I dunno, Lee, I left Christianity behind a long time ago, but I still like Christmas, and do most of the Christmas things.
I think a lot of it has to do with the seasons/weather/light, etc. As I write this, it's grey and drizzling outside (with the weather forecast to get significantly colder tomorrow, maybe even some snow), it doesn't get bright until after eight in the morning and by five in the afternoon it's dark again. I think there's something deep and healthy in the old instinct to spit in winter's face, to feast and celebrate in the middle of the darkness, to reaffirm hope of survival. Yule and Solly Invictus and all that. In me, it's probably the genetic traces of my distant ancestors in Ireland who built New Grange five thousand years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Grange Of course the consumerism and kitch is crazy (if my daughter continues to shove the "Love Actually" DVD into the slot every third day I won't guarantee for anything apart from my dark fantasies of hanging Hugh Grant from the ceiling by his toes and roasting his head slowly over a fire of mistletoe and holly :-)), but you probably can't get one without the other ... As my older daughter and grandson will be joining me for the holidays, I'll even do the turkey and prezzies under the tree, etc. Even the Christian legends and images pull all the right strings - hard journeys and evil kings, prophesies and a young woman giving birth to a baby, angels and stars and wise camels, er, men, the power of the powerless, the significance of the insignificant. Heeeaaavy memes, man! All that said, if I lived in Southern Patagonia or the Malvinas/ Falkland Islands I'd probably be in favour of celebrating Christmas in June ... On 11 Dez., 11:02, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > Heh that is I think a fairy tale in most homes over Xmas though DJ. > > I recone that most Xmas go long these lines. > > Kids wake up at around 5:00am, parents awoken by noise, listen for 5 > mins or so before realising that they will not be going back to sleep > and reluctently get out of the warm bed to go shout at the kids to > 'shut the fuck up'. > > Kids shut up but still awake and excited, at around 7:00am they deem > it time enought bundel into mum and dads bedroom and demand they get > up. They get up, kids want to open prezzies, parents want to get > breakfast done first. > > Que first arguments, 'No chocolate for breakfast' 'No eat you food > first' 'yes it is unfair'. > > Breakfast done in double quick time, opening prezzies begines. Yes > this is a nice part, the look on their faces, is always good, kisses > and ahugs and thanks all around, eating of choc starts. > > However at some time, you will either have to get the house ready for > your family, or leave the house to go meet them. We meet in a pub, > mostly cos there are a massive amount of us. I am the oldest of > something stupid like 16 of us, most of us are married and have at > least two kids of our own, and again yes this is a good time, being > with your siblings and perhaps your parents, yet still not without > it's inevitable family arguments. > > Besides my dislike for this time of year is not really a stress thing, > I just don't understand why we make such a big deal over Xmas, it is > after all a Christian holiday, I am not Christian, and to celebrate it > in such a consumerist fashion renders it meaningless in my eyes. > > On 11 Dec, 07:02, dj <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > A nice simple Christmas would Be Nice > > > For A Cozy Warm Christmas At Home With the Kids A Wife: > > > Candles burining and Wood Burning On The Fire Place > > And Lights Turned On The (real Tree) > > Bird On The Table And Bake Fresh Bread Also > > A Bottle Of Wine To Go > > Presents Under The Tree > > Christmas Day Morning: Hot Coco For The Kids > > And Coffee On > > Wake The Children And Here They Come All In > > A Glow > > Dad And Mom Set Down And Say To The > > Children It Is Time > > And The Joy Of Watching Them Could Be > > No Greater > > Dad Looks At Mom And Hands Her Gift > > Mom As One Of The Children Could Not > > Wait For Her Turn To Give Her Gift > > > This is a real simple Chrismas that cuts out the stress > > and makes a warm Chrismas > > > On Dec 10, 2:31 am, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Bah humbug. Xmas again and those of you who know me should know that > > > I just don't enjoy this time of year. > > > > Granted this year I shall not be working, and this year I have my > > > family at home with me, but still it's that time of year again when > > > most of us start to feel guilty that we have not spent enough on each > > > of the people we want to gift, again we shall go through the 'who do I > > > send cards to' rigmarole, the family rows, the consumerisum trap that > > > is modern day Xmas. > > > > As a non Christian, can't we just do away with it, leave it to the > > > followers of Christ, me honestly I can't see any merit to the day. > > > > On 10 Dec, 05:45, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Right Orn, I'm sending the boys round. This is in such poor taste it > > > > almost isn't funny! > > > > > On 10 Dec, 01:35, dj <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > And She Touch A Jew.. > > > > > > On Dec 7, 9:45 am, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Before anyone gets all excited about the ‘season’, enjoy this song > > > > > > first, OK? > > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uZ_W7atDE-Hidequotedtext - > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
