Are today & tomorrow just "another day" for others? We quit paying

[karlrschneider]

attention to "christmas" years ago...aside from a chance to pig out on turkey and all that stuff. My SO and I just can't get exercised about a 'holiday' that has no real meaning...

[mhr]

1. Just Another Day Of Watching Mass Psychosis In Action As Americans

Stress themselves out over unrealistic expectations.

[karlrschneider]

3. LOL! Can't find any fault with -that-!

:D
Have a great day, whatever your inclinations. :D

[OneMoreDemocrat]

8. Yeah, not to mention how those stupid Americans..........

get together with their families and friends and spend time together in a spirit of generosity and togetherness.

Fucking Sheeple.

[InvisibleBallots]

32. yeah, no meaning whatsover!

Just an empty worthless gesture of love between family and friends. How stupid can they be? :eyes:

[chicagojoe]

17. That's when Christmas became bearable for me...

...when I lost the unrealistic expectations. Now it's a blast, actually.

[xultar]

2. I said absolutely no TURKEY this xmas. I'm sick of it.

It's just me & my parents. Just the three of us. So it is kinda laid back and kewl.

[shraby]

5. A family here where I live have their

Christmas in the summer. Seems one year a family member was moving to another country for a period of time so they had their Christmas early for them and it worked out so good they continued to do it. The weather is good, don't have to deal with icy roads and snow to do their shopping and they can have Christmas dinner outside.

[xultar]

29. Now, that I like. Spread the turkey around for a change! n/t

[karlrschneider]

6. I'll admit this, hoping Michael doesn't see it, I don't care much for

turkey myself. :evilgrin: He loves it. But it's not a big deal...
;-)

[ramapo]

4. Movies and Chinese

Going to have a traditional Jewish Christmas. First time for my wife (raised Jewish). First time not having a tree for me (raised Christmas).

Should be very mellow.

[karlrschneider]

9. Well, (phonetic?) La chaim...??? Sorry don't know how to type it.

Have a great day! :D

[Skittles]

7. just two more days for me

alone, eating frozen dinners, working tomorrow. They are gonna feed us at work though. :D

[karlrschneider]

10. they'll be better if you thaw them out B4 eating

:D

Best wishes 2U in any case! :D

[Skittles]

11. LOL I never can wait to eat!

picked up a pecan pie to supplement the work meal - I like to say PEA-can, it drives Texans crazy! When they complain I say OH you prefer the FRENCH PRONUNCIATION - HA, you should see their faces THEN! :D

[karlrschneider]

14. LOL...hey, I MAKE "pee-khan" pies and it pisses off my neighbors

when I deliver one to them pronouncing it the (eww...'french' way) but
they think my pies are the best thing ever. It's so funny how they try to rag on my politics and praise the "pee-khan" pies at the same time.
:D

[oneighty]

33. Poor Skittles

Come stay with me. I will hug you and I will kiss you and I will pet you and I will feed you after you shovel the F**^#ing snow out-a the driveway AND dig the car out-a the snow bank.

Merry Christmas Ms. Skittles. ((((((((((hug)))))))))))

Ed

[asjr]

12. I can understand why one would feel that way. It has

become so commercialized some people forget what it is about. The hoopla has become gifts. What are you going to buy? Will retailers have a good season? And the Republicans are trying to make hay out of it by trying to make others feel guilty. They do not realize they are just as bad. Or maybe they do realize it. I am Christian and refuse to make anything of it except what it is. It is Christ's birthday, whether it is the correct day or not, and tonight at bedtime I will wish him Happy Birthday. It is that simple for me. I don't push my religion on anyone else and have respect for others' religions if they have any. Or if they don't. Christmas day is just another day in the scheme of things. What I do on that day and every other day has meaning for me. I care for my family and my neighbors.

[puddycat]

16. we need to become the change we wish to make (re commercialization)

I've thought Christmas was way to commercialized for some time. I hold as cherished memories the Christmases of my childhood when we kids made our own decorations. We gathered spare scraps of paper and pictures from magazines and made our own greeting cards. We loved it. And the people who received those cards loved and appreciated us for doing it. And if they didn't they weren't the type of people we cared to associate with.

I do wish we could go back to those days of simple treasures. I would much much rather have a gift that cost little but that was homemade--a few cookies, a wreath made from local pine cones and grape vines, etc.

I've cut down on the amount of money I spend for gifts. I don't buy outdoor decorations and I use "found objects" from the woods for our indoor decorations--pine cones, ivy, pine branches, etc.

[karlrschneider]

18. I respect your right to believe anything you wish to! But I also reserve

the right to think you are in error...I was raised as a "christian" and I continue to agree with the teachings of Jesus, whether he existed or not (the jury as far as I'm concerned is still out on that question) but I became a "soft" atheist more than 40 years ago (that means I don't believe in supernatural deities, but willing to consider any evidence of same that might be produced)

At my own advanced age, I've come to think that the existance of not only humans, but everything else is essentially pointless. Whether or not the 'stuff' that comprises the universe is 'created' or 'accidental' really doesn't matter. I think Freddy Mercury had it right, "nothing really matters." In a couple hundred years, nobody on the planet, with a few exceptions, will be remembered by whoever's left(if indeed, humans are still around)...there's a tendency for the "bad" people to have a longer legacy than the "good" ones. Maybe the whole human experience is just a sick joke and has no place in the big picture, whatever that might be...??

