Christmas is Mostly Ruined for Me

.....because I'm getting old and I think about shit way too much. Anyone else have this problem?

When I was a kid, Christmas was magical and exciting. Everything about it gave me the warm fuzzies.....Christmas carols, baking cookies, lights on houses, chopping down the tree (yes, a live tree) and decorating it, all that stuff. Now I sit back and wait for the spark to happen and it just doesn't. The only time I really really feel something is when I'm around kids at Christmas and I experience it vicariously through them. (Maybe this means I should have kids soon?)

The other thing is that I've detached myself so much from religion that it drives me crazy that I'm celebrating a holiday that's centred around something I don't even believe in. The Christmas carols have no meaning because they sound hypocritical coming from my mouth. I am almost on the verge of exasperation sitting in Christmas Eve mass with my fiance's family.

This holiday has become, for me, all about buying shit and spending time with my family. I don't know if I'll ever get the old feeling back and that sorta makes me sad.

It will change when you have kids of your own, Blue. Then you get to see things through their eyes and its magic, in a different way. Better, I think.

Xmas (esp Western style) is really for little kids anyway.

I usually consider it as a get-together with the cousins/grandparents and just sharing an evening, and tend to tone down the whole present thing, they should just be for the kids anyhow.

Good food, good company, white winter night, it's not bad at all. But as I only visit during summer I'll be staying here for christmas, so might hang onto a barbeque or something instead.

I think Western-style Christmas is overwhelming for little kids.

Australia xmas is sweeeet. Seafood and outdoor bbq & beer completely rocks. Beats a turkey dinner, hands down.

We cooked our turkey on the barbeque last year, and it was awesome.

Didn't feel like Christmas, but it was a good dinner.

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Originally Posted by bluesummer [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

(Maybe this means I should have kids soon?)

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Maybe your already pregnant! It can sneak up out of the bush(es), happened at my high school a lot.

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Originally Posted by bluesummer [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

I don't know if I'll ever get the old feeling back and that sorta makes me sad.

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Remember when you never wanted to stop being a kid, but then you had to grow up, and realized 20 something was way better? Why would the next step be any different :D

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Originally Posted by bluesummer [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

The other thing is that I've detached myself so much from religion that it drives me crazy that I'm celebrating a holiday that's centred around something I don't even believe in. The Christmas carols have no meaning because they sound hypocritical coming from my mouth.

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Don't worry about this. I enjoy Christmas and you know my stand on religion. Personally Christmas is another holiday like any other...basically an excuse to just be happy and get some time off with your family.

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Originally Posted by Only-virgins [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Don't worry about this. I enjoy Christmas and you know my stand on religion. Personally Christmas is another holiday like any other...basically an excuse to just be happy and get some time off with your family.

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If the banks get it off, its not based off religion, at least anymore. Separation of state and government right??? right???

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Originally Posted by Cbrider [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

If the banks get it off, its not based off religion, at least anymore. Separation of state and government right??? right???

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Yep, now all we need is Separation of government and my wallet.

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Originally Posted by Only-virgins [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Yep, now all we need is Separation of government and my wallet.

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You could claim tax exempt....but you would have to be a religious affiliation of some kind.

I feel like we just ran in a circle.

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Originally Posted by Cbrider [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

You could claim tax exempt....but you would have to be a religious affiliation of some kind.

I feel like we just ran in a circle.

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Religious places don't have to pay tax? WTF! why?! I obviously know nothing about that since I am not religious at all.

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Originally Posted by Only-virgins [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Religious places don't have to pay tax? WTF! why?! I obviously know nothing about that since I am not religious at all.

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I don't know the specifics, but religious institutions/organizations are tax exempt or at least partially I believe.

There was a raging debate over whether the Church of Scientology should receive tax exemption status at one point.

Apparently they are thrown in as "charitable organizations" when it comes to tax. Churches are expensive to maintain and I cant help but grin each time I think about why they are built big and elaborately.

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Originally Posted by Lipp [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Apparently they are thrown in as "charitable organizations" when it comes to tax. Churches are expensive to maintain and I cant help but grin each time I think about why they are built big and elaborately.

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Maybe they can use these big, elaborate buildings that don't make a financial contribution to the United States government like everyone else, a place for all of our unemployed, homeless and economically battered citizens to stay.

Celebrating christmas is about fun, gifts and time off from school for kids. If you have children you live it through them. If you're grown with no kids it's about religion.

If you're grown with no kids and not relgious it's just a 'season'. Enjoy it, the extra time off and pay from work and the parties.

im the opposite..i dont have very good memories of xmas when growing up but now the older i get the more i enjoy it.
Im so excited this year as its the first year my son has shown any signs of knowing what it is (well not what it is, but he knows hes getting lots of presents!!) :D:D

i had a dream that you had a young girl, bsummer. she was a snotty little kid lol.

Gasp! No way man, my kids are not going to be snotty.

My g/f's family is religious, too. When they bow their heads to pray for the holiday feast...well that's a discussion I would not be interested in having in someone else's home.

I had to attend mass in this little town that my fiance is from (you know, the kind where everyone knows everyone), and I was the only person who didn't get up to take communion (can't, I'm not baptised). People were staring at me like I'd offended them. It made me so uncomfortable, and my mom-in-law knew it, so she offered to not take it either, but I didn't think that was fair.

