The holiday season

[ebell]

With the holiday season almost upon us, I am curious to know how all of you feel about the celebration of Christmas (or x-mas as I lovingly refer to it).  Personally, I love it.  Even the atheist side of my family has always celebrated x-mas as a time to eat, drink, and be merry.  Time to spend with family, play games, have a laugh and remember how much you love eachother and what is really important in life.  We enjoy the traditional carols and movies regardless of their lyrical/script content because they are synonimous with the holiday season and give us that warm fuzzy feeling.  Does that make us hypocrites, or does the fact that we call it x-mas exclude us from that title?  I'd love to know what you all think.

Also, any opinions on this 'multi-denominational tree' thing?  Sure it's nice not to exclude anyone, but don't other cultures/religious groups have their own annual celebrations?  Is christmas not (in definition) a christian celebration of jesus' birth?  Is it fair that this observance should be altered to be an all-inclusive, multi-denominational, umbrella-like holiday, and not some other one?  How about we spin the multi-denominational dreidel for a change??

One last note of interest.  Last year around this time, a sign appeared on the side of one of the highways near where I live.  It said in big bold letters KEEP THE CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS, and there was a big picture of Santa's face in a red circle with a line through it like a no smoking sign!  All I can say is WOW.  Can't everyone just enjoy the holidays in their own way and stop wasting their time bashing how others spend it?  Good will to all men indeed.

[Steve]

I seriously doubt that there is much Christianity left in Christmas at all.  It is a sensationally commercialized holiday, that bears no resemblence (maybe in passing) to an older Christian tradition.  In fact the Dec. 25th date is not Jesus' actual birthday anyway.  It was actually the birthday of Emperor Constantine's God, Sol Invictus birthday.  Besides ask most Christmas and Easter Christian families about it and they'll probably tell you it's Santa's birthday.

As for me personally I enjoy getting together with family, eating good food, and the chance to give people gifts to show them I care about them.  I think it has become more of a North American cultural tradition now than a religious one.  If you enjoy it, as I do, great.

BTW Sol Invictus ( or the Invincible Sun) is what it says, the sun.  3 days after the solstice the days start to get longer and the sun climbs higher in the sky.  Doesn't HAM have solstice parties?  Let's put the Sol Invictus back in Christmas lol.

-Steve-

[Katie]

I agree that everyone should lay off people's way of celebrating holidays. I don't take offense to specific symbols of religions, or to someone greeting me with anything. In fact, both 'Merry Christmas' and 'Happy Holidays' are equally presumptuous in my case. When I'm at work, I just say 'Have a nice day'. Nice and universal, without offending anyone.

In this debate, often both sides come off as crybabies. Saying that something is a Christmas Tree is not offensive, even if the origins were Germanic pagan. Those that want everything to be politically correct are stretching. Especially the cases where the political correctness is completely empty. For example, a 'Winter Concert' that involves nothing but a combination of religious and secular Christmas carols. At the same time, no one is persecuting Christians by acknowledging that other holidays exist. They are so used to having a monopoly, that to some conservatives, it seems like such a huge deal that other people exist as well. If these people aren't marginalized, then they feel inadequate. They can suck it up, and deal with it.

With Christmas, it just wears off as I grow older. I see some family, eat some above average quality food, and get some clothing that I'll only wear occasionally. I also have to buy gifts for everyone, and budget my money accordingly. I can't stand the carols. Religious OR secular. Honestly. I was bombarded with them by both my mother, and my choir teacher, and now I'm sick of them. To be honest, if my family weren't here, I wouldn't celebrate Christmas at all. But, I kind of have to in order to not be called a Scrouge.

[X]

I'm noncommital. 
The relentless advertising, commercializing and buybuybuy mentality drive me nuts.

I'd much rather sit down quielty with loved ones, have a good meal, and relax. 

Hwever, I do enjoy seeing people happy, particularly my nephews and neice as they open their loot.  That part of these holidays I like.

