[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by zipperzap 

For those who are now 'too cool' to 'get it' ... I find you somewhat sadly missing something fundamental to your 'American spirit.'

Merry Christmas!

Oh, wow...not condescending at all.

You missed the point.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

I'm not sick of Christmas, because of two points
1. I'm am looking forward to celebrating the birth of Christ.
2. I have kids who get so excited for Christmas and this time of year. Their excitement is truly contagious. While I've always enjoyed Christmas it wasn't until I had kids that I really reveled in it. They get so excited and amped up for it. I was opening a box of decorations last night and they were going oooh and aaaah as I opened it up. that's just for lights and ornaments How could you not get excited

What I am sick of is the commercialization of it. I was in Target earlier this fall and it had a giant MERRY CHRISTMAS sign hung from the ceiling and all sorts of Christmas decorations were already put. The problem, it was September!!! Halloween, never mind Thanksgiving had not even occurred yet and they're trying to cash in on Christmas.

This is exactly what I've been trying to say. You phrased it much better.

I've been irritated the past two days. It's beginning to show.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

This poll format looks suspiciously familiar.

You know, I feared my hero worship would go unnoticed. Thank GOD you see how much I love you now.

*sigh*

Actually, I would've never caught the similarities unless you had mentioned it. Striking, isn't it? Must be a subconscious thing.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Actually, I would've never caught the similarities unless you had mentioned it. Striking, isn't it? Must be a subconscious thing.

Our polls are so similar we both forgot to make them public.

I'm a little uncomfortable now that I realized we're comparing 'polls'.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Additionally, it should be illegal to play a Christmas song on the radio until at least December 1.

I don't know. I think from the day after Thanksgiving until the day after Christmas is appropriate. I start wearing my Christmas ties the day after Thanksgiving. I have enough ties to wear a different one every day from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. My patients love them and comment on them.

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

It's the attitudes that get me. People feel incredible pressure to spend $1,000+ per child, as well as in-laws, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, cousins, etc.

Originally Posted by osiris 

And when you have a family with high expectations, it can drive the suicide rate up.

Then you don't set high expectations. Growing up, we were only allowed to ask Santa for three toys each. No more than that. And then my parents set dollar limits with the relatives, so we weren't showered with thousands of dollars in gifts each year. The only time we had really expensive gifts was when my uncle bought our family the Apple //c in 1984 and the Apple IIgs in 1987. And those were gifts for the whole *family*, not just me and my brother.

Originally Posted by Kevin 

Thats why me and Bekah spend Christmas differently. We give gifts to the kids yes, (They know Santa doesn't exist, I didn't play that game with them from the start) I want them to realize what the Holiday is actually about. And not end up like you are referring to. Being that, they don't get a TON of stuff like a lot of kids do. But they are happy non-the-less. And are at a age now were they understand what is going on.

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

I agree, I didn't teach my kids about santa either - Its a difficult balance. Having a full and colorful fantasy life for the kids is important for their development, yet lying to them is wrong. Plus I want them know what we're celebrating. Christmas is not a reason to get gifts but to remember and celebrate the birth of Christ.

You can get into the Santa aspect of it without "damaging" the child, as long as you do it properly. My brother and I turned out fine and we both believed in Santa until we were about 8 or 9.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Our polls are so similar we both forgot to make them public.

I'm a little uncomfortable now that I realized we're comparing 'polls'.

AH HA! Disparity!

I didn't want mine to be public.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

You can get into the Santa aspect of it without "damaging" the child, as long as you do it properly. My brother and I turned out fine and we both believed in Santa until we were about 8 or 9.

I am not saying it damages anything. I just didn't feel like putting up the facade I guess.

[Shaddim]

The best way to enjoy the holidays:

1. Ignore all Christmas crap until after Thanksgiving (the US Thanksgiving, that is). We don't hang a single decoration until the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

2. Shop for all gifts online, thereby avoiding the shopping frenzy.

3. Go to as many holiday parties as you can. Drink more than usual, and make sure to greet everyone.

4. The week before Christmas start watching all the classic Christmas movies.

5. If possible, avoid all "modern" holiday music. In essence, most of the crap written after 1954.

6. "When it's over, it's over". Make sure to take down all the decorations on Jan. 2nd.

Follow those and you'll never burn out on the season.

[Shaddim]

Oh ****, I forgot.

7. Donate at least one day during the holidays to work in a shelter, food pantry, or soup kitchen.

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

5. If possible, avoid all "modern" holiday music. In essence, most of the crap written after 1954.

I sense hypocrisy in myself...

I sing "Let It Snow" year-round, especially in the office. Infraction?

And yes, the old Christmas songs were incredible. Modern Christmas songs see-uck.

[paul w]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

T5. If possible, avoid all "modern" holiday music. In essence, most of the crap written after 1954.

