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Today's Christmas

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:29 am
by SekoETC
(By "today" I won't mean a day literally, but this age.)

When you hear the word Christmas, what do you think about?

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Think.

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Let me guess: Presents? Snow? Christmas tree? Spending time together with the family?

How is it that I feel less than 1 % would have a certain child in a manger in mind, when they hear that word? This is not a statistic result, only a pessimistic estimate.

In the Western world, most people are brought up in the middle of some sort of a Christianity, even though they didn't have any personal insight to it, nor any grasp of faith. Surely everybody knows what's Christmas, even if they didn't belong to church. And most people find it a positive event, even though you sometimes get bitter of all the spending and coloured lights and annoying tunes and general clichés.

In my country, the majority of people belongs to Lutheran church. The amount of Jews is very small and invisible, and nobody has even heard of Kwanzaa outside of the Web. So it's safe to say Christmas and not to mention all the other choices in the name of political correctness. That makes things simple.

But what is there left of Christ in Christmas, besides the name? In my language, Christmas is called joulu - Yule. Coming from the old pagan word. They merely glued a religious theme over ancient pagan winter festivities. And even though I have the feeling we're closer to the real spirit of Christmas here at the origins of Joulupukki, it has also turned more materialistic here as well.

Image vs. Image

Not that I'd rather sit in a log cabin with the floor covered in straws, eating turnip casserole... Not that I didn't think more about assorted chocolates than the birth of Jesus. But this global, American Christmas with all the red and too much sugar, buying gifts just for the habit... bright, so bright everywhere. - It's very dark here at wintertime. The sun rarely comes out at all. But now I'm drifting... I think I'll stop here.

Usually when someone else starts topics like this, I rarely read them. It's all been said before, so many times. But I just wanted to make a point. Again.

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:24 am
by Sunni Daez
Christmas...When I hear the word...means a birthday...which on Dec. 25th, we will have a birthday cake....to celebrate the reason for the season..:)

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:40 am
by Stan
When I hear Christmas I think of Jesus Christ my Lord. We will celebrate Christmas in Church worshipping, then we will come home and celebrate as a family.

We will read the actual Christmas story. Interesting story around that.

I grew up as a Christian. But, I never really understood it or believed it.

I was once asked to sit in a reading of the Christmas story at work. I was a bit uncomfortable when the Bible was pulled out and someone read the story. But, as I heard it read something moved inside me.

The words "An angel of the Lord appeared to them [shepards], and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified" struck a cord with me. First, 2000 years ago no one ever saw anything like what was described here. We see movies and fireworks and very powerful events but these shepards had never seen anything like it. Secondly, shepards were the dirt bags of the earth back then. It was the worst job, left to the "undesirables", but the announcement of Jesus was given to them first.

After hearing that reading in 1999 I was never the same person.

If you've never read this story before you should read it. Even if it is just out of interest. It is a very good story. It only takes 5 or 10 minutes.

Luke 2 only the first 20 verses.

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:05 am
by chadpants
This year my wife and I asked eachother what we wanted for Christmas. Neither of us could think of anything we wanted, and we don't have kids. So we decided to use the money we would have bought eachother presents with, and we used it to buy presents and gave them to various charities, so some kids could have a present this year, where they may not have otherwise.

I'm an agnostic, so I don't make any religious associations to the holiday. I do take delight in the festivities and the decorations and the family gathering and the dinners. So for me, it's about family and sharing and giving, especially to those whom don't have much.

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:15 pm
by Sunni Daez
As this will be my 1000th post...(yes, I know thats not many for some...but, remember ...you reached this mark once before...) It is a milestone...a small one, but still.....and now...more to the topic....It was 1 year ago, Christmas day...that I murdered all my charris with that dreaded X...!!! Now christmas comes once again...but the X has been taken care of...so no one will suffer that loss again. On Christmas day, my account was reopened within an hour or 2..... so...I can sing 3 birthday songs on Christmas day..

:oops: Sorry...just..well.....was....ummm...you know!

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 4:53 am
by kronos
MERRY XMAS YAY, though my christmas was before all yours :lol:

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:03 am
by thatsmartguy
So what did everyone get? :P

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:09 am
by Sho
A stainless steel insulated travel mug. It has my school seal and says "Department of Mathematics" on it. It's shiny.

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:30 am
by Sunni Daez
Merry Christmas to all!!!!! Hmmm .. Sho got somethin shiney :D I got somethin warm and Fuzzy :lol:

[edit stupid type-o's]

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:20 am
by kronos
:D I got books and money, YAY

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:50 am
by Pirate Lass
Hmm... I got a new cell phone from my bf with all the cool thingies. My truck died so I got a new car - kinda a christmas present for myself I guess. Dad got me a fridge and a new tv.

I'm still waiting for the "care package" from my mom with the goodies she sent for me.

Funny how the presents change when you get older...

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 3:21 pm
by Stan
I got 4 books on nautical navigation and a Sextant and a Compass for my boat!

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 3:29 pm
by avi messika
for hanukkah my grandmother bought me a diamond studded versace watch. :-p my grandma loves me...

my mother bought me a sweet leather belt that reverses from black to brown leather, and this harry potter t shirt (not nearly as cool as my grandma's, I know)

my best friend is taking me out to a prty in a 14th century crusader castle on the coast of israel in roughly 3 hours.

and my history professor gave me a present of a paper to write for her. :-p

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:06 pm
by SekoETC
Stan, you planning to be a real life pirate? :wink:

I got two Coca-Cola glasses (though I like Pepsi more) and a box of mint chocolate from my brother, and a bunch of kitchen utensils and other useful stuff from my mom. It's cool moving on your own, then there's actually need for some new things. My teacher sent a text message with a poem, I think that was sweet. Earlier teachers have never remembered their students on free time.

Oh, I saw a two-part document on pirates, it was sooo cool. There was this guy dressed up as Blackbeard and went to a school, telling the kids his story and swinging around with a sabre. Everybody was just laughing though sometimes they were startled by the shouting and all. Then they were testing a cannon against a wooden wall, you blast through and there's splinters all over, wheeeee and the cannon ball ripped one dummy's head off! :D
Ahem... am I drifting again? Sorry. lol

Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:40 pm
by Stan
Actually, we are planning a big adventure. We are currently shopping for a yacht which we plan to sail IN a couple of years FOR a couple of years at least.

My avatar was drawn by my daughter using my executive bio photo. I thought it was hilarious so I used it.