Anyways, I'm going to focus on the positive. Family, food, time off.

You should have got up and taken the filmy wafer, Blue. I did this at the local catholic church one xmas when we went with relatives, we all stood up, the priest went around and popped one in everyone's gob, no big deal. Religion only has the power you give it, and you gave it some by allowing them to deny you. Think about it for next time.

No, I support Blue.

Defy the f*ck out of them.

Should have busted out a box of Ritz crackers and started chompin on them. If anyone asked, just tell them you didn't qualify to grab one, but didn't want to stand out.

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Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

You should have got up and taken the filmy wafer, Blue. I did this at the local catholic church one xmas when we went with relatives, we all stood up, the priest went around and popped one in everyone's gob, no big deal. Religion only has the power you give it, and you gave it some by allowing them to deny you. Think about it for next time.

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As I also attend a church but refuse to take communion, I fail to see how pretending to be part of the clique is a way to "not give it any power", but rather the opposite.

Please enlighten me, oh mighty Indy, goddess of the sand. *kowtows*

I love chrissy. It's boiling hot here. Everyone has time off at the same time, I just do heaps of surfing and going out. And I get to see all my relatives. Good times.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Boy II [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

I love chrissy.

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Ok, so this confused me until I realized you meant Christmas. Thought maybe you'd met some new chick you hadn't told us about yet.

Indi, I get what you're saying completely. However, me taking communion represents what I feel religion does to the majority of it's followers: force them to engage in certain activites or beliefs out of peer pressure or guilt.

I sleep better knowing I didn't give in to it, even if I had to endure some minor discomfort for ten minutes. When I think about it now, I wonder why I was even uncomfortable.

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Originally Posted by Lipp [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

As I also attend a church but refuse to take communion, I fail to see how pretending to be part of the clique is a way to "not give it any power", but rather the opposite.

Please enlighten me, oh mighty Indy, goddess of the sand. *kowtows*

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I wasn't kowtowing at all, LOL. I went b/c it didn't mean anything to me. It did mean something to our aged family member, so it was largely a big 'shrug' to me. I guess that's the difference. Everyone knew I wasn't a catholic and hadn't been indoctrinated to their BS. The priest would have had to overtly deny me in front of everyone and he couldn't.

Letting them deny you by not partaking gives them power--its a visual confirmation you 'aren't one of them'. Like agreeing to wear the scarlet letter. Blue said that she wasn't eligible b/c she isn't baptised. So by not going, she gave into their convention. She should have gone anyway, proudly, IMO.

But Blue likely didn't care not going either. She should have pulled out a magazine & read while they were all doing their thing. Either way, its really about attitude.

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Originally Posted by bluesummer [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Indi, I get what you're saying completely. However, me taking communion represents what I feel religion does to the majority of it's followers: force them to engage in certain activites or beliefs out of peer pressure or guilt.

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But in the catholic faith you are only suppose to take it if you have passed their rituals. Only an infidel would do it without having been purified with their doctrine. It is like someone hand-feeding you a rice cracker. Nothing more. LOL.

I took communion when I wasn't supposed to. I chewed the wafer, too, which is apparently a big no-no. It's like chewing up Jesus. hehhe

My and my bf are atheist and christmas isnt about jesus for us. This video will make you feel better ;)


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls1ynNXlBkU"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]


Ive become desensitized to christmas music but my bf cant stand it. he brings his mp3 and earbuds everywhere so he can avoid listening to it.
Anyway for me it doesnt feel like christmas at home or at work but it does when I go to my parents house. Makes me feel like a kid again i guess.

Well, since its Christmas and all:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KiHRHwaAs"]YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.[/ame]

very cute indi

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Originally Posted by vashti [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

I took communion when I wasn't supposed to. I chewed the wafer, too, which is apparently a big no-no. It's like chewing up Jesus. hehhe

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Heh. I have never heard this. They never told us not to chew it... although, come to think of it, I remember I missed a few of the First Communion classes in 2nd grade because I had to go to my grandmother's funeral. Those were the classes where they practiced taking Communion, but with Necco wafers.

got to brainwash them while they're young

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Originally Posted by IndiReloaded [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

But in the catholic faith you are only suppose to take it if you have passed their rituals. Only an infidel would do it without having been purified with their doctrine. It is like someone hand-feeding you a rice cracker. Nothing more. LOL.

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Well they're not Catholic, they're United or something. Which in their church means you SHOULD be baptised, but they'll allow you to take it if you're not, but it's a sign of accepting the faith.

Next time I'll bring rice crackers and a bottle of wine and swig it in the pew while everyone else gets up.

My Christmas is going to be so awesome. It starts with a long flight next Friday. I get to spend my whole Winter break with her! I mean, the day the semester ends, until the day the next semester begins.

I can't wait! We're going to decorate her house, I'm going to take her out, we're going to play in the snow, and make little snow angels and snowmen with big long carrot noses, and at the end of the night I'm going to stuff her stockings full with my goodies.

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Originally Posted by bluesummer [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Well they're not Catholic, they're United or something. Which in their church means you SHOULD be baptised, but they'll allow you to take it if you're not, but it's a sign of accepting the faith.

Next time I'll bring rice crackers and a bottle of wine and swig it in the pew while everyone else gets up.

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Stand up in the back and offer the crackers to anyone not eligible for the front. Then offer them the bottle to swill it down with. LOL.