Christmas

[Methuselah]

Does anyone else effing love this holiday? Putting our tree up at the moment.

 

[Da Blob]

Does anyone else effing love this holiday? Putting our tree up at the moment.

I love the memories I have of Christmas. Alas, to be entertained by the Ghost of Christmas Past must mean I am something of a Scrooge. However, this transformation of a Celebration of the Birth of Jesus, into this spectacle or worshiping Elves, reindeer and snowmen in the vast commercial enterprise know now as X-mas leaves me sick...

It is possible to find versions of the old Christmas Holiday, but it does require a search. I found that those who get involved in some type of charity this time of year are often quite delightful people to be around in this season.


BTW - Are you The Methuselah, friend of claverhouse?

 

[CoryJames]

I like gift giving. I like making people happy. Also the search involves trying to understand people, which is a challenge for me. I like challenges.

 

[Dormouse]

I like snow and sparkly lights. I also like gingerbread and gift-wrap and the Christmas specials I watched as a kid. The feel of the season is nice, when people are not screaming.

 

[Methuselah]

I love the memories I have of Christmas. Alas, to be entertained by the Ghost of Christmas Past must mean I am something of a Scrooge. However, this transformation of a Celebration of the Birth of Jesus, into this spectacle or worshiping Elves, reindeer and snowmen in the vast commercial enterprise know now as X-mas leaves me sick...

It is possible to find versions of the old Christmas Holiday, but it does require a search. I found that those who get involved in some type of charity this time of year are often quite delightful people to be around in this season.


BTW - Are you The Methuselah, friend of claverhouse?

I like trees, fires, prime rib with yorkshire pudding, giving and getting presents, and all the like. Charity is good too. Family drama and tacky decorations are a no-go, though, and Jesus isn't my thing.

I am indeed friend of Claver, though I don't believe you and I are acquainted?

 

[Methuselah]

And up goes the tree:

 

[gruesomebrat]

I find myself agreeing with Da Blob. Christmas, as it is today... er, sorry... the Holiday Season, as it is today (must be politically correct and all that... wouldn't want to offend anyone), makes me sick. The fact that retailers are putting their Christmas wares on the shelves as soon as October is the worst case of greediness I've seen in all my dealings with our society in the last 20 years. The fact that people are capitalizing on the birth of Christ is bad enough, the fact that they're now taking nearly 4 months to do it... shameful.

What bothers me most is that Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of a birth, the equivalent of your birthday or mine (although Christ was not likely born in December). I don't know about any of you, but I know my birthday has never been celebrated for 4 straight months. I don't wish to compare myself to Jesus, of course, but regardless of how great he was, I don't see any reason for him to get a 4-month-long birthday celebration when the rest of the world only gets one day. After all, Jesus wasn't even that big a deal while he was alive.

It was only posthumously that he was awarded all this glory, and a good many years after his death (and resurrection, if you choose to believe that) that holidays started revolving around him. In fact, Christmas as a December holiday didn't come into being until nearly 400 years after his life and death.

 

[Methuselah]

/makes notes on who not to invite to the Christmas party

 

[Stoic Beverage]

I've never been a fan of Christmas. From when I was a toddler, all my memories of Christmas are of artificial Santas, bad movies, and being obligated to get everyone in the family something, even though we're not close, and the gifts weren't really worth anything (in a monetary sense or a sentimental one).

 

[Methuselah]

I've never been a fan of Christmas. From when I was a toddler, all my memories of Christmas are of artificial Santas, bad movies, and being obligated to get everyone in the family something, even though we're not close, and the gifts weren't really worth anything (in a monetary sense or a sentimental one).

All that stuff is hilarious to me. But then again, I find tacky culture and terrible vintage video both very funny.

Y'all take it too seriously. It's a time of year for fun and socializing with people you like. We don't even do presents anymore... just stockings for each person, with little gifts, tangerines, and pecans in them. If some part annoys you, ignore it or don't have it around you. But if you let shitty decorations and bad movies ruin things, you won't have many holidays left.

