Whadya reckon about Xmas??

[whitakerb]

It's not far now, only two weeks. So I'd like to know who else thinks Xmas is an over-commercialised waste of time where people seem to put a money value on their friends and family.

I cringe in AUG/SEPT when major retail stores start running Xmas stock. It seems to me that most people, kids in particular associate this quarter with "Buy me this". Shouldn't it be about being with the people you care about??

I'm not religious (shouldn't religious be in the swear filter after the few heated discussions as of late??? ;)) but I can accept how someone who is religious has a connection with this time of year.

Anyway, am I mad or have other people noticed..


Ben AKA Ebenezer Scrooge

[hiline]

yeah i'm a bit the same way here ...........

4 kids cost a fortune to buy all this Christmas pressie's for :o

and if you ask them whats it all about; pressie's of coarse ;)

[Rangier Rover]

Over commercialised :mad::mad: Half the kids today wouldn't know what Xmas and Easter really means:(

It so sad its used as an advertising banner It's just wrong;)

[Redback]

It's a bit commercialised and has been for a while now, it's also too Americanised as well, we have forgotten how an Aussie Xmas was like unfortunately.

And why do we keep crapping on about a white Christmas and cards with with snow and raindear:eek::eek::spudnikwhat::spudnikwhat:

Baz.

[kaa45]

The Bible doesn't say anything about celebrating Christmas or Easter. It was the early Roman Catholic Church that tried to convert the Pagans by taking over their feasts which fell at that those times of year.

[JDNSW]

It's a bit commercialised and has been for a while now, it's also too Americanised as well, we have forgotten how an Aussie Xmas was like unfortunately.

And why do we keep crapping on about a white Christmas and cards with with snow and raindear:eek::eek::spudnikwhat::spudnikwhat:

Baz.

I am currently involved in trying to get the local ABC to use Australian Christmas carols - there was a very good record of these released quite a few years ago - it seems to be a bit hard to find today. Presumably not American enough.

John

[Slunnie]

I used to love Christmas as a kid because of the presents
I used to despise Christmas because I hated putting up and pulling down the Christmas tree.

As an adult I like Christmas because everybody gets together and catchs up - and I don't have to have a Christmas tree. :D I despise it because of the insanely stupid Christmas TV repeats.

When I look around the town at Christmas, everybody is excited and in on the spirit.... sometimes its hard being the Grinch, but I'm getting better. :angel:

Christmas is what you want to see in it, and thats sad if you can only see it as a commercial event.

[Sparksdisco]

Christmas has been a little lost on me at late but i thing it will be somthing special when we have our kids.

Its more about getting together with the family even when your family are a pain in the ass.

We dont do presents only the kids get presents as nowone wants a crappy present that is just going to get thrown out on boxing day

[Redback]

From a little snippet out of a text on Christmass history or the history of Christ-Mass.

The answer lies in the pagan origins of Christmas. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.

Sounds like a good way to celebrate Christmass to me:D

Baz, I like Pagans:TakeABow:

[Ean Austral]

My take on Christmas is that it seems to be getting spoilt by the fact that the shops are promoting it earlier, and now they have Christmas in July, I mean that just has to be a blatant $$$ grab.
Now our daughters have grown-up its now just a reason for an extended family get-together.

Its a personal thing, but me personally I think it is now more of a commercial event than anything else..SWMBO better not read this as she is a real Christmas person and I will be banished to christmas mass or something like that for saying im not in the spirit.

Cheers Ean

[blackbuttdisco]

This year my side of the family finally decided to just buy something for the 2 grandkids. After 40 years of shiftwork, which meant working most Xmas days it does not mean anything to either of us. (imagine being aboard ship, anchored off a port) Its just a business tool to make more money, but at least I suppose it does give a few people a short term job.

[stevo68]

Christmas is what you make of it...not Myers, or ads on TV etc. Like anything in life......it's down to your choices. If you want Christmas to be a religious occasion....then make it that. If you want to integrate the traditions of Christmas and religion....then do it. If you think Christmas is "Americanised" well make sure its Aussie in your household.

On thing as I get older...I have really started to realise.....is that it is up to the individual to make the changes or not be "sucked" in. My kids want new phones for example....cause their friends have one. Couldn't give a rats arse...at ages 11 & 12...the only need a phone to a) ring mum or dad for an emergency......or b) mum or dad to ring them ( ie if I am running late to pick them up from school). So their cheap, crappy phone will do. Same goes with adults.

