the christmas is starting too early: the debate rages on. (1 Viewer)

[jane]

I think a lot of people have an icky Christmas. I just wish it were easier to ignore, so that people who were into it could still enjoy it, but those of us who find it kind of upsetting don't have to spend the holidays trying not to bring anyone down. I imagine there are a lot of people out there who only bother celebrating at all because there's nothing else to do and nothing is open.

I will admit, though, that I like the crazy Christmas lights, and I'm glad it's catching on here. It's not 'cause they're festive, it's just that I love a bit of the aul whimsy, and it makes the whole city look like a Mexican restaurant and I love Mexican food.

 

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

I get Bah Humbug type comments all the time for saying I hate christmas. And my feelings on it never change. The same feelings apply to most of the reason's on this thread. I keep thinking "you need a reason?" like why can't most of that stuff be done anytime.
You wanna give someone a gift to show you care for them? It doesn't have to be christmas. Just give them the gift,it'll probably mean a lot more.
Look at all the great stuff you can do at christmas? Brings the term Weekend Warriors to a whole new level
In the words of the Pink Fairies-"don't think about it,DO IT!!!!!!"

 

[Johnnyc]

One good thing about Christmas is that it's only once a year, thank fuck.

I hate it. I really, really hate it.

I never feel as inadequate, unloved and lonely as I do at Christmas, especially in Ireland, where everything shuts down and you're forced either to celebrate or sit quietly and do nothing while everyone else does, so you can't even find a place to gather with other lonely and unloved people, and besides, most of them have sadly gone off to be a spare tit somewhere and pretend they don't feel like an awkward spectator.

Years and years of being the begrudgingly invited spare tit at people's houses, the one invited more out of guilt than anything else, trying to find ways to answer their "So why aren't you with your family?" questions without admitting that I'm not invited to the family Christmas, has meant I can never really enjoy it with the joyful abandon so many people seem to have for it. Even though I won't be spending it by myself this year (for the first time in ages), I'll always know that there are lots of people out there who are super lonely just because we make this huge fucking deal out of family and on spending lots of money on this one day of the year. And people who don't have lots of money or close families basically have to sit around and wait for all the loaded and loved people to finish celebrating just how loaded and just how loved they are.

I get a bit pissed off when people make a huge deal out of it, partly because it makes so many people feel so shitty. Last year I actually baked so many cookies that I ended up throwing out a lot of them, but it was pretty much to stave off the feelings of utter shittiness at once again waking up in an empty house on Christmas morning. It's really not a nice feeling, so I figured I'd wake up with a sense of purpose in mind. By the next day, I'd filled my entire shed, like that freaky fucking mother in the Butcher Boy.

If I see one more fucking stupid column about how, "Oh,this year we had to go to a different sister's house and blah blah blah" I will rage. Seriously, there are people sleeping on the street and having their dinner in fucking soup kitchens, and you're upset because your mother isn't going to make her famous gravy in her own kitchen and it might not be as good? Call me when you have some real problems.

I just wish we could cancel Christmas one year -- just once -- just to give people a break. Or maybe everyone could go, "You know what, I don't need Christmas, so I'm gonna use the money I would have spent and give it to the Simon community or Focus Ireland." Or whatever.

Christ. I gotta step away from the computer. I'm pure grouch today.

 

[pete]

The christmas rules. if we could just lose the religion bit it'd be perfect.

"why not do it all the time?" - For the same reason we don't do new years day every day, or birthdays, or any other occasion related to a specific date.

The decorations normally go up here the first weekend of December, or Toy Show Friday, whichever comes first, but we couldn't this year because of some minor construction work, so it'll have to be next Friday instead .

 

[rettucs]

"why not do it all the time?" - For the same reason we don't do new years day every day, or birthdays, or any other occasion related to a specific date.

thats christmas itself. But I think what Gary possibly meant is the being nice to each other and doing shit with family and friends bit. Why can't people do that all the time?

Oh yeah, and religion. It is a religious festival is it not? Did we not just have a thread about religion on here where pretty much everyone said they weren't religious?

Do people really not see whats wrong with this?

Don't get me wrong here. The fairy tale christmas stuff is lovely and all. But thats all it is. Fairy tale stuff. I saw that guinness ad on telly last night for the first time. The first thing that came to my mind was, where are all the homeless and junkies that normally hang out there (custom house quay)? And also, when does it snow on christmas in this country? (it actually snowed up my way 2 years back on xmas day, but it was anything but pleasant - it was poxy freezing).

