Category: the Rant Board
I may have to do this thing in the style of the comedian Jeff Foxworthy. OK, let's see how this goes:
If you believe there is a vast conspiracy by people you disagree with politically and philosophically to either change or destroy Christmas as you know it, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you can't stand it that everyone doesn't hold Christmas with the same sort of reverence and importance you do, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you believe it is actually against the law or otherwise prohibitted to wish people merry Christmas, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you think Christmas is too commercial, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you think everyone but you have missed the true meaning of Christmas, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you believe in the war on Christmas, which was invented by the Fox News channel so John Gibson could sell his book, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you believe you have ownership and copyright to Christmas and feel entitled to tell everyone else how to do it, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
If you want to use this or any holiday not as a celebration but as a political grandstand, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
I think that may cover it, but I'm open for any additions.
I've been thinking of something of my own in Jeff Foxworthy fashion, more later.
Sorry Godzilla I might be a Christmas killjoy on ground number 4. An aunt of mine 20+ years ago was thoroughly turned off by a commercial that went "My husband bought me a car for Christmas, now I want to see a real gift under the tree." I'm afraid that would be a bit of a turnoff for me too had I seen the commercial, but hey everyone should be free to celebrate or not celebrate it as they see fit. Also a bit of a turnoff...one local radio station broadcasts X Mas music 24 hours a day starting NOVEMBER 1. Huh?! OK, one carol every hour or something, but 24/7 for 2 months? Also malls starting it with decorations November 1 and even having Santa sit then. Can this at least wait until December?
I admit that commercial was over-the-top. I figure some people will fall for such a come-on and others will ignore it. Christmas music? November 1 is a little early for me but I don't listen to a lot of radio, even though I like to see what radio stations do if that makes any sense at all.
And really, these days I'm probably just going to spin some of the stuff I've collected myself. Back in probably 2006 my fiancee and I were listening to the light rock station's Christmas format and they played Kenny G's version of White Christmas. It sounded like something to be played at a funeral. Pretty, probably very good playing, but too slow and pretty and sad, and it turned me off to that song and all sad Christmas songs. So yeah, I'll spin my own stuff these days and keep the radio off.
I too think that Christmas is far too commercialised. I'm not a Christian, but isn't this holiday supposed to be for them so they can celebrate their saviour and spend time with each other? Let them have their Christmas and we nonChristians can have Giftmas or something, preferably on a different day. Also, I think that alot of the family time, the appreciation for loved ones and for little things has gone out the window. If you bake someone a cake, knit them a sweater or even write them a card with your own poem, it's just not enough for some people, and that's really sad. I agree about the Christmas music on the radio as well. A few days before is one thing, but 24/7 for almost two months? That's completely insane!
lol And here's another to add to the list. If you actually believe that Santa is actually supposed to say "ha ha ha" because "ho ho ho" is somehow offensive,, you might be a Christmas killjoy.
I like these.
Though my attitude on the commercial bit is a bit different than most people's: If it makes one scrooge mcgruff get his wife / family something nice, that would be all worth it.
On the noncommercial level, last year our daughter surprised us by making a movie of a lot of pictures and things she'd written. The better half had to describe the whole thing, there was no sound, but nonetheless the fact she went and did it meant as much to me as the description of it.
I may have to repost on Facebook as the season approaches
Sounds like a very nice Christmas gift!
OK on the rant side another thing that gets my hackles about this season is when radio stations drag out some artist whose never played any more, even on easy listening channels, and play these nauseating Christmas songs, notable example the Carpenters. Some of their stuff has good memories, others is simply too dated to be enjoyable, the Christmas tunes, like "Merry Christmas Darling"? Excuse me while I hurl.
I sort of like some of the religious music, one instrumental that was used in a G E commercial some years back. Some of what's been sung here in English for centuries actually originated in Germany, like "Silent Night" ("Stille Nacht"), and "O Christmas Tree" (O Tannenbaum). I've even heard one story about the festival itself having German pagan origins involving a festival this time of year that revolved around a tree. Anyone know if there's a grain of truth to that story?
I'll need to research that one, but alot of Christmas-related things come originally from pagan resources. That's the first time I've ever heard of music being too dated to be enjoyable. There is actually a program called the Antique Phonograph Program, where they play original disks and cylinders mostly from below 1925 on original equipment. They do a Christmas special every year and have some of the most amazing stuff! One of the things that the host has been known to do is to take a song about Santa being stuck in the phonograph and not winding the crank up all the way so that it gets really slow and funny at the end.
