Today is the Feast of Santa Lucia, but I woke up with a nasty flu (ugh) so instead of baking Luciabrød, as was my plan, it’s a period of enforced foodless inactivity.
However, it is also the birthday of Dick Van Dyke (b. 1925), who has a long and illustrious career in film and television (as well as a sideline in barbershop quartet and 3D animation—who knew?). But I got to know him through reruns of The Dick Van Dyke Show, a cultural touchstone of my childhood and probably the cleverest and most intelligently funny sitcom of its day, certainly ahead of its time (1961-1966) in its approach to religious and racial issues. Some years back I introduced it to my children on DVD, and as a result he has two new young faithful fans.
So tonight we’ll celebrate by watching a favorite episode. You can too, by going to hulu for a free download. Happy Birthday, Dick Van Dyke! Thanks for the joy and laughter you have brought to my childhood and now to my children’s. As the saying goes, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.