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Post by Miisa on Dec 15, 2012 9:19:20 GMT
Now that I live alone half the time I have started distancing myself from Christmas traditions, as I realized I was only celebrating them because of tradition: that that was what Christmases were like in my childhood, which in turn were like that because that is what my mother wanted to preserve from her childhood Christmases. And I don't even like Christmas as a whole or most of the traditions. I shockingly broke with tradition last year by decorating the cats' climbing tree with lights and presents and ornaments and tinsel instead of an actual outdoor tree, but breaking further now. As the kids will be going to their father's on the evening of the 23rd for the week, I had already decided that their Christmas will me will be on the weekend before. And my Dad is visiting on the 23rd, so we decided to have a proper meal and feast and presents on the 22nd. And as I am not Christian or pagan, calling it Christmas or Yule also seemed a little "clinging-to-traditional", so this year we are having a Mayan survivor party, where we get to eat all the food we have "hoarded for the apocalypse" on the 22nd. Plus, this way I get to spend three days (24-26th) all by myself and just sip cocoa and knit and watch TV to my heart's content, yay!  (unless my mother feels she needs to take pity on me and insists I come over to her place for the eve). I hope to think of something else next year, so as to not make it just another fixed tradition for my kids to obsess about as adults. I know some others of you also won't call it Christmas or perhaps even want to have a party at all, but if you do intend to do anything special that is not passed down, what? |
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Post by raspberrybullets on Dec 15, 2012 13:43:01 GMT
I like the sound of a Mayan survival party. Might do that too. Was thinking would be good to get a nice meal on the Saturday anyway since on Xmas day we go out to a restuarant and I miss my turkey and sides.
I personally like the xmas traditions, the ones we follow anyway which is to say none of the religious stuff. I like the lights and decorations and the tree and I like singing christmas songs although these days not as much as some of them are too religious. And of course I LOVE getting pressies! and giving pressies! And I prefer xmas in the sun so I can eat outside and be nice and warm. I like all the food. I'm a food person so anything that requires feasting is always on my list of good things to do.
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Post by Moose on Dec 15, 2012 18:47:56 GMT
Oooh I want a mayan survival party! I could eat all my tinned food  |
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Post by Kye on Dec 15, 2012 19:58:55 GMT
When I was with my ex, who's Jewish, we did a Christmas Eve supper with the kids and then usually traveled on Christmas day. For the first few years, I missed Christmas morning, but I got used to it in the end.
Ironically, now that I'm a Christian and a priest, I wish we would do away with most of the Christmas "cheer". It leaves an enormous number of people out in the cold and doesn't say anything about the meaning of the Incarnation.
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Post by Miisa on Dec 15, 2012 20:15:51 GMT
My kids insist Sheldon is based on me
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Post by Alvamiga on Dec 15, 2012 22:12:01 GMT
I am not going to get you a present then as you'd otherwise feel obligated to get me something! |
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Post by whollygoats on Dec 15, 2012 23:00:22 GMT
I pass myself off as a Solstician and I have created my own 'traditions'.
Solsticians of my ilk resent the huge amount of commericialism and acquisition which is so common with the typical holiday 'traditions'. The whole thing of going into a tizzy over gifts for people for whom you have no idea what they might like or accept, while they, knowing as much about you, nonetheless, buy you gifts is just untenable. The net result is a whole lot of people spend a whole lot of their hard earned income, often which they cannot afford, purchasing unwanted gifts for others and getting marginal (if you're lucky) gifts yourself in return.
I encourage all my friends and family members to NOT obtain a gift for me. I inform them that they should save that money and buy themselves something they want or need. I, in turn, will use the money I saved to buy myself something I want or need. Their not gifting me with a useless or marginal gift and engendering a social obligation to counter-gift creates a sizeable disposable currency slush fund to get that something I want or need. They, in essence, have provided the mechanism for me to get something for the holiday that I REALLY WANTED. And, I needn't go into debt unless I so desire. I don't even have to make my gift myself.
Then, I try to make sure to thank all those who did not gift me with individual gifts for their kindness and the neat gift they helped me get for the holidays.
