Let's be honest about the holiday season

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64 AAR Valiant

64 AAR Valiant

ODD DUCK
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Tradition and religion aside. Do you really care. If you have small children or grandchildren sure it's nice to watch them open there gifts. The real question I guess I am asking is has the holiday become unimportant. I live in a small town and not a single decoration on the main street this year. Not just my town but also the others on the drive into the city.
 
No matter where I go or how my life continues to twist and turn, Ray, the holiday will always be important to me, personally, even if no one else decides to celebrate. Check out my last few posts on the topic for an explanation.

As for your town, I don't know what to say. I will say, here, in Elmira, some of the old traditions still live. Main Street is decorated, as are a few others streets which are heavily traveled in a small city of thirty thousand people. The day after Thanksgiving is when Elmira has a parade for the holiday season, with everyone invited to join in, from church groups, to the Masons, to even the local synagogue. The parade is always closed out with Santa.

I'll be moving back to my hometown in the coming months. It's a tiny village of two thousand people. Every year the streets are decorated, the park is decorated, church groups have concerts in the park, and somewhere is December a parade is still held. Church groups even have live Nativities in the park.

There are places out there, Ray, that still remember the season.

And there are still people who hold the value of the season personally, with or without children. I chose to be one of them.
 
Old man ray said:
Our local fire department didn't even do there annual Santa on the firetruck ride thru the streets this year.
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Wow, that bites!

In Schuyler County, NY, where I grew up, there's a program called Seneca Santa.

It provides toys to families who can't afford gifts. Every fire department is a participating member of the toy drive and the distributing of gifts. That's Watkins Glen, Montour Falls, Beaver Dams, Monterey, Burdett, Odessa, and I forget one...

Anyway, Christmas Eve is when Seneca Santa makes "his" run. Each fire department loads up the rescue squads with toys and delivers to the houses. "Santa" delivers "his" toys in firetrucks!

One year, as a kid, my family was blessed by this program. I can say from personal experience, as a nine year old, it was fun to see "Santa's" sleigh was a bright yellow firetruck!
 
For me it's just another day anymore. Ever since business's advertise and put out Christmas stuff after Halloween,it kind of ruins it for me and hard to get into the spirit.
 
It should be celebrated for what the true meaning of Christmas is: The birth of our lord and savior Jesus.
 
For myself I don't give a hoot, (remember we are saying this not thinking of the children)..
I get all worked up when I see folks that need new tires or a stock of food in there house but still go out and spend crazy money on gifts for there family and running around town on may pops... back in my day it was Christ's day not santa's day..
And my observation on this is there is many small children that thinks santa is real and there parents seem to think this is ok, it's the time of year for giving thanks and the big fat man in the red suit has the stage ..
 
I hate this time of year. So far this year we have been bombarded with political BS, then around halloween they start hitting us with Christmas. They want us to spend, spend, spend. Looks like this year people got some sense and didn't fall for it.

Well, maybe a little as my Mopar habit just got a little present of a bigger cam and the heads/valvetrain to go with it.
 
Of course Ray, it still means alot to me! Like you said, even putting religion and traditions aside, there is still a little kid buried inside me somewhere who still has a hard time falling asleep on Christmas eve. It has always been a special time for me.

Now as an adult, it is special for a couple different reasons, one of them being the fact I enjoy over a week away from work while still getting paid for it.... And did I mention that I get a whole week off work? lol
 
It's impossible to celebrate Christmas & remove the "religious" or spiritual part of it. If we do then it is just another day. To celebrate something, anything, you must start with a sense of gratitude toward it. If we celebrate Christmas me must first be truly grateful & try to understand the love GOD has for us & that he sent his only Son to be born among us in the most humble of ways with all of our vulnerabilities & to ultimately give his life for our sake. It is through His Son that God shows the love He has for us. The Ultimate gift of love- His only begotten Son! We celebrate this love by surrounding ourselves (as best we can) with our loved ones & giving gifts as a sign of the love we share for each other. Small tokens. When you give a gift you are saying "you mean something to me! You matter!"
If we truly have gratitude for God's love for us we realize once again that he loves us all. & even though we may not always like our neighbor, during Christmas we try to be a little nicer & kinder to each other, again to show gratitude for God's love for us & our fellow man. It should never be taken as offensive to even the non beliver if you wish them a Merry Christmas because it is in the spirit of gratitude & love & only a bitter heart could find that offensive. The political correctness of society is the biggest enemy of holiday cheer because it attempts to hide the truest spirit of the season. Perhaps that is the reason for the lack of decorations in some towns. The PC of it.
Gratitude is the foundation of all happiness. You can't be happy without it!
God bless everyone & Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
 
I have always been a Grinch at Christmas because of the way our consumer society has turned it into a Retailers Selling Frenzy!

I have to admit now that we have two granddaughters we do enjoy seeing them open and play with their gifts. My wife and I always buy gifts that are essentials in terms of clothing or education. Books, Books, Books, lots of books. Our grand children love to read, Thank God.

