[Buincchotourbss]

Guys & Girls,

I am seriously considering giving Christmas a miss this year, and instead celebrating 'a week off work'. The Pros for skipping the silly season far outweigh the cons. The Christmas hype is getting beyond a joke.

Your thoughts? How are you celebrating the holiday?

[Xiciljed]

I am boycotting Christmas this year... it's a waste of money... I'm not even christian/catholic... bah humbug...

...But I will still partake of the dinner...

[NiliSpuppypax]

we arent going down to grandmamarrs this year. wahoo
but its still a dull day usually with arguments etc
ive decided as noone knows what they want and as im skint to just go to the pound shop and pick up a load of tat. though thoughtful tat of course
i got my dad a sinister mug with a teddy so far
though i do like buying gifts for people, so christmas is a good excuse to do this.

i think theres a seminar up in perth on 27 and 28 so thats something to look forward to
also this is the first new years in 4 years where i can just go to bed instead of being at work-wahoo

[Acrogeokickic]

I feel you, Anymore the holidays are becoming wierd. Christmas is just an excuse to rev the consumer engine and show those you love with how many presents you can buy, Its all a pack of lies. Im not that cynical really, I love that christmas is the celebration of christ conciousness. Now Thanksgiving is something I will not actively participate in anymore, for starters when the pilgrims came here to american and met the indians,, they not only shared thier culture, but destroyed the native culture in the process. Oh, and the Europeans gave the indians blankets with the Polio virus and chickenpox as a gift on thanksgiving, suddenly i have no appetitite for turkey, it is almost a cheap commodity that thanksgiving and christmas are pushed mostly just by advertisers and merchants, so yea,, you tell me what it is all about.

[gvataler]

Scott, I don't blame you for feeling like this. After all, it's hard to get excited about an event that starts in bloody October (that's when I noticed Chrimbo stuff going on sale in ernest). I mean, I can still (just about) remember when Christmas was only bothered with in December (a bloody long time ago, I know). Back then, people who had Christmas decorations up in any month other than December were considered to be mentally ill (and probably left their decorations up all year round anyway).


Besides, my dad passed away last year and I have been unable to enjoy anything where the family gathers together since (trust me, last Christmas was possibly the worst day of my life).


So, yeah, f**k Christmas.

[HelenTay]

Oh, and the Europeans gave the indians blankets with the Polio virus and chickenpox as a gift on thanksgiving

Patently bullcrap...In 1763, Lord Amherst (commander of British forces in North America) did suggest using smallpox infected blankets to "innoculate" the Native American opposition during the French and Indian war, but there is no hard evidence that this was actually carried out.

Reprehensible idea, oh yeah, but not associated with the Thanksgiving holiday whatsoever.

[Seeseeskeva]

Yes, you should bother with Christmas, take the time to celebrate with friends and family.

Ignore the commercial hype, give hugs instead of store bought gifts, write to all those people who are special to you and who you have not had a lot of contact with because of distance, work schedule whatever.

No, it does not have to be a Hallmark or any other commercial card, get a green and red crayon from the kids stuff and draw some holly on the page somewhere. It is what you write, not what is pre-printed.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hogmanay

[ivandiadser]

I hope I'm not being too harsh but...

I think people who scoff at giving presents because of the market industry is evil must be lonely or anti social. I'm not christian but I celebrate christmas with my family. If you see the holidays as depressing then it's not the holiday you hate, it's yourself. Find some friends.

[Qynvtlur]

Kudos to Manuka and Optimitrist...lighten up, get some punch and try to make somebody happy.

[teergoBissono]

I hope I'm not being too harsh but...

I think people who scoff at giving presents because of the market industry is evil must be lonely or anti social. I'm not christian but I celebrate christmas with my family. If you see the holidays as depressing then it's not the holiday you hate, it's yourself. Find some friends.

good point abpout family but I know whet he means, the christmas industry in the uk is relentless and actually starts in the shops in september

thus by the time the event actually comes round everyone is sick to death of it because its everywhere

I spent last christmas day ion teh beach in Australia and irt was great - not over hyped & a very pleasant way to do it

[chuviskkk]

Guys & Girls,

I am seriously considering giving Christmas a miss this year, and instead celebrating 'a week off work'. The Pros for skipping the silly season far outweigh the cons. The Christmas hype is getting beyond a joke.

Your thoughts? How are you celebrating the holiday?

Assuming youre not spending time with family, you could do some voluntary work, giving someone a hand, enabling them some time off

Or you could go for a long walk somewhere nice as the national parks etc are quieter (accom being an issue though)

or grab a last minute flight out somewhere warm like spain

I was in down under last year & it was top class

I think the retail industry has killed what i recall being a special time of year

best of luck finding something that fits

regards

Phil..

[77rexulceme]

Scott - take that week off work, get yourself a Nintendo Wii and a copy of Red Steel. Then spend 7 days hacking virtual baddies down with two swords






That is all.

[wmhardware]

isnt that close to what he does every week?

[HagsPusia]

How are you celebrating the holiday?

Taking two weeks off work, locking myself in the shop and making tsubas, bokutoh, a mitersaw stand and a flip-top cabinet for the planer and spindle sander.

Utter bliss...

[oliverlogo]

I think people who put up Christmas crap in November are way over the top, myself. There's a women on my street who watches our kids after school who puts up 3 trees in her house, including one in the bathroom.

Our tree goes up no sooner than 2 weeks before, preferably 1 week. But I do love Christmas. Helps that I have a tightknit family that mostly live in town, and we make a very nice several days out of it.

[Rithlilky]

When I was a kid the tree went up on christmas eve and came down on new years day.
Unfortunately my birthday is Jan 4 and my father felt that any christmas presents counted for both.

I have gotten back into the idea of making my christmas presents rather than buying them, they mean something then, both to me and to the recipient.

[Verriasana]

what are you guys? freaking commies? of course, christmas must be celebrated. otherwise, you won't be a card carrying member of capitalists 'r' us. wife needs new diamond ring, and all the kids need their own game console with truckload of games.

(i'm going to spend the christmas at my in-laws, this means they will feed me until i go into sugar shock).

pete

[VonErmad4]

Plus, if you have lost your joy in Christmas, having some kids is a good way to rediscover it.

[pharmacologist30]

In my family, New Years day is the big holiday,
-but we still find time to decorate the garden with lights, and in the inside of the house with all sorts of artificial trees and things.

In order to reduce stress and financial hardship, -and to impart our offspring the perils of holiday consumer glut, We limit our gift exchange to one nice gift each, usually hand-made. To us, it seems to create more of a sense of warmth and love. (Now only if my family could hand-make a Wii, I'd be good to go. )

But all in all, the best part of the holiday has GOT to be Gingerbread men, Fudge and YE GODS! The Eggnog... wonderous EGG NOG!!!
I could (and probably will) drink about 10 gallons of the stuff by the years' end.

[exchpaypalgold]

I make eggnog every year. Beats the storebought stuff all to hell.