It's not the liberals who killed Christmas...

[WCGreen]

It was the worship of capitalism that destroyed the season.

It isn't the lack of Nativity Scenes at city hall or the lack of Christian songs sung in Public Schools, it is the consumer economic offshoot of capitalism that has destroyed the essence of Christmas...

I'm old enough to remember when everything started to close up at 5:00 on Christmas Eve and not open again until the day after Christmas.

The assembly lines shut down, no Wall Mart was open, no supermarket was open, theaters closed down, no one played football or basketball on Christmas Day and the people were given a paid day off to celebrate the Christmas spirit with their family and friends.

Only commercial activity necessary were operating, Utilities, Hospitals and Chinese Restaurants.

This all happened before the whole ridiculous war on Christmas that the yakking heads at Fox News pull out of the closets every year at this time to rile up their sheep...

It happened sometime in the 70's, when the Christmas shopping season started to take on a huge public orgasmic shopping experience.

It was earlier than that they the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marked the beginning of the Christmas Season but that was in New York and before they started to televise the parade, the rest of the country went about the business of giving thanks for what ever it was that they were thankful for.

In reality, the whole idea of a Christian holiday came late to the party and was not really celebrated in this country until the late 1800's.

I think this idea of melding the religious with the season came after the secular revelry.

In reality, their is no there there when it comes to the idea of Jesus being born on December 25th.

Anyone who has access to cable and the History Channel or A&E should know by now that the roman influence when christianity became one with the empire that the birth of Jesus was even an issue.

So really you can say the war on Christmas began when Constantine adopted Christianity as the state religion back in the 313. I really don't think that Jesus had that in mind when he was prowling around the Middle East back in 00...

So if anyone really questions the lack of religious tone to the Christmas holiday, just ask them why they have allowed the capitalist to create an orgy of consumerism that each year takes us further from the idea of Christmas...

[JuniperLea]

1. Yep, we remembered the day and kept it holy...

Even though it wasn't, and never really was.

[ejpoeta]

2. chirstmas is a bs 'christian' holiday anyway.

first of all, they made the holiday so it coincided with other holidays of groups like pagans who they were trying to convert. then they co-opted some of the traditions so as to help convert other religions. but we celebrate christmas. to me it isn't a religious holiday. it is a holiday about tradition and family.

i remember as a kid we got one 'big' toy and pajamas and little things. i remember no stores were open. we had homemade ornaments on the tree. i try to have the kids make ornaments every year. we have done cut outs and painted them.... this year i think we will decorate some plain balls i bought last year after christmas. my kids will ask for things.... but in the end they have always seemed very pleased with what they got. their one big present and little ones and pajamas to go along with it.

for me christmas was always about giving to others. i revel in the look on their face when they open their gift. a gift that may be homemade by me or one that i carefully picked out. it doesn't have to be the shiniest most expensive one.... as long as it comes from the heart.

commercialism... i do agree that is what ruined christmas. taking the personal, family and community aspect out of it and making it about things.

[WCGreen]

3. I remember a sedate more reflective time...

A time to gird up for winter, if you will...

[Zax2me]

6. Christmas will be celebrated as a religious holiday...

Whether you do or not.
And Christmas is hardly ruined by - anyone.
War on Christmas? BS....
You can pick apart the origins, doesn't change the fact that millions of Christians over the world celebrate it as the birthday of Jesus Christ.
These same people also take joy is seeing loved ones open gifts. Doesn't 'ruin' anything.
It will come and go the same as it always has. Some might commercialize it, others might sneer or question the religion aspect -
To most all this side noise is just that - noise.
Have your war, question the origin, sneer at the religious celebration.
You won't stop a thing.

[ejpoeta]

10. wow. listen to you.

i merely find it fascinating how people claim traditions as their own that were those of religions whose names they use as derogatory ones. that is not 'sneering' at anything.

[WCGreen]

12. Well, the Fox Network trots that bull shit out every year to further divide people...

So yes, it is a concern to many people here on DU...

[eleny]

13. "Some might commercialize it" - Some?

Try to escape the commercialism from now till the end of December. You can't because it's everywhere with as much fuzziness as a dentist's drill.

And that's what turns me off about the whole season. Any celebration of a birthday has been drowned out by the intense and excessive shopping message.

