No interest in Christmas

Jeanwah

PJ_Soul wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Not sure I see what about it bothers you. You're "bombarded" by what? Christmas music in stores? Is it really that bad? By ... pictures of Santa and bells and snowflakes? Does that hurt your eyes or something? What is it about Christmas decorations that is so objectionable to people? How is it so much worsen than other things that are around the rest of the year? And just how much time must one spend in malls and stores to feel "bombarded"? Personally, I don't care if there is a sign of Santa or a Sign of half-off toilet paper. It has non impact on my life; I'm not sure how it would have any impact on anyone's life except for how they decide to be mad about some decorations. Boy, people seem easily annoyed lately I think!

Why are you mocking him? It's adding absolutely ZERO to this discussion.

And yes, SOME OF US dislike the Christmas music 24/7. SOME of us don't like being bombarded by frivolous Christmas banter. GET OVER IT.

I'm not mocking him at all. I chat with Brian all the time; i think he knows i respect him and am just debating a bit - at least i hope so Brian. If it came off as mocking, that is not what i intended. I am simply bluntly expressing my perspective. Maybe i was a little snotty, but wasn't actuallyvdirecting it to Brian there, bjt to the general idea of people being so annoyed by Christmas stuff. Anyway, I think I'm participating in a pretty reasonable discussion, and you just took it to some other weird level. :? Jeanwah, if you can't handle me, just block me rather than trying to shut down a normal conversation. Also, given your behavior last night, I think it's weird of you to even take this position.

Oh, you got sister. You came across as a mocking fool there, self-righteous and condescending. You will not manipulate me in this thread, nor any other, but you try like hell. You're just embarassing yourself. You could learn a lot from other people if you stopped thinking about yourself all the time and actually opened that shut-tight mind of yours.

Have a good night, and buh-bye. :wave:

PJ_Soul

Jeanwah wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

Why are you mocking him? It's adding absolutely ZERO to this discussion.

And yes, SOME OF US dislike the Christmas music 24/7. SOME of us don't like being bombarded by frivolous Christmas banter. GET OVER IT.

I'm not mocking him at all. I chat with Brian all the time; i think he knows i respect him and am just debating a bit - at least i hope so Brian. If it came off as mocking, that is not what i intended. I am simply bluntly expressing my perspective. Maybe i was a little snotty, but wasn't actuallyvdirecting it to Brian there, bjt to the general idea of people being so annoyed by Christmas stuff. Anyway, I think I'm participating in a pretty reasonable discussion, and you just took it to some other weird level. :? Jeanwah, if you can't handle me, just block me rather than trying to shut down a normal conversation. Also, given your behavior last night, I think it's weird of you to even take this position.

Oh, you got sister. You came across as a mocking fool there, self-righteous and condescending. You will not manipulate me in this thread, nor any other, but you try like hell. You're just embarassing yourself. You could learn a lot from other people if you stopped thinking about yourself all the time and actually opened that shut-tight mind of yours.

Have a good night, and buh-bye. :wave:

Oh jeez. You don't know me at all, and i do have a fairly open mind. In think you've become hypersensitive to me or something. :fp: Seriously, I don't have manipulative bone in my body; if that is how you've interpreted me, I am sad about that. That is truly not where I am coming from. I think your attack on me here is really off-base and inappropriate.

chadwick

Cosmo wrote:

Well... now i feel... well, kinda bad.
I mean, I like Christmas... but, I hate Hitler... even on Christmas.
...
Oh, well... Merry Christmas Everybody!!!
except for you, Hitler...

like you stated i hate child molesters, hitler, and other nasty bastards even on christmas eve & christmas day and all days inbetween. they get zero love or respect from who i am.

in fact, i would give a child molester a christmas gift. i would give them the gift of kicking their ribs in and maybe not bashing their (tiny) brains in. that is a great gift of life and makes me feel wonderously warm

let the snowflakes fall & the carolers sing

brianlux

Someone on the forum chided me once about trying to be a "peace maker". Looks like now I might be christened "shit stirrer".