Christ, y'all are so depressive that you make me sound like an ENFP.

 

[Jesse]

Free gifts. What's not to like.

 

[warryer]

Can't wait for back to back to back Christmas Story to spool up on TBS or whichever channel it is. "Daddy's gonna kill Ralphy!" I'm definitely gonna have to get myself one of those leg lamps. "Frah-gee-lay. Hmm, must be Italian."

I really wish the spirit of Christmas was as pronounced all year round as it is this time of year.

 

[yes]

I love Christmas music... I like the lights and the mood it puts people in.

YouTube - Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs - Fiona Apple - Frosty The Snowman

 

[Taniwha]

I like Christmas because it means me catching up with old friends and enjoying the moment with my family. However I hate the stress and commercialization that comes with it.

 

[Melkor]

I enjoyed christmas until I started working.

 

[Cavallier]

Working can really fuck up a good holiday. Damned jobs ruining feast days!!!

I don't call it Christmas anymore though because I enjoy the holiday more now that I'm an adult and I don't have to be Christian. Christ takes no part in my winter celebrations.

I call it Yule to piss people off and bake lots of delicious food. I don't really do the buying gifts thing since I'm broke and frankly people seem to like the cookies more anyway.

Miracle on 34th St can die a horrible death though.

 

[Fiddling Lass]

Christmas! It makes me happy!

 

[Fukyo]

Holidays are only fun when you're a kid and your parents keep all the hectic, stressful bullshit behind the scenes.

 

[Anthile]

I don't have a family anymore so I don't care. I don't have any friends either so the only difference to any difference to any other days of the year is that the stores are closed and I'm going to eat some slightly better food.

 

[CoryJames]

The most important thing for me isn't really the gift giving or food even, as Cavallier has helped me to realize. I like the coming together of my family. I have a very large, tight-knit Italian family (despite my name being O'Brien), and though it often gets loud, shouting matches ensue, and doors are slammed, I really enjoy everybody coming together and sharing stories.

As un-INTP as this sounds, I get really emotional seeing all my cousins and aunts and uncles growing up. Some of my first memories are of me being a very small child and some of my uncles being around my age and them picking me up and tickling me and making me laugh, and now they have families and children who i do the same to. It is a good time for remembering.

 

[Methuselah]

My dad just saw the Rockefeller tree lighting, texted a pic:

 

[indigofireflies]

I like Christmas/the holidays in general. I have a strong distaste for the ridiculousness of the consumerism America has saturated itself with, but besides that, it's an ideal season for me. Tasty foods, winter, free stuff, lots of amazing, dazzling bright lights. As long as I narrow my mindset of the holidays, they are sometimes my favorite time of the year.

 

[CoryJames]

That is fantastic. Wow. Not to sound ignorant but where is that tree?

 

[Methuselah]

That is fantastic. Wow. Not to sound ignorant but where is that tree?

The Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan. NYC is not my forte (too dirty), but I think it makes my dad feel nostalgic.

 

[CoryJames]

As much as I hate New York instinctively due to my being a Bostonian, I must say that it can truly be an incredible place. Dirty, yes, I agree, but at the same time, you would be hard pressed to find a place where there is such a variety of things to do. If you feel like clubbing one night, you can go out and dance to BANGER ass dub-step. The next night, you feel like being a boss, so you go up to a rooftop party and just ball-out hard. Hookah bar for breakfast, stroll down and public skate in front of an enormous tree for lunch...

In fairness though, not even in New York can you, at 16, on a Friday night at 10 PM, park your car at a 10 dollar lot, get out, hand over the keys, and without fear take a stroll down the North End to the ORIGINAL pizzeria reginas, get a pizza and a few beers and watch the sox, then go walk down to Mike's Pastries for a free cappuccino, a canole, and then a shot of espresso with a rock candy sugar stick. Then finish your night down at piers park, laying down in the grass, looking out at the boston skyline and the tall ships moored in the harbor.

I love my city. Yankees suck.

