Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming!!!!

[Blackbird]

Oops, here I went and opened my big mouth!

Yes Wifezilla, the Epic of Gilgamesh instantly comes to mind.. I love that story!

For centuries upon centuries religions have been controlled by money, greedy men with power, and so on. They have dictated and controlled so many people, and continue to do so.
When you meet your high power/s, I higher doubt they will be angry that you celebrated a holiday. Of all the things, it isn't THAT important.

 

[Old Sew'n'Sew]

HF wrote:

The would ask what I got and I'd say nothing. Then they'd laugh at me.
It royally sucked. BUT...

Celebrating Christmas and getting nice presents should have made these children greatful and more compassionate, but instead it made them more haughty and cruel to somebody who was different . Why do you care about their laughter all those years ago? So sad for you

 

[hillfarm]

HF wrote:

The would ask what I got and I'd say nothing. Then they'd laugh at me.
It royally sucked. BUT...

Celebrating Christmas and getting nice presents should have made these children greatful and more compassionate, but instead it made them more haughty and cruel to somebody who was different . Why do you care about their laughter all those years ago? So sad for you

I don't really care about their laughter now, I just grieve for that little girl who was just made to feel like such an outsider. Never fully understanding why she had to be different. Everyone got this magic. And I got the back of my father's hand if I ever asked questions.

NOW, it's a different story. I am happily married to an awesome guy. My kids are healthy and brilliant. Loved and loving. We celebrate xmas our way. I am a very Pagan type. Not any religion in paticular really. But Xmas is magic at our house. The kids aren't given every thing and more. They get what we can afford and think will be most useful to them. I indulge them in a thing or two I know they want. For my oldest it was exspensive perfume, she didnt ask for but she commented how it smelled like home and good things.
Same for the younger ones. My boy is a huge lego fan, so i invested in some pricey toys. Something he wouldn't normally get. I love the surprise and the family time. Making dinner and cookies and stuff. ITs the memories I wish I had as a kid.

 

[MorelCabin]

When I was a kid my dad always threatened to throw out the Christmas tree along with the television...and he did haul out the TV one day. We never knew which Christmas would be our last , so we really appreciated every one!
My dad was really on the fence about the whole Christmas thing...I think, being "Born Again" the reason he kept it up is because he didn't want to be accused of being a " JW"...
Ah when faiths get 'religion' is when the trouble truly starts.

Me, well as faithful as I am, I simply hope that there are some little things I do that I will be forgiven for. After all... the greatest commandment is to love others.

 

[Damummis]

I grew up in a Jehovah Witness family. So no xmas when I was a child. I remember seeing how all my friends came back from the xmas break with new clothes or jewellry. The would ask what I got and I'd say nothing. Then they'd laugh at me.
It royally sucked.

ME TOO!!!

This year we are laying low. Need a new roof. :/

 

[Beekissed]

Morel, my father did the same when he first started his religious phase in life. No Christmas tree, no TV, and very little Christmas presents...weren't allowed to say Santa Claus...he called him "Satan Claus", etc.

After having had the traditional hoopla and decorations at Christmas, it was quite a change and I never understood that when I was growing up. He started all that about the time I was in second or third grade.

For my kids, I started a different Christmas tradition. We just put up a table top nativity scene and put lights and candles around it, placed our presents around it and, on Christmas Eve, we read the story about the birth of Christ by candlelight.

Then we would pray a prayer of thankfulness that Jesus was born, for what He had done for us that year and for what we hoped for the coming year.

My kids loved this tradition. I still have and use the original nativity scene that is now 24 years old and it is put up every Christmas without fail. We still place our gifts at the feet of the Baby Jesus, like the wise men did on that special night long ago.

I like my house to feel especially warm and soulful for that season out of deference for Christ's birthday....no matter when He might have been born.

 

[MorelCabin]

Now that is a nice tradition Bee! Very Christian, and to the point. I like it!

 

[BarredBuff]

Morel, my father did the same when he first started his religious phase in life. No Christmas tree, no TV, and very little Christmas presents...weren't allowed to say Santa Claus...he called him "Satan Claus", etc.

After having had the traditional hoopla and decorations at Christmas, it was quite a change and I never understood that when I was growing up. He started all that about the time I was in second or third grade.

For my kids, I started a different Christmas tradition. We just put up a table top nativity scene and put lights and candles around it, placed our presents around it and, on Christmas Eve, we read the story about the birth of Christ by candlelight.

Then we would pray a prayer of thankfulness that Jesus was born, for what He had done for us that year and for what we hoped for the coming year.

My kids loved this tradition. I still have and use the original nativity scene that is now 24 years old and it is put up every Christmas without fail. We still place our gifts at the feet of the Baby Jesus, like the wise men did on that special night long ago.

I like my house to feel especially warm and soulful for that season out of deference for Christ's birthday....no matter when He might have been born.

Wonderful idea!!!!!

 

[dragonlaurel]

I've got mixed feelings about it. I love the twinkly lights, decorating a tree, and making the home look and smell great. Many people are very cheerful and there's more chances to see friends and loved ones during the holiday season.

I hate the crass commercialism. It drives me crazy when the stores start changing everything over in July or August. I like my holidays one at a time. There's no way I can get in the mood for it before Thanksgiving. I'd settle for them waiting till after Halloween. My little protest to all the hurried up commercialism is to NEVER buy anything related to it until December. I like carols in small doses, but I don't want to listen to any single type of music for a whole month.

Giving gifts to the people that are an important part of your life is a nice way to show that you appreciate them. Christmas day is as good a day for that as any other, so I give some gifts. If you are being pushed to spend till you go broke - that's manipulation and selfishness, not love. It should not be the season of gimmee gimmee.

I am pagan and love that our traditions have been passed down through the ages. I don't mind that Christians do many of them. I do laugh a little if they have no idea where it really started. Most of my family is Christian and I remember the Christmas services. They were pretty but that religion is not in my heart, so I don't attend them now. Yule is very special to me and I normally celebrate it with friends and some family, on the Winter Solstice (usually Dec 21) then went to my Moms on Christmas afternoon for some of the other family traditions.

I don't celebrate Hanukkah but would if I was invited to. It seems like it would be really nice. Since I know that most religions have some kind of celebrations on or near the Solstice, I just say happy holidays to anybody. Holidays meant "holy days" and I don't want to make anybody feel left out.

 

[Beekissed]

I think my life is different than most, in regards to commercialism. I don't go to the store~Walmart~but once a month, if that. The only store I frequent more often is Family Dollar or the feed store.

None of these places are a hotbed of commercialism. I don't have TV, so I don't have to listen to the same commercials and jingles all season and I listen to the oldies radio station as I drive around the country....hardly any commercials there either.

Most folks around here are very minimalist when it comes to decorating. Very sparse, few and far between. No yearly light displays and such.

Nothing much changes around here during the holidays or seasons...they roll up the streets at 10 pm, some restuarants still close down on Sundays, and they have gas stations that look like Goober and Gomer still work there.

I love it! Still feels like small town USA here. I can imagine Jimmy Stewart running down the street yelling "Merry Christmas, you old Savings and Loan!"

One of my fave movies of all times, BTW!