[princesslia]

I have 3 grown up children and 3 grandchildren. I have always loved the months running up to Xmas. I love buying presents, love planning the food and having friends round for pre- Xmas get-togethers.
But... and here is the but.. If I was asked to give up Xmas for a specifiic and special reason then I would be willing to give it up completely, if it was for a very good reason. Now what would these reasons be.
1. I would give up Xmas if I thought it would bring world peace.
2. I would give up Xmas if I thought it would cure every deadly and life threatening disease throught the world.
3. I would give up Xmas if I thought another human being on this earth would not be murdered.
4. I would give up Xmas if everybody else in the world would give the money they spent on Xmas to building homes, for the children in the world who do not have any mums dads, or family, would be cared for and looked after safely.
5. I would give up Xmas if I thought the money I would have spent would be spent, on pay rises for the amazing work Doctors, nurses do in our hospitals. I would give up Xmas if everyone decided to give up Xmas and pull our our money so that it would be spent on genuinely poor people who have very little in their lives.
As there is not a hope in hell of any of these things happening now or in the near future, I will continue to look forward to Xmas, give to charities that I truely beleive deserve it, and try and be a good samaratin in my lifetime. Try and help others who need help, and love and look after my family for as long as I am able. And there is every hope that will continue to happen.

[SAV1OUR]

think am gona puke

[princesslia]

think am gona puke

Happy Christmas.x

[SAV1OUR]

think am gona puke

Happy Christmas.x

Bless. Can you help me resurrect my ageing artificial tree?, it has maybe 4 needles left, I leant it to a smackhead once.x

[Sidders]

I gave up smoking for my health.

[kendra k]

"gave up".

[diouri]

why would you want to give up christmas?

[pinkysibbs]

i love christmas!!!!!!!!!!

[ilovespam]

Christmas is ok i supose the kids like it. Thats about it.




O and i don't normally get to exiteted by the whole thing but do enjoy it in a way.

[Sidders]

"gave up".

Okay, okay...

None of the reasons listed are ever going to happen, so you might as well just enjoy Christmas. It only comes around once a year. The good thing is though, Christian or not, Chritmas is a time everyone can enjoy. Unless you're a Scrooge.

[ilovespam]

"gave up".

Okay, okay...

None of the reasons listed are ever going to happen, so you might as well just enjoy Christmas. It only comes around once a year. The good thing is though, Christian or not, Chritmas is a time everyone can enjoy. Unless you're a Scrooge.

and there be plenty of you out there too unfortunatley.

[Yudster]

....... you might as well just enjoy Christmas. It only comes around once a year. The good thing is though, Christian or not, Chritmas is a time everyone can enjoy. Unless you're a Scrooge.

Completely agree. I am Christian, and lots of my Christian friends get all worked up about the commercialisation and secularisation of Christmas, like it's any of their business what other people do! I love all the glitter and the presents and the food and the parties and the whole secular bit, I really enjoy it - but its not what I love most about Christmas. But you pagans don't mind me enjoying your secular celebration, so why should I mind you annexing a bit of my spiritual one?! I can't see the problem myself.

[kendra k]

my mom tries to have old school pagan saturnalia instead of christmas. some of it, no doubt, is to wind up her very catholic mother.

i'm actually going to christmas mass this year for the first time ever. should be interesting.

[Boboff]

I think we should rename Christmas the "Family Festival" to include all religions in a period of celebration of the family, and it's ties, and importance within a modern society. There should be a bigger emphasis on the need for people to sit together and talk, and share highlights of the year, and discuss what there needs, and ambitions are for the coming year, make pledges of behaviour to when another, then go out and get shit faced!

[Yudster]

I don't.

[Boboff]

why ?

[Eddie]

Because that would be like veryone celebrating something else, apart from your birthday, on your birthday.
Christmas is as it says - Christ-mas. It's a celebration of Christ's birthday.

[Boboff]

But that's the point I was making you see, Christmas is not about to most people the Birth of Christ, in today's society it's about Santa and presents and Turkey, and about making money, and spending money and getting gifts, and having time off.
So I saw it more as a way of trying to focus Christmas at something other than Avarice and Glutony, given that the religious angle, for most, is now defunct.
People who truly celebrate Christmas for the right religious reasons still, are a minority, but holding the true meaning of Christmas true, is rightfully to be respected, but I was just saying most people don't and as a society we could try to improve life by using it to focus in on the needs of people to be part of a family.

[Gaspode_The_Wonder_Dog]

I could't care less what they call it but Boboff is right really. Theres very few people see it as an opportunity to celebrate Christ's birth.

[Sidders]

I think there's more than you give credit for. Our church is always packed out at Christmas.

Having said that, Christmas is only at this time of year because they changed it to coincide with the Pagan Yule festival.

[kendra k]

you gotta hand it to the old tyme christians- they knew how to pander to the pagans.

and of course christmas is packed at church- it's full of people who think they're christian, but are too lazy to go year-round. instead they go on christmas and maybe easter to alieve their guilt. it's a form of penance i guess. i'm going because it matters to my boyfriend's parents and i'll be at their house.

[Yudster]

Maybe - but most of the "once a year" people at our church at Christmas are there because it's lovely to sing traditional, familiar Christmas Carols in a packed church on Christmas Eve with candles and decorations up and everything - its just brilliant fun, whether you are a Christian or not. I don't think most of the "non-regulars" would pretend that they have any real belief, but its a lovely, evocative and "feel good" thing to do. So why not? Personally I'd love to see them there every Sunday, but, if that isn't going to happen - and lets face it, mostly it isn't - I am more than happy to welcome them in for a happy time and a glass of mulled wine at Christmas. Why not? Its very enjoyable.

[Mermaid]

I think we should rename Christmas the "Family Festival" to include all religions in a period of celebration of the family, and it's ties, and importance within a modern society. There should be a bigger emphasis on the need for people to sit together and talk, and share highlights of the year, and discuss what there needs, and ambitions are for the coming year, make pledges of behaviour to when another, then go out and get * faced!

hey - can I hire you for my morning meeting???

[Boboff]

I am here all week ! No Charge. and I'm local ! ( No call out or mileage ! ) makes sence

[Mermaid]

eek - didn't realise til then that we're both living in the city of the sea
will be in touch - am sure you could def enliven those morning meetings!