To all my fellow heathens, agnostics, heretics and believers, a Merry Chrismas

[Gorth]

As the titles says... if someone doesn't like Christmas, just skip this thread, it's not for you. I'm not religious, but I do like the celebratory mood and spending time with friends, drinks and good food. After a few years of lock downs, social distancing and face masks, we could all need a bit of quality time with family and friends I think. So, enjoy the social get together if nothing else. Remember 2022 is pronounced twenty twenty too

[Bartimaeus]

Is the title inclusive of combinations? For example, if you were, say, an utterly heretical Christian agnostic that also happens to simultaneously be a fatalistic heathen at the same time? Asking for a friend...

Merry Christmas and happy other such holidays, people.

[Raithe]

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Any day off work is good, though I usually take Saturday off anyway. Bah! Humbug.

[Gromnir]

from our second favorite tv christmas special, which am embarrassed to admit we only discovered recent having never read the discworld books and discouraged by the typical sky1 craptacular production values, am offering the following yuletide message:

the reality o' christmas is its least important quality and complete beside the point.  whether is santa or baby jesus don't matter neither. krampus? fine. if you believe there is meaning in christmas, then there is.

oh, and our #1 tv christmas special is not the star wars wookie thing.

Spoiler

boris karloff, tony the tiger and mr. shorofsky along with the incomparable june foray? is only possible for there to be a battle for second place.

am waiting for the day when the little match girl is done such that am satisfied, although one suspects the hans christian andersen tale is gonna have too much o' a religious taint for @Gorthto appreciate even with the danish pedigree. 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited December 21, 2021 by Gromnir

[BruceVC]

3 hours ago, Gorth said:

As the titles says... if someone doesn't like Christmas, just skip this thread, it's not for you. I'm not religious, but I do like the celebratory mood and spending time with friends, drinks and good food. After a few years of lock downs, social distancing and face masks, we could all need a bit of quality time with family and friends I think. So, enjoy the social get together if nothing else. Remember 2022 is pronounced twenty twenty too

Xmas is and always has been my favorite holiday and you right. After the last horrendous 2 years of the pandemic the opportunity to spend time with family and friends is more appreciated than ever 

[Keyrock]

The celebration of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I have a lot of problems with you people!

On a serious note, Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate, everyone. I'm technically Christian, but I'm not going to preach nor push a Bible in anyone's face. I just like spending time with family at this time of year. I'll leave you with the best Christmas song ever:

 

[Guard Dog]

I am Christian and I also am 100% sure that Jesus was NOT born in December.  So that makes the whole "war on Christmas" kinda stupid IMO. The target must be Santa Claus I guess. 

Anyway, I hope all you fine folks and all your families have a merry and bright and wonderful Christmas, New Year, and I surely hope 2022 treats you better than 2021.  

[Gromnir]

22 minutes ago, Keyrock said:

The celebration of Festivus begins with the airing of grievances. I have a lot of problems with you people!

On a serious note, Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate, everyone. I'm technically Christian, but I'm not going to preach nor push a Bible in anyone's face. I just like spending time with family at this time of year. I'll leave you with the best Christmas song ever:

is infrequent we tell somebody their favorite song or piece o' art is less worthy, but there is a definitive number one christmas song. o' sure, am a fan o' handel's messiah, and gabriel's message is in our "best" short list. run dmc does indeed deserve a nod, as well as the pogue's christmas song. johnny cash's little drummer boy?  maybe the kinks? can't ignore the vince guaraldi trio for a rare jazz offering from Gromnir, though is perhaps better known as the peanuts christmas song. 

all runner-ups.

Spoiler

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Malcador]

Just glad for the days off.

[ShadySands]

Happy Merry Christmastime Holidays!

And a Festivus for the rest of us!

 

[BruceVC]

11 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

I am Christian and I also am 100% sure that Jesus was NOT born in December.  So that makes the whole "war on Christmas" kinda stupid IMO. The target must be Santa Claus I guess. 

Anyway, I hope all you fine folks and all your families have a merry and bright and wonderful Christmas, New Year, and I surely hope 2022 treats you better than 2021.  

Its interesting you raise how some people have " a war on Christmas" , I consider it  misplaced and unnecessary. In SA we are a country that is 70% Christian and yet every year a small number of people, and its a small number but consistent, phone in on Talk Shows to  complain about " being forced to take public holidays over the Xmas period but they not Christian so why must they " ?

Except for basically all South Africans, including non-Christians, the end of the year is where businesses and public sector close down anyway and South Africans take end of leave anyway

So in other words 95% of the country plans their holiday period at this time irrespective of the reason for the public holiday. I find the " war on Christmas " in SA to be more about attention seeking and complaining for the sake of complaining because people have nothing better to do

Christmas doesnt have to be about religion, its where you have the opportunity relax and spend time with friends and family and thats what matters

[rjshae]

Indeed, a Merry Christmas and a warm repast to one and all.      

[Guard Dog]

18 hours ago, BruceVC said:

Its interesting you raise how some people have " a war on Christmas" , I consider it  misplaced and unnecessary. In SA we are a country that is 70% Christian and yet every year a small number of people, and its a small number but consistent, phone in on Talk Shows to  complain about " being forced to take public holidays over the Xmas period but they not Christian so why must they " ?

