Indeed, and I myself choose to, just not at Xmas. Bah humbug etc.. On 11 Dec, 13:38, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > I disagree with your last sentence as it is an unfounded assumption > and fails to take into account other faiths and practices as well as > non-materialists or the impoverished, insane or demented for whom a > holiday of any sort has lost all meaning. To judge a generous spirit > under the terms of a commercial season seems ironic and hollow. > > On Dec 11, 7:13 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > In my growing up years, Christmas was much less about gifts (we each > > got one) and more about festivities - baking, having friends over, the > > family traditions and activities at church, etc,. Once I had kids of > > my own, we developed our own traditions and there were gifts galore > > because it was just too much fun that way. So much fun, that my > > youngest was the last of his group to let go of the Santa myth > > (finally asking me one day "You wouldn't lie to me about this, would > > you mom?" At which point, I wondered why we do! After my divorce, > > Christmas was so miserable, I finally officially declared it "Merry > > F'n Christmas" and mandated all family members to a non negotiable > > participation in Football, Food, Family, Friends and Faith. I think > > putting football and food first made it doable for my 2 teenage sons. > > > Living on my own in Las Vegas I did not decorate or celebrate, but > > used the two weeks around Christmas to work frantically on whatever > > book I was writing at the time, making more headway in those two weeks > > than any other time of the year. Somehow, celebrating Christmas in > > someone else's house wasn't inciting, and spring break in Las Vegas > > made more sense than Christmas to my children. Go figure. I was > > surprised that I did not miss the traditional Christmas stuff, but did > > enjoy Christmas dinner at the Bellagio on the strip with the same > > friends every year. No muss no fuss Christmas. > > > Now, I am again remarried, surrounded by family and children, although > > they are more adult than many adults I know. We put up the minimal > > decorations, just enough to remind. I gave many of my tree ornaments > > and home decorations to my oldest son, who will be spending his first > > Christmas with his fiance in their new home, boxed up an equal amount > > for my youngest son when his time comes. We exchange a few gifts and > > meals in the spirit of the season and enjoy that. > > > All this to say that I think that Christmas is what you make it. It > > represents the birth of hope, the gift of love, the opportunity to > > express our gratitude in any way that we can to folks who mean the > > most to us. It is a time to be together, a celebration of > > connection. Or not. I think that folks who choose not, choose not > > for most things, not just Christmas. > > > On Dec 11, 5:47 am, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > 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 -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
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