So if you are a little disillusioned about Christmas..what it means etc...it's up to you to change it. For me its about time with my family, giving gifts and remembering the birth of Christ. What they should bring back is the Christmas carols of old, was great to hear them in a movie recently,

Regards

Stevo

[Shonky]

My name is Andrew, and I'm a Scrooge-o-holic.

BA HUMBUG. :mad: I don't want presents, and for years I haven't bought one for anyone but my mother. Even she's off the list this year! :p

I am officially having a NO PRESENTS christmas this year, and I am not going to my prudish relos place for lunch. Adriana and I are heading farmwards and my mum, sis and us two are going to stuff our faces and drink copious quantaties of beer. :D There will be no Northern Hemisphere carols with irrelevant referrences to snowmen and sleigh bells and egg-nog. There will be no Cards displaying same. The only one wearing a santa hat will be the dog - and only coz he hates it. :p

Family. Prawns. Beer. Ham. Salad. Sun.

In that order.


Merry ****ing Christmas. :)

[stevo68]

My name is Andrew, and I'm a Scrooge-o-holic.

BA HUMBUG. :mad: I don't want presents, and for years I haven't bought one for anyone but my mother. Even she's off the list this year! :p

I am officially having a NO PRESENTS christmas this year, and I am not going to my prudish relos place for lunch. Adriana and I are heading farmwards and my mum, sis and us two are going to stuff our faces and drink copious quantaties of beer. :D There will be no Northern Hemisphere carols with irrelevant referrences to snowmen and sleigh bells and egg-nog. There will be no Cards displaying same. The only one wearing a santa hat will be the dog - and only coz he hates it. :p

Family. Prawns. Beer. Ham. Salad. Sun.

In that order.


Merry ****ing Christmas. :)Sounds like Christmas to me :p,

Regards

Stevo

[Redback]

My name is Andrew, and I'm a Scrooge-o-holic.

BA HUMBUG. :mad: I don't want presents, and for years I haven't bought one for anyone but my mother. Even she's off the list this year! :p

I am officially having a NO PRESENTS christmas this year, and I am not going to my prudish relos place for lunch. Adriana and I are heading farmwards and my mum, sis and us two are going to stuff our faces and drink copious quantaties of beer. :D There will be no Northern Hemisphere carols with irrelevant referrences to snowmen and sleigh bells and egg-nog. There will be no Cards displaying same. The only one wearing a santa hat will be the dog - and only coz he hates it. :p

Family. Prawns. Beer. Ham. Salad. Sun.

In that order.


Merry ****ing Christmas. :)

Yep I'm with you, what the hell is eggnog anyway:confused:


Sounds like Christmas to me :p,

Regards

Stevo

Kenoth:D

Baz.

[weeds]

xmas......its great, i get two days off work, i get taken out to lunch by contractors, i get a couple of bottles wines/sprits from contractors.....work even puts on a xmas party, get to catch up with family, extra long weekend is good this year, i have been to two carols by candle light, good excuse to buy myself a really good xmas present (santa tends not to be very good at this)

have always done my own thing and never worried about what your suppose to do or not

[Fusion]

Love Christmas :D . Always have and always will . I have a very spread out family so when xmas comes around i get to see all of my family together .Pressies are a bonus but to me it means being around loved ones and enjoying the time with them .

[Hymie]

The Bible doesn't say anything about celebrating Christmas or Easter. It was the early Roman Catholic Church that tried to convert the Pagans by taking over their feasts which fell at that those times of year.



Errr, Ummm I'm pretty sure Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem as Joseph as the Male head of the family had to head to his home town of Nazareth to be counted in the Census. That's why there was no room at the Inn, all the early arrivals had the best rooms:(

As for Easter, Jesus was in Jerusalem for Passover. Jews still celebrate Passover at the same time as Christians celebrate Easter.

