Why we don't do Christmas.

[Plain Talker 11]

I hated "Christmas-as-an-adult..."

 

spending money I didn't have, on presents I couldn't afford, for people I couldn't stand, who didn't appreciate them, anyway, eating too much, getting drunk, and having arguments.

 

So, what i did was, because I wanted to get back to the non-commercialised version of Xmas, I volunteered my time for the very first "Sheffield Open Christmas".

 

This project evolved into "HARC"- homeless and rootless at christmas which provided a "Christmas" for the homeless families who were in bed-and-breakfast accommodation, who could not get an Xmas dinner.

 

some B&B's, even on Xmas day, would insist that these families vacate the rooms, from 9am to 6pm! unbelieveable, huh? imagine, being in a B&B, and being forced to wander the streets on Xmas day, unable to get a hot meal! Horrendous!

 

One of my friends was in this situation. She left her violent partner, taking their five kiddies, and was stuck in a flea-pit of a B&B. She could not even have a Kettle in her room in this place, to make herself a cuppa! When she was eventually rehomed, by the council, she determined to do something about this, and set up SOC, and another homeless charity, in order that others didn't have to endure the same difficulties

 

It was much better, IMO, to spend my xmas (whether it be xmas day, boxing day, whatever) doing something like this, which is worthwhile, than to spend it stuffing oneself stupid on turkey...

 

Why not do something like that? "harc" 's number can be obtained through the samaritans, or Sheffield Information Services, the training courses start soon, and the launch will be later this month IIRC.

 

You can volunteer for one day/ shift, or many days/ shifts. even a few hours will make all the difference.

 

They need staff to "man" the public areas, or, if you don't feel able to do that, or are a bit shy at dealing with strangers, you could go on the catering team, behind the scenes.

 

PT

[raskel 10]

Sorry, I haven't read the whole thread, so sorry if this has already been said:

 

Originally posted by Albi

It seems to us a tradition that only benefits business and lines the pockets of the rich

Do you give mother's day and/or father's day cards?

 

Cos don't they fall in same catagory as the above statement?

[Mathom 10]

"a tradition that only benefits business and lines the pockets of the rich"

 

I can see where this comes from, but another way of looking at Christmas is that it's the one time of year when business does not crack the whip - business must (or ought to) close down fro a few days, and profits must be forgotten while everyone is guaranteed some time off.

 

Or that's how Christmas used to be at any rate. I understand in the US a lot of shops and cinemas open on Christmas Day which means it will be the same here one day. I like the thought that most places are shut at least for one day!

[Kerry_Lou 10]

These days retailers advertise there products in such a way that people forget why we celebrate it.

[Funke88 10]

How boring life would be without it. We are not religious and we don't have kids, but we love Christmas. The very idea of a special day for everyone is exciting. Run around town the week before wearing a silly red hat and huge bobble earrings. A big party when you get to invite a bunch of friends and eat and drink and not feel guilty. Christmas is not about the gifts it's a caring, giving, and forgiving time. A time for people to be happy and be nice to each other. We don't buy big gifts and we don't spend much money either. I enjoy getting a tree and baking cakes and drinking eggnog. How can you not want it when everybody around you is getting excited? Call the day what you want but regardless of your religion why would you not want a special day once a year once a year to splurge and have fun? Sounds a bit of a "bah humbug" to me. But that's your choice. You make it what you want to make it. So you sit back and watch TV and have beans on toast if you want to. But we're having turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing etc. Now that gives me the excuse to have the oven on for 6 hours straight and stuff the fridge with goodies.

 

So it will be Merry "weekend" to you then? Will you go to work as normal on Monday?

[BertieBasset 10]

Christmas is a Christian holy day when the birth of Christ is celebrated. Everything else other than this is superfluous, buying presents, getting drunk at staff parties, overeating, spending money you don't have and what is generally referred to as "doing Christmas".

 

If people want to do all of the above why don't they call it something else like a "Midwinter Festival" have it on a different day/weekend and give Christmas back to what it originally was and what so few people nowadays recognise it as.

[InvalidUser 10]

Originally posted by Albi

I need opinion on this, for research purposes. Can anyone imagine not doing Christmas, simply because they 'didn't want to'?

