![]() |
![]() |
#41 |
Marshal of the Eastmark
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,412
|
In the middle of winter, when life is the hardest, we give each other gifts. It's because we all need each other. What better time to have a party celebrating that communal spirit than the dead of winter?
It's cool, too, that the Christians moved the celebration of their spiritual progenitor's birthday to fall during this period instead of supressing it. I don't lilke it when they then say that is the ONLY reason for doing it. Commercial? Sure, why not? It gives the economy a much needed boost. Santa is the very image of bounty with his roly-poly belly and his sack full of goodies. Buy! Buy! Buy! and then Give! Give! Give! But if you're poor, make things for people. They'll really be glad to accept handmade gifts. Some people even prefer them. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#42 |
the Shrike
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA <3
Posts: 10,647
|
Oh sure, the rest of the world is wintering in xmas just cos the States is.
![]() ![]() ![]()
__________________
"Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#43 |
The Supreme Lord of The Northern Eagles
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: trondheim, norway
Posts: 1,388
|
Christmas is commercial, and I think partly as Elfhelm. the economy is given a boost, and everything is fine, BUT they don't need to start in bloody Speptember!
![]() ![]() and christmas starts advent, maybe in late,late November.
__________________
Don't Panic! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#44 | |
Marshal of the Eastmark
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,412
|
Quote:
![]() ![]() (It's a European tradition, brought to 'merica by white people.) ![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#45 | |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Plainsboro, NJ
Posts: 9,431
|
Quote:
![]()
__________________
Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#46 |
Marshal of the Eastmark
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 1,412
|
Ahem... in Australia, on the longest DAY of the year, the hottest, rainiest day of the year... they give each other presents like air conditioners and umbrellas. It's because we are communal beings. We need each other. And what better time to celebrate the communal spirit than ... um ... the shortest night? ... somebody hep me! hehehe
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#47 | |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Plainsboro, NJ
Posts: 9,431
|
Quote:
![]()
__________________
Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#48 |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Plainsboro, NJ
Posts: 9,431
|
What are people's favorite Christmas shows. Mine were always - A Christmas Carol, Grinch Who Stole Christmas (cartoon), A Christmas Story, Little Drummer Boy (really sad though), Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (and all those type of shows), Charlie Brown's Christmas.
__________________
Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#49 | |
the Shrike
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA <3
Posts: 10,647
|
Quote:
Anyway, when the rest of the world goes to ****, Australia and New Zealand will be nuclear-winter-free. ![]()
__________________
"Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#50 | |
avocatus diaboli
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Himring
Posts: 1,582
|
Quote:
![]() JD... can't remember what the last Christmas show I watched even was... ![]()
__________________
~ I have heard the languages of apocalypse and now I shall embrace the silence ~
Neil Gaiman |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#51 | |||
The Dude
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: at the altar of my ego
Posts: 1,685
|
Quote:
![]() Quote:
![]() Quote:
![]()
__________________
Ill heal your wounds, ill set you free, |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#52 |
I am Freddie/UNDERCOVER/ Founder of The Great Continent of Entmoot
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Plainsboro, NJ
Posts: 9,431
|
Charlie Brown's Christmas is on - woohoo.
![]()
__________________
Come back! Come back! To Mordor we will take you! "The only thing better than a great plan is implementing a great plan" - JerseyDevil "If everyone agreed with me all the time, everything would be just fine"- JerseyDevil AboutNewJersey.com New Jersey MessageBoard Another Tolkien Forum Memorial to the Twin Towers New Jersey Map Fellowship of the Messageboard Legend of the Jersey Devil Support New Jersey's Liberty Tower Peacefire.org AboutNewJersey.com - New Jersey Travel and Tourism Guide |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#53 | |
Honourary Elitist Inklette
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: between the mountains and the sea
Posts: 704
|
Y'know the commercialism of Christmas doesn't really bother me too much, seeing as how so many holidays are prety bad off, as well. Besides, I rather like having an excuse to ask for presents. But, the overcommercialism of daily life does get to me. I guess that's why I really don't watch t.v. much except for films and really extra special shows.
