Christmas on a 1-10 Scale of Dumbness
Byrnzie
Posts: 21,037
I was thinking about this on the way to work this morning. Where does Christmas fall on the scale of dumbness, with 1 being completely dumb and pointless, and 10 being smart and meaningful?
I mean, I'm not completely adverse to Christmas and thought cincybearcat made a pretty good case for it in this post: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=177410&start=195#p4144310, but the way I see it, it's mostly just a Capitalist greed-fest that has nothing to do with Christ at all. Apart from it being a good time for the kids, It's basically just a corporate, glutinous gang-bang, that pours money into coffers of the fat-bellies.
If Christmas had more to do with it's pagan roots, and involved some respect for the Earth, then I'd be all for it. But instead, it's the opposite. We stuff our greedy faces, buy a ton of shit that we don't need, and plunder the Earth in the process.
On the scale of dumbness I give it 1½.
I mean, I'm not completely adverse to Christmas and thought cincybearcat made a pretty good case for it in this post: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=177410&start=195#p4144310, but the way I see it, it's mostly just a Capitalist greed-fest that has nothing to do with Christ at all. Apart from it being a good time for the kids, It's basically just a corporate, glutinous gang-bang, that pours money into coffers of the fat-bellies.
If Christmas had more to do with it's pagan roots, and involved some respect for the Earth, then I'd be all for it. But instead, it's the opposite. We stuff our greedy faces, buy a ton of shit that we don't need, and plunder the Earth in the process.
On the scale of dumbness I give it 1½.
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I did the same last year too, and have photo's to prove it. :P
Ho, ho, ho!
Only because I see family that I normally don't. Otherwise it's just become commercialized.
And...
It's also a time I get to see my parents where, unless my dad is out flying, we are all together. It's a nice break from the University and a time to relax and get ready for the next semester.
It's a time where I get to make some extra money at work...
I give it a 4
Post them
Yeah, I'm all for holidays that involve time off work. I also like eating nice food, and drinking beer, wine, and baileys - not always in that order. It's also good to give the kids a time to get excited and have fun. But the rest of it I find pretty irritating, and dumb.
I look like a lanky Santa who's been laying off the pies. I may have to stuff a pillow under my top this year for some added authenticity.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Because Christmas sucks.
Outstanding
You may be on to something here.
I see family and go to church and don't get caught up in the commercialization and hijacking of this holiday by the non-religious. I exchange a few small token presents and we try to volunteer and give money to charity. We don't even have a tree up in our house.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
So, 10!
A holiday centered around kindness and giving....
Who wouldn't think that was meaningful? Christmas is what your heart makes it
or not...
Giving feels so good.... You haters should try it some time instead of spouting off like you're the "smartest guys in the room." (You know what happens to THAT group).
Tell that to a turkey.
Who's a hater? To hate something means to allow it to occupy your thoughts and to inspire feelings of anger and bitterness. I don't feel any of these things. I just think Christmas is mostly dumb commercialism, and shameless gluttony. Though I do appreciate there are positives, as I pointed out in my OP. But I think there could be a better way to encourage good-will among mankind than forcing people into thinking they need to spend a shit-load of money on crap they don't need, in the name of a redundant Middle-Eastern cult.
did you just insult some people in this thread while at the same time showing you don't really understand what they are saying!? ...
anyways ... i think the notion of christmas has definitely evolved ... i am not christian and do not celebrate any of the religious aspects ... i do feel that as a society we should have periods of time in the year where work is not the most important thing and we all can spend time with whomever we please ... so, if it has to be done under the guise of religious significance and the turn of the calendar - i'm all for it ...
like every other trap of excess and consumerism - one ultimately should have the free will to participate or not ... i am anti-consumerism and so, i'm not a full fledged participant although we do do a secret santa at work and i do buy from my significant other (which in this particular year - i made the gift) ...
soo ... to answer the question - i would put participating in the pressure to buy stuff and getting stuff is a 1 on the scale but spending quality time with friends and family a 10 ...
We have us a winner.
Cocktails at 6am = 10
Malls/Consumerism = -10
Friends = 10
Calls from people I don't see because they live too far away = 10
Cards around the house from people who love us = 10
For the people who believe: Don't take the Christ out of Christmas = 9
In the good old days, midnight mass = 8
Seeing snow on Christmas eve and all day Christmas day = 12
Walking around the streets in the neighbourhood or driving around other neighbourhoods looking at the lights and decorations = 10
This time of year rocks!
The poison from the poison stream caught up to you ELEVEN years ago and you floated out of here. Sept. 14, 08
Why is there pressure to buy stuff? Only you do that to yourself. I do participate in the "commercialism," but to me that's not Christmas (and believe me, I'm no defender of religion). But, I don't feel pressure to do so. I like doing that. So, if one feels pressure to buy stuff, that's on them, not the holiday. The holiday is the 10 you put there. The rest is just noise.
I give it a 10. Excited for a nice 5 day weekend and some rockin around the christmas tree.
Me, I don't celebrate the holiday itself but love the sensory sides of it, of this time of year.
Plus, it's always nice when people get into that "let's be kind to each other" mindset. Too bad the impetus would be a specific holiday, but hey, it's a start.
But, that's not Christmas. That's my point. So, we'll agree to agree...
My family has shrunk considerably in recent years, We lost both my father suddenly and my grandmother not as suddenly during December 2007 and 2008 respectively. Since then it has been very hard for me to get into the Christmas spirit, but I do try. One thing I have found does help me each year is the buying, wrapping and giving of gifts. I really am never as in the spirit as I am when I wrap those gifts. Does it have anything to do with Christ? No. Is it Christian? No. But I believe Christmas has become something much larger than just a religious holiday and to me that is a positive, not a negative.
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
Hail, Hail!!!
Only not a ten because of the pressure to visit 3 different houses with a trip back home so all of the local G'parents get to see the G'kid (divorce sucks...and I mean the g'parents not me!).
Love it. Love the thought of finding a special something for those you love. Love the idea of buying gifts for children in need and knowing how they will feel on xmas day because you see the same look from your own daughter. And as I've said elsewhere, an opportunity to teach about sharing and giving that can carry over into the rest of the year!!!!! Yeah Xmas!!! (Oh, yeah, that's right, I tool the Christ outta christmas and still love it!!!)
Peace
Family
Giving
Good Cheer
seriously? on a scale of 1 to 10, Christmas is through the roof. to the moon. It's infinity.
yeah, many people have fallen into the commercialism trap. you're saying the thing to do about that is complain and not participate, as opposed to practicing the true spirit and trying to spread that to those who have lost (or never had) sight of it?