No hurried shopping maddness. No hideous annual indebtedness. No awkward moments trying to explain that you already have one of those...three, actually. No wondering what the hell Aunt Clarice was thinking when she bought that....well, I dunno.
This year, Swimmer and I opted to obtain a flat screen television and mount for the guest room and a gas grill for the balcony.
To all those here who will not give me a gift, I thank you for your kindness and willingness to help with this year's holiday gifts.
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Post by charliebrown on Dec 15, 2012 23:22:08 GMT
Ironically, now that I'm a Christian and a priest, I wish we would do away with most of the Christmas "cheer". It leaves an enormous number of people out in the cold and doesn't say anything about the meaning of the Incarnation. Nods. One of the tradition here is to have a major clean up at home, all windows cleaned and dust dusted. So I am quite busy before Christmas. And after Christmas Eve, I just feel like having lots of sleep and rest. The last thing I need is a party, no matter where. |
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Post by Moose on Dec 15, 2012 23:29:11 GMT
I normally ask for money for Christmas from my mum. My siblings and I don't tend to buy for one another as there are so many kids in the younger generation now (Helen generally gets me something but that's about it).
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Post by jayme on Dec 16, 2012 2:42:04 GMT
I like the idea of having a Mayan Survival party. Be sure to put some cinnamon in that cocoa, so it will be proper Mexican hot chocolate. Also, tacos or tamales would make a great theme-oriented feast.
ETA: *love the Sheldon clip*
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Post by Miisa on Dec 16, 2012 9:17:08 GMT
Since we are having our proper x-mas meal on the 22nd, we just might have tacos the night before, I had planned to have some this coming week anyway.
I have bought the kids electronics as presents, and it cost me a pretty penny, too. But not getting anything for grown-ups, though I have a few packets of After Eight ready so I can wrap one up for an adult as a gift if needed. And if it is not needed, I can eat them myself...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2012 10:29:26 GMT
In Germany, Christmas is usually celebrated on the night of the 24th. Now that I celebrate it with Frank's family, it's in the 25th which I don't have a problem with. However, I do like quite a few of the traditions. I'd like to go to church as well, but since I've had anxiety because of churches of years, I can't really do that.
Some very strict Christians don't celebrate it because they think it's Pagan.
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Post by tangent on Dec 16, 2012 12:00:26 GMT
The tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve stems, I think, from the Florentine reckoning when a new day begins at sunset and a new year begins on 25 March. It was used throughout Europe during the middle ages but was abandoned in favour of the Julian calendar in different countries between 1564 and 1752. |
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Post by Alvamiga on Dec 16, 2012 13:49:05 GMT
I usually get money from most people I know. I am almost impossible for people to know what to get me. The things I want are usually obscure or unreasonably expensive! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2012 19:16:12 GMT
I think I'm easy because I love books and music, so if people know what books or what music I'm interested in, I think it's easy to get me presents. My sisters have also given me all kinds of scarves in the past (which I love) or nice things like handbags or a beautiful bracelet or earrings. My grandmother tends to give us money, though.
Frank gave me a bike for Christmas that he'd made for me. He gave it to me today, his birthday since we won't be home over Christmas.
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Post by Fr. Gruesome on Dec 21, 2012 11:18:36 GMT
The tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve stems, I think, from the Florentine reckoning ... It has much deeper roots than that, in Scripture the day begins at sunset, e.g. 'There was evening and there was morning, the first day' Gen 1. In Western Liturgical tradition every major festival is provided with 'propers' for the First Evensong/Vespers of the day and the feast is regarded as beginning with its First Evensong, canonically any time after (local) 1500. In that respect the Feast of the Nativity is no different to any other, the difference comes from the length of the attached festival - the key festivals of a particular community all have an Octave (eight days of celebration), the Feast of the Nativity has an Octave and a Half Octave - the 'Twelve Days' - the only exception is the Feast of the Resurrection which has forty days, to balance the forty days of Lent beforehand. The difference between a terrorist and a liturgist? You can negotiate with terrorists ... |
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Post by tangent on Dec 21, 2012 15:13:20 GMT
Should we, therefore, celebrate Evensong every week on Saturday evening?
