No interest in Christmas

lukin2006

I get 2 weeks off over the holidays...that's about the only part of Christmas I like.

Jeanwah

Rollings wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

Am I alone here?

The older I get the less I like Christmas time. I don't get depressed or anything, I just see it as a diversion and an obligation to spend money. It's what it's become that bothers me; the need to go shopping, the obligation to giving lots of gifts which is usually a bunch of stuff that no one needs. The media shoving the commercialism down our throats. The radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I've resorted to calling the holiday "Giftmas" because that's how society has exploited the holiday.

If we could just get back to the basics of being kind, respectful and peaceful; what the holiday is supposed to mean, I may be more in the spirit.

If you rely on society for your points of view, then commercialism, externally-driven obligation, and exploitation is what you are going to see/experience--and that's what you say you do see.

By choosing to call Christmas "giftmas" only because "that's how society has exploited the holiday", you are actually an active participant of the exploitation that you are herein criticizing. Even if done sarcastically, you are still replacing what should be your opinion with society's apparent opinion.

Peace, beauty, joy, respect, and kindess, and the other things you say you wish for all come from inside ones own self. And If you have to fight societal ways in order to preserve those truths, then so be it--that fight is up to the individual.

I don't want to sound self-righteous, but to me this is just the truth....I'll be damned (in search of a better word :angel: ) if I let any outside force interfere with what I hold and regard to be something beautiful and sacred, like for me, the Christmas season

First of all, getting away from society's interpretation is literally impossible. I don't watch much tv as it is. But one would have to literally live under a rock to get away from anything to do with Christmas, at least in America. Believe me, I've tried.

I use the term Giftmas sarcastically. I'm making fun of society. Spreading awareness that we only use the values of being peaceful, kind, generous, thoughtful and joyful ONCE A YEAR, rather than year-round is what I'm trying to get across, as well as the notion that we must shop our way into others hearts, to prove they mean "so much to us". It's crap.

Ever since I was hospitalized from a near fatal accident, I have promised myself to be more generous to those I care about all year long. I celebrate solstice and Christmas, but I definitely prefer the former. Solstice is magical; it is truly a celebration of the Earth. But the Christmas thing has been exploited and pushed on everyone regardless of what individuals personally hold dear.

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Jeanwah

iamica wrote:

I like Christmas...it reminds me of the excitement of being a kid on Christmas Eve/morning...it's taken a new significance for me as an adult, since it gives me a chance to see family and friends that I don't get a chance to see otherwise.
I've never been comfortable with the commercialization of the holiday, people trampling each other on Black Friday, etc. I made the decision a couple of years ago to do Buy Nothing Christmas, and I love it. I don't give gifts or ask for gifts, we just throw parties and each bring something to eat/drink and spend time together.
Whether you are Christian or not, I think Christmas is a good thing.

The bolded part sounds like my kind of holiday!

stuckinline

Jeanwah wrote:

Am I alone here?

The older I get the less I like Christmas time. I don't get depressed or anything, I just see it as a diversion and an obligation to spend money. It's what it's become that bothers me; the need to go shopping, the obligation to giving lots of gifts which is usually a bunch of stuff that no one needs. The media shoving the commercialism down our throats. The radio stations playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I've resorted to calling the holiday "Giftmas" because that's how society has exploited the holiday.

If we could just get back to the basics of being kind, respectful and peaceful; what the holiday is supposed to mean, I may be more in the spirit.

Jeanwah,

I feel the same way about "giftmas'. This time of year has turned into an over commercialized frenzy. Many people rush around to buy tons of crap made in China that will just end up in the trash within a few months.

FYI, I am not a scrooge, I "adopt" 3 kids every year.

rollings

Jeanwah wrote:

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Oh, it's certainly not wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas or ANYthing for that matter. Like,

--why DO we kill and eat an entire turkey just because its Thanksgiving.
--why DO kids put on costumes and run around on the streets after dark collecting CANDY from strangers?
--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.
--why DO I have to uncover a buried morsel of a tooth under the pillow under the head of my sleeping child--the whole time pacnicked that I might wake him and he discover--Oh Please No, say it isn't so--Mommy's the tooth fairy :wtf:

--same with Christmas

pandora

Rollings wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Oh, it's certainly not wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas or ANYthing for that matter. Like,

--why DO we kill and eat an entire turkey just because its Thanksgiving.
--why DO kids put on costumes and run around on the streets after dark collecting CANDY from strangers?
--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.
--why DO I have to uncover a buried morsel of a tooth under the pillow under the head of my sleeping child--the whole time pacnicked that I might wake him and he discover--Oh Please No, say it isn't so--Mommy's the tooth fairy :wtf:

--same with Christmas

I love the way you look at life

thank you!

Godfather.

Rollings wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Oh, it's certainly not wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas or ANYthing for that matter. Like,

--why DO we kill and eat an entire turkey just because its Thanksgiving.
--why DO kids put on costumes and run around on the streets after dark collecting CANDY from strangers?
--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.
--why DO I have to uncover a buried morsel of a tooth under the pillow under the head of my sleeping child--the whole time pacnicked that I might wake him and he discover--Oh Please No, say it isn't so--Mommy's the tooth fairy :wtf:

--same with Christmas

the history behind all our traditions is really some cool stuff "ring around the rosie a pocket full of poseys we all fall down" have you ever read the meaning of this childs game-poem ? I'm sure you already know of most or all of our traditions historys, your post made me think of all these things thanks !


