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Christmas-time is here.

Started by Fi, November 22, 2011, 05:21:54 AM

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xSilverPhinx

Quote1. Do you celebrate Christmas/any of the other winter Decemberish (sorry about that, southern Hemisphere) holidays? Whether you do or you don't: Ever gotten flak for it?

Yes, but we're starting to use the tree again mostly because of my niece. I loved that sort of thing when I was a child, and she'll be at a loss if there weren't santas, presents and some sort of that holiday fever all over the place. 

Quote2. If you don't... how do you maintain your sanity during the season? (Not a diss. Honest question.)
3. Since this is a religious holiday, and a lot of us have religious family and friends: how do you keep the peace during the holidays?

When I visit my grandparents, who are religious, I tolerate them. They're family after all. ;D I don't join in the prayers though, but realise that it just isn't the time to discuss religion from my perspective, even if Christianity took an existing celebration and adapted it (brilliant strategy, actually).


Quote4. If us evil atheists with our evil atheist agenda successfully secularize/steal Christmas, what should we rename it?

I would call it winter solstice, but in the southern hemisphere it isn't winter. That northern evergreen tree (pagan symbol, btw) also seems a bit misplaced in an oven/house that's around 31 degrees celsius during the end of December. But oh well, tradition ;D Christmas doesn't really have any religious conotation for my secular family, so no one really gives the name second thought except for my mother. 



I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Buddy

I hate Christmas music. With a fiery passion.

I shouldn't say this but, I do have a soft spot for eggnog with a little bit a Kahlua. I only ever hav a little sip from the adults with their permission.

I really like making my gifts. I remember I made one one of my horse- loving friends a new saddle pad. The look on her face when she opened it made my year.
Strange but not a stranger<br /><br />I love my car more than I love most people.

Ecurb Noselrub

I love the lights. I'm going to NYC with my wife and oldest granddaughter the weekend before. Hope it snows.

xm1

I encourage the realization that while christians stole this season from the pagans, capitalists then stole it from the christians.  I think the last real christian version of this holiday happened nearly a hundred years ago, it was a somber thing about church and choir, just an extra version of what usually happened on sunday.  Then that christmas card thing happened in europe and spread to the states.  And now christmas morning is a capitalist cannibal love fest, all ages invited.  That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it, I just kinda snicker whenever I hear an atheist protest christmas for irreligious reasons.  Because you are giving it far more credit then it will ever again deserve. And for this reason, to me, celebrating christmas is like celebrating a victory against religion.

Stevil

Quote from: Budhorse4 on November 22, 2011, 04:48:52 PM
I hate Christmas music. With a fiery passion.
Same here, Christmas carols and Christmas songs are rubbish.
I honestly feel that people who make Christmas albums threaten their credibility as a music artist, at least to me. It certainly takes the gloss off.

Buddy

Quote from: Stevil on November 22, 2011, 06:04:52 PM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on November 22, 2011, 04:48:52 PM
I hate Christmas music. With a fiery passion.
Same here, Christmas carols and Christmas songs are rubbish.
I honestly feel that people who make Christmas albums threaten their credibility as a music artist, at least to me. It certainly takes the gloss off.

I just really annoys me that they start playing it in November. One can only take so much of the same 30 songs being repeated endlessly.
Strange but not a stranger<br /><br />I love my car more than I love most people.

Siz

Quote from: xm1 on November 22, 2011, 05:20:33 PM
I encourage the realization that while christians stole this season from the pagans, capitalists then stole it from the christians.  I think the last real christian version of this holiday happened nearly a hundred years ago, it was a somber thing about church and choir, just an extra version of what usually happened on sunday.  Then that christmas card thing happened in europe and spread to the states.  And now christmas morning is a capitalist cannibal love fest, all ages invited.  That doesn't mean I don't enjoy it, I just kinda snicker whenever I hear an atheist protest christmas for irreligious reasons.  Because you are giving it far more credit then it will ever again deserve. And for this reason, to me, celebrating christmas is like celebrating a victory against religion.

It gets exactly the credit it deserves in my household. I'm as cynical as the the next man about the capitalism of it, but it is what we make it. And we choose to make it a fun and exciting holiday from the humdrum of everyday life.  The cut-off-your-nose-to-spite-your-face atheists are welcome to wallow in Grinchitude while we enjoy ourselves. Happy holidays!

