Are you looking forward to christmas?

Nah. Not into that. Just a glass piece.

 

Maybe winter is where morality comes from. Like, if ancient people thought for a moment that winter was a punishment, and they had been all acting very selfishly, so they only thing they could think of was to be nicer to everyone, culminating in a celebration that we now call Christmas. Jesus' birthday is celebrated on Christmas, because you couldn't have it competing with whatever they used to call Christmas. And then, following closely, is the New Year when people resolve to be better people throughout the year (even though they already suspect the Sun will return, because they've experienced winter all their lives.) Then it starts to get warmer and we celebrate Easter. Then later on we celebrate Thanksgiving, which is a way to appease the punisher who brings winter by giving thanks. Then comes Halloween, which is all about how we figured out the Sun always comes back, so we know we can be naughty and dark and get away with it. Plus it's just like the welcoming of the brutality of winter. The point is, everything revolves around winter.

Though that doesn't make any sense, because some people come from climates where it is warm all year 'round and they're not cavemen. But their own harsh conditions taught them morality as well, I bet. I bet it's all about the weather.

 

Xmas was 'hiked' by the god squad !!! - Prior to that everyone celebrated a Pagan ceremony of 'Winter Solstice' which occurs every year on 22nd December !!!

 

I don't think it was there in '66, when I went through. And Combat Control went TDY to Benning every week to work the drop zone at Fryer. I went there four or five times between '67 and '73 and we stayed off post and I wasn't aware of a strip club. Hey, if I had been I'd have been there! LOL!

 

Still looking forward to it - Xmas lunch I'm dining here !!!

Restaurant Belfast City | Dining Belfast City Centre | Europa Hotel

 

No I can't say I am this year . My mother passed away on Boxing Day last year so I suspect I will be a little down .We have already decided we are not bothering with the Christmas tree and limiting Christmas cards to those we get one from .We will be going out as often as we can over the Christmas period though to stave me from going into depression .

 

The part you celebrate with friends and/or family is in your own hands.

 

I'm looking forward to everything

 

I enjoy the days and weeks leading up to the holidays more than the holiday itself. Especially around here. It gets real Christmasy. I don't do Christmas shopping or anything like that so i don't have that type of stress. I do spend time with family around the holidays.

 

Why no Christmas shopping? Just curious..

 

Like most 'blokes', I presume that TD, like me, detests wandering around the shops trying to find something to buy for respective friends and/or relatives - its a chore that I have now given up on entirely and do all my shopping with my fingers, on-line.

 

But you're still shopping and buying Christmas presents... you're just doing it online, as many do....it sounded like he wasn't buying Christmas presents period..

 

for the last dunno how long , The family sit round drinking Blobs and watching Griswolds Christmas and the Muppets Christmas Carol whats not to like

 

True, but as my family dwindle, there's not so many to buy for these days .

 

I actually reckon it's got nothing to do with gender and TD is like me, I don't buy presents either.

I love gifting people I love but I'm not going to do if when ordered to by society. People seriously make their lives harder this time of year, getting into debt and making sacrifices to the quality of their own lives for no reason than social pressure. The idea that somehow you're not festive, not generous, selfish, etc. It's stupid and not true.

The best gift my friends could give me is to enjoy their own lives to the full. Or candles.

 

The best thing you can do at Christmas is help someone in need, whatever form that takes..

 

That goes for life in general though, right? If we're altering our behaviour at Christmas what do we think the people in need do for the rest of the year?

 

It's a principle I live by all year..