So I'll try to clarify my feeling about Christmas here. I have no problem with people celebrating a religious holiday. It's just that- for me- in the bigger picture- the holiday has become an economic/social event with a greater focus placed on the commercial aspect of Christmas and it has become more and more so as the years have passed. I'm old enough to remember clearly a time when Christmas did not start until after Thanksgiving. In fact it was "The 12 days of Christmas". My family put up a Christmas tree about a week before Christmas and it came down before new years. It was a time of story telling. It was a time to help the less fortunate. Even the religious/Jesus aspect of it for me, in retrospect, felt like a message of hope. The Christmas story to me is a story of hope. I don't personally take it literally. I think it's a wonderful story whether it is true or not- as long as I'm allowed to see it either way.

To me, Christmas is like that wonderful animated sketch SNL shows each year where Jesus is depressed because of all the ads and the commercialism but when he sees the Charley Brown Christmas show on a TV in a store window it brings tears to his eyes as it does mine too- every time.

To me, Christmas is Truman Capote's heart warming- and heart breaking- "A Christmas Story". I read that story and watch the film version narrated by Capote every year and, yes, I cry every time I see it.


Yes, I feel bombarded by two months of commercial Christmas. If the social/economic nature of Christmas hadn't changed as much as it has, I would not feel so strongly as I do. I actually kind of miss good old Christmas.

And yes, I believe in peace.

Peace everyone.

pandora

So many of us look forward to the holiday season all year long.
It starts with Halloween and we count down four holidays.
It's just fun!

comebackgirl

I have to say that I do just love the tradition of Christmas. My family is small, there are only 6 of us including my husband and sister-in-law, and no children, so gift buying is not a big deal. My family isn't religious, but we do have our own traditions. Holidays typically kick of with my sister-in-law's birthday on 11/1, followed by my mom's and my brother's in November...then on to Christmas, my birthday and then New Year's. Even though we live close geographically, we don't get to see each other often due to conflicting schedules, but we make time during the holidays. I usually spend a day making cookies with my mom, she still has the old hand-written copies of my grandmother's recipes and we pull them out even though we know them by heart. Sometimes we'll take a day to do shopping. I enjoy listening to the Christmas music and watching the tv specials. Work closes for the week between Christmas and New Year's, so it is a nice break without having to come back to a pile of stuff. I usually take a week off from my other job too, so it's a nice rest. My best friend spends the holidays with us since her family lives out of state. I only get to see her a few times a year, so I look forward to that too.

g under p

Like I said from last year Christmas for me will be down played, I'm more interested doing something for others. I'm going to volunteer my time to work in food bank and a food kitchen. Now the best gift the kids could give would be for them to volunteer along with and get some more community hours in and to help others in need.

Next year for the last time before 2 of the kids go off to school ill decorate and do all the holiday stuff if the children want any. At this point I don't think they care, they haven't voiced that as yet so we shall see.

Peace

unlost dogs

I love this time of year, but it will be bittersweet for us as Mr. Unlost's father died during the summer after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

In recent years we scaled way back on the gifts, which were getting outrageous. One gift per person.

Mr. Unlost is off this year. He wasn't last year, so I spent a wonderful day with friends up in New Hampshire (had already seen the family on Christmas Eve).

I don't know what we'll do this year. But I will enjoy the music, the TV specials, and the general festivity.

My goal this year is to complete the season without ever having stepped into a shopping mall.

pandora

unlost dogs wrote:

I love this time of year, but it will be bittersweet for us as Mr. Unlost's father died during the summer after a long battle with Alzheimer's.

In recent years we scaled way back on the gifts, which were getting outrageous. One gift per person.

Mr. Unlost is off this year. He wasn't last year, so I spent a wonderful day with friends up in New Hampshire (had already seen the family on Christmas Eve).

I don't know what we'll do this year. But I will enjoy the music, the TV specials, and the general festivity.

My goal this year is to complete the season without ever having stepped into a shopping mall.

I'm sorry for you and your family's loss. Hopefully the season will bring healing memories.

