I personally cant stand it its just an excuse for a big pissup as far as Im concerned.
[Edited 8/20/08 10:12am]

that's nice.

i like everything leading up to the actual holiday. i like the christmas season, with all the lights and the stupid tv specials and the egg nog and whatnot. the actual holiday itself is kind of a bringdown, and then after december 25, i don't want to look at one more christmas-related decoration for another year.

Two free days off. What's not to enjoy?

I definitely do ...Best Xmas I ever had (before my daughter was born) was one in which the entire family was broke and my sister, brother, aunt and I all pooled what little money we had and bought my mom a Christmas gift, then spent the rest on food and wine and just stayed up all night on Xmas eve and Xmas day eating, drinking and laughing. ...It took on a wonderfully new meaning once I had a child.

..
[Edited 8/20/08 10:09am]

I don't hate on Christmas, but I'm personally more lifted by U.S. Thanksgiving. I agree the season around Christmas, sans all the money spent, is nice, though.
[Edited 8/20/08 10:25am]

Byron said:

Yes I think I might feel differently if I had children it might bring back how I used to feel about it as a child.

Byron said:

ohhh you! what a dad!

Shorty said:

What makes me laugh is the mixed messages its sends out one of lets think of others and one of incredibly greed.

is it true that coca-cola invented christmas?

rolling said:

It doesn't sned out any message. People put that type of garbage in their heads themselves.

horatio said:

if i'm not mistaken, macy's invented santa claus (as he's known in america, anyway).

For Me Personally.

Stymie said:

My point is you get families making charitible donations while sitting around a table with there families gorging on uncopious amounts of alchohol and food. Its the hypocracy of it all.
[Edited 8/20/08 10:24am]

Anxiety said:

yeah, maybe thats what i read/heard

rolling said:

what's wrong with making charitable donations? i know some people who volunteer at soup kitchens on christmas. if those people go home and gorge on a big dinner, does it make their efforts useless? help me with your math, professor!

rolling said:

Granted. And yet, does that speak to the season itself, or to people's attitude about the season. Christmas certainly doesn't have to be as you describe -- and for many people it isn't.

Anxiety said:

I thought it was coca-cola.

no

i don't like the fact that it's compulsory to have to spend time with your family and 'enjoy' yourself

rolling said:

I'm not sure how that's hypocritical.

yes.

Byron said:

I don't think it's a hypocritical picture either so much as ironic: Lack of resources is caused less by shortages than skewed distribution and consumption. That a family indulges in a way that arguably contributes to shortage elsewhere (albeit we're only talking for a single day here) can come off as curious while they simultaneously "give to charity" as a sort of quick nod to the need for relief.

Still, I don't think Christmas has to be characterized like this. There are a good many people whose attitudes toward good will are year-round, organic -- and a season like Christmas is a time where it can come to a head... and maybe inspire others to change their own lifestyle thinking for more than just December. That's a good thing, I think.

Lammastide said:

I can see ironic, yeah...

And in the U.S., I don't think whatever "lack of resources" we may have is really due to over-consumption. If anything, the lack of resources is due to, ironically, a lack of resources lol...or rather, due to a lack of financial resources in the government that are needed to provide the other resources we're talking about. Consumption doesn't really play a role in that cycle.

Byron said:

It's an interesting question. I wonder if we truly don't have the resources or money to comfortably sustain everyone here in the U.S.? Or if that money is simply misspent (i.e., consumed disproportionately elsewhere)?

Maybe the Commie in me is coming out.
[Edited 8/20/08 11:32am]

double post
...
[Edited 8/20/08 14:07pm]

I've never really been into Christmas. Even as a kid. I was rarely into it.

I love decorating & baking for Christmas. I love planning get togethers with friends and family.

I don't like Christmas shopping and feeling like I have a deadline. I also don't enjoy the stress of running from one party to the next on Christmas Eve. It's a major buzz kill.