When one sleeps on the floor one need not worry about falling out of bed - Anton LaVey

The universe is a cold, uncaring void. The key to happiness isn't a search for meaning, it's to just keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense, and eventually you'll be dead!

Davin

Quote from: Budhorse4 on November 22, 2011, 06:27:51 PM
Quote from: Stevil on November 22, 2011, 06:04:52 PM
Quote from: Budhorse4 on November 22, 2011, 04:48:52 PM
I hate Christmas music. With a fiery passion.
Same here, Christmas carols and Christmas songs are rubbish.
I honestly feel that people who make Christmas albums threaten their credibility as a music artist, at least to me. It certainly takes the gloss off.

I just really annoys me that they start playing it in November. One can only take so much of the same 30 songs being repeated endlessly.
They're not all bad.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Recusant

Quote from: Budhorse4 on November 22, 2011, 06:27:51 PMI just really annoys me that they start playing it in November. One can only take so much of the same 30 songs being repeated endlessly.

We had a thread about Christmas music last year. People started posting songs that they don't mind that much, or actually enjoy. Unfortunately because of the forum software change, the redirect tags on most of them are no longer working, but usually you can copy-paste the address into your browser and get to them.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Asmodean

Quote from: xm1 on November 22, 2011, 05:20:33 PM
And now christmas morning is a capitalist cannibal love fest, all ages invited.
Is that wrong..? If so, why? Wherever you have a capitalist cannibal orgy, there is usually also a materialist orgy going on in the next room. And me, I like the idea of a massive spending spree, although in order to not overtax certain stores' capacity, I would try making it more individual rather than a fixed point in a year.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Stevil

Quote from: xm1 on November 22, 2011, 05:20:33 PM
And now christmas morning is a capitalist cannibal love fest, all ages invited.
If the Christmas commercial beast didn't come around each year, then would people have an excuse to spend their money.
It is an adrenaline jab to the heart of the economy to kick it back into life.

xm1

Quote from: Stevil on November 22, 2011, 08:57:49 PM
Quote from: xm1 on November 22, 2011, 05:20:33 PM
And now christmas morning is a capitalist cannibal love fest, all ages invited.
If the Christmas commercial beast didn't come around each year, then would people have an excuse to spend their money.
It is an adrenaline jab to the heart of the economy to kick it back into life.

Yeah im not an economics person, so i'm not sure what would happen to the world if we didn't feel obligated to trade in paper for trinkets to excess around the end of the year.  But regardless, the tradition is clearly capitalist, not christian, and therefore i snicker whenever I hear an atheist protest christmas for irreligious reasons.

xSilverPhinx

I actually think that if the pagans (pre-infiltration-of-christianity era, not the neo pagans) were still alive they would be more pissed than atheists...with Christians claiming it as their own.
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Sandra Craft

Quote from: Tristan Jay on November 22, 2011, 02:36:32 PM
The thing is, I don't love the songs.  Every year, it's the same annoying stock collection of songs, and the new ones that seem to get added to the list are the ones that I didn't like from the get go. 


I love the songs, both secular and religious, for about a week or 2 and after that I just want to take a gun to the radio.  I can stand to hear about some mutant reindeer and his shallow reindeer pals only so many times, and even the little drummer boy gets annoying after the 1,136,678,395th time I've heard about him.  Unfortunately, some stations start playing Xmas music before Thanksgiving which seems to me really overdoing it.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Crow

If I happen to start doing work for the holiday season in September I usually despise the festive side of things by the end of October, this year I turned all that work down. Winter is my favorite time of year so I never have any problem with keeping my mood up, to get past the cold just invest in some good thermals (nanotech fabrics are the best), a few good coats (waxed cotton or goose-down filled), and crepe soled boots that are sheep skin lined for ice and you will be sorted. I don't celebrate Christmas myself so I usually buy a bunch of computer games to play through the time whilst everything is closed or crazy busy. I always go to Christmas parties/meals/celebrations because fun is fun and when alcohol and/or food is involved I am sold. I don't listen to the radio so Christmas music isn't a problem though I cant stand it no matter how secular it is.
Retired member.