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Post by Scott on Dec 24, 2005 11:14:31 GMT -5
So who cleibrates what around here, Christmas, Chanukah, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, Mean Geimhridh, Ogo-Slagha Day, something else, nothing at all? Being an atheist, I don't really know if I can say I am celebrating Christmas, i.e.the birth of Christ, but it's the date and traditions (for the most part) I celebtrate, and because 'Happy 25th of December Secular Holiday' just doesn't have a ring to it, I'll keep saying, 'Merry Christmas'. And even though it started out as a joke, for the past several years, Festivus has always been on my calander. Scott
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dcas
Warlock
Duke of Pennsylvania, Knight Commander
Posts: 481
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Post by dcas on Dec 24, 2005 11:32:31 GMT -5
We celebrate Christmas, the traditional 12 days, from the Dec. 25 to Jan. 5. Jan. 6 marks the Epiphany and that's when the tree and most of our decorations come down. Feb. 2 is Candlemas (the Presentation of Our Lord / Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary) and that's when the remainder of the decorations come down.
We used to go to Mass on Christmas Eve but now we go on Christmas Day.
It's ironic that the anti-Christmas crowd is doing exactly that which they accuse Christians of doing: glomming on to a holiday and trying to turn it into something it was never intended to be (of course, it's debatable that Christmas began that way -- but that's a topic for another post). It's also ironic (and perhaps I'm repeating myself) that many Christians decrying the secularization of Christmas are the spiritual heirs of people who never celebrated Christmas anyway. It wasn't until the late XIXth century/early XXth century that Christmas became 'mainstream' among low-church Protestants like Baptists and Methodists (high-church Protestants and Catholics always celebrated it).
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Post by geneweigel on Dec 24, 2005 12:22:29 GMT -5
Well, I like to joke but if think about it then I see the holiday season as a party to make sure everyone doesn't despair in the face of death. The year is symbolically dead because of the winter. Sure, I lie to kids about Santa Claus but is it lying? Not really. Do I lie when I do a voice for a cookie monster puppet? Its a game. As far, as traditions, we like to mix things up. A few years we didn't even have a tree since we spent so many years out partying. I used to buy everyone I knew presents years ago but once I start "buying you bottles of booze because I can't figure out what to buy you" usually means you'll soon be scratched off the list. If I can't buy a cool present because the person is no longer receptive then I feel ripped off. Why bother? I'm an egg nog junkie. Speaking of that, I need to pick up more of that shit NOWW!!!! I'm going to make a goose, gingerbread men and a pumpkin pie for tomorrow but I've never made any of them before.
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Post by Scott on Dec 24, 2005 13:07:33 GMT -5
I dig egg nog too. This year I've been spiking it with St. Remy Napoleon brandy. I usually make glühwein at least once. I'll probably do that tonight actually. The only time I had goose was the year I spent the Holidays in Germany. Between the 25th and 1st of Jan. was the only time I can remember having duck and hasenpfeffer as well. What about gift giving? Christmas Eve, or Christmas morning? Usually the morning here, unless you're somebody I buy more than one gift for, than it's one on the Eve, and the rest on the morning.
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Post by geneweigel on Dec 24, 2005 13:24:40 GMT -5
I have the morning here and she and her family do the evening at her mother's house.
I used to do this extended family thing and an extended extended family thing but the core family gave up on that shit years ago so I don't even bother.
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GT
Wizard
Duke of Indiana, Knight Commander
Posts: 2,032
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Post by GT on Dec 24, 2005 20:00:09 GMT -5
I, being an agnostic and a capitalist, revel in the season and respect all of the different versions of "holiday" being celebrated. Mostly, I'm just happy that the days are getting longer again! ^__^
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dcas
Warlock
Duke of Pennsylvania, Knight Commander
Posts: 481
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Post by dcas on Jan 3, 2006 10:48:08 GMT -5
How can a capitalist respect a Marxist holiday like Kwanzaa? Or are you excluding that from your list?
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GT
Wizard
Duke of Indiana, Knight Commander
Posts: 2,032
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Post by GT on Jan 5, 2006 1:49:52 GMT -5
Heh! You tellin' me that you've never seen any Kwanzaa merchandising? ^__-
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