Except for basically all South Africans, including non-Christians, the end of the year is where businesses and public sector close down anyway and South Africans take end of leave anyway

So in other words 95% of the country plans their holiday period at this time irrespective of the reason for the public holiday. I find the " war on Christmas " in SA to be more about attention seeking and complaining for the sake of complaining because people have nothing better to do

Christmas doesnt have to be about religion, its where you have the opportunity relax and spend time with friends and family and thats what matters

Meh, the "war on Christmas" is a real thing. But it's a little blown out of proportion by the folks aggrieved by it. There is a definite anti-religious bent in the political left in the US. That leads them to be mildly antagonistic to anything folks attach a religious significance to. That drives some folks crazy and makes them to shout "Merry Christmas" whenever someone says "Happy Holidays". Next thing you know you have a full on tempest in a teapot. Like all such it amounts to nothing but social media rants and website clicks it gives Carlson and Maddow something to vent their spleen at. 

[rjshae]

[BruceVC]

6 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

Meh, the "war on Christmas" is a real thing. But it's a little blown out of proportion by the folks aggrieved by it. There is a definite anti-religious bent in the political left in the US. That leads them to be mildly antagonistic to anything folks attach a religious significance to. That drives some folks crazy and makes them to shout "Merry Christmas" whenever someone says "Happy Holidays". Next thing you know you have a full on tempest in a teapot. Like all such it amounts to nothing but social media rants and website clicks it gives Carlson and Maddow something to vent their spleen at. 

Just to clarify, I agree the " war on Christmas " is real. So my earlier post when I said "  I consider it  misplaced and unnecessary " I meant the  criticism towards Christmas, not you raising this. When I went back to read my response I can see how my comment wasnt necessarily clear

In many countries some people on the left do attack and criticize Christianity for unfathomable reasons under the  auspicious of " freedom of speech ". I have no issue with normal, constructive criticism of any religion but their is an element of people that mock religion as opposed to just raising valid issues. Personally on this forum I think the criticism towards Christianity is reasonable and fair in almost all examples I can recall where we have debated this topic 

But GD do you want to know something ironic, in the UAE and specifically Dubai they put up Xmas trees in  certain malls and recognize the Christmas spirit. And yet the UAE is a Muslim country so you can easily ask " why would a Muslim country recognize Xmas in their malls " ....its because they respect and appreciate the large number of expats and foreigners in their country that are mostly from Western countries who are Christian 

https://lovin.co/dubai/en/sponsored/mall-of-the-emirates-unveils-a-fabulous-christmas-tree

Yet in the USA, or in some states, they dont put up Xmas trees in certain malls anymore for reasons I have never understood or agree with. At least that is what I believe, it may not be true? Anyway their is an irony when a Muslim country can recognize Xmas but a Christian country has less emphasis on its primary religion

And for interest sake I was trying to find a link that highlights how in the US its true some states have less recognition for Xmas but I found this interesting link about the  historical " war on Christmas " instead which I found pertinent 

https://www.livescience.com/32891-why-was-christmas-banned-in-america-.html

Did you know Christmas was once banned in Boston?

 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by BruceVC

[BruceVC]

3 hours ago, rjshae said:

I always appreciate and enjoy in MMO and online games where the developers integrate holiday themes like Halloween and Christmas 

[Vaeliorin]

6 hours ago, Guard Dog said:

Meh, the "war on Christmas" is a real thing. But it's a little blown out of proportion by the folks aggrieved by it. There is a definite anti-religious bent in the political left in the US. That leads them to be mildly antagonistic to anything folks attach a religious significance to. That drives some folks crazy and makes them to shout "Merry Christmas" whenever someone says "Happy Holidays". Next thing you know you have a full on tempest in a teapot. Like all such it amounts to nothing but social media rants and website clicks it gives Carlson and Maddow something to vent their spleen at. 

The people who complain about Christmas on a religious basis always amuse me, seeing as it's been a federal holiday for a long time (apparently since June 28, 1870, according to Wikipedia, however accurate that may be.)

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it.

[Guard Dog]

@BruceVCThat is pretty wild. I did not know some of that.

[ShadySands]

The war on Christmas will continue until it ends its illegal occupation of November!

[Sarex]

On 12/21/2021 at 5:50 PM, Guard Dog said:

I am Christian and I also am 100% sure that Jesus was NOT born in December.  So that makes the whole "war on Christmas" kinda stupid IMO. The target must be Santa Claus I guess.

You are right, he is born in January, the 7th to be precise.

[Malcador]

1 hour ago, Sarex said:

You are right, he is born in January, the 7th to be precise.

Caesar knew best

[Azdeus]

God jul everyone

[Gfted1]

Happy holidays to all!

[BruceVC]

My sister in law snapped this classic photo of Bentley  ( the look on his face )one of the Rhodesian Ridgebacks, we brought them down to our beach cottage so they could have Xmas here....its been a bit hectic but worth it so the dogs are with us 

@Guard Dog I thought you would appreciate this