don’t pretend to be apologetic about it. This is my invitation for you to try again minus all the hedging — JS]

  7. Despite the Celtic designs on the sweater, you look for all the world like an Italian farmer in that photo.

    Our day was a lovely one as well, thanks, quiet, but included nice long phone calls from both offspring, cats getting high on weapons-grade catnip from Sandy Claws, and a lovely roast duckling with wild rice stuffing for my spouse and me. A peaceful day and a happy one.

    Cats and spouse are all snoring, and I am off to join them. Healthy New Year to all.

  8. For those of us who might be coveting the sweater, any info on where one might obtain one?

    Happy Boxing Day!

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