BS - it's like the best thing about Christmas, from Bing Crosby to Run DMC to the Pogues.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I sense hypocrisy in myself...

I sing "Let It Snow" year-round, especially in the office. Infraction?

Nah, you're in good shape.

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (sometimes also known as "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow", or less frequently as "Let It Snow"), a pop standard written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in 1945 and first recorded by Vaughn Monroe, became a huge popular hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard music chart the following year.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

6. "When it's over, it's over". Make sure to take down all the decorations on Jan. 2nd.

Unless you're Greek Orthodox, in which case the decorations stay up until January 7. (Day after Epiphany, Jan. 6)

[Jawbone54]

I always get that confused with Latvian Orthodox.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by Person Man 

Unless you're Greek Orthodox, in which case the decorations stay up until January 7. (Day after Epiphany, Jan. 6)

Yeah, I have several Orthodox friends, but they're far into the minority.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

AH HA! Disparity!

I didn't want mine to be public.

Lies. And what kind of backwards reasoning would require this to be private, eh?

[brassplayersrock²]

YouTube - Rayman Raving Rabbids Christmas

[maxintosh]

I was stuck at FedEx/Kinkos Bryant Park for about 4 hours last week. The music was about to drive me crazy. I asked the sales associate how she dealt with it, and she replied, "barely." I actually left a store the week before Thanksgiving when "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" came one.

[osiris]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

I sing "Let It Snow" year-round, especially in the office. Infraction?

No, insanity.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by zipperzap 

I feel sad for those of you who don't like/'hate' Christmas.

America has changed so much since I was a kid that I wouldn't even recognise it today, had I been able to take a peek into the beginning of this century.

As one who was born a half decade before the middle of the last century, and was raised by 'old fashioned American parents' who had a firm grasp of American history and the meaning of Christmas ... I actually look forward to Christmas each year. I even look forward to seeing Thomas Nast's Jolly St. Nick and welcome all of the memories of the 'family past' - who are all gone now. We embrace the 'Christmas Spirit' and Christmas Music, carol singing, Yule Log tradition, the beauty of new fallen snow on Christmas Eve, the excitement of small children scampering down the steps to the wonderment of the gifts around the Christmas Tree, and a big Christmas Dinner with children and grandchildren around the great table that seats all who come!

I will cherish those past memories, well as those yet to be, until my last dying breath upon this Earth.

For those who are now 'too cool' to 'get it' ... I find you somewhat sadly missing something fundamental to your 'American spirit.'

Merry Christmas!

You do realize that for a long time Christmas was regarded as a distinctly un-American holiday and it's celebration was discouraged, don't you? It wasn't until the 19th century that it was common for Christmas to be celebrated in America. There were even points in American history where Christmas was outlawed, and those who celebrated subject to fines (this, as has been the case with most of our moronic laws, was thanks to Christian fundamentalists).

It seems to me that nowadays there are basically two functions of Christmas: a celebration of consumerism, and a celebration of Christianity. I subscribe to neither of those schools of thought, so I find Christmas to be of no value whatsoever. That fact that it is absolutely impossible to avoid being inundated with Christmas songs, Christmas decorations, and whatnot unless you stay in your house and forego all human contact has, after many many years, rendered me a bit disgruntled about the whole matter.

[besson3c]

nonhuman: I subscribe to neither myself, but I think that Christmas can also function as a unifying family time that celebrates families and the loving nature of the human spirit. However, this is sort of a storybook depiction of Christmas - to many people this is difficult or impossible to celebrate.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

nonhuman: I subscribe to neither myself, but I think that Christmas can also function as a unifying family time that celebrates families and the loving nature of the human spirit. However, this is sort of a storybook depiction of Christmas - to many people this is difficult or impossible to celebrate.

This is the view of it that my (also non-Christian, non-consumerist) fiancée is currently trying to drill into me (and I'm trying to do my best). I agree with the sentiment, but it seems to me that this isn't the way that most Americans view the holiday. Certainly it isn't (and really couldn't nor shouldn't be) the way that Christmas is generally portrayed in public.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

This is the view of it that my (also non-Christian, non-consumerist) fiancée is currently trying to drill into me (and I'm trying to do my best). I agree with the sentiment, but it seems to me that this isn't the way that most Americans view the holiday.

You're right, the majority of Americans view Christmas two ways, as you so astutely observed, either from a consumerism perspective or from the religious perspective. Personally (as shown by my sig) I celebrate the latter form

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

You're right, the majority of Americans view Christmas two ways, as you so astutely observed, either from a consumerism perspective or from the religious perspective. Personally (as shown by my sig) I celebrate the latter form

Which is all well and good, but it's rather insulting when (and I don't mean to imply that you do this) Christians and others imply or even state outright that anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas is a bad person or un-American. It seems to me that America was designed specifically to allow for people with different beliefs and ideas to live here.