Well. I did do the decorating last Christmas since my daughter and her five year old came for the holidays but snow- real snow!- was the star attraction for the dear one in her new snowsuit and tiny boots with a wonderful snowman she built on the front lawn- her first sculpture! But no more 7 foot trees, thank you! My children have taken their velvet stockings and many decorations into their new homes/families while I have saved enough. I do put a wreath on the front door after Thanksgiving and consider the many years of creating a festival, past. As a school child my lamb struggled wearily to the creche- due to deportment woes- but always got jostled in before vacation.
"Winter leads us slowly to its feast Long nights nudge a stubborn sun, A soul; I stare the glimmerings Briefer still than day... Tinsel gently mocks the flame. Traditions of my house, mere symbol, Shadows of some spirit thing, unbound, Unloosed forever in the hearts of men..." >From "A Christmas Prayer" 1970 copyright/rmg On Dec 11, 7:45 am, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 -- 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.
