Advent calendars, are they dated?http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...S5IUdgcaiD4Fzg
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Advent calendars, are they dated?http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...S5IUdgcaiD4Fzg
Used to love those things (back when I believed in Santa).
Today, it looks like a countdown to greed.
(bah humbug)
I've always enjoyed them, but felt that they could be improved upon. The first change I'd make is to make the little pictures replaceable from year to year, so you could reuse the same calendar "frame". That would also give you the option of putting in your own, custom pictures, say of kittens, or seashores, or ...
Althouh the kids are grown, we still get one for each of them every year. My wife usually bogarts the chocolate behind the doors.
My answer on my board on a similar starting post:
In the 15 years i was a TIG welder/pipe fitter/foreman i always worked the holidays, double or even triple pay.
Mostly in that 15 years without Holiday except for one week off and a few long weekends.
I read the post of Allen, and he makes it clear work is not everything as i found out with a busted back.
Family, friends, taking time for yourself to reflect on your life and family and do better.
This dark time of the year is not for me, I'm more the summer type of guy http://forums.hamisland.net/images/smilies/yummy.png
The humbug Xmas became as commercial push over isn't for me either, we stopped doing that decades ago when our son saw through it as well.
Take care all, I'll be thinking about you, wishing you the best thing in life, good health, friends and a good family.
And that is what you have to do it with.
;)
When first they were invented (in Germany, I believe), they served a purely religious purpose and the children received tiny rewards. Like everything else surrounding the celebration of the birth of Christ, the Draculas of capitalist greed have sucked every vestige of value out of them.
I used to love Christmas but now it's all about buy! buy! buy!
Come to think of it, it pretty much was when I was little. But it just seems so much worse now. The greed makes me sick. I'm trying hard to teach my children to be more givers than takers.
I agree, Kelly. After a few years of trying to get that special Christmas feeling back and never finding it I've started just ignoring it, except for inside. Guess another case of "You can never go home again."
Sigh...
I don;t understand the dislike for Christmas based on the "buy buy buy" shopping mentality. Christmas is basically what you make of it. I still enjoy Christmas, I just simply exclude the "extreme commercialism" from it. I buy a few quality meaningful gifts for people, I buy something for myself, and avoid the Wall Marts and the "shop till you drop" nonsense.
Yep, it is what you make of it, which is why I choose to make it really simple and not make a big deal out of it like I used to. Just like how Thanksgiving last year was the most memorable one in my life; it was just me, my husband and my MIL and we had a scrambled egg breakfast together and turkey pot pies for dinner. My kids were with my ex, so we kept it simple and just enjoyed each other's company. It was much more enjoyable than the crazy "everything has to be perfect, stuff yourself to the gills, deal with family drama" bullshit I had to endure every year with the family I grew up with.
I dread Christmas. We always have the XYL's whole clan here—15 or more people in a 1100 sq. ft. house—so I spend most of my free time in December preparing for guests, cooking and hosting, then cleaning up afterwards.
How to make an average pun into a dismal one:Quote:
Originally Posted by HUGH
I should have put: "Advent Calendars,Are their days numbered?"
There ya go. You find what works best and stick with it. No pressure to buy this or do this and that. Just enjoy the time in whatever way suits you best.Quote:
Originally Posted by N2KKM
Hah, you should have seen Christmas at my Grandpa's house in the Bronx. 20+ people in one small kitchen !! Not to mention the cooking, and making the zeppoli's and the struffoli. And in the next room, me and 20+ cousins !! And my oldest cousin Joan trying to keep all the little ones behaved while I was driving her crazy riling them up, telling them that there were monsters hiding in the dark room in the back and that the "ghost of Christmas past" was going to appear in the darkened bedroom. Joan would be cursing me while yelling to the kids "THERE'S NO MONSTER/GHOST IN THERE".Quote:
Originally Posted by KJ6BSO
Those were some great times.
This explains a lot. A whole lot.
Quote:
Originally Posted by n2ize
I dont do holidays...
I like the advent calendars. The kids enjoy the little "prizes" each day (This year was a lego advent calendar). I dislike most holidays, except for Halloween (It's pure fun), Thanksgiving (The whole of our family gets together, and doesn't argue, close to 100 people), and Christmas (Again, huge chunks of the family, all in one place).