I go to the malls just to sit. I don't shop there anymore but I love to see the decorations,
hear the music, see the kids and Santa and all the welcoming smiles, anticipation and excitement.

I'll be the old lady sitting on the bench smiling back

g under p

I like Nordstrom, they won't decorate for Christmas until AFTER Thanksgiving. They have been doing so for over 50 years and I like the idea. Nordstrom says they like to celebrate and decorate ONE holiday at a time.

http://www.katu.com/news/business/133436688.html


Peace

redrock

brianlux wrote:

It's just that- for me- in the bigger picture- the holiday has become an economic/social event with a greater focus placed on the commercial aspect of Christmas and it has become more and more so as the years have passed.

Yep... another opportunity for mass consumerism. Decorations/christmas lights up earlier and earlier, christmas commerial goods in the shops earlier and earlier (have seen them in shops in August, etc... Totally wrong.

I really hate this 'forced jolly' as well. One is not 'normal' if you don't join in the songs, the 'merriment', etc. For kids, Santa is not St. Nicholas, patron saint of children (amongst others) but the guy with the beard who brings the presents you want (made by the elves, of course) - the more, the better. Makes me shudder.

brianlux wrote:

I'm old enough to remember clearly a time when Christmas did not start until after Thanksgiving. In fact it was "The 12 days of Christmas". My family put up a Christmas tree about a week before Christmas and it came down before new years.

I do love the 'traditional' Christmas, a family gathering. We used to go out and get the tree on Christmas eve and take it down at Epiphany (12th day). Being from a catholic family, in France, this is 'La Fête des Rois' with it's own tradition of galette. Our 'yule log' which was lit on Christmas also burnt until this day (well... whatever was left of it after topping up with more wood!).

Unless we spent Christmas visiting family abroad, with my daughter we kept the tradition of the tree on Christmas eve & taking it down on the 12th night and the Galette des Rois (even if I am not practicing catholic at all). Though it is getting harder and harder finding trees on the 24th!

brianlux wrote:

I actually kind of miss good old Christmas.

And yes, I believe in peace.

So do I.

cp3iverson

We don't let the ugly side of Christmas affect us. Sure we go to the mall and go shopping but we're not beating up other adults to get this TV or this rare toy. And we're not getting into debt over it. The giving part is incredibly fun. I'm more excited to see the kids open up their gifts than I am for my own.

Real Christmas to me though is the quiet time. Relaxing watching shows or movies that show what the season is about (whether it's Jesus, goodwill, peace, family gatherings, etc). All that and it's the one season where i can almost transport back to being 8 years old again. I think whether you're religious or not you can still take in the positives of the season and block out the negatives.

pandora

cp3iverson wrote:

We don't let the ugly side of Christmas affect us. Sure we go to the mall and go shopping but we're not beating up other adults to get this TV or this rare toy. And we're not getting into debt over it. The giving part is incredibly fun. I'm more excited to see the kids open up their gifts than I am for my own.

Real Christmas to me though is the quiet time. Relaxing watching shows or movies that show what the season is about (whether it's Jesus, goodwill, peace, family gatherings, etc). All that and it's the one season where i can almost transport back to being 8 years old again. I think whether you're religious or not you can still take in the positives of the season and block out the negatives.

this the very essence of what the season is
well said and my first of many Merry Christmas! to you and yours

hedonist

cp3iverson wrote:

And we're not getting into debt over it. The giving part is incredibly fun.

I think whether you're religious or not you can still take in the positives of the season and block out the negatives.

I'm so with you on these three things; they're choices. And I respect how folks choose (or not) to celebrate, to partake.

This is the first morning in many months that I had to turn on the heat upon arriving at work. I love it - means that coldairsnap is about, giving us weather-spoiled Angelinos a little kick in the ass

cp3iverson

pandora wrote:

cp3iverson wrote:

We don't let the ugly side of Christmas affect us. Sure we go to the mall and go shopping but we're not beating up other adults to get this TV or this rare toy. And we're not getting into debt over it. The giving part is incredibly fun. I'm more excited to see the kids open up their gifts than I am for my own.