Christmas is orriginally based on a pagan celebration of the winter solstice. It was taken for jesus's birthday by the pope, then outlawed, then brought back in again. the date is arbitrary, no one actually knows when jesus was born or when he died. Easter is based on the celebration of spring.
This was done so that the pagans who were becoming christians could more easily fit into the new lives. It was never actually meant to be taken literally as jesus's birthday. If you read some of the doctrine by the pope, it makes that clear.
as for the german holidays andhristmas carols, that is true. The germans were the first to make the christmas tree, and the first to put lights and bulbs on them, though they first used lit candles. the christmas carols have evolved over the centuries. Many were written for royalty that wanted a special christmas song sung in their hall on one specific christmas, some were written for certain churches. Others were written during times of war, such as "I'll be home for Christmas", which was written during World War II, and sung by the army choir as a dedication to the families of soldiers.
Even santa clause is originally German. He was based on a Saint Nicolas, who delivered small gifts to the poor. He was a catholic bishop though, not an elf who could fly or anything. Those legends were mostly invented by storybook writers, and the young holywood movie makers.
Every symbol of christmas, from a yule cake to a christmas tree has a story behind it, and most of them are not orriginally christian. It is a fascinating thing to research if you ever have the inclination.
As for it being a christian holiday, why do you need to be christian to have a day where you celebrate being close to those you love, and being cheerful. I certainly don't. I celebrate christmas as an atheist. I just don't celebrate it as the birthday of jesus.
SilverLightning I've heard some of that, it's not uncommon for faiths and cultures to borrow from one another, so Christianity would be no different.
While I think all this politicizing tomfoolery is just a bunch of adult kids that forget they're not in college / protests / nobody cares anymore, I will say as a convert in recent years that the whole Jesus' Birthday portion adds dimensions to the holiday that are quite surprising.
On the subject of Christmas tunes that make me gag: Christmas shoes? Would someone cover that tune and make it Christmas boots with Big Mama out to kick some ass or something? It's a fanciful tale, and probably nice for somebody somewhere once, but maybe I took up my learning at the school of hard knocks ... that's just not how life generally works. I realize people can say that it does, all for the best I guess, but I thought that one would last one season ... no such luck ...
Thanks, SilverLightning, for that wonderful post. I believe The History Channel made a documentary called "Unwrapping Christmas" or something to that affect. It's on Youtube and is extremely interesting. I actually thought that St. Nicolas was Turkish. I know his day is on 6 December, and for awhile, my family gave gifts on that day instead of the 25th. I looked him up and I was partly right.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas
It seems that he was born in what is now Turkey but was a Greek.
To LeoGuardian: I, for one, actually like that song and the film. Both were very touching, whether they're completely realistic or not.
Lmao, Leo. No offense meant, Eleni, but Leo, I think that post was great. I cant' stand the song Christmas shoes, either.
Cody, thanks for the post. Lit candles on a Christmas tree? Yikes, talk about a fire hazard! Pretty, but highly flammable, I'm sure. I wish the church had not felt the need to steel the Pagan holidays and turn them into Christian ones. I am a Christian, but I feel like that was a mistake on the ancient church's part.
I have to admit, I'm something of a Christmas kill joy. I think this started young for me, when my family got divorced and then Mom remarried. So there were three sides of a family to contend with in a very short period of time, and Christmas generally meant more stress and family fighting than it did anything joyful. So, I have to admit I feel myself getting cavities when I hear songs like, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year."
There is still magic in it for me, but I mostly feel that on Christmas Eve, and as it transitions into Christmas morning. I usually tend to feel it the most when alone, or with just one or two other people I love, before all the craziness gets started.
I like Christmas a lot more as a holiday a lot more than I did when I was a kid. Then, it was all about opening the presents. Once that was done, my thinking was, "Hey, family. Get out of our house so I can play with my presents"! Yeah, I know. I was a greedy little kid, but to be fair, a lot of kids are. Now, of course, I like the giving just as much as the receiving, if not more, and my favorite part of Christmas is being able to get together with all my family, and have a feast. I love Christmas music as well. it's really not so much the content as the memories each song holds for me. I don't mind seeing Christmas commercials, but I would rather see them starting on December 1 rather than November 1. that's my only complaint, really. Other than that, Merry christmas, or Happy Holidays, or whatever you like to say. I usually say Merry Christmas, but I'm not particular about the cheerful words, as long as they mean the same thing.