 

I need qualitative answers, not a poll.

 

Cheers.

Good for you.

 

If you don't want to participate in Christmas then your family should respect your views. You should be polite but firm with them if they try to exert pressure on you to change your mind.

 

My heart sinks when I see the shops pushing Xmas on us earlier and earlier every year. The true meaning of Xmas was lost long ago. It's the most important time of the year for retailers and with the low retail spending of recent months you can be sure that this year the message will be "Spend! Spend! Spend!”

 

The season of goodwill is now the season of debt.

 

I buy cards and presents for immediate family because they’d be offended if I didn’t. I don’t like doing it and I don’t care to receive presents myself but sometimes I must make sacrifices to please others.

[Pseudonym 10]

Originally posted by BertieBasset

Christmas is a Christian holy day when the birth of Christ is celebrated. Everything else other than this is superfluous...

In actual fact, long, long before the Christian Church adopted it and adapted it to their own beliefs, Xmas was and still is for some people, an important Pagan festival... If you doubt this, research the symbolism behind traditional Xmas artifacts.. Mistletoe, the tree, Yule logs, etc...

[Jamie 10]

What *****es me off most about it all ... is having to trawl around the shops looking for pressies for people ... that those people probably don't even want / need ... having to do all that ... not because you've found a suitable gift that you want to give ... but just because it's the done thing.

 

The fact that it's expected of you ... I feel detracts from the giving aspect of it.

[Beakerzoid 10]

I get the a lot of grief over my choice (as is my right) to not lie to my child about a fake person called Santa! Whilst I am not religious, I have always identified the festive season as a time for family, hence we still buy presents for each other.

 

However, I hate the idea of Santa! You tell kids not to take gifts off strangers, then tell them that this fat guy in a red suit is fine. In addition I remember as a kid wondering why, as I was the kid who was good and got bullied a lot, the bullies got better presents than me (I told my mum that I didn't want my presents, I wanted the ones the bullies had yet Santa had given those "bad boys" the better toys - I still wonder how hurt this must have made her feel)

 

Nah...Santa is a myth. I would rather my child know that Mummy and Daddy love him so much, and buy him these gifts. I would rather he learn through us the value of property, and not just expect gifts from a fat git in a suit. I would rather not teach my kid to tell the truth then lie each year about Santa.

 

The response - "Oh thats mean!" or "How nasty are you?!?!" People seem to be baffled that I choose not to lie to my kid, and feel that I should do what they say. They also seem baffled that i hate Christmas music - "Oh, don't be a grump! It's festive!" - No...it's crap and if it was released any other time of the year it would sink without a trace!

 

Bah...and indeed...humbug (which only for the past two years have people picked up on that and bought me Humbugs - yummy!)

 

 

 

Slight Historical note - December 25th was chosen as Christ's birthday in early years to deliberately co-incide with pagan holy days. Why? To try to stem the troubles between the pagan romans and the early Christians. The 'halo' behind Christ, depicted in many RC murals, is the sun shining from behind him, signifying that the most important facet of the Roman pantheon, the Sun God, and the Chrostian God are one and the same. I may not be religious, but I'm fascinated by religion.

[BertieBasset 10]

research the birth of Christ, he came first...

 

Originally posted by Pseudonym

In actual fact, long, long before the Christian Church adopted it and adapted it to their own beliefs, Xmas was and still is for some people, an important Pagan festival... If you doubt this, research the symbolism behind traditional Xmas artifacts.. Mistletoe, the tree, Yule logs, etc...

[Beakerzoid 10]

Really....so the romans worshipping their Pagan deities when they occupied Judea, prior to the birht of Christ was all an historical lie? Believe it or not, Pagan beliefs were around LONG before JC was born.

 

http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1999/december6/9te085.html

 

http://www.religioustolerance.org/druid.htm

 

In fact, anyone with the knowledge to use google can find tons of research and to plow through.

 

(from someone who has researched religion a lot)

 

and for some basic info on Pagan beliefs (from here you can follow links to more sites)

http://www.sullivan-county.com/nf0/nov_2000/pagan.htm