He Was Born a Pauper to a Pawn on a Christmas Day, When the New York Times Said God is Dead and the War's Begun

To those of us who consider ourselves the front line troops in the War on Christmas, Querétaro is our Stalingrad - you can besiege it for years and years, but in the end, defeat is assured, and at a tremendous cost.  The enemy is just too strong here.

Tonight is one of the most Christmasy non-December-25 days of the year, as the city lights its enormous fake Christmas tree, inaugurates the state-sponsored Nativity scene and crowns the (it must be noted, foxier-than-usual) Christmas Queen, Ana Ceclia I.  The last one is the big finale to the evening, with an elaborate ceremony in the main square, right outside the historic Casa de la Corregidora, where the governor has his office.  The gov will be in attendance, along with the mayor, dozens of local officials, the governor's wife (head of the street-urchin charity DIF) and Miss Querétaro herself.  A live orchestra will provide the soundtrack.

And around the other side of the governors office, about 50 feet and a million miles away, little Jesús, the perro's namesake street urchin, will be playing for Christmas tips.  Apparently, we have no workhouses, no prisons.

Casa de la Corregidora, 7:00 pm, Dec 2, 2011

Bah humbug.