Can anybody concentrate on the true meaning of CHRISTMAS this year

Lets keep religion out of it entirely and concentrate on the true meaning. The important things are who can out decorate their neighbors with a lavish light show,how many partys are you invited to compared to other people yow want to impress, and of course how much you can spend on stuff for the kids and score from the one yard line as I describe the scene on black friday when Walmart"s doors open.
And minimize these acts of charity for the less fortunate' at least do them because you feel obligated not because you really want to.
And yes ,in case you're wondering, I plead guilty at one time or another to all of the above.
Just a little tongue in cheek in case anybody is wondering,but dont forget to drive more agressively around the holidays,everybody else out there are in a state of insanity by Dec. 25.

 

We are forced to this year as flights to vegas were high from the get-go and we opted for pre-T-day. When we go after the blessed day it is only a square on the calendar prior to departure for the most part. If we had little ones of course that would all change significantly. Bah-humbug!

 

We don't do gifts anymore it got to the point of vulgarity how much we were spending, finally a light went off and we came to our senses...now we enjoy each other's company for a few days and celebrate in a way that--we feel - - Christmas should be

 

Punch out the first person who says Winter Holiday in my presence.

 

As the OP said, "Let's keep religion out of it entirely..." Personally, I think there are a lot of beautiful celebrations of the Winter Solstice from the Wiccans, the Druids, the Celts and of course the Christians. It's nice to have pretty things twinkling about when the daylight hours grow short.

 

Isn't a pagan spiritual observation religious?

 

Yes. Just as much as talking about the Christian spiritual observation. If you only do it around the 'Christmas' season, it's religious...trees, lights, gifts, special parties, etc. Christmas lights become regular decoration when you put them up in April.

 

This will be the first Christmas without my mom. We'll be with my sister and the (adult) kids, and the mass of Greeks from my brother-in-law's side, my dad. Thought, to me is, the key this year and every year. Put thought into what you do and say, how you hold yourself. Thought engenders love, caring, happiness.

 

I stopped celebrating a few years back and really enjoy it. i look at it as just another day now. No gifts, no lights, no pressure. very relaxing this way.

 

I get the Winter Blues so I just try to survive the Blues by traveling to sunny areas. I am now a BA HUM BUG... since I got upset that I wasn't getting gifts so I stopped giving the gifts. I do like to sing the Christmas songs just because I wake up singing them in the morning when I wake up.
Christmas for me is a time to go to visit Vegas where they don't really celebrate Christmas in the major hotels I have noticed. I have lots of fun just buying me lots of gifts for ME. Plus, there are less people in Vegas I have noticed.

 

For the last few years, we just head to Vegas for Thanksgiving and Christmas. No family drama at the dinner table. No arguments about politics etc. It has become a tradition for us.

 

Great idea.

 

We never had kids so the whole Santa Claus thing was non-existent. When we were first married, we'd get some sort of gift for each other, but we eventually reached the point where we stopped that. To me, a true gift purchased would necessarily have to satisfy a need or want, that the recipient could not / would not afford. In our case, there was always sufficient funding that anything we wanted was available sans sacrifice, so what's the point? Back on the rural route, we had mega-doses of religion (Christianity), but the older I got and the more thought I put into it, the more deistic/secular I became, so that pretty much removes the whole Jesus aspect. However, I do enjoy the trappings of the holiday season for the sake of 'a holiday'. Merry Christmas is fine, happy holidays is fine...not worth escalation.

 

For many of us "Christmas" and the "season" is a cultural/familial edifice, even if some of those "religious" stirrings and learnings from way back still tingle in us. Ultimately for us, it is time with friends and family, the true spots of joy in this life.

Terri and I do stockings. It's fun to scheme up, find and hide (with her snoop gene) goodies. But we don't have holiday punchcards that need to be completed. She apt to get flowers on any random day, but there are no takes-no-thought red roses and bad chocolate on Valentine's. We leave cards and hand-written notes through the year. Anniversary is likely going to be a creation of both our doings in our kitchen. But when Restaurant Week rolls around, we're booking. No one feels shorted if a birthday weekend comes without a getaway because we getaway all the time.

 

I love Christmas, got kids (a bit older now) but still love it for myself as well. The lights, people generally in better spirits, good wholesome food, presents (up to you what you spend, we don't go overboard but have fun) and a bit of booze - look forward to pre Christmas, we have the 23rd as a special day for my youngest, called Neve, so we have Christmas Neve as a day especially for her, then Christmas Eve and the real day - it is what you make it. Never feel pressure, just bask in the fun of it and soak up a 'happy time'.

Happy Holidays!

 

As a Jew, the true meaning of Christmas is that damn near everything is closed...unless I'm in Vegas.

 

When I was kid it was great and always looked forward to it, not just the presents but a family get together. Over the years the family numbers have gotten less. It's not even about the family thing now as I have an 18 year old and a 11 year old. They are not that much into it apart from the gifts. It is too commercial now, we have a place near us who have a Christmas shop in August. For me it's 2 days off work and a few drinks, if it wasn't for family I would happily go away for Christmas.

 

The true meaning of Christmas to me is that I get the day before, the day as, and the day after off from work.

It means I don't have to go to work. Yay.

 

Hey, I guess some good things do come in threes!

RICHARD

 

My son will be 5 yrs old Dec 22.
He's been pointing out EVERY TOY on TV !
"I want that !"
I tell him to "make a list for Santa".
He replies "No...you can buy it for my birthday !"
Wise guy.
*
*
Last Christmas....
I saw THE GREATEST moment !
My son being mesmerized by a carousel spinning + flashing lights, w/ nice
musical arrangements of all the Christmas carols/ songs.
He would watch it in bed til he fell asleep..........I would turn it off later.
What a wonderful picture that made !!!!!