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Post by Fr. Gruesome on Dec 21, 2012 18:31:58 GMT
Well, all ordained persons are under the obligation of daily office so it ought to be happening in the parish anyway it would just be a matter of publicising it. At least some of your folk might like to have the opportunity to prayerfully support the preparations for the rest of the Sunday worship and its outreach potential?
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Post by Kye on Dec 21, 2012 22:12:15 GMT
One of my parishioners joined me for Morning Prayer this morning in the chapel. I almost jumped out of my skin in surprise. It's been awhile since I had company.
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Post by whollygoats on Dec 22, 2012 7:08:09 GMT
Well...Is that what we call a 'Mayan Pox Of Lips'?
All threat and no follow-through. These crackpots are getting harder and harder to take seriously. Next, somebody will be asking me to believe that some schmo rose from the dead. And he is worthy of worship.
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Post by tangent on Dec 22, 2012 9:52:55 GMT
One of my parishioners joined me for Morning Prayer this morning in the chapel. I almost jumped out of my skin in surprise. It's been awhile since I had company. Did he ask permission or did he just turn up? In the UK, in unusual situations like this, we feel almost obliged to offer an explanation - some form of words that explain the unusual behaviour, "I hope you don't mind", "I thought you would like some company" etc Without this explanation, it would feel like an intrusion or that the person was there simply to exercise his rights. |
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Post by Kye on Dec 22, 2012 13:18:45 GMT
I announce every week in the church bulletin that Morning Prayer is offered at 8:30 from Tuesday to Friday. There definitely an open invitation, so someone's presence doesn't require explanation. He just turned up, and that was okay --except that I arrived about 5 minutes late and he started without me!
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Post by Fr. Gruesome on Dec 22, 2012 21:23:35 GMT
What embarrassment!
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Post by Kye on Dec 22, 2012 21:31:53 GMT
Indeed... |
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Post by Sarah W. on Dec 23, 2012 17:47:19 GMT
Should we, therefore, celebrate Evensong every week on Saturday evening? We pray Sunday Evening Prayer I on Saturday evening and Evening Prayer II on Sunday evening. (We meaning those of us Catholics who pray liturgy of the hours. I'm a not very disciplined member of this group, so I sometimes do and sometimes don't.) |
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Post by Miisa on Dec 23, 2012 18:41:42 GMT
The kids and I had a Ninjamas meal last night and then we opened the presents. Sooooo nice to be able to do the big cooking and baking with the shops open and I felt so sorry for the people rushing about the shops today who still had tomorrow and Tuesday to face. The kids now dropped off at their father's, and so I now have a restful three days of knitting and TV ahead of me. |
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Post by tangent on Dec 23, 2012 21:50:44 GMT
It's pretty neat having two Christmases.
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Post by Fr. Gruesome on Dec 23, 2012 22:48:34 GMT
All being well I shall get three ... each with a different sector of the vast Clan of the Ugluk-Smyths ... not all of which are completely on speaking terms with each other: at the moment I am on good terms with all three main factions but only by keeping my colours firmly nailed to the fence ...
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Post by whollygoats on Dec 23, 2012 22:50:25 GMT
It's pretty neat having two Christmases. Wow...Some people have two Christs? |
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Post by juju on Dec 24, 2012 0:42:22 GMT
What I like most about Christmas is the weird family traditions that just sort of evolve. For example, my teenage kids have this clay object (I suspect it was once a Diwali lamp someone made at infant school) which for some unexplained reason they call the 'dognut'. Every year one of them will box it up, gift wrap it and label it for one of the others. As there are three of them no one ever knows who got to the dognut first (it spends the rest of the year on a windowsill) and who will receive it. They have made their own tradition, and I love that.  Traditions don't have to have meaning, it's the continuity that counts. But the continuity has meaning in itself - I think that's what holds people together. |
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(unless my mother feels she needs to take pity on me and insists I come over to her place for the eve). 