Real Christmas to me though is the quiet time. Relaxing watching shows or movies that show what the season is about (whether it's Jesus, goodwill, peace, family gatherings, etc). All that and it's the one season where i can almost transport back to being 8 years old again. I think whether you're religious or not you can still take in the positives of the season and block out the negatives.

this the very essence of what the season is
well said and my first of many Merry Christmas! to you and yours

thank you. you too! and i'm proud to admit that my wife and I put up the tree yesterday. early? yes. but hey it's fun. Driving through the neighborhood last night we could see that like 5 other houses did too. lol

chadwick

what about urinating in one's jeans due to being soo bloody drunk and or in your neighbor's (christmas light decorated & flashing) bushes? ever steal your neighbor's christmas lights?

pandora

cp3iverson wrote:

pandora wrote:

cp3iverson wrote:

We don't let the ugly side of Christmas affect us. Sure we go to the mall and go shopping but we're not beating up other adults to get this TV or this rare toy. And we're not getting into debt over it. The giving part is incredibly fun. I'm more excited to see the kids open up their gifts than I am for my own.

Real Christmas to me though is the quiet time. Relaxing watching shows or movies that show what the season is about (whether it's Jesus, goodwill, peace, family gatherings, etc). All that and it's the one season where i can almost transport back to being 8 years old again. I think whether you're religious or not you can still take in the positives of the season and block out the negatives.

this the very essence of what the season is
well said and my first of many Merry Christmas! to you and yours

thank you. you too! and i'm proud to admit that my wife and I put up the tree yesterday. early? yes. but hey it's fun. Driving through the neighborhood last night we could see that like 5 other houses did too. lol

The season goes so fast got to cherish every moment.
We are driving around looking for a house to buy and saw many decorations up already
and trees too.
And it is catchy too ... someone puts up lights then before you know it the block has.

It is fun! and like you said it's being a kid again

Enjoy!

chadwick

the way christmas is set up in the united states and in this modern high speed society; christmas works well for those who have money. if you are one whom does not have money you will get smeared and irritated by all the bullshit of those who look down on the poor and whatnot.

this year i am doing things differently. i am not buying gifts for the children in our family, nope i sure aint. santa gave gifts to those who were nice not naughty. did anyone besides myself give a fat rat's ass that grandma anna was having cancer removed from her kidney? fuck no.

5 kids in total.
3 boys
2 girls
aint a one of em getting a damn thing from me. and besides i am a poor bastard anyway so why should i pamper, cater too & praise bullshit nasty behavior through gift giving? no homemade cards from any of the kids to their grandmother sick with cancer... zero, zip, nada. no calls, no nothing. but they fully believe they deserve christmas gifts. horse shit. i aint giving out a god damn thing this christmas, end of story!

my brother is getting a fat fucking zero from me. no no no and no gift, fucker! you never even spoke to your mother through this entire cancer process of her's. flat out... fuck you, dude. you can't even raise your 3 children to care about their grandma. you be a fucked up, dude.

in years past i have busted ass for years always making sure everyone was treated very well in my loving circles. this year it is simple. im not going to give you fucking assholes a fucking thing. plus im broke as shit anyways. so kiss my frickin ass the whole lot of ya!

this year i get off easy

EmBleve

^^yeah. Mom died this year, dad had major surgery, brother was nowhere to be found in any caregiving process, and newly single, very little funds. Gotta say, I'm not looking forward to the holidays.

chadwick

EmBleve wrote:

^^yeah. Mom died this year, dad had major surgery, brother was nowhere to be found in any caregiving process, and newly single, very little funds. Gotta say, I'm not looking forward to the holidays.

sometimes i wish i drank. but im not gonna down that road again either. but wow would it be soothing perhaps, numbing at least. fade out

the problem is i have always put myself out there and spent money, sometimes i could afford it and sometimes i put myself in debt. either way people had their gifts. this year... fuck y'all.

i am sorry your brother sounds like my brother.