who loves christmas?!?

[Miss Lockheart]

Yaya you agree!!!

I think that's why I put so much of my effort into this time of year. It gets hard but I have so many good memories of previous Christmases (aswell as bad ones I will hopefully never repeat), I want that to continue. We have a huge family, and we have our moments throughout the year, but Christmas is when we pull together and set things aside to make the magic, for ourselves and the kids. Like today, my brother was being a complete ass but then he just stopped it and started helping out, he's taking us out tomorrow for a serious toy buying session. Hooray for Christmas!!!

I do love Christmas Eve aswell- the kids are all already in bed, all then wrapping and preparations are finally done, we all sit down and relax. And I make my special mulled wine!! Though this year I bought ready made mixture instead of using my own recipe, I'm supporting my favourite New Age shop because they're being forced to move and it really sucks, they have only 6 months to find another place.

[Terminal Est]

If you all love and appreciate Christmas as much as you say you do, then my parade of pessimism shall not bother you.

When I was a child Christmas was wonderful, it was all magical and enchanting. My father always took me out on the sled to go look at Christmas lights and decorations outside...it was really fun, and although being so young, I still remember how wonderful it was.

But as I grew older, the veil of imagination had lifted, revealing nothing more then the bleak superficial aspect of Christmas that our society has labeled it with. It means nothing to me, because it disgusts me. Not because it is an evident feeding ground for marketing and the economy, not because, even though I do not believe in God, that the initial meaning is more then lost despite what is presented on such, but because of the many blatant pretenses which come with the holiday...people will go see their family once a year and say they love them, despite the fact that the reason why they never go and see them is because they hate them.
I mean, the time of year for love and peace? Should we not always practice love and peace?

Everything is so FALSE. Ugh. I cannot stand this time of year, it completely depresses me.

I do not say that this is the case for everyone all the time. For example, folks who have children must truly enjoy Christmas. I admire those whom, while realizing these nasty truths, can still find something good about Christmas, and truly enjoy it. But to me, it just does not work. Maybe I am the problem, but what ever.

I believe, also, that it is a holiday more for children, but it could be better, if it was not so plastered with expectations and ulterior motives. Wait, Santa Claus is working for the CIA?

I like the vacations, that is all.

[Miss Lockheart]

Originally Posted by Terminal Est

Wait, Santa Claus is working for the CIA?

Hahahahahahaha I'm gonna tell my kid that one when he's bigger!

We try and make light of the Christian Jesus story in our house, like for a long time my mum convinced one of the kids living with us at the time that Batman put the straw in the Manger...

[Terminal Est]

See?! You guys seem to know how to make it fun in a genuine way, instead of what I spoke of before. I feel so jealous now.

....but seriously, Batman?

[Son of Sephiroth]

Terminal est = grinch :P

[Miss Lockheart]

Originally Posted by Terminal Est

See?! You guys seem to know how to make it fun in a genuine way, instead of what I spoke of before. I feel so jealous now.

....but seriously, Batman?

Yup, Batman. That was the brainchild of my mum, she tends to say the most random and funny things when she is frustrated or feeling silly. And surely Superman wouldn't do at all

[Revenant]

How do you guys include Superman and Batman to Christmas?

[JET73L]

Obviously it had to be batman. And superman because he's the 3rd least likely choice, after the fourth wise man and the Green Lantern. Oh, the red-and-green lantern would be such a ridiculous christmas-themed superhero?
Randomness conmes naturally to many of us, and sometimes even to our families. It also helps not to take things seriously if all the seriousneess has already been removed from the subject, kind of like what Terminal said half a page up from here.

[Miss Lockheart]

Originally Posted by JET73L

Obviously it had to be batman. And superman because he's the 3rd least likely choice, after the fourth wise man and the Green Lantern. Oh, the red-and-green lantern would be such a ridiculous christmas-themed superhero?

Hahahahahahaha this is turning into quite an enigmatic subject...

No there is of course nothing about Batman in the Nativity, it's just an amusing concept, there are a lot of similar ones around. Like JET said, it's not serious

Anyways, back on topic- I guess Christmas can be just what you make of it. Obviously no-one can be forced to enjoy it if they don't identify with it but even just a bit of light parody can help. We get really stressed over Christmas, so the random humour helps to lighten the mood and then we are all the more relaxed when things are ready for the big day. Teasing the kids is always fun, one year we convinced my younger brother, who was 18 at the time, that he was getting a Fluffy Surprise as one of his presents. At first he just laughed it off, but my mum made it sound so convincing that by Christmas Eve he was really nervous....

[Terminal Est]

Oy, I be the Grinch!

That is another thing about Christmas which I do not like to get involved with...the rat race amplification! So much stress to get presents for folks, get the parties ready and whatnot...it really IS too much sometimes, especially when considering that it is done, mostly, in the name of superficiality. But what one makes of Christmas... I cannot pretend to understand.