![]() Quote:
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#54 | |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: sikeston, MO, usa, earth, sol
Posts: 3,114
|
Quote:
Ever read ON THE BEACH ? Maybe you'll get it for Christmas. If the big one goes off, you'll have about 3 -6 months, that's it! Merry Christmas! PS Santa bringing you pants? or are you waiting up to get his for your collection? ![]()
__________________
Inked "Aslan is not a tame lion." CSL/LWW "The new school [acts] as if it required...courage to say a blasphemy. There is only one thing that requires real courage to say, and that is a truism." GK Chesterton "And there is always the danger of allowing people to suppose that our modern times are so wholly unlike any other times that the fundamental facts about man's nature have wholly changed with changing circumstances." Dorothy L. Sayers, 1 Sept. 1941 |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#55 |
the Shrike
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA <3
Posts: 10,647
|
Inked, I know that we wouldn't really be safe... hence Mister Winky.
![]() I already have santa's pants. ![]()
__________________
"Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#56 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Durham, England
Posts: 694
|
Christianity appropiates the pagan festivals, secular free market western culture appropriates the Christian festivals - there's a nice symmetry to it.
Make of Xmas what you will. Feel free to be filled with angst if you like. If you don't like shopping (and I don't) well DUH that's what wives are for! Or the internet. Or buy it all in the summer. If you don't like Xmas TV, don't switch on the telly. Personally I'll be getting hammered on as many works parties/pub crawls as possible, flying out to Lapland to give the kids a Xmas they won't forget, listening to our Slade/Roy Wood/Greg Lake etc Xmas CD but hiding those bloody awful ones with Perry Como and choirs on them, getting tired & emotional watching some version of A Christmas Carol (yes even the muppet one), watching our video of It's a Wonderful Life on Xmas Eve and getting tired and emotional about that, having a fantastic Xmas morning watching the kids opening presents, having a great Xmas dinner (no sprouts), watching The Snowman at the Sage Music Centre with a full, live orchestra playing the score, then finally squeezing a ton of packaging into a wheely bin and wishing I could go back to work ahead of New Year. All achieved without going anywhere near a church.
__________________
I'm beset by self-doubt ....or am I? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#57 |
Elentári
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: South Africa
Posts: 727
|
Yes, totally comercial. That is so sad, and sick. It is horrible to see how poeple have even twisted Christmas into a money making sceme
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#58 | |
Ring-smith
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Either walking across Rohan or riding through Fangorn forest
Posts: 2,000
|
It's getting to comirshal, but it is based on a truth.
__________________
My status: Novice avatar maker. Elf lord Has no authority whatsoever Master of messing up
Thread killer ![]() Ring smith ![]() ![]() Merry Christmas! They'd never say that (Part 2) What happened to the dragon? |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#59 | ||
Co-President of Entmoot
Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 8,397
|
I agree with Draken, largely, except to add that for myself I love the midnight Christmas church service. That's my favourite service of the year. (That fact that I haven't been to one since 2003 is not the point.
![]() I wouldn't worry Me9996. Though it is very commercial, it's pretty easy to ignore that and focus only on the good stuff, both religious and cultural. (There are a lot of fun non-religious parts to Christmas too, like giving gifts to your friends and family, and Christmas dinner.) ![]()
__________________
"I can add some more, if you'd like it. Calling your Chief Names, Wishing to Punch his Pimply Face, and Thinking you Shirriffs look a lot of Tom-fools." - Sam Gamgee, p. 340, Return of the King Quote:
Quote:
|
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
What Are You Doing For Christmas? | Bunnie_Queen_1146 | General Messages | 76 | 12-20-2016 11:47 PM |
They'd never say that! (part 2) | jammi567 | Middle Earth | 126 | 01-17-2014 06:03 PM |
Increased Islamic Influence in European Nations | inked | General Messages | 198 | 03-20-2011 06:36 AM |
Star wars funnys | me9996 | The Star Wars Saga | 176 | 06-27-2008 03:48 AM |
A Christmas poem written by a Marine soldier | Elvengirl | General Messages | 4 | 12-16-2004 11:13 PM |