 

[indigofireflies]

I've been to NYC once. I love the city scene, but maybe living in a 2,000 pop. small town makes you find it that more intensely intriguing. So much to see and think about. It's a sensory overload for we stimulation-obsessed people.
I imagine the Christmas season must make it ten times worse. O.o

 

[CoryJames]

Yea. Having grown up in a town that used to be rural but fell victim to the newfangled "city donut effect", if you've even heard of that, the population exploding from a small dairy town with an old Civil War state hospital of barely 5,000 when my parents moved there 30 years ago to a rapidly Urbanizing 80,000 and rising, it is not as shocking. Yes, the backdrop is different, and yes, there are quite a few people, but in terms of pure density and concentration of people, in a lot of sectors, New York is large enough, (even moreso when you include the third dimension of building size), that the population is pretty well diluted and the actual number of people is not so much greater than where I live. I will admit that driving there is a b-word though. Taxi drivers there are mental.

 

[Methuselah]

As much as I hate New York instinctively due to my being a Bostonian, I must say that it can truly be an incredible place. Dirty, yes, I agree, but at the same time, you would be hard pressed to find a place where there is such a variety of things to do. If you feel like clubbing one night, you can go out and dance to BANGER ass dub-step. The next night, you feel like being a boss, so you go up to a rooftop party and just ball-out hard. Hookah bar for breakfast, stroll down and public skate in front of an enormous tree for lunch...

In fairness though, not even in New York can you, at 16, on a Friday night at 10 PM, park your car at a 10 dollar lot, get out, hand over the keys, and without fear take a stroll down the North End to the ORIGINAL pizzeria reginas, get a pizza and a few beers and watch the sox, then go walk down to Mike's Pastries for a free cappuccino, a canole, and then a shot of espresso with a rock candy sugar stick. Then finish your night down at piers park, laying down in the grass, looking out at the boston skyline and the tall ships moored in the harbor.

I love my city. Yankees suck.

Austin is a very pretty, clean, young, affluent, hippie city. Most of the people are just nice. I grew up in NOLA and Philly, and I don't want to live in any more places with that much racial disharmony. (It's very diverse here, but there is little to no ghettoization.) You can do all the stuff you mentioned, plus there is very little crime, it isn't as crowded, and you can drive across the city in 45 mins. Texas is also very libertarian, which I prefer.

And the 300 days of sunshine per year don't hurt either.

 

[CoryJames]

I used to date a girl down in Fort Worth actually. World champion cutting horse rider for her division whatever the one is for the family of professional cutters.

Texas is a nice place. Beautiful girls, beautiful portion sizes, and the steak is unbelievable. However, you canNOT do all the things I mentioned, as you don't have the original pizzeria regina's down there. There is no competition to it, anywhere, except for this one little place on Salem street called Ernesto's, and this one place in Hartford CT called Peppi's.

 

[Methuselah]

No, we have hundred year old BBQ pits instead. More than a fair trade, if you ask me. Don't need no stinkin' carbs.

 

[CoryJames]

I will admit, I had never before and will likely never again eat as much or as good beef (and also bacon) as I did in Texas. Also, great mexican food place, Uncle Julio's. If you are ever in the Dallas area, its worth the trip.

 

[Methuselah]

Yeah, I will miss the Mexican when I have to leave. Barbacoa is goddamn disgusting if you think about it too much, but the flavor is like nothing else. It's umami overload.

You know what Christmas means, right? Tamales!

 

[CoryJames]

Nah son. Christmas means swarms over overly maternal, pampering Italian women congregating in my house and insisting that I do nothing but eat, eat, and eat more, then tell them its good and continue eating. I am not even allowed to rise. As awful as it is, I love the traditional gender roles in an italian household.

Turkey, Roast Beef, Honey Ham, lasagna, french onion soup, spinach soup, green bean casserole, gavatis and gravy meat (gravy is italian for marinara sauce or meat sauce), stuffing, cranberry juice, stuffed mushrooms. Then dessert. God damn I cannot wait for more holiday food. Especially after all of this laxative enhanced college food.