Godfather.

brianlux

Funny you should mention this, Jeanwah- I think maybe it's not just an age thing but maybe even a more widespread phenomena. Black Friday was nuts- everybody shopping (except a few of us ) and Christmas music everywhere are so forth. And then a few days later it seemed like- ok, enough of this, everybody back on their heads!

g under p

[

Jeanwah wrote:

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Godfather. wrote:

Rollings wrote:

Oh, it's certainly not wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas or ANYthing for that matter. Like,

--why DO we kill and eat an entire turkey just because its Thanksgiving.
--why DO kids put on costumes and run around on the streets after dark collecting CANDY from strangers?
--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.
--why DO I have to uncover a buried morsel of a tooth under the pillow under the head of my sleeping child--the whole time pacnicked that I might wake him and he discover--Oh Please No, say it isn't so--Mommy's the tooth fairy :wtf:

--same with Christmas

the history behind all our traditions is really some cool stuff "ring around the rosie a pocket full of poseys we all fall down" have you ever read the meaning of this childs game-poem ? I'm sure you already know of most or all of our traditions historys, your post made me think of all these things thanks !


Godfather.

I have asked some of those questions too...like why is it that my dog Snoopy eats only meat and I don't?

Peace

Jeanwah

Rollings wrote:

Jeanwah wrote:

And why is it so wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas any way?

Oh, it's certainly not wrong to question our rituals regarding Christmas or ANYthing for that matter. Like,

--why DO we kill and eat an entire turkey just because its Thanksgiving.
--why DO kids put on costumes and run around on the streets after dark collecting CANDY from strangers?
--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.
--why DO I have to uncover a buried morsel of a tooth under the pillow under the head of my sleeping child--the whole time pacnicked that I might wake him and he discover--Oh Please No, say it isn't so--Mommy's the tooth fairy :wtf:

--same with Christmas

Awesome.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

Jeanwah wrote:

Ya know, another reason I don't care for the season is that people look to one time of the year to be kind, peaceful and in making family a priority. It shouldn't be just one day a year. If we actually made time for each other more often than once a year, life would be a whole lot better for everyone. Without being rude, I feel that everyone jumping on the Christmas holiday is just a status quo thing, and that it's something that we're "supposed to do", rather than a genuine feeling. If it was genuine it would carry over to the rest of the year.

I think it serves as a good reminder to give and to pledge good will toward men. some people carry that reminder with them, some don't.

christmas is what it is to each individual. commercialism be damned. I don't spend more because the tv tells me to. I actually started a movement within my family to stop going hog wild at this time of year. we were sitting around opening presents for what seemed like hours. people didn't even know what each other got. so we now just pick names, and buy one $50 gift for one person, instead of that for 20 people. The kids obviously get from everyone, because that's fun.

for us it's more about getting together and celebrating each other and life than anything else.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

pandora wrote:

Acknowledge those who believe in Christ as their Savior, in the profound
way they lives their lives, in the meaning of Christmas to them.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

Godfather. wrote:

quite the oppesite my friend it is the non beliver that make it up as they go along.

Godfather.

don't you folks ever quit?

Charles H Darwin!

pandora

Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

pandora wrote:

Acknowledge those who believe in Christ as their Savior, in the profound
way they lives their lives, in the meaning of Christmas to them.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

respectful as always of others beliefs

pandora

Has anyone else thought these people camping out for black friday to get all
the great deals may be turning them to make extra money for their own
children's Christmas?
seeing so many are hurting

Hugh Freaking Dillon

pandora wrote:

Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

pandora wrote:

Acknowledge those who believe in Christ as their Savior, in the profound
way they lives their lives, in the meaning of Christmas to them.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

respectful as always of others beliefs

I am very respectful of others beliefs. My wife and her entire family are Catholic, and I respect that greatly. What I don't respect is someone telling me to "recognize the profound way they live their lives", inferring that all Christians are perfect human beings. To say that is just as ridiculous as me saying all Christians/believers are hypocrites, or all priests are pedophiles, etc, as I know that's not the case.

also, there's a massive difference between respecting someone's belief and respecting the person. I'm sure you can figure out what that means.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

pandora wrote:

respectful as always of others beliefs

non-judgmental as always. :roll:

blueandwhite

As far as I'm concerned, Christmas simply means that I need to buy myself 4 snow tires for my car at $240 a pop! Merry Christmas to me .

mikalina

speaking for myself only...

someday I would like to get away during the christmas holiday and not return till mid of January.

On a beach in Maui over looking the sun rising and setting every day, walking the beach and having a special man to celebrate the new year together....

( this is just one of my ideas )

Hugh Freaking Dillon

Rollings wrote:

--why ARE eggs mainly a breakfast food.

they aren't in my house! we have breakfast for dinner usually once a week!