As for what to say to people?  By default I say "Happy Holidays", but if wished a particular well-wishing, I shall return it in kind.  In other words, I'll wish you what you wish me.

And let them keep their Christmas tree.  I see no harm in it.  Besides, it smacks of useless political-correctness to fuss about changing it's name.  Most of the groups they fret about insulting really don't care one way or another.  At least, I've never heard any groups complain as vociferously as the Christians do when it is changed. 

[Killbot9]

Christmas is, and will always be, about the birth of the most important person to ever grace the planet. His name is Santa Claus.

I love Christmas.

[ebell]

nicely stated, killbot9

[wordwan]

Holidays, in general, don't worry me. To attach a lot of malarky about the color of Santa's hat seems nitpicking, intellectualizing because you can be intellectual.

And you can, you know; no worries here. My only question is: aren't you feeding THEIR fire if you pick at their nits instead of creating your own? Just a comment here, cos in general:

Let them have their fun, has always been my thinking. If they aren't stealing my headspace (and it's my choice and mine alone, to allow anyone to steal my cranium), I say let them enjoy their ideas, goopy songs and syllables, or whatever. It's your time on earth that sounds like it got you bored about something. Don't linger on boredom.

Ideas don't kill. People do. And too many people, in my view, spend more of their time killing ideas than creating em. Hm.

H

[brian]

I just hang out with the family for a rather secular Christmas.  Sure, we decorate the tree and participate in the consumerist tradition of buying crap for each other, but the main part is just getting the whole family together for some good food, good beer and good company.

Regarding the nuts who want me to "keep the Christ in Christmas," thanks but I'll celebrate it the way I want.  And going to a church is not how I want to celebrate

[wordwan]

Yanno what? I think we should have a few Christmas noshes, this here group.

Can I get an amen? *laughs at the reference, in this case*

We are having some 'growing pains' let us just say, with this Student Resources Centre, but I would STILL cite it as a good place to make some plans to hang out. Anyone on campus on the weekend, say? Saturday night movies and nosh anyone?

As it happens, I got tired of putting the coke away. I've put it in the common frig, in this place, so feel free to stop on by to grab one. I took the liberty of dropping half a dozen cans for the folks at UMREG, too. Also, in the Centre, are the cups and the water.

The FIRST cupboard on your right at you go INto the Student Resources Centre has food that we've been trying to stash there. We just ran into some difficulty with SOMEone throwing some of our food OUT. Longer story. But the first cupboard, with the pumpkin in it, is our stuff. Feel free to nosh, okay?

To be honest, I am not feeling 'safe' about the actions of the Student Union. So I am still looking for storage space for all these activities. You hear of anything, please let me know.

Also, as I help anyone who asks for it, if anyone is interested, Sherwin, Spencer and Lewis of Circle K need help around noon on Monday. They have all these books for this Books for Darfur charity they've been sponsoring, here on campus. They need strong arms to move them some place.

So if you're about, check their office at 102 hm....end of the hall, down that wheelchair ramp, just inside the doors at University Centre, in the same hall as the icePIRG office, which, to remind you is 102N.

I think Spencer said, around 12:30 on Monday, November 26, 2007.

Also, on a stranger note, if you go to 197 Osborne in the Obsorne Village, you MAY see what I saw last night. Free books lining the front. Take a drive by and see, there are books there for free. Nothing special, and I know Barry, of Skroungers (who ran this temporary liquation place) needs to get rid of the REST of those books, but your guess is as good as mine as to when. He had a free day on November 12th, 2007, trying to rid himself of a majority of the contents of that building.

Heather, spinning plates.

[Brennan]

I've never celebrated Christmas. I think people should not hesitate to call the holiday Christmas, it's not offensive. I think that Jesus wasn't born on the 25th.

I'm really neutral on the subject altogether because my family boycotts Christmas (they're Jehovah's Witnesses).