Could we do it without the gifts? Sure. Our family likes to give. And we give a lot. We don't care what we get, just as long as we give gifts that matter.
Christman is like the ham bands. No matter how many lids you run into, if you twist the big knob enough, you'll find a nice place.
I don;t mind the gifts as long as I get them.Quote:
Originally Posted by KC2UGV
See, we don't really care what we get; as long as we can tell thought and care went into the selection... It could be a couple of shirts from Amvets; as long as we can tell care went into picking something out.Quote:
Originally Posted by n2ize
IMHO, there are really two holidays called "Christmas" at this time of the year.
One is the secular bacchanalia. "Buy buy buy!" is it's theme. Greed and avarice are it's purpose. It knows of no religion... it doesn't care if you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Wiccan, Atheist, Agnostic, or if you worship by rubbing blue river mud in your navel. You are to be manipulated and guilted into buying. Spend and spend more.
This "holiday" I despise.
The other, however, is the truly religious holiday. For those who Believe, who honestly have Faith in a Christian God and all the related trappings, it is a time of good will, family, friends, and a chance to Celebrate their Faith. Those who Believe but are not of a Christian flavor often have a similar religious holiday about the same time, and it is used for the same purpose. (I don't know what those who don't Believe have as a substitute, maybe just a hope for a joyous New Year by the calendar, but if there is something appropriate, insert here).
This is the holiday I choose to celebrate. Granted, with my wife's family it is as an outsider looking in, but I participate in the positive aspects of this with them, just omitting for obvious reasons the religious aspects.
Now my wife, she gets caught up in both. I think she gets a little overboard when it comes to spending $$ on the kids, nieces, nephews, and grandkids. Most of them aren't yet aware of the secular monster, even as they benefit from it. They still live in a world where the religious holiday is the only one. But they are yet young.
Just a celebration of the fact that humanity can in fact, put aside selfish ambitions, even if but for a moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by W3WN
Who was it that said he liked Christmas because anything that kept the goyim peaceful for a month couldn't be all bad?Quote:
Originally Posted by W3WN
Archie Bunker?
Don't know. Doesn't ring a bell, and a quick search on that exact phrase comes up bupkus.Quote:
Originally Posted by ab1ga
I'm going to be out celebrating Christmas this week. And I dare any anti-Christmas socialist, commie to try and stop me.
Yer a little early.Quote:
Originally Posted by n2ize
Yeah, it's not 4:20 yet.
Something endures, at least. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" in on ABC at 8:00 PM EST.
I'd let Lucy hold the football for me. BTW, she's another one that won't return my calls. The bitch.
"Who was it that said he liked Christmas because anything that kept the goyim peaceful for a month couldn't be all bad? "
Whomever said that never saw a mall in December!
Keeps them out of the chinese food restaurants :)Quote:
Originally Posted by kb2vxa
I don't usaully do much for Christmas, unless I am involved with a YL.
This year, well... I am involved. Met somebody pretty great a few months ago,
and we are having a wonderful time feeling like teenagers at 50+. :yes:
Gasp... I'm actually feeling "holiday spirit", and well... I expect some wisecracks about dat.
BTW Corey, Buffalo/NF is part of my holiday memories. First, because of the drive from college home, then, in the 90's, we did some New Year's in NF. Took Amtrak. The festival of lights there were really great, on both sides of the river in NF. Had some really good times there -- great place to be that time of year.
And I hope she's feeling you back!Quote:
Originally Posted by WØTKX
^^^ As predicted by prophecy. :neener:
A few years back, the two daughters (grown) were named Mary and Joy (true)....you know the rest of the story (fable).
We usually have very pretty scenery come Christmas time... Unfortunately; our previous County Executive decided that stuff was foilable, and decided to spend the past 4 years slashing any and all spending on it :(Quote:
Originally Posted by W1GUH
Thankfully, the NYS Senator for the region is working on getting that stuff going again; and we have the Fesitval of Lights this year in Downtown NF once again. And, our Downtown Buffalo preservationist society has gotten the old-time store displays back in.
Saw the same kind of funding slash between 91 and 92. In 91 it was festive with lots of activity. That had disappeared in 92. I chalked that up to the lousy economy then. But from what you say it sounds like it's come back. Sure hope so.Quote:
Originally Posted by KC2UGV