Christmas : [censored] !

i get the wife to do the Christmas shopping...she loves it.

i only have one chore, to buy a gift for my bro. I'll nip out on saturday afternoon and pick him up something then.

but yes, very commercialised. The TV is full of music CDs such as 'the best of Hearsay'. Theyve only had one album out!..and adverts for indegestion remedies...the pharmaciticals make a fortune this time of year because most of us dont have a scobby how to defrost and cook a 20lb turkey. The relatives you hate send you more shaving gel and deoderant packs, these then get sent back to them as gift next year...

Christmas is about getting [censored] infront of the telly with James Bond. I like to keep it that way...

limerickman said:

Finished the Christmas Shopping yesterday - and on reflection I had a couple of thoughts.

It's a consumerism fest : people bumping and barging their way through shopping aisles.
It's a pressure fest : people feeling obliged "having to buy" presents.
It's a gluttony fest : people feeling obliged and having to go out to eat/drink as much as possible.

Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas but the entire festival is being taken over by consumerism/pressure/gluttony I think.

Rant over.

Oh... To be a child again.

😉

lwedge said:

Oh... To be a child again.

😉

I am a child,an old child ,but a child nevertheless and it is nice.

jhuskey said:

I am a child,an old child ,but a child nevertheless and it is nice.

I have been told I have acted like one recently (where's the pout icon when you need it).

😄

lwedge said:

I have been told I have acted like one recently (where's the pout icon when you need it).

😄

I will admit it is a wild season,this holiday time of the year. My daughter is in town for Christmas,my wild a**ed friend is in Friday from Florida through next week and will expect to be entertained ,plus the normal holiday gratuitous visitation and such and we are wide open for skiing.
As a matter of fact I am sitting at work right now babysitting the resort until closing time.
Of course there are worse jobs to have and tis the seaon to get your jollies.

limerickman said:

Finished the Christmas Shopping yesterday - and on reflection I had a couple of thoughts.

It's a consumerism fest : people bumping and barging their way through shopping aisles.
It's a pressure fest : people feeling obliged "having to buy" presents.
It's a gluttony fest : people feeling obliged and having to go out to eat/drink as much as possible.

Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas but the entire festival is being taken over by consumerism/pressure/gluttony I think.

Rant over.

This year I was struggling with the very thought of how Christmas is so eat up with consumerism and as a revolt I told my side of the family I was giving a gift on their behalf to a young couple that has a one year old daughter that is fighting cancer. The young man is in college and the family is in desperate need of financial help. So it was a greater joy to give to him instead of more stuff that my family doesn't really need and they were suppportive of the idea.

I just figured my family has been overwhelmingly blessed so why not share with someone who has had a tough year.

Now my wife's family was not game to this idea so my wife is the one having to go out with great aggrivation and face traffic and angry people shopping. 🙂 .....while I spent my time on the bike with friends.

Felt_Rider said:

This year I was struggling with the very thought of how Christmas is so eat up with consumerism and as a revolt I told my side of the family I was giving a gift on their behalf to a young couple that has a one year old daughter that is fighting cancer. The young man is in college and the family is in desperate need of financial help. So it was a greater joy to give to him instead of more stuff that my family doesn't really need and they were suppportive of the idea.

I just figured my family has been overwhelmingly blessed so why not share with someone who has had a tough year.

Now my wife's family was not game to this idea so my wife is the one having to go out with great aggrivation and face traffic and angry people shopping. 🙂 .....while I spent my time on the bike with friends.

Good for you, Felt.

Over this side a lot of charities try to encourage people to make a donation to charity by way of purchasing a gift for someone less fortunate.
This could be sponsoring a child in a third world country or donating the money to buy livestock for a family in the third world.

I suggested this to some of my in-laws.
Some of them were very put out at not receiving a "present" as they called it.
Others, like my parents, were really supportive of the idea so much so that they too have started to give a present of a donation to a third world charity,
as a gift to other people.

Felt_Rider said:

This year I was struggling with the very thought of how Christmas is so eat up with consumerism and as a revolt I told my side of the family I was giving a gift on their behalf to a young couple that has a one year old daughter that is fighting cancer. The young man is in college and the family is in desperate need of financial help. So it was a greater joy to give to him instead of more stuff that my family doesn't really need and they were suppportive of the idea.

