NationStates Jolt Archive

Yep once more it is time for my Christmas rant.

Xmas is not a good time for me, I work 3 16-18 hour shifts up to Xmas eve, I'm seperated from my wife and kids until the day after boxing day, I'm dog tired and depresed, and yes I bring all of this upon myself for monetry gain.

I asked last year, and I'll do the same now.

Why is it such a big deal, I aint a Christian, it really does mean nowt to me. How do non Christians rationalise their celebrating this time of the year?

And this year a bonus question.

Do you subscribe to the belife that you need to spend the same amount on everybody? If you have kids do you get upset if inlaws spend more on one kid than the rest?(okay two bonus but realated questions):D

you aint christian and it means nowt to you, whats the big deal about working hard for 3 days as long as you make extra money for it?

i celebrate christmas because i like it.

I loathe Christmas just because of the goddamn ceaseless fucking music.

Why is it such a big deal, I aint a Christian, it really does mean nowt to me. How do non Christians rationalise their celebrating this time of the year?
It's fun. Well, not for you, but I enjoy it generally.

And this year a bonus question.

Do you subscribe to the belife that you need to spend the same amount on everybody? If you have kids do you get upset if inlaws spend more on one kid than the rest?(okay two bonus but realated questions):D

Nah. As long as I can afford something for my parents and sister I don't worry about getting them something around the same price.
you aint christian and it means nowt to you, whats the big deal about working hard for 3 days as long as you make extra money for it?
I assumed that Peeps was just making extra money, not making it for Christmas.

A few days off, loads of food, and general good cheer. Nothing wrong with that. And I don't spend the same amount on everyone, because I don't buy that many people gifts, and not many people buy me any. What I don't like, however, is that Christmas commercially starts in the middle of frickin' November.....

I hate Christmas

as a non-christian, i rationalise celebrating xmas as bloody well earned time off, and the traditional celebratory elements (eg turkey, presents, family, etc) are just a bit of fun. really, i don't try to rationalise it - i just enjoy it.

I assumed that Peeps was just making extra money, not making it for Christmas.

yes but he seemed to be upset that he barely gets to see his family until after boxing day. .....

not that i know what he does for work but it seemed to matter that it was over christmas...

maybe he just doesnt like the 3 day stretch of extra work...

I loathe Christmas just because of the goddamn ceaseless fucking music.
You just need different lyrics to the stuff they're playing...

Then it can be fun! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wskT6YfVB6E)

The whole thing is really just a pagan holiday that was rebranded to validate Christianity as a religion and sell it off to the natives of countries they were selling the religion to. Plus Victorians loved showing off there wealth. Christmas was a good time as any to prove it.

Still I like getting together with my family, the peace of going to the Christmas service, splashing out on gifts and getting them back, the fact they always show the best movies this time of year, the music, being able to scoff myself silly and have an something to blame it on....

I enjoy carols but not festive songs; I enjoy the time off work, seeing family, eating lots of food. I don't think you need to justify having a nice time for a week or so, once a year, the only other time you get is in the summer.

Yep once more it is time for my Christmas rant.

Xmas is not a good time for me, I work 3 16-18 hour shifts up to Xmas eve, I'm seperated from my wife and kids until the day after boxing day, I'm dog tired and depresed, and yes I bring all of this upon myself for monetry gain.

I asked last year, and I'll do the same now.

Why is it such a big deal, I aint a Christian, it really does mean nowt to me. How do non Christians rationalise their celebrating this time of the year?

And this year a bonus question.

Do you subscribe to the belife that you need to spend the same amount on everybody? If you have kids do you get upset if inlaws spend more on one kid than the rest?(okay two bonus but realated questions):D

It is a time for family. My family is mostly non-religious, but for us Christmas is the climax of the entire year, a time filled with parties, singing, booze and general merriment.

As a pagan, I recognize that a lot of the things we love about Christmas were actually adopted from older pagan traditions.

My family does lists (because we're a huge family), so basically I get people what is reasonable for my price range that's on their list. If you don't submit a list to my grandparents (which is then distributed to the other family members) you can't really complain about not getting what you want.

But that's not the main point. Christmas is just the time when everything seems all nice and the cold is sort of just a prelude to hot chocolate and such. And there's egg nog. And my ladyfriend is all super-cuddly and and affectionate, which is great (our anniversary of being together is two days after Christmas day).

I enjoy carols but not festive songs; I enjoy the time off work, seeing family, eating lots of food.

The non-Christian parts of Christmas in other words ;) ?