It's in the Bible:angel:

[incisor]

as much as it sends a chill up my spine.. i am with steve on this one

christmas and easter and the other old time feasts are what you make of them.. they are about community and family and religion if you are into it.

christmas, love it... love to see the joy in the faces of the little ones and the joy in the faces of the elders celebrating the joy of the little ones..

anything that brings people together in harmony is a good thing... thus ends todays lecture...

you scrooges orta hang your heads in shame, and for your punishment you can all send me something nice to put under my tree :D:D:D:D

[lochie]

Incisor ,I agree whole heartedly with your wise sentiments,have a merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.And may you receive many unsolicted presents. best wishes Lochie

[Sleepy]

Now that the kids are a bit older, the thrill has warn off a bit. (Although I can now sleep in on xmas day.)
I like xmas because I can justify spending too much on another Land Rover item.:lol2:









Your a classic Shonky ......Merry Farnarkling Xmas to you too. :D:D:p:p

[kaa45]

Errr, Ummm I'm pretty sure Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem as Joseph as the Male head of the family had to head to his home town of Nazareth to be counted in the Census. That's why there was no room at the Inn, all the early arrivals had the best rooms:(

As for Easter, Jesus was in Jerusalem for Passover. Jews still celebrate Passover at the same time as Christians celebrate Easter.

It's in the Bible:angel:

It still doesn't say to celebrate Christmas or Easter!!!! :p

[waz]

I think it stilll meaning. We get the family together every year to celebate Santa's birthday.

Waz

[disco_mitch]

for me this christmas will be special as its our daughters first
i do believe that it is over commercialised but what part of the world isnt
as far as aussies loosing the touch were going to go up the beach chrissy eve and stay there till boxing day were taking the generator to.....why.....beacuase were also taking the tree......and enough lights to go around the whole campsite there is a few of us going to cant wait

[Barra1]

Christmas is what you make of it...not Myers, or ads on TV etc. Like anything in life......it's down to your choices. If you want Christmas to be a religious occasion....then make it that. If you want to integrate the traditions of Christmas and religion....then do it. If you think Christmas is "Americanised" well make sure its Aussie in your household.

On thing as I get older...I have really started to realise.....is that it is up to the individual to make the changes or not be "sucked" in. My kids want new phones for example....cause their friends have one. Couldn't give a rats arse...at ages 11 & 12...the only need a phone to a) ring mum or dad for an emergency......or b) mum or dad to ring them ( ie if I am running late to pick them up from school). So their cheap, crappy phone will do. Same goes with adults.

So if you are a little disillusioned about Christmas..what it means etc...it's up to you to change it. For me its about time with my family, giving gifts and remembering the birth of Christ. What they should bring back is the Christmas carols of old, was great to hear them in a movie recently,

Regards

Stevo

Good. Very good;)

It is about the choices YOU make. A good point to start is thinking about NOT adopting the "Toyota Approach" and taking the expected/fashionable stance.

Well said Stevo:)

Merry Christmas to you and your family:D

[cewilson]

This is my house at the moment:

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_213.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_216.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_225.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_229.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_231.jpg

http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/ChristmasLights-2009/Misc_238.jpg


The look on my kids faces and of the many other kids whose parents bring them around is well worth every last damn minute in the sun :D

Christmas is and always will be what you make of it.


And yes I get royally ****ed off at the shops/stores with their crap too!


Cheers
Chris




P.S - the Defender is parked next to the wife's Prado :angel:

[dmdigital]

Christmas means you can buy presents for your friends kids, who are soooo noisy and annoying. You can buy them really, really noisy and irritating gifts that will inflict just as much pain on their parents as they run around the house with them as the little darlings inflict on everyone else through out the year.

:wasntme:

[OrangeZXr10R]

And why do we keep crapping on about a white Christmas and cards with with snow and raindear:eek::eek::spudnikwhat::spudnikwhat:
Baz.

Christmas's used to be good before we came to Australia.
I'm used to snow around the Yuletide Festival ... :D
I originally come from Austria where it was more a religious festival, along with the giving of gifts. I'm not religious myself.

As with most people here, it has definitely become too commercialized.

[lardy]

What is this Christmas you talk of????
We have all been mugged part of our wasteful ways as a species we over produce crap to subdue the offspring.
But at least you can get into debt (giving the credit card a good working out) without the same shame we would have had in the 60's and 70's.
I think they (banks) have successfully remarketed hire purchase and taken away the fear and consequence so we are quite happy to get into hock, by buying on the never never,"BUY NOW PAY NEVER WE WILL TAKE IT OUT OF YOUR ESTATE' lol that way giving the Banks the potential to have a superannuation fund, or gain a lovely suburban homestead when it all goes tits up.