I just figured my family has been overwhelmingly blessed so why not share with someone who has had a tough year.

Now my wife's family was not game to this idea so my wife is the one having to go out with great aggrivation and face traffic and angry people shopping. 🙂 .....while I spent my time on the bike with friends.

That's the spirit Felt.
While the rest of us whine and moan about commericialism-this and humbug-that, you seem to have a proper grasp on the whole situation.
Merry Christmas to you and yours. See you on the SCT.

Chance3290 said:

See you on the SCT.

small hijack

I hope to be there mid Saturday morning.
Are you riding this weekend?

Felt_Rider said:

small hijack

I hope to be there mid Saturday morning.
Are you riding this weekend?

Maybe not Saturday, but the girlfriend has to work Sunday morning, so I'm thinking of hitching up the reindeer and heading out. I may go east from Paulding, since I haven't been that way this year. Figure all the walkers, dogs, etc will be opening their gifts so I'll have a free and clear ride.
If I'm lucky, I'll run into the fellow that grabbed the woman the other day. 😄 😄
All I want for Christmas are his two front teeth, and his upper lip, and his spleen...

Chance3290 said:

Maybe not Saturday, but the girlfriend has to work Sunday morning, so I'm thinking of hitching up the reindeer and heading out. I may go east from Paulding, since I haven't been that way this year. Figure all the walkers, dogs, etc will be opening their gifts so I'll have a free and clear ride.
If I'm lucky, I'll run into the fellow that grabbed the woman the other day. 😄 😄
All I want for Christmas are his two front teeth, and his upper lip, and his spleen...

It should be wide open.
It would have been nice if one of guys could have been there when that happened.

[font=Comic Sans MS] My X-mas's are smooth. I have limited my gift giving this past few years to my daughters only. And I buy some form of art every year for them at the same store so that is just a moment in my life. I am in that particular store on a every week basis anyway. The rest of my intermediate family has all moved east .....
Usually X-mas night I have a few single friends come up and hang out. I like it this way. When I was young X-mas was a chaotic thing. Going from one family thing to another. Back in 2000 I decided to "simplify" my life. Even though I am percieved to be part of the capitolistic system , I am not into personal consumerism. Consumerism is eating at the very core of peoples lives here in America. I am not a "Bah Humbug" person .... I actually leave my 4' X-mas tree up all year...... The lites are little peppers and I have interesting things for decoration on it..... Such as ....One tree decoraction I have is a set of Campagnolo cable clamps hanging fom the tree.... I notice people look at it in an interesting way. The other bike ornament is a Raleigh headbadge off the Team Raleigh I am restoring. I bought a re-finished badge to go with the new paintjob...... Things like that......
Other holidays have more meaning to me..

But ........ Everyone have a safe and happy holiday .......
[/font]

jhuskey said:

I will admit it is a wild season,this holiday time of the year. My daughter is in town for Christmas,my wild a**ed friend is in Friday from Florida through next week and will expect to be entertained ,plus the normal holiday gratuitous visitation and such and we are wide open for skiing.
As a matter of fact I am sitting at work right now babysitting the resort until closing time.
Of course there are worse jobs to have and tis the seaon to get your jollies.

We are in the midst of a Tropical storm in California, snow will fall today around 9k' to 10k' and rain at lower elevations in the Sierra's. I just checked, Squaw Valley and North Star are closed today due to wet conditions. I bet Squaw is closed due to avalanche conditions though, it sounds a little better to say "wet conditons" from a marketing point of view. And to think we normally have the best skiing this side of Vale this time of year🙁.

I went running this morning at 6:00, I wore running shorts and tank top , stuff I would normally wear in July, last week I was in full ski attire when I went outside for any reason.

Are you ready for Festivus Day tomorrow ? Have you been practicing your "Feats Of Strength"?😄

Happy Holidays

lwedge said:

We are in the midst of a Tropical storm in California, snow will fall today around 9k' to 10k' and rain at lower elevations in the Sierra's. I just checked, Squaw Valley and North Star are closed today due to wet conditions. I bet Squaw is closed due to avalanche conditions though, it sounds a little better to say "wet conditons" from a marketing point of view. And to think we normally have the best skiing this side of Vale this time of year🙁.

I went running this morning at 6:00, I wore running shorts and tank top , stuff I would normally wear in July, last week I was in full ski attire when I went outside for any reason.