[w13rd0]

20. Well...

...no one is gonna accuse you of being filled to the brim with holiday mirth :)

[karlrschneider]

22. Actually, I'm filled to the brim with Crown Royal.

:D
We have our own way to celebrate.
:toast:

[tsuki]

26. To your health.

:toast:

[puddycat]

25. LOL, yes, the nihilists are busy spreading their holiday cheer!

[puddycat]

13. If you are not Christian, then why feel the need to express displeasure?

It certainly holds meaning for Christians, and obviously you aren't one. I'm a Christian, and I like Christmas (even though its not a Biblical holiday)--its a time for reflection and forgiveness and to think about what Jesus really stood for.

If you aren't a Christian, though, tell me, why even question yourself about your lack of attention to a religion you don't practice? All you need to do is enjoy the day in your own way. And if you work in a field where attendance is needed on the holidays (i.e. nursing, etc) you could do great good by volunteering to work the shift of someone who does hold the day as holy.

[w13rd0]

19. "Christmas" has little to do with Christianity...

...it's just a slap-dash made up holiday to give Christians something to do when every other world religion is having their winter solstice celebrations. Considering what's detailed in the Bible regarding the birth of Jesus, it's likely the event occurred in late May or early June.

But that's besides the point. Problem is of course that the holiday itself has practically collapsed under the weight of its own uber-commercialization. If one really wanted to celebrate the birth of Jesus, I'd wait until after all the Mammon worshipping psuedo-pagans got thru with their winter solstice tree of lights festival.

[puddycat]

24. hmmm, actually I rather enjoy the pagan evergreen rituals, etc.

Being a human being who embraces both her Christian roots and her pagan roots, I quite enjoy the scent and symbolism of branches of evergreen in my home--symbol of life.

[karlrschneider]

21. I honestly don't know what being a Christian entails any more.

Perhaps I am actually one...? I try to help anyone in need...I don't do enough, though. I haven't given away everything to the poor as Jesus directed, so I fail that test. What is the litmus test? And what about this: "From everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his needs"

Does that ring a bell? And if it does, what do you think about it?

[Behind the Aegis]

15. Kinda both

My partner is at his parents' home tonight and will spend tomorrow with them, then he will come home. We have already celebrated Chanukah and we have been giving presents since then. not much ceremony at our home and no tree. I really didn't celebrate the Solstice yet, I do that at my own pace! :) I just glad it will all be over soon and won't have to hear all the 'noise' about Christmas again until next September (?)! Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Day with Loved ones!

[jjtss]

23. That American Spirit of Christmas

Most of you will be glad when it is over. That's fair and honest.
for a lot of elderly people it is a very lonely time, we don't get all the attention that the media would have you believe. I found that the best way to deal with all that christmas is denial. I quit observing Christmas the way I quit smoking and the way I have holiday dinner--COLD TURKEY!!! Know what? After ten years you don't miss it, you learn how much trouble and stress you no longer have, and you feel sorry for all the people who stress out over christmas or go major depression. Anyway Christ was a Pisces born around February 20th and the Winter Solstice is December 21st so what's to celebrate except that the common man has conned the rich and powerful govt into a freebie!}(

[puddycat]

27. So, you aren't a Christian: SO don't celebrate. No big deal.

But you are correct--no one really knows when Christ was born, so hijacking the winter solstice was a pretty good idea.

[neebob]

28. It is kind of just another day for me

I never really participated in the mandatory shower of stuff and, a few years ago, started flat-out refusing to participate. Now I just buy my son whatever he wants, within reason, and ship him off to his dad's because Christmas is really important to my former in-laws and not a big deal to me. I send my mom a little gift, buy a couple of small gifts for whoever invites me to dinner or a party, and mostly just enjoy the decorations and socializing. I just got home from a lovely prime rib dinner at the home of my boss, which was really nice because it's Christmas Eve and it was with her husband's family and a friend of hers. So I felt special.

Usually I just get one invitation on Christmas day, but this year I got two. If no one invited me, I would just stay home and relish my solitude, and it would be fine. I thought about going to visit my mom, but we're just coming out of a rough time in our relationship, and I'm sure it would be stressful. She has my brother and his family nearby.

[Vidar]

30. A few days when television becomes even more rancid than usual.

[Lost4words]

31. we stopped exchanging gifts 8 years ago, all the stress is gone

we still do the big meal thing.

[bikebloke]

34. Any excuse for a day off

For me, it's close enough to the solstice. That means the sun begins its return. I really don't care for riding home in the dark, swaddled for deep space. I'll take the swelter any day. As for all the rest, I'm alone. So I needn't worry about it.

[murray hill farm]

35. Celebrate xmas on the 28th each year!

So much nicer that way...close enough to the actual day...and the day after xmas (of the 25th) everything in the stores is 50% or more off in price....try it , you will like it..ha!

[Tsiyu]

36. It's only the first of the Twelve days of Christmas

This is merely Day One.

(Look for your partridge in the pear tree.)

Seriously, one of the benefits of being Episcopalian ( non=practicing, 'cept at Christmas :shrug:) is that Christmas lasts until January 6th.

Yep. The decorations stay up, you cook the whole time and you can give or get presents until Epiphany.

And on Old Christmas Eve ( January 5th) if you put a sprig of mistletoe under your pillow you will dream of your true love!

I just enjoy the day. Smile. Eat sugary things.

You can take a break from carrying the world around on your shoulders every once in a while. It's okay. Really. ;)