The last thing to say is BAH HUMBUG!

[RobHay]

Why can't I vote on this poll:mad:

[JohnF]

As far as Christmas goes there is a lot of evidence proving that Jesus Christ really did exist. I did read some books that set out to prove that Jesus Christ was a made up story, but all the arguments of that book were so weak and wishy washy, the authors of those books leaving out so many Historical Facts that did not suit them.

In the Bible we read a very interesting verse that Jesus spoke:-- “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:” Matthew 24:20.

See winter was not a fit time to travel in that part of the world, a lot of mountain passes being blocked by deep snow during winter. Now Christmas is mid-winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Not one half reasonable Caesar would have ordered people to go to the place of their birth in the middle of winter in order to enrol for taxation, but the Bible in Luke 2:1-3 says:-- “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed [enrolled for taxation]. 2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city [where he was born].”

That recorded taxation time was the time that Jesus Christ was born. It was certainly not December 25th, the middle of winter when travel was near impossible, a time when Middle Eastern shepherds will never allow their sheep out during the night-time. But from Bible prophecies such as Daniel 9:24-27, Daniel 11:20, we clearly do know Jesus was born at the very time of this taxation. Except this was not mid winter.

That time was not 1 AD or 1 BC a date worked out by a Catholic Monk many centuries later. Jesus Christ was born sometime before March 4 BC, most scholars thinking about 6 months before that March 4 BC date. See Herod the Great, the King Herod who tried to kill baby Jesus, died just before an eclipse according to the first Century Jewish Historian named Josephus, whose writing we have published today.

Astronomers can work out when all these ancient eclipses happened with an error of just plus or minus fifteen minutes to the acutual time when they happened. That is very accurate dating of these ancient eclipses. So we know fairly accurately when Herod the Great died, King Herod being a historical figure who once had a liaison with Cleopatra, the very last Ptolemy Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. It is recorded in all comprehensive History books & Encyclopaedias covering that era. And as Jesus Christ had to be born before the death of Herod, so was born sometime before March 4 BC, and not born on December 25, which was the date many Pagan Gods such as Tammuz, Serapis, Mithra, etc, were said to be born by their pagan worshippers.

We are actually given a date in the Bible that allows us to work out the year [but not exact day of the year] when Jesus Christ was Born, this being the date that Jesus was Baptised:-- “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene… 23And Jesus himself was about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph…” Luke 3:1, 23.

Luke 3:1 gave us a precise year, the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, a precise year given for the baptism of Jesus. But Caesar Augustus died in August 14 AD. Tiberius started to reign jointly with Augustus 2 years before Augustus died according to most good Encyclopaedias, that is the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar works out to 27AD, the year Jesus was baptised [immersed under water, as an adult]. So Jesus was “about thirty year old” in 27AD. There is no year zero when crossing from BC to AD, so Jesus was born in five BC, if we take say 30 years and 11 months as being “about 30 years old” as the Bible, Luke 3:23, informs us.

So in conclusion we find that Jesus Christ was certainly not born on the 25th December, and was actually born about five BC [certainly before March, 4 BC].

So do I like anything about Christmas? I do like the Christmas Carols, especially those talking of the Birth of Jesus Christ, but not very much else, certainly not the commercialism and the pagan Symbolism, most of the Christmas festival coming directly out of Paganism, having nothing to do with the Birth of Jesus Christ.

For example “Santa” is a deliberate anagram of the name “Satan.” Santa wears a red suit, a colour most people associate with Satan though that color is not associated with Satan anywhere in the Bible.

Many Children grow up believing in Santa, then find out that Santa is not real, so have their faith shattered. When later they are asked to believe that God is real, these kids end up thining that God is a made up story, just like Santa was a made up story, so they grow up ending up not believing in anything, except perhaps in beer.

We all know that the Mythical Santa lives in the North Pole and keeps his eye on all the Children. Egypt’s, Great Pyramid of Cheops, the biggest Pyramid in the Old World, had its main passage aligned with the North Pole Star 4000 years ago. At that time the North Pole Star was “Alpha Drakonos,” the EYE OF THE DRAGON, the dragon said to watch to see if people were bad or good. In the Bible, Isaiah chapter 14 Lucifer dwells at the North Pole, the eye of the dragon. That is why “Santa” anagram of “Satan” is said to watch whether the Children are good or evil.

