Maduro declares Christmas in October amid Venezuela’s post-election strife

The country’s strongman president, Nicolás Maduro, made the curious announcement that this year’s festivities would begin in October on Monday, in the midst of a political bleak midwinter for his crisis-stricken land.

“It’s September and it already feels like Christmas. So this year – as a way of paying tribute to you and thanking you – I’m going to decree that Christmas be brought forward to 1 October,” Maduro proclaimed during one of his frequent TV appearances.

Venezuela’s authoritarian leader, who is facing what experts call the greatest political challenge of his turbulent 11-year rule, promised all Venezuelans a Christmas of “peace, happiness and security”.

That is unlikely given the uncertainty and anger produced by Maduro’s decision to claim victory in July’s presidential election without providing proof. A growing body of evidence suggests Maduro actually lost the election badly to his opposition rival Edmundo González – hence his refusal to release detailed voting tallies from polling stations. On Monday authorities issued a warrant for González’s arrest.

While unusual, Maduro’s decision to move Christmas celebrations forward is not unprecedented. The politician has done the same on several occasions since taking office after the premature 2013 death of his mentor, Hugo Chávez. The Christmastide manoeuvre appears at least partly designed to shift attention from the woes of an administration that has overseen one of the worst peacetime economic collapses in modern history.

I wonder if this announcement will get more traction on FR. There's no shortage of reports floating about the Internetz.

So worth it...

As is often the case, I'll decide to pursue a topic further because related information comes to me within a very short time frame, usually from separate directions entirely when I'm not even looking for it. I don't typically provide these background inspirations, so it's another reason readers might be convinced that I'm simply a yapping fool with no point. Ahh well.

The pattern repeated yet again even as I was typing this post, which will become evident below. But at this trailhead,

"It's September, and it already smells like Christmas," Maduro said Monday night during his weekly television show. "That's why this year, as a way of paying tribute to you all, and in gratitude to you all, I'm going to decree an early Christmas for October 1."
Christmas in Venezuela kicks off in October, President Maduro has declared

Therefore, going on a little further,

Spanish
Etymology 1
Inherited from Old Spanish maduro, from Latin mātūrus, from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂- (“to ripen, mature”).
Adjective
maduro (feminine madura, masculine plural maduros, feminine plural maduras)
ripe
mature, of relatively old age (said of people)
Derived terms a las duras y a las maduras
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/maduro

From:

Latin
Etymology
From Proto-Italic *mātus (“ripeness”), from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂-tu- (“id”), from *meh₂- (“to ripen, to mature”), with derivatives meaning "occurring at a good moment, timely, seasonable, early".[1] See also Mātūta, mānus (“good”) and mānē (“early in the morning”).

As for Nicolas Maduro,

The name comes from nike/victory but of course it's a name highly associated with Christmas.

"Victory of the people."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas:

In the Ray Conniff version as part of a medley with The Little Drummer Boy; the list of wishes is changed to "Johnny wants a pair of skates, Susy wants a sled, Nellie wants a picture book, yellow, blue and red." The final lyrics are also changed as a child named Billy is mentioned and that Santa should give him a drum cause "he likes that best." The song then transitions into Little Drummer Boy which is similar to the Harry Simeone Chorale recording. Certain radio stations that do all Christmas radio have split the medley into two different song tracks thanks to a brief pause in the middle of the medley.
Some versions change Coniff's last line to "Nellie wants a story book, one she hasn't read," to counter accusations that Coniff made her illiterate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolly_Old_Saint_Nicholas

In going on a little further, because I already know that Nellie IS a story book -- she created her own, even though she was illiterate, being a real dog:

A quick-witted wire-haired fox terrier saves the day at Maine's Marshall Point Lighthouse.
First published October 1, 1993
Nellie the Lighthouse Dog

(As is often the case, I'll decide to pursue a topic further because related information comes to me within a very short time frame, usually from separate directions entirely when I'm not even looking for it.)

Run Forrest, run:

The team filmed there in 1993, one year before the film’s release.
Forrest Gump Finished His Cross-Country Run At This Maine Lighthouse

I'll continue on then. It's a great little book. My copy (1993) is right here behind me. Let me reach over to grab it...

[Dramatic conclusion spoiler, as formatted as closely to the book as I can replicate]

One sunny day while I was chasing some butterflies over the rocks my floppy ear heard a strange mewing sound. To my stand up ear, it sounded like someone crying.
"What can this be?" said I to myself, and began hopping from rock to rock ~ "HA!" ~ "I found it!" ~ ~
At the bottom of the big chair rock huddled a little boy crying bitterly. I went to him, cocked my head in question and gave him my paw. He put his tear-wet face in my fur ~ and hugged me.
"Oh doggy" he sobbed, "I cannot find my way back to my mother. The rocks are so big, and the waves are rolling, and I can't climb up to see ~ ~ ~ I am really lost."
"Not to worry," I said to myself, and nimby hopped up on a big rock. Over by the lighthouse walkway, a group of people stood, looking about and calling Johnnneeeeeeeeee Johnnneeeeeeeeee but the wind was carrying their voices away. I began to bark and bark and dance around on that rock.
"Look at that foolish dog," someone said, "he's probably found a seal pup ~ or a gull ~ but we should go see anyway," ~ as I kept on barking.
They made their way over to the rocks and ~ ~ ~
THERE WAS JOHNNY!
Soon everyone was hugging me and patting my head until I thought both ears would be floppy.
"Good dog, good dog" they said, and my flaggy ~ waggy tail was going fast with happiness, as they made their way back to the museum to wash away ~ little boy's tears, and give him an apple, and some shells to play with.
I sure was the heroine of THAT day! Like the keepers of old I helped someone in distress ~ and ever since then I have been known as ~
NELLIE
The Lighthouse Dog
It makes me very proud.
THE 🐕 END

(Nellie is actually facing right.)

Then a funny thing happened...

The October 1 date was the first that appeared on a search, but just now, in going a wee bit further,

Amazon says January 1, 1993 (perhaps it's a default setting, for it being New Year's Day, the birthday of Baby New Year)

But then Campus Books informs,

Released: Sep 4th, 1993

Who knows for certain, but regardless --

Here we are today, 31 "El" years later on Sep 4th, The 1st of Elul.

ENSO Forecast

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