Do U Like Christmas Or Hate?

[ocinteeni]

Originally Posted by Big_Willie

E.) Don't care anymore.

nicely put, I agree it brings a feeling of nostalgia like said above but at this point in my life I just don't care about the holiday anymore. It was fun when I was a kid but I feel like people are still living this holiday out as a fantasy just like when we were kids and we believed in Santa. The reality is it has become a disgusting celebration of our materialism and consumerism and that the real elves are sitting in sweat shops in china and india while "Santa" is really just a giant corporation like Walmart, Target, etc. Tradition needs to be questioned and I can't simply celebrate the holiday year after year just because its what everyone did last year. ya thats what I think

[i love Saenz]

I hate Christmas! In my country (Norway) it's all stress and fuckedup formalities that has nothing to do with Jesus being born. All we do is buy shit we don't need. And eat so much that we need to diet for three months before putting on our regular clothes, while kids around the world is starving to death!

Fuck Christmas!

[Mel Asher]

I have a dispersed family ( deaths, emigration, divorce ) and it has always been my dream to have all the grandchildren sleeping under a family Christmas Tree, while the adults giggle alcoholically wrapping up presents to stuff down the children's beds ( variation on the Christmas stocking ).

I cringe at the over schmaltzification of modern Christmas stories. I think Christmas stories for children should be simple and filled with discovered happiness even for the poorest of people.

I love Christmas Presents that people have made with care overthe preceding months.

I loathe expensive Christmas Presents bought either to impress me or the giver.

I love Traditional Christmas Carols in any language.

I love celebrating Christmas with my Muslim, Hindu and Jewish friends who share mine with me in the same spirit that I share their festivals.

And yes, I am from a Gnostic Christian background, if you want to label me, and the more multinational friends I make, the more Agnostic I become.

I sigh at the frenzied Commercialism appearing even before the leaves begin to fall in the woods near me, but I don't let it bother me, as I have a roof over my head and food on the table for anyone who drops by.

Yes. On the balance I think we would lose a lot if Christmas suddenly disappeared.

:D

[TracyCoxx]

I like the Winter Solstice celebration, which is where all the good parts of christmas came from.

[johndowe]

Originally Posted by TracyCoxx

I like the Winter Solstice celebration, which is where all the good parts of christmas came from.

Hi there.

The Wicca ritual?

Do you take part?

JohnDowe.

[ila]

Originally Posted by johndowe

Hi there.

The Wicca ritual?

Do you take part?

JohnDowe.

I am pretty well indifferent to Christmas. However, the company of the right person can make all the difference in the world and change my mood and attitude.

[johndowe]

Hi there.

Like christmas, not too keen on the OVER-COMMERCIALISATION of it, and using kids as extortion tool to cohearse parents into spending way too much on the gifts, and in turn, making kids selfish little creeps that have no respect for themselves, their parents or anybode else for that matter, most kids today would DESERVE a lump of coal.

JohnDowe.

[Be_my_nude]

Originally Posted by Mel Asher

I have a dispersed family ( deaths, emigration, divorce ) and it has always been my dream to have all the grandchildren sleeping under a family Christmas Tree, while the adults giggle alcoholically wrapping up presents to stuff down the children's beds ( variation on the Christmas stocking ).

I cringe at the over schmaltzification of modern Christmas stories. I think Christmas stories for children should be simple and filled with discovered happiness even for the poorest of people.

I love Christmas Presents that people have made with care overthe preceding months.

I loathe expensive Christmas Presents bought either to impress me or the giver.

I love Traditional Christmas Carols in any language.

I love celebrating Christmas with my Muslim, Hindu and Jewish friends who share mine with me in the same spirit that I share their festivals.

And yes, I am from a Gnostic Christian background, if you want to label me, and the more multinational friends I make, the more Agnostic I become.

I sigh at the frenzied Commercialism appearing even before the leaves begin to fall in the woods near me, but I don't let it bother me, as I have a roof over my head and food on the table for anyone who drops by.

Yes. On the balance I think we would lose a lot if Christmas suddenly disappeared.

:D

You seem like a nice guy, Mel - probably too nice. The reality is probably too harsh for you to contemplate. for the sentimentalism though.

[Jenae LaTorque]

Christmas to me is the Christmas Spirit, the coming together of friends and family to celebrate life. Like several have said above, it was originally a celebration of the time of year when the days began to get longer again, and the promise of life through the beginning of a new year was renewed. This celebration long predates it's appropriation by the Christos believers and the blatent commercialization of it by the capitalist merchandisers. And Mel is right about the gift thing. I remember as a child knowing that I was going to recieve a sweater from Grandma every Christmas which didn't excite me so much at the time. But it is those hand knitted sweaters, done with love, that I remember now. And what do I remember most vividly from the last Christmas? It is that my sister made me some raisin filled cookies like the ones Mom made for Christmas when we were kids. I don't even remember me mentioning them to her some time, but, she did! That is what Christmas is about.

From some of the posts above I am sorry that you can not find the joy in Christmas. Perhaps you could/should read O'Henrys story, The Gift of the Magi

http://henry.thefreelibrary.com/The-Four-Million/2-1

I realize it is harder to celebrate the change of the seasons for those who live in cities as it is where i live in the boondocks. We have some damn tough winters here in Wyoming and the holiday season is a way of girding ourselves for the trevails of the oncoming winter. While I am a non-believer in the nativity thing, I never make a fuss over it here. It brings so much pleasure and comfort to so many: why would anyone want to burst their bubble at this time of year. If you object to the commercialization, then just ignore it. If you have children, then be sure to teach them the real Spirit of Christmas. But by all means, do give presents to children. Be Santa Claus. And be like Santa Claus who knows what every little boy and girl wants. Observing kids opening gifts is one of the best ways to recapture your childhood. A gift that you have made or selected especially for that person is so much more meaningful than just the latest fad thing or more especially, a thing you might have wanted as a child yet does not fit the recipient.

YES! I say to the Christmas Spirit. In the overall balence, it is a positive thing. For those who bemoan the season, I say look for the silver linings and you may even discover the gold.

[The Conquistador]

Christmas generally makes people more tolerable so I'd have to say +1pts. for Christmas.

[gorilla]

Originally Posted by i love Saenz

I hate Christmas! In my country (Norway) it's all stress and fuckedup formalities that has nothing to do with Jesus being born. All we do is buy shit we don't need. And eat so much that we need to diet for three months before putting on our regular clothes, while kids around the world is starving to death!

Fuck Christmas!

Alle fuckin lujah! What are we doing to our children promoting all this greed?
I liked your reply....it made me laugh. Concise and eloquent.