And of course ancient Christmas Trees were also condemned by the Bible, Jeremiah 10:3-5 saying:-- “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold [as in Christmas decorations]; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”

Several years ago we purchased a nice Peugeot 505 Turbo Deisel car for my wife, for only $1500. The guy was selling his Peugeot so that he could afford to have a good Christmas with his family, as prices of the cattle he farmed were way down at that time. I do not think Christmas should cost a lot, certainly not cost your car.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New year to all Land Rover enthusiasts on this forum.

[Shonky]

and for your punishment you can all send me something nice to put under my tree :D

How about a bar heater to go under your nice flammable plastic tree? That will fix your Merry arse! :p

Nar - I'm not a scrooge for spending time with family. Wholly agree that the joy of christmas comes from those you love, not from K-Mart.

I don't have any fundamental issues with decorations, trees or lights either but being the only son to a single mother, as a young lad such tasks always fell to me. Nowadays I might be convinced to throw some tinsel at a living tree, but I am hard pressed to put up a plastic one inside. Trees are like working dogs - they stay outside! :p

NEVER will I put up christmas lights again. ;)




Your a classic Shonky ......Merry Farnarkling Xmas to you too. :D:p

:D



[Children] grow up ending up not believing in anything, except perhaps in beer.

Do NOT take the lords name in vain! :mad:

:angel:


...in all seriousness, that was quite an interesting read John. :)

[incisor]

How about a bar heater to go under your nice flammable plastic tree? That will fix your Merry arse! :p
:D


...in all seriousness, that was quite an interesting read John. :)
something else to plant my bean seeds in.... :angel:


Santa Claus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pyramid_of_Giza

Thuban - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[HangOver]

always has been commercial as far as i can remember but since i had the little' un looking forward to Xmas so much more than in say the last 20 years, my sons second Xmas :D

[Tombie]

I used to love Christmas as a kid because of the presents
I used to despise Christmas because I hated putting up and pulling down the Christmas tree.

As an adult I like Christmas because everybody gets together and catchs up - and I don't have to have a Christmas tree. :D I despise it because of the insanely stupid Christmas TV repeats.

When I look around the town at Christmas, everybody is excited and in on the spirit.... sometimes its hard being the Grinch, but I'm getting better. :angel:

Christmas is what you want to see in it, and thats sad if you can only see it as a commercial event.

I AM THE GRINCH :cool:

I havent celebrated Christmas except for the benefit of my 2 boys since I was 16 years old.

Did the tree thing and the Santa stuff until both my boys aged 5/6 at the time came and told us Santa wasnt real ;)

That put paid to Santa prezzies... Now we just give them Cash... Its what they want, they go buy music downloads etc...

Me on the other hand, I love Xmas period.. I work the 25th to 1st and reap the benefits of the penalty rates :angel:

Havent seen the wife or Kids on Christmas for 4 years...

I need no 'day' to tell my family I love them, nor to give them piles of commercial rubbish. I do that throughout the year... And every day, I still tell my Bride how beautiful she is and that I love her.

And no, I'm not a believer... My life is whole and fulfilling without the need to believe in fairy tales told by superstitious old men in the Opium capital of the world.

[Chops]

I think as a kid, Xmas was Ok, :), but then as a young adult, friends started to say me, "bar humbug" ,:( I kinda lost the plot along with a lot of others I suspect,, I watched as perants hocked themselves to try and please their kids, and look as good, if not better than the Jone's and their kids,, big $$ spent on kids who just didnt apriciate or care about anything, especially the fact Mums and Dads now had to go and pay it all off,,, and the big stores are making the most of it,, (as you would I guess)
Im getting older now,,:(,, but I guess I realise now that you cant change the world for what it is, or what its becoming when it comes to stuff like this,, so these days I watch with some pleasure as young family members get excited as they rip pressies apart and go balistic for the day,,,
We sit aound the house chatting and gorging ourselves with food,, just enjoing the fact that its a good excuse to get together for a whole day, :D, and with family from one end of this awesome country to the other, its get harder to do every year,,,

So everybody,, Have a Merry Xmas, and make the most of it, whatever your beliefs are,,,

[Tombie]

My whole family gathered together....