I remember the story of St. Nicholas. I believe it was some program on the History Channel when I was channel surfing that mentioned Santa Claus as an elf flying with reindeer as a marketing gimmick of the now defunct Montgomery Ward chain. I guess kids seriously believing in and waiting for Santa are the heirs of this marketing gimmick of the '40's, and to this day Santa in the mall brings more shoppers.
My family consists of Mom, Joanie, Grandma and I. So it's not really a crazy scene when we get together. We usually go away for the holidays, most of the time to Atlantic City, where we have a time share. We haven't done this in a few years but are going again this year. I'm not into gambling, and the digitalisation of the slots means that I don't enjoy them anymore, but they have the junk stores, the board walk and great food. The best part is getting out of the house!
As far as tradition, for the last few years, Grandma and I have been counting down the 25 Days of Christmas as soon as it starts on ABC Family. I absolutely adore the older shows about Santa etc. and they make a new film every year. Some have been spectacular and some are just so so but it's all enjoyable. I love spending quality time with Grandma, and she enjoys watching these things too, so it all works out.
Christmas Shoes reminds me of all those glurgey stories people forward at each other in e-mail where some character has to be bumped off and go to heaven to prove its point. Great if you like having tears jerked from your head, not my thing. Christmas ain't for cryin'!
Oh, I need to respond to one more thing. SisterDawn, this is one thing that does bother me about how Christmas is marketted. They like to push the whole family thing, and I assume that is meant to be the family you were born into, not your chosen family of friends. Some families are just full of people who are abusive or who just hate one another for whatever reason, and I betcha that's why some people just don't like the holidays.
yeah. That's probably true. Although, at the end of the day, your family is whomever you are close enough to to consider family. Sometimes it's your blood relatives; sometimes not, but I'd rather spend time with those I'm close to on the holidays than those I try to avoid, family or otherwise.
my atheism aside, I'm not someone who enjoys Christmas.
I'd much rather tell loved ones how I feel year round; I don't need society to dictate that I should show them on a given day.
Very true, Fighter. And it's really fun to give gifts at odd times of year when people do not expect them, vs. when it is expected. I swear, there is far too much giving out of pure obligation at Christmas time. That defeats the spirit of it more than anything else. Giving things, be they material or otherwise, to the people I love is one of the few things that does give me real pleasure at Christmas time. That was another quarrel I always had with my family: I was taught to give things out of obligation when they felt it was required, but have always refused to go along with that. Caused a few arguments. Grin.
i love christmas. my husband says i am a christmas hound. buying presents is a kick. i love the music and give poor anorexic karen carpenter a break. "merry christmas darling" is a great song. I do agree that the shoes song is very corny and clicheed. oh if i read any more articles about "surviving christmas" i will scream. we survive terrorist attacks, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. christmas is a joyous time of the year. if we don't like it, then we can ignore it.
oh the song that makes me positively sick is little drummer boy. what a dumbassed simple song that is over played to death. oh and grandma got run over by a freakin' reindeer. the author of that little ditty got kicked in the head by one i think.
I used to be more of a Christmas puppy. Don't know what's happened to me over the past ten years. Still enjoy it of course, but lack the enthusiasm I once had. Wasn't really a drop-off, not even a true bell curve, more of a ten-degree angle or so if you put it on a graph. Would've been far worse had I not converted in the late 1990s, though the real meaningful aspects of it didn't start showing up till a few years after that.
I agree. Family certainly doesn't consist only in blood relatives. I have several friends whom I consider far more important and close than my extended family by blood. I've never understood why people who aren't close, and sometimes even those who actually hate each other, get together at all on the holidays. There are certainly people in my family whom I don't like and I have absolutely no intention of contacting them for any reason, let alone to get together and try and play friends for a day.
I also agree with the idea of giving random gifts and of telling your loved ones how much you care no matter the day. We often do that in my family and it's so nice when it happens. The I love yous never stop because it's not a holiday. I never give out of obligation. I only give when I truly want to and to those whom I feel deserve it. Surviving Christmas? That's a new one for me. If Christmas is about the joy of giving and receiving, of being with those whom you love and of watching great films/eating great food, then you can enjoy it no matter your religion. It's just that nonChristians don't see the Christ in Christmas.