Too bad we have lost the "reason for the season"
 
christmas time is a pain in the ***. no it doesn't matter to me any more. just another cay on the calendar for me. the traffic is crazy, non-driving people that shouldn't even be on the damn road clogging every road the hell up. it sucks...

i do make sure the lil one enjoys it though. i took her and let her pick out a tree, i put lights up (first time in years) because she asked if we could... if it wasn't for the little one i wouldn't have had a tree or lights up..
 
its just another day around my house. i hate the pressure put on by society and retailers that you must buy people stuff. its always been about the children for me. but now they are grown and on their own. i would much rather have my health and a happy home than to give or receive gifts. i dont ever expect gifts , but i give when i can, no matter the time of year.
 
To me Christmas is not what it once was, Most towns can't put up anything because it might upset some people..Really!! I say they should go back to where they came from if they don't like it! Most people around here are so rude and nasty it hard any more to be Joyful, but we really try to be in the season we donated toys for kids of our town who's familes have fallen on hard times and we donated toys to the Familes that where effected by Sandy this year. I don't know what it is but something needs to change in county! I feel we need to put the phones down, stop texting . I am very happy for what I have I can say that!
 
We put up a tree and lights outside. But beyond that it is just another day for me. It is just my wife and I up here. I don't have any family left, and all of hers is down in AZ. Not one call from her kids.
The Post Office pretty much killed Christmas for me. Being forced to work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week for 3 straight weeks (most of the ot was never necessary) will do that for you. Talked to a friend that is still there, my old section was forced to work 12 hours on Christmas Eve thanks to a management error.
Never mind the retailers force feeding it to us before Halloween.
 
I love the decorations(and I do up our house every year just because I like the pretty lights, wife does inside and the Tree!) and the reasoning behind Christmas, BUT as for presents.....we send to our grand children since we are so far away and get each other a present to open with our grand kids when they call. nothing big for either my wife or I. Max 30 bucks (can't get many car parts that way though)
 
I look forward to spending the time with my family every year. So yes it still matters to me.
 
I didnt even get my lights out. The school children killings and the present political mess was like a black cloud over the season.
 
i noticed a slight decline in the amount of lights seen in the nearby town.......i have no idea why....Christmas time is the best ever who can beat the house smelling like cookies all day and ppl around. im usually here alone bcoz ppl around me are sooooo busy ...they have appointments, planes to catch, golf games T-offing....and on and on ......but now for this holiday everyone was here.......gave me an excuse to cook and bake more.

the local church put on a beautiful and very interesting play....and memorial for the recent bad events like the CT. school shooting....well worth the time....plus i volunteered to take poor people dinner items through a local program.......which to my surprise ...there are poor ppl in USA.

the whole Holiday made me feel blessed with all i have and can share with ppl around me. and with everyone home made it really festive.

i dont dwell on gifts but i have to say that it was kinda fun to gift give and see surprised faces when they opened their gifts. And i kinda enjoyed dressing up and wearing nice clothes i dont normally wear on any day. which to me seems odd that ppl dont dress up for Christmas....i see it like im going to a Birthday party so why not wear a nicer dress ...i can dress in my rags any other day.

Christmas cant get any better at least for me ....unless i am missing something.
 
Tis the Season most become self righteous and materialistic so it's a real turn off for me.

Christmas Eve on our way to church our neighbor who sings in the choir blew past us on the road and was weaving in and out of traffic blowing her horn like a mad woman. Even after all of her dangerous driving we still arrived at church a few seconds of each other. After service she was as nice as could be and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
 
I friggin really like Christmas!
First off, I care about American traditions and Christmas is one powerful representation of religion, tradition and kindness. It should be preserved and supported in a positive way.

In church the music is beautiful and the feelings are good.

Out in the country where traditions still exist and people still care (my opinion) there are fantastic lights and ornaments in the yards and wreaths on cars and trees. Christmas brings family and friends together for a few days of vacation where everyone can eat lots of food and share in good friendships and relax.

Or in my case, eat good food, drink good rye, scotch and whiskey, hang out and share gifts with good friends, work on my car, test out the performance of snow gear, hike with the dog in a blizzard up in the mountains, shoot guns, drive 4x4s in the snow and catch up on sleep.

.
 
Old man ray said:
Tradition and religion aside. Do you really care. If you have small children or grandchildren sure it's nice to watch them open there gifts. The real question I guess I am asking is has the holiday become unimportant. I live in a small town and not a single decoration on the main street this year. Not just my town but also the others on the drive into the city.
Click to expand...

IMO this holiday season(xmas or otherwise) kinda sucks to me. Shopping for gifts is a pita as stupid people are out in full force. Every where you turn there are groups(namely religious ones) having a fit over something or other with regard to decorations and phrasings. For me its then meeting up with my family member and having the awkward feeling of hoping your presents are enjoyed and that you don't have to fake of enjoyment potentially bad gifts.

All in all, Thanksgiving is a vastly superior holiday. Its basically the same thing, no annoying religious controversy, same great meal, and you enjoy your family's company for the sake of just seeing them.
 
A few posts echoed,about matierialism.That is so true.The initial message has been diluted.Simply enjoy time,and love of family.Best way personally,I enjoy Christmas.
 
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