Peope - Christmas is not a Christian feast alone. For one thing, winterfestivals predate Christianity by centuries, possibly millenia. Just enjoy the parts you like of this multi-religious, multi-cultural thing.

A few days off, loads of food, and general good cheer. Nothing wrong with that. And I don't spend the same amount on everyone, because I don't buy that many people gifts, and not many people buy me any. What I don't like, however, is that Christmas commercially starts in the middle of frickin' November.....
Only in November? Lucky you, I've been bombarded by ads for that fucking Radio City Christmas Spectacular since the beginning of October.

The non-Christian parts of Christmas in other words ;) ?

Peope - Christmas is not a Christian feast alone. For one thing, winterfestivals predate Christianity by centuries, possibly millenia. Just enjoy the parts you like of this multi-religious, multi-cultural thing.

Even the carols of Christmas are continuing an older tradition of song and joy. Plus they sound so good when sung in 4 part harmony (I have a VERY musical family).

How do non Christians rationalise their celebrating this time of the year?
I just love freedom.
And this year a bonus question.

Do you subscribe to the belife that you need to spend the same amount on everybody?
Eh the same for the same generation, ish.
If you have kids do you get upset if inlaws spend more on one kid than the rest?(okay two bonus but realated questions):D
Jawohl. Always a bit sad to see one child more doted upon than another :(

The ads are crap, the music sucks, and all those news assholes who turn socially conscious and want to kill my buzz with stories about soup kitchens (really? homeless people? whoever heard of such a thing during the other 11 months of the year) or poor kids. However, Christmas has a lot going for it, like getting three weeks off school with no homework because it is between semesters.

I celebrate Christmas because my family is Christian and it's important to them.

I'm sort of wondering about whether I should actually buy presents this year. It may be limited to buying things that people *need* or drawing them pictures.

Well, I 'm lookling forward to my first veggie Chrimbo (bring on the nut roast!) and seing my brother and parents for the first time in months.

Plus, the lie-in on Christmas Day when they go to the kirk.

The non-Christian parts of Christmas in other words ;) ?

Mostly, though a lot of good music has been written for the Christian festival outside of carols: loads of good stuff by Palestrina, Tallis, even Pérotin. Clearly Christmas is an important event in the Christian calendar so some of the best music was written for it in previous eras.

Peope - Christmas is not a Christian feast alone. For one thing, winterfestivals predate Christianity by centuries, possibly millenia. Just enjoy the parts you like of this multi-religious, multi-cultural thing.

Indeed. :)

Even the carols of Christmas are continuing an older tradition of song and joy. Plus they sound so good when sung in 4 part harmony (I have a VERY musical family).

This is true. Perhaps I should say I enjoy singing carols, and maybe listening to King's Chapel College on the radio on the 24th. Can't stand any Rutter, though.

This is true. Perhaps I should say I enjoy singing carols, and maybe listening to King's Chapel College on the radio on the 24th. Can't stand any Rutter, though.

You can enjoy the sound of the music without necessarily agreeing with the lyrics. I have foudn this to be true in most genres of music.

you aint christian and it means nowt to you, whats the big deal about working hard for 3 days as long as you make extra money for it?

i celebrate christmas because i like it.

Coz it keeps me away from my family.

You can enjoy the sound of the music without necessarily agreeing with the lyrics. I have foudn this to be true in most genres of music.
Or in all art, for that matter.

I adore the work of Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki, both of whose compositions are dominated by their Christian beliefs.

Coz it keeps me away from my family.
you mean you are never away from your family except at christmastime?

yes but he seemed to be upset that he barely gets to see his family until after boxing day. .....

not that i know what he does for work but it seemed to matter that it was over christmas...

maybe he just doesnt like the 3 day stretch of extra work...

The work is a killer. I work night in my brothers butcher shop filing xmas orders, and it is fast and non stop.

The problem is though this leaves me with my family for about 5 days and nights(coz I get home, eat, bath, sleep, get up two hours later and get back to work), I promise myself every year that this year is the last(and I mean it this year) but family grrrrr, you know how you sorta come through for them.

And yes if as the consensus seems to say, that it is a time for family, then you can see how being without mine would get depressing.

you mean you are never away from your family except at christmastime?

Thats about the size of it yeah. You know I live with my wife and kids, and see them everyday, except over Xmas.

The work is a killer. I work night in my brothers butcher shop filing xmas orders, and it is fast and non stop.

