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Old 12-13-2009, 05:53 PM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
9,982 posts, read 13,762,061 times
Reputation: 5691

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Quote:
Originally Posted by ExNooYawk View Post
My two cents: Many non-Christian parents have a difficult time in December explaining to their children why Santa doesn't come to their house. It has to be hard to be a such a parent during this time. Too many parents would rather see Christmas just go away and not cause problems for them at home. They have to tell the kids that there are just some things they can't have and Christmas is one of them. It's tough to have to do that.

It's also why Hanukkah is so hyped up here in the US and is barely noticed in Israel. It has become a competition in some ways. In the northeast, the kids have off two days in September for the Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. There are no celebrations in school and no explanations to all the other kids why they have two days off from school. Why is that, when those two events are considered the High Holy Days? It is only in December that non-Christian kids are treated to an explanation of a small holiday which happens to be in the same month as Christmas.

I'd tell those parents that what is great about this country is that there is no persecution for those who don't celebrate certain holidays. We are free to celebrate, or not. It's what gives us our strength.

If a Christmas tree is religious, so is a ginger bread cookie. Trying to make it so only reinforces existing resentments and perpetuates ignorance.
I agree that freedom of religion is a great element of this country. Funny, from my read of Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, William Penn, and the like, they were pretty passionate about such freedoms, but many of our most "patriotic" politicians and pundits claim American values come on only one flavor. There are bunch of on-air blowhards, who get their pay by whipping people up in a frenzy over a gay couple holding hands, or when someone writes "x-mas." Criminy, such bigoted buffoons drive more people away from organized religion than a million guys kissing.

 
Old 12-13-2009, 08:05 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,578 posts, read 40,434,848 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ExNooYawk View Post

It's also why Hanukkah is so hyped up here in the US and is barely noticed in Israel. It has become a competition in some ways. In the northeast, the kids have off two days in September for the Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. There are no celebrations in school and no explanations to all the other kids why they have two days off from school. Why is that, when those two events are considered the High Holy Days? It is only in December that non-Christian kids are treated to an explanation of a small holiday which happens to be in the same month as Christmas.

You know I'm 1/2 Greek and for Greek Orthodox, Easter is the big celebration. Christmas is not. My mother is Finnish and they didn't get a Christmas tree until Christmas Eve which is the tradition there. There isn't this prolonged event there.

I think the US is almost beyond having Christmas categorized as religious. It is such a commercial event that lasts more than a month now.
 
Old 12-13-2009, 10:53 PM
 
1,312 posts, read 6,469,594 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfall View Post
It is such a commercial event that lasts more than a month now.
No more 12 Days of Christmas in the U.S., either. By the time Christmas Day comes around, "Christmas" is effectively over.
 
Old 12-13-2009, 10:56 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,578 posts, read 40,434,848 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve97415 View Post
No more 12 Days of Christmas in the U.S., either. By the time Christmas Day comes around, "Christmas" is effectively over.

No it's more like the 45-60 days of Christmas these days...I mean stuff was going up after Halloween in some local stores.
 
Old 12-13-2009, 11:01 PM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfall View Post
No it's more like the 45-60 days of Christmas these days...I mean stuff was going up after Halloween in some local stores.
Yea, my wife was commenting on that. I considered it a bit tasteless at first, but then again, these are desperate times, so I don't really blame them. I will agree that the main value of Christmas, it seems, is commercial these days.
 
Old 12-14-2009, 06:45 AM
 
4,627 posts, read 10,472,373 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Silverfall View Post
I think the US is almost beyond having Christmas categorized as religious. It is such a commercial event that lasts more than a month now.
i agree, what Christmas? I am getting frustrated with the incessant advertisements to buy things....

I have four winter coats. In the willamette valley does one really need four of them? I have two heavy-duty winter boots...I was last trudging through thigh-deep snow about five years ago. A trip to Union Gospel Mission would make me feel a lot better than going out to buy yet another coat, even if it is on sale.

I do blame the stores for hawking Christmas even before the alleged day of Thanksgiving is over. Thanksgiving is for gluttons of food and money, not sharing a meal with friends and family.....this commercialization started long before the ecnomoy went into the dumps.

BTW, I love Christmas lights ~
 
Old 12-14-2009, 09:19 AM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
9,982 posts, read 13,762,061 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wicked Felina View Post
.

BTW, I love Christmas lights ~
Me too! Nice to see some color and light this time of year. Now if it would just SNOW!
 
Old 12-14-2009, 11:54 PM
 
6,066 posts, read 15,049,118 times
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Ha ha! Did you read the first comment... so funny...

Every time a story like this comes out, to me, it screams insecurity. Some people must really have a lot of fear in them to want to deny others the right to live how they want to live - especially when it involves something as fun and beautiful as a tree! And I'm a non-Christian.

I'm getting so tired of everyone trying so hard to be so religiously politically correct all the time. What's wrong with embracing diversity?
 
Old 12-14-2009, 11:56 PM
 
6,066 posts, read 15,049,118 times
Reputation: 7188
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wicked Felina View Post
i agree, what Christmas? I am getting frustrated with the incessant advertisements to buy things....

I have four winter coats. In the willamette valley does one really need four of them? I have two heavy-duty winter boots...I was last trudging through thigh-deep snow about five years ago. A trip to Union Gospel Mission would make me feel a lot better than going out to buy yet another coat, even if it is on sale.

I do blame the stores for hawking Christmas even before the alleged day of Thanksgiving is over. Thanksgiving is for gluttons of food and money, not sharing a meal with friends and family.....this commercialization started long before the ecnomoy went into the dumps.

BTW, I love Christmas lights ~
You guys know about this, right? buynothingchristmas.org
 
Old 12-15-2009, 07:30 AM
 
7,899 posts, read 7,112,201 times
Reputation: 18603
"Some people must really have a lot of fear in them to want to deny others the right to live how they want to live......"

I agree. Why not leave the Christmas tree and other Christmas stuff at home and let others celebrate or not as they choose?
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