 

[drugsandpizza]

Christmas~*~*

Do you like Christmas?
Does your family celebrate Christmas?
Or Hanukkah?
Or Kwanzaa?

I'm Jewish, but my mom isn't. And, we celebrate Christmas.
I like it. The presents are nice. I feel like it brings our usually dysfunctional family.. together.

c:

discuss; christmas etc..

 

[Bird]

Re: Christmas~*~*

If your mom's not Jewish, hunny, neither are you (;

 

[Mr.W]

Re: Christmas~*~*

I am an atheist and wholeheartedly love Christmas. The trees, the lights, the santa, the vibe of the season. I look forward to having kids of my own to give grand Christmases to.

 

[drugsandpizza]

Re: Christmas~*~*

If your mom's not Jewish, hunny, neither are you (;

She chose to be "Spiritual," not religious.

It's my choice, y'know.

 

[indigofireflies]

Re: Christmas~*~*

I enjoy Christmas. I'm agnostic at heart and Hebrew Messianic to most. I like the lights and wintry season and the general vibe. I have a small family, so the 'families getting together' bit means little to me.

The presents are enjoyable, too. [:

 

[Deleted member 1424]

Re: Christmas~*~*

This seems appropriate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

 

[loveofreason]

Re: Christmas~*~*

We already have at least two of these threads that I can find without overworking my digits or brain cells....

Let's see... shall I put this redundant bit of cheap tinsel here ...or here?

Yes, I think here will do.

Ho ho ho.

 

[CoryJames]

Re: Christmas~*~*

She chose to be "Spiritual," not religious.

It's my choice, y'know.

Technically Bird is right, y'know.

 

[Anthile]

 

[Words]

^lol. awesome image.

I have nothing to say about Christmas except for this.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Does anyone else effing love this holiday? Putting our tree up at the moment.

It's my favorite! The lights, the snow, the music, the family, giving the gifts and seeing the smiles on the faces of the young ones... it's fantastic! And food! Yay for food!

 

[FearDunn]

I used to like Christmas, when it was a completely informal event. My brothers and I agreed that the best present was no present. Christmas dinner was there, when and if you wanted it. Now, I schlep 3 blocks from home in my all-purpose suit to endure near endless hours(3) of holiday ritual. Exchanging presents is the worst. I do enjoy giving thoughtful gifts, but dread the inevitable reciprocation.I am wholly incapable of feigning delight for a frivolous gifts. All eyes on me as I think of salvaging components for unknown projects.

 

[nonperson]

It doesn't mean that much to me. I don't have any firm religious beliefs. I don't have much of a family or social life. There are no kids in the family. The TV is boring. I don't drink. Eating to excess, no. I think the only thing that marks it out is that I know that I more than likely to have turkey for dinner. A few years back I amazed a Christian acquaintance by telling her I eat my Christmas dinner on tray in front of the TV on my own and had done so for over 2 decades. I don't begrudge or resent or decry those who enjoy Christmas, it just doesn't mean anything to me.

 

[Stigmata]

I condone of any event that hides its hidden agenda of encouraging frivolous spending behind Organized Religion.

 

[Yogi]

Some holiday cheer for my friends and teammates:

 

[Meer]

I hate christmas. I don't want anything.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Every year I find I'm torn between playing the Christmas game for my kids' sake or exposing it to them for the sham it is.

Admittedly, I do enjoy giving them presents and stuff. I also know it's a good excuse to get my eldest into the house long enough to lay eyes on him and reassure myself he's ok. To me personally Christmas itself is just another glitter-fest...lights and trees ostentatious quantities of food and festive atmosphere and traditionalist nostalgia...I don't care about any of that shit.

But I reckon going through the motions now will pay off when my kids are grown and moved out. We've already got too many good reasons not to visit, so I'm willing to erect a tree-limb in the living-room once a year if that's what it takes. It's a fuckin' day off work at least.