The problem is though this leaves me with my family for about 5 days and nights(coz I get home, eat, bath, sleep, get up two hours later and get back to work), I promise myself every year that this year is the last(and I mean it this year) but family grrrrr, you know how you sorta come through for them.

And yes if as the consensus seems to say, that it is a time for family, then you can see how being without mine would get depressing.
but if you work for your brother then you are kind of stuck arent you? you cant leave him in the lurch just as he is filling christmas orders.

Another fun thing to look forward to, Fox's annual WAR ON CHRISTMAS extravaganza.

but if you work for your brother then you are kind of stuck arent you? you cant leave him in the lurch just as he is filling christmas orders.

Thats it, especialy as he has just become a dad himself.

Thats it, especialy as he has just become a dad himself.
does your family celebrate christmas while you are working like a dog?

I actual worship the Roman God, Attis.

He was the son of another god, born to a Virgin on 25th December, died for the salvation of mankind by being crucified to a tree, was in the underworld for 3 days before rising again...Bread is eaten to represent his body.

Hmm, something sounds familiar here...

I actual worship the Roman God, Attis.

He was the son of another god, born to a Virgin on 25th December, died for the salvation of mankind by being crucified to a tree, was in the underworld for 3 days before rising again...Bread is eaten to represent his body.

Hmm, something sounds familiar here...

Of course - all of those are common themes ;) The Bible is after all an anthology of the most popular stories.
I myself prefer Osiris though. When his body was cut in 13 pieces, Seth scattered them all over Egypt and his wife Isis retrieved all of them except one, his penis, which was swallowed by a fish. So she had to replace that with a woody when he was resurrected. Splinterfree one hopes...

Christmas isn't really a big deal here, we celebrate more on new year

Christmas isn't really a big deal here, we celebrate more on new year
where is here?

Of course - all of those are common themes ;) The Bible is after all an anthology of the most popular stories.
I myself prefer Osiris though. When his body was cut in 13 pieces, Seth scattered them all over Egypt and his wife Isis retrieved all of them except one, his penis, which was swallowed by a fish. So she had to replace that with a woody when he was resurrected. Splinterfree one hopes...
yeah but im not going to worship a dickless god.

hmmmm is ancient egypt the source of the original strap-on technology?

Of course - all of those are common themes ;) The Bible is after all an anthology of the most popular stories.
I myself prefer Osiris though. When his body was cut in 13 pieces, Seth scattered them all over Egypt and his wife Isis retrieved all of them except one, his penis, which was swallowed by a fish. So she had to replace that with a woody when he was resurrected. Splinterfree one hopes...

I hereby declare Christmas now becomes Osirismas.

where is here?
Here is Serbia

does your family celebrate christmas while you are working like a dog?

Yep they go visit the mother-in-law.

I loathe Christmas just because of the goddamn ceaseless fucking music.

This year has been a little crazy for the Andersons.
You may recall we had some trouble last year.
The robot council had us banished to an asteroid. That hasn't undermined our holiday cheer.
And we know it's almost Christmas from the marks we make on the wall. And that's our favorite time of year.

Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime, where we're working in a mine for our robot overlords.
Did I say overlords? I meant protectors.
Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime.

On every corner there’s a giant metal
Santa Claus who watches over us with glowing red eyes.
They carry weapons and they know if you’ve been bad or good. Not everybody’s good but everyone tries.
And the rocks outside the airlock exude ammonia-scented snow.
It's like a Winter wonderland.

Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime, where we're working in a mine for our robot overlords.
Did I say overlords? I meant protectors.
Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime.

That's all the family news that we're allowed to talk about. We really hope you'll come and visit us soon.
I mean we're literally begging you to visit us.
And make it quick before they
Now it's time for Christmas dinner.
I think the robots sent us a pie!
You know I love my soylent green.

Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime, where we're working in a mine for our robot overlords.
Did I say overlords?
I meant protectors.
Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime.

Jonathan Coulton-Chiron Beta Prime. (A different chrismas song)

You can enjoy the sound of the music without necessarily agreeing with the lyrics. I have foudn this to be true in most genres of music.

Absolutely. I sing in a chapel choir yet am non-religious. Some of my most favourite music is sacred vocal. I love several people's Requiems despite my non-belief in an afterlife, my attractions to it relate to the imagery and emotions present in the music.

Or in all art, for that matter.

I adore the work of Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki, both of whose compositions are dominated by their Christian beliefs.

Yes, great composers; Tavener as well. Such passion in their music.

On an only vaguely related note: was it Scrooge who started what would later become known as the horror and carnage of the War On Christmas?