Thats a nightmare :eek:

[Shonky]

big $$ spent on kids who just didnt apriciate or care about anything, especially the fact Mums and Dads now had to go and pay it all off

Absolutely. I certainly didn't see it that way at the time, but I rarely got my hearts desire in a giftwrapped box at christmas or even birthdays. I got what we could afford, and was thankful. Sometimes I got lucky, but often I would make an extravagant list of all the things my friends had that I wanted and my present would be none of those things.

Don't get me wrong, the gifts were always considered and appropriate - but I'm still waiting on my Super Soaker 2000! :D

There was a breif twang of dissapointment during unwrapping, and then I got over it and was grateful. If not - I could be grumpy alone, in my room, for as long as it took me to HTFU. ;)


These days, I am thankful. I have the posessions I have because I have worked for them myself. I take great pride in my belongings and can see things for what they really are. Some friends (one in particular :eek:) still send themselves and their familes broke at Christmas, and then can't afford to actually enjoy the festive season.

One acquantaince is still angry at his parents for not buying him the spoiler he wanted for his rice rocket last year. They spent a fair whack of money buying what he wanted (for the car they bought him) and when it was wrong, he had a hissy fit and put a damper on their whole day!

This guy is 20! :eek2:

[whitakerb]

So I'm getting that most people dont think Xmas is anything to do with buying this and that.

Must just be my generation :(

As far as I'm concerned, Xmas for me is just a good excuse to catch up with friends and family you otherwise would not. And scrounge an awesome meal from the parents :wasntme:

Ben

[robzilla]

The whole process would be a lot more tolerable if we could just lose the whole 'give each other presents' business.
i'm sick and tired of having to find stuff for the family every year. you just end up with a bunch of books you won't read and some new jocks that don't fit.

and then there's the commercial side, God christmas roles around all of a sudden every stupid product becomes "the perfect gift".
Christmas was also a big reason i quit my job at Safeway. working 10-hour shifts with the Christmas Carols CD on loop was literally sending me insane.

I only like it coz it's an excuse to get all the relo's together. used to have some great christmas parties at my uncles, when i was younger, but they're scaling down more and more each year. still have a good time christmas day though :D

[ramblingboy42]

Australian Christmas Carols the Adelaide Singers with the South Australian Symphony Orchestra EMI CDAX430020 was available through ABC shops and outlets.

[D-Fender]

I AM THE GRINCH :cool:


[/COLOR]

Oh damn it. This is just like all the shopping mall santas. There's one in every mall, all pretending to be the one and only santee claus.

I am also the Grinch . I don't like christmas, not one bit. Haven't for years.

At my house it's just a time where everyone can walk around and pretend to be happy and nice to each other and force a smile, just because it's christophermass. Whoop-dee doo.

Oh and yeah, it's way too commercial. But what do I care? I'm a Grinch.

[macksrallye]

No matter which way you look at it Christmas is a very commercial event nowadays, however whether you let it get to you and your family is entirely up to you.

The best thing about Christmas is the little things. Today everybody leads such busy lives it gives us an excuse to get together & enjoy each others company. I used to play in a concert band & we did the local Carols by Candlelight for a couple of years & sitting on stage playing these beatiful peices of music with well over 1000 people singing at the top of their lungs is just spine tingling. The presents & the money & the food doesn't matter, it's the joy on the faces of the one's you love (and even those you don't) that makes this time of year special.

[isuzurover]

http://www.cagle.com/news/PoliticallyCorrectChristmas/images2/crowson.jpg

[Jonno_G]

^^ Well said, Ben. ^^

We don't teach our kids that santa is real, but I'm seriously considering teaching them to respond to

"What did santa bring you?" with a puzzled look and

"Don't you think you're a little old to still be believing in santa?!?"

:wasntme:

Seriously though, we are Christian so there is definitely that side of Christmas in our house, but it is also about family. This year will be the first time that my father in law has ever had all of his kids in the same room (and there'll be seven grandkids there as well, so that says how big an event it will be for him!), so we're really looking forward to this Christmas!

[isuzurover]

http://www.bay-of-fundie.com/img/2007/calvin-xmas.png

[justinc]

I need no 'day' to tell my family I love them, nor to give them piles of commercial rubbish. I do that throughout the year... And every day, I still tell my Bride how beautiful she is and that I love her.

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Great remark there Mike, I do exactly the same!, more should follow that idea and the world would be a more balanced and happier place.

JC and family