[JI7]

4. i'm an Atheist and i love the Holiday season

[JI7]

5. i'm an Atheist and i love the Holiday season

[MindPilot]

15. You can say that again!

:+

[Johonny]

7. I like saving huge money with sales

thanks Jesus for being born so I can understand how much the rest of the year I'm getting screwed at stores. Why spend money any other time but Christmas?

[Obamanaut]

8. Even if there were a Jesus, and even if we knew his real birthday, there

actually was no year 00, or even zero. And even if there were a Jesus whose birthday was at that time, he would have been too small to be prowling around.

It is possible to have some enjoyment at this time of year, regardless of what one believes or not believes as to births and celebrations thereof. Friends, family, food, perhaps a bit of adult beverage. It's all good.

[WCGreen]

9. Perhaps I should have put ca 00.....

The intent was to show how ridiculous it is to assign a birthday to someone born before the advent of the modern calender let alone to try and pin down a nomadic persons birth place and date...

I'll try to be more precise the next time...

[DailyGrind51]

11. Capitalism has replaced "Christ" with "Dollar, Almighty".

[MindPilot]

14. I didn't know it was dead...

If the fact that my local Lowe's tries to sell off all their lawn furniture and BBQs in September so they can have the Christmas stuff out before Halloween is any indication, Christmas is very much alive.

[eridani]

16. Caroling for social justice

Toys For The World

Toys for the world are made by kids
And not by elves at all!
We work them night and day
For very little pay.
And tiny little hands
Make all our fav'rite brands
That fill up the shelves in every shopping mall.

Toys for the world that Santa brings
So our own kids can play
What's underneath your tree
Is our economy.
The little girls and boys
Who make our children's toys
Are not getting squat from us on Christmas Day!
They're not getting squat from us on Christmas Day!


O Come Ye Investors

O come, ye investors, captains of our commerce,
Let’s get our products made in Bangladesh
Come for the people, peaceful and compliant
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

Child, in our sweatshops, make designer dresses,
So we get richer from your twelve-hour days!
Who would not hire you for ten cents an hour?
O come let us exploit him
O come let us exploit him
O come let us exploit him because we can!

See how consumers, blinded by low prices,
Leaving their consciences, come here to buy.
Into our pockets they will pour their dollars.
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!


Slow Down Ye Frantic Shoppers

Slow down ye frantic shoppers
For there's something we must say
If you would spare a moment
All your stress would go away
Big business has been telling us
What Christmas means today
But it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

To some folks Christmas means a time
For gathering with friends
And enemies might use it
As a time to make amends
But TV says it's time for pricey
Gifts and selfish ends
And it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

Some people feel that Christmas
Is when Jesus comes to call
For others it's a time to share
Good will and peace to all
But advertisers tell us
It means Santa's at the mall
Now it's time we decided for ourselves, for ourselves
Yes it's time we decided for ourselves.

Consumer Wonderland

TV's on, are you watching?
All the products they're hawking
One more thing you need
To make life complete
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland.

In the stores you will hear it
"Pricey gifts show Christmas spirit"
That's what they call it
To get to your wallet
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland.

At the mall we all can go out shopping
Buying lots of stuff we can't afford
We'll have lots of fun with all our new toys
Until we realize that we're still bored

When you shop, ain't it thrilling
Until you get the billing
The money you owe for stuff broke long ago
Welcome to Consumer Wonderland.

Rest Easy Wealthy Gentlemen

Rest easy, wealthy gentlemen,
Let nothing make us sigh.
We give our workers tiny crumbs
So we can keep the pie.
We pay off politicians
So they bear our needs in mind
As they line up to kiss our fat behinds.
If they're inclined,
Oh, they line up to kiss our fat behinds!

Don't worry, wealthy gentlemen,
Let nothing make us twitch.
This new global economy's
Designed to keep us rich.
We ply our trade in many lands
Let all their leaders come
To bend down and kiss us on the bum.
There's a good chum.
Just bend down and kiss us on the bum!

Uh Oh, We're In The Red, Dear

Uh oh we're in the red, dear
On our credit card it shows
Christmas is almost over
But the debit line still grows
Shopping like Santa's zombies
Sent our budget down in flames
But all our Christmas spirit
Helped the giant retail chains

I'm so foggy Christmas Eve
Wondering how we'll pay
Christmas doesn't seem so bright
When our budget is so tight.

So here's a plan for next year
Let's forget the shopping spree
Let's give a gift of love, so
All our Christmas gifts are free!