 

[Thebeard]

I love christmas, I suppose it goes by your previous experiences of christmas but i've always enjoyed drinking in the morning in front of my family and not feeling like an alcoholic. Xmas dinner is savage, presents are deadly, i love winter, once it doesn't rain, drinking with my mates on xmas night, then its all the same again on St Stephens day except without the presents. Also people seem top be in a slightly happier mood.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

thats christmas itself. But I think what Gary possibly meant is the being nice to each other and doing shit with family and friends bit. Why can't people do that all the time?

Oh yeah, and religion. It is a religious festival is it not? Did we not just have a thread about religion on here where pretty much everyone said they weren't religious?

Do people really not see whats wrong with this?

Don't get me wrong here. The fairy tale christmas stuff is lovely and all. But thats all it is. Fairy tale stuff. I saw that guinness ad on telly last night for the first time. The first thing that came to my mind was, where are all the homeless and junkies that normally hang out there (custom house quay)? And also, when does it snow on christmas in this country? (it actually snowed up my way 2 years back on xmas day, but it was anything but pleasant - it was poxy freezing).

well i am nice to everyone all year round i just dont give people gifts all year round. i dont give a shite about the presents anyway its the christmas dinner i love and jumping in the lake on christmas morning and reading books all day. even the christmas religion is alright. nobody gives out about halloween on the basis that they dont believe in ghosts. cop on.

 

[rettucs]

well i am nice to everyone all year round i just dont give people gifts all year round. i dont give a shite about the presents anyway its the christmas dinner i love and jumping in the lake on christmas morning and reading books all day. even the christmas religion is alright. nobody gives out about halloween on the basis that they dont believe in ghosts. cop on.

ok, I'm convinced.

christmas is great

 

[Catwoman]

Christmas is deadly! Loads of parties, an excuse to eat like a pig, get horribly drunk and dance like an idiot. Actually I do this all year round...

Still though, time off work, presents, drinking Snowballs... Does anyone else like advocaat? I only ever drink it in December. Eggy booze, yum!

 

[rettucs]

Christmas is deadly! Loads of parties, an excuse to eat like a pig

and then get depressed in january because of all this

christmas is great

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Christmas is deadly! Loads of parties, an excuse to eat like a pig, get horribly drunk and dance like an idiot. Actually I do this all year round...

Still though, time off work, presents, drinking Snowballs... Does anyone else like advocaat? I only ever drink it in December. Eggy booze, yum!

ive never tasted it. it looks disgusting. is it actually made with eggs?

 

[Catwoman]

Oh yeah, and religion. It is a religious festival is it not? Did we not just have a thread about religion on here where pretty much everyone said they weren't religious?

Do people really not see whats wrong with this?

No because the Catholic church claimed December 25th for themselves. It used to be a pagan feast.

 

[Catwoman]

ive never tasted it. it looks disgusting. is it actually made with eggs?

Yes. It's like boozy custard. If you add lemonade it goes mad frothy.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

has anyone had any mince pies yet? my sister had some in her place over the weekend but i was too full to eat any

 

[therealjohnny]

I had a muffin that had icing on it, and a little icing holly thing on top

it tasted like plum pudding

....i think


The pretend holly might have influenced that though

 

[frona]

has anyone had any mince pies yet? my sister had some in her place over the weekend but i was too full to eat any

There was some at an exhibition I went to the other night but I had just had my dinner so I was too full for one. Love them.

I love the christmas in general. You get to go out for pints with mates who have moved away and the time off work is great. The religion thing doesn't matter at all. My folks are atheists and we've still always celebrated it.

 

[rettucs]

No because the Catholic church claimed December 25th for themselves. It used to be a pagan feast.

oh right, so the catholic church claim it as a religious festival. To everyone else its some paganistic thing (if thats a word)?

am I understanding it right now?

but wait, what about christmas carols and that? are they not about religious stuff?

this is confusing

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

oh right, so the catholic church claim it as a religious festival. To everyone else its some paganistic thing (if thats a word)?

am I understanding it right now?

but wait, what about christmas carols and that? are they not about religious stuff?

this is confusing

oh shut up scutter. outside the door.

do you know what else i love about christmas? christmas eve!

 

[frona]

but wait, what about christmas carols and that? are they not about religious stuff?

this is confusing

Some of them are good tunes, some are pure shite. I like Oh Holy Night. Great epic chorus (tis the fantasy metal fan in me)

 

[therealjohnny]

I think the one-Carol of the Bells,is one of the most flesh crawling eerie pieces of music ever


http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=U6TL1ll4nWo


in a kind of good way