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What irks me about the holidays

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Sheriff Roland:
Raise catholic, I celebrate Christmas and that meant the 25th of December.

We had so many uncles, aunts and cousins in town that we'd start having turkey/ham dinners a couple a weeks before Christmas. And that's when we decorated.

There was not an overdose of Christmas in the stores or on TV or on the radio, so that Christmas was celebrated throughout the 12 days of Christmas, including the father's blessing on New Year's day (still a big day in French Canada - lots of great french songs celebrate the New Year) and of course Epiphany (on the 6th).

We kept on having dinner at relatives' places beyond the 6th, but that's pretty much when the decorations came down.

Nowadays (& this is what irks me), it seems that Christmas is all about what happens before the 25th. On Christmas day, seems everyone's recovering from the night before and the spirit's just not there anymore - No more Christmas music on the radio, the TV's all about boxing day (read, after-christmas) sales.

I wish Christmas could be enjoyed during the 12 days of Christmas, instead of the 2 months (or 6 weeks) before the day.

ok, I'm getting off my soapbox now

Jeff Wrangler:

--- Quote from: Sheriff Roland on November 14, 2007, 10:56:22 am ---Nowadays (& this is what irks me), it seems that Christmas is all about what happens before the 25th. On Christmas day, seems everyone's recovering from the night before and the spirit's just not there anymore - No more Christmas music on the radio, the TV's all about boxing day (read, after-christmas) sales.

--- End quote ---

I agree, Sheriff. In my case, I come from a small family. With my mother and my grandparents gone now, Christmas Day seems very much an anticlimax. Dad and I usually have dinner with his cousins, and it's nice, but it still somehow seems anticlimactic.

On the other hand, the climax remains church on Christmas Eve, with the church illuminated by candles, and all the old familiar carols and Bible readings. And that's still very nice. :)

jstephens9:
For me I feel that there are way too many family obligations. Sometimes I feel that people feel they have to be happy and somehow a lot of it ends up seeming fake. It seems that somewhere in me I still have this idea that it should be this wonderful, special, magical time of the year and it just never seems to really turn out that way. I think Jeff puts it very good when he mentions the idea of an anticlimax. I feel the same. My sister has always ruled the holidays. When I was growing up my parents went to her place in Texas. Sometimes I would go, but I usually had school, work, or I just didn't want to go. Now that she lives here she still takes control and sometimes I dread all of the plans. I mean it is always nice and I know she puts a lot of work into things. I don't know, but it just seems like I am in many ways on the outside looking in. She is older than I am so the holidays have been so centered around her and her kids and family. I don't have the kids and the family so I just feel like part of the decorations. It just seems that the holidays are her time of the year. I used to have these ideas in my head of being with someone special through the holidays and always felt that one day I would.That has never really happened. When I was in a relationship during the holidays it ended up turning into a nightmare. Oh well. This Thanksgiving I was invited to California to spend it with a group of great friends. The temptation to do that is incredibly great; however, I know that I would feel guilty about my family obligations. Although, there is something about that idea that is so appealing.

Marge_Innavera:
What irks me about the holidays:

1) People endlessly complaining about how much they "have" to do, buy, cook, mail. It isn't mandatory, people. You can simplify the holidays and make them enjoyable without giving everyone tube socks for gifts and eating macaroni and cheese for Christmas dinner.  Sure, you get pressure to overdo from your family and from the rest of society, but what else is new?  Overdoing it during the holiday season is a choice.

2) Anyone who brags about not observing the holidays. You're welcome to sit it out if you want, but frankly, I don't care. (That doesn't apply to this thread -- obviously, we were all invited to weigh in.)

3) This is more than a peeve.

For approximately 6 weeks out of the year, we're treated to endless sermonizing about how 'commercialized' Christmas has become, as it this is some kind of rigidly-enforced law that no one has any choice but to obey. (See #1 for details on that.)

But how much of the rest of the year are the sermonizers the least bit concerned about the commercialization of just about everything you can name, and the materialism that has thoroughly polluted Western culture? They're nowhere!  And this is particularly true of our esteemed clergy. Anyone want to take a guess on how many sermons, lessons, homilies are given every year on abortion, "the homosexuals", patriotism, prayer in schools and sports events, which political party should be frequented by "God's people" and the moral imperative to contribute to the Building Fund  --  and how many are preached about materialism, the worship of money and status and celebrity?  Precious few in comparison.  Concern about the central moral problem in Western culture gets put back on the shelf with the lights and ornaments and gift wrap on December 26th.

Christmas music in stores and Christmas decorations up in November don't bother me.  That isn't worth fretting about.

serious crayons:

--- Quote from: Marge_Innavera on November 17, 2007, 01:29:09 pm ---But how much of the rest of the year are the sermonizers the least bit concerned about the commercialization of just about everything you can name, and the materialism that has thoroughly polluted Western culture?
--- End quote ---

Very well put, Marge. All your points, especially No. 3. And although clergy may be particularly guilty of this double standard, it's widespread. You rarely hear anyone question materialism except, occasionally, those on the far left (or, I guess, on the very, very, very far right -- people who are so religious they attempt to live like 19th-century families, for example).

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