Christmas Jollies and Humbugs

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Never thought I'd hear that...

It is nice to hear that you are close with your family; my dad always talks about how at the end of the day, family is all you can truly rely on (which works in some cases, like my family and apparently Barmy's, but a lot of the time people are just people and suck because of it). Personally, I like my family when I don't have to be in a room with all of them telling meaningless stories about how 'great' college is and such.

 

Family isn't always something beautiful/happy/united. You can't understand because you haven't been there. And be thankful you haven't.

 

The only thing my family hates more than outsiders are the other members of the family.

 

For all you people bringing Christ into this, bollocks. The only reason we are under the impression that Jesus was born 25th december is because the biggest pagan festivity took place at midwinter so the early church decided to usurp it. It is a celebratrion to fight the darkness and that lighter days are coming, the christian touch is just a modern fad that is hopefully going to fade away. Sadly the English language use the word Christmas, in Sweden we still use "Jul" and I know you English speakers still have the word "Yule" in your language. Start using it again.

 

I'd say it doesn't matter if he was actually born on the 25 or not (and I was taught in church that he wasn't), it's the message/symbolism/remembrance that is important, rather than straight facts... as is often the case with religion.

Don't burn me at the stake for that

 

*burns ChickenIsGood at the stake for that*

 

Actually, I've heard at least three other possible dates for the Birth of Christ. Like Chicken said, the actual date doesn't matter. Interesting that you should mention lighter days coming--Jesus Chirst is refered to as the Light. But you find any reason you can to begrudge us a celebration of our faith and call us bigots...

 

Eh, though for Christians Christmas represents the birth of Christ, I don't think there is any relationship between the date we celebrate it and the date it occurred. Bottom line is no one knows when it occurred.

I spent the morning helping folks pack goodie bags to be given out at a Christmas Eve worship service. Kind of fun visiting with everyone and stuffing paper sacks with fruit and candy, fortunately not candy I like.

Ribbon candy - you hardly see it any more, I think because it is so fragile to ship, but I remember it from childhood and how it was beautiful and delicious both, so I could scarcely decide whether to admire it or eat it. Though I think eating usually won . . .

 

Theory is he was probably born during a Summer month as that was when most census were taken.

Yule is the solstice celebration which usually occurs around the 21st and is separate to to Christmas being specifically a celebration held on the 25th. Many practices were carried over from pagan celebration even if the symbolism and rituals have changed meanings and practices.

 

8people has it right. No one knows when Christ was born, but the date was co-opted from the pagan mid-winter festival celebration.

I guess I have to say I like Christmas, not so much for me, but for baby Jack.

 

Xmas sucks. It's too cold, people pretend not to be a**holes for a day, you have to play nice to the family...even though some of them are the afore mentioned a**holes...

I only like to spoil the wife with presents and for me to be spoiled by others. Oh, and my mom's food is pretty damn tasty...when she's actually able to cook.

 

Wait !, Wait !, Wait ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Am i understanding you right when you say that we are SUPPOSED to get along with our family at christmas ?!?!?


Your joking right? . . . . . . . . Right???


Sheesh, If we can go 2 hours without the women of the family knifing each other we consider it a success. Nothing worse than a pissed off female redneck with an electric carving knife.

Well Merry X-mas & may all your Ho's be happy

 

Oh that sounds like fun....

/me runs though martaug's house yelling, "Nascar sucks, Cowboys suck, Texans suck, Mavericks suck, Rockets sucks, and the Spurs suck mooooooooore!!!"

That should get the dialog flowing nicely.

 

No no kitrax, it's redskins, panthers & detroit tigers, that'll get'em started

 

My brother's gf says she likes how quiet it is at our place at Christmas. I told her I'm to chickenshit to have a knife fight with my brother...

 

Well, the day of Christmas is almost over here in East Tennessee and I survived. Hope all of you SP'ers did, too. And I now switch to wishing all a Happy New Year, and what I hate about that is . . . oh, sorry, need another topic for that, don't I?

 

I love Christmas. I have really good memories of spending it with my family. I have to agree wholeheartedly with Barmy's sentiments. This Christmas was a little sad since it was my first one away from my family. It was very hard. Still, we managed to have a good day and I still love it. I also love how excited my wife gets about all the decorating and stuff.

 

To get back to what was already a bit off-topic very few if any of the Christmas traditions we have are of Christian origin. People used to go to Christmas mass but that is fading away again. The tree is a recent German tradition which evolved from earlier pagan traditions of bringing in greenery, Santa is also quite recent and is more a creation of Coca Cola than anything else and as he too has pagan roots even if he in the US is named after a Turkish saint. Not much more than a hundred years ago a man dressed as a goat ran around handing out presents and if I remember school correctly the tradition around here was more similar to the current trick or treating of Halloween than straight gift giving.

I just like to point this out as so many people point out that we shouldnt be so commercial or care about presents and whatnot because Christmas is about Christ, which it blatantly isn't (unless you specifically want it to be and I guess that is the point it is an ancient celebration that can be celebrated by everyone with plenty of reasons to go around).

Anyhoo, I had a great one, I really love that ham with home made mustard.

 

I don't remember the Ancient Christians being remembered for their originality...

It makes a lot of sense. You pointed out that the Winter Solstice was the biggest party of the year so that people would not fear the darkness and to celebrate the return of the Light. To Christians, Christ is the Light. It fits into what the Pagans were already doing...

Edit: And we still need to call it a Christmas tree, because a Yule Log is what you get when you catch teh hot chick under the Mistletoe...

 

Naughty, naughty. Good thing Santa/Father Frost/Saint Nick/Hogfather has already been to see you.