Are you ready for Festivus Day tomorrow ? Have you been practicing your "Feats Of Strength"?😄

Happy Holidays

Yes I have! I raised a full drink of blended burbon while changing channels on the TV and never spilled a drop.
Strenght and concentration.

jhuskey said:

Yes I have! I raised a full drink of blended burbon while changing channels on the TV and never spilled a drop.
Strenght and concentration.

Merry [censored] Xmas to the lot of you. I'm going to kick off with a few Dragon Stouts then hit some neat Sea Wynde (cheesey name, great Rum).

limerickman said:

I suggested this to some of my in-laws.
Some of them were very put out at not receiving a "present" as they called it.
Others, like my parents, were really supportive of the idea so much so that they too have started to give a present of a donation to a third world charity,
as a gift to other people.

Same as my in-laws.
I don't understand it. My wife's nieces and nephew are absolutely spoiled, whereas the world is full of kids that would like just one meal.
It almost make me sick to the amount of [censored] that they get.

limerickman said:

Finished the Christmas Shopping yesterday - and on reflection I had a couple of thoughts...

I hadn't thought much about it, Lim, until you brought it up. Over here in Malaysia, Christmas is pretty nice - not too big / not too small. Somehow, because everbody takes part in holidays for Hari Raya, Deepavali, Chinese New Year and Christmas, there doesn't seem to be a stellar commercial build-up for any of them in particular.
My wife takes care of present's for the billy-lids down in Australia, but it's generally a time to have friends and family over for meals.
Out of the 17 years I've been married, I've only made it home for one Christmas, so I guess it's not really that big of an issue for us. With neither of us being Christian, for us it is more about being a magical time for our young children and a time to give some thought to others who may not have much to feel joyful about.
Speaking of those less fortunate, I just got back from a trip to Equatorial Guinea in Central West Africa (where it looks like I'll be spending the next 4 years). While we're operating there, there should be plenty of opportunity to do charitable work. Although it's been good working over here, I'm kind of looking forward to the challenges ahead.
I hope that all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, regardless of your individual beliefs.
Eoin

The holidays are very distressing to everyone here....my family, and most everyone, scurrying about like rats, trying to buy presents that no one needs nor wants, yet feeling obliged to do so.

The residual hangover from the holidays itself is bad enough. These are not the days of the Bacchanalian Feast, or the Feast of the Saturnalia where folks could really get debauched the blow off steam. They seem to be an endless round of shopping and visiting with relatives whom once a year visitations are almost too much to take.

Everyone is now blue and depressed here in the Northern part of the USA. I'm happy its over and I can get my house in order. I am in the minority, however.

limerickman said:

Finished the Christmas Shopping yesterday - and on reflection I had a couple of thoughts.

It's a consumerism fest : people bumping and barging their way through shopping aisles.
It's a pressure fest : people feeling obliged "having to buy" presents.
It's a gluttony fest : people feeling obliged and having to go out to eat/drink as much as possible.

Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas but the entire festival is being taken over by consumerism/pressure/gluttony I think.

Rant over.

I've just spent the last hour reading through this website it's fascinating to say the least, I agree with the sentiments, its consumerism gone mad, the pushing and shoving is a world wide phenomenon, drive to a shopping centre, try to get a parking place and you take your life in your hands, it's the quick or the dead and if you're not prepared to get out of the car and have a blue then you're compelled drive around again and agian and again.
Christmas has lost it's true meaning and spirit, it should be legislated out of existence along with all the other [censored].
I went to the shops last January about the sixth, to get some bread and milk, her indoors had invited some friends over for tea and scones.
I was gobsmacked to see, There as large as life "HOT CROSS BUNS" who's idea it is I'll let you lot guess, "Woolworth the fresh food people", so far they have resisted the temptation this year, maybe someone told them a few home truths?

On a lighter note, an E-mail from friends in America as follows:-

YEAR 1981.............1. Prince Charles gets married.
2. Liverpool crowned Champion of Europe.
3. Australia looses Ashes.
4. Pope dies.

YEAR 2005..............1. Prince Charles gets married
2. Liverpool crowned Champion of Europe
3. Australia looses Ashes.
4. Pope dies.

In future if Prince Charles decides to get married someone should warn the Pope.

A Gud New Year to you All ?