(OT) Bah humbug. An anti-Christmas rant.

[DDK]

I really hate Christmas.

Before I go on and explain why and then ask why the Hell anyone bothers with it, I'd like to clarify a few things and make a few things painfully clear. Firstly: am I trying to ruin your Christmas by writing this? No. Secondly: If you read on will you feel your Christmas 'cheer' has been diminished? Entirely possible so don't read on. Thirdly: yeah, yeah, so I've never had a decent Christmas in my life and have grown to hate and resent it due to uncaring parents, etc. etc. I'm over it and have been for years so that's not why I'm posting this.

I'm posting because I really despise Christmas and am truly amazed at how people embrace it. Let's look at a few common themes of Christmas:

1. Crass commercialism: Coca Cola invented Santa Clause and based it on the story of St. Nicholas. It was such an incredibly successful advertising campaign that they repeated it every year. Ever wondered why Santa wore red and white and lived in the North Pole? Coca Cola's colours are red and white and what's better than a COLD coke? Don't believe me? By all means, do your own research.

2. It's not even the correct day: As most of you probably know, Christmas is a corruption of the phrase, 'Christ's Mass'. Originally this was to celebrate the birth day of Christ (I forget the correct date but it was definitely not December). However the Christians adopted a pagan festival and renamed it in order to syncretize the religions with Christianity as the dominant player. Now, admittedly on this one I might have some facts screwed up but I'm tired and can't be bothered checking. Do your own research and prove me wrong.

3. How many of you actually ENJOY Christmas? I mean, I'm not talking about the fleeting moments when you open a present and it's actually something you want, I'm talking about the entirity of it. There are maybe two or three people I've ever known out of hundreds that have actually professed to like Christmas. For most people I've known, it's a time of inconvenience, poverty (brought on by present buying, festivities, entertainment, etc.), depression, anxiety and awkwardness. Families are forced together and arguments ensue and bitterness prevails. Come on people, open up and tell it like it is, stop the LIES!

4. Everything SUCKS! All the most BORING and INANE TV shows come on and replace all the good stuff. Christmas carols and carols by candlelight dominate churches and schools across the country and people, please, stop lying to yourselves, these things are BORING. I swear if I hear 'Noel, Noel' once more I'm gonna shoot someone. People drag their kids along to have an 'experience' and the kids are bored out of their brains and the parents are miserable cause they're bored too but everyone still sings along, out of tune, to these friggin' old and boring songs that have lost all meaning. Then you've got the shops. All the damn shops shut. Can't buy food, medicine or anything for a damn week. It's incredibly annoying and all for what? Christmas? Bah! Humbug!

 

[DDK]

Let's add number 5

5. Who the Hell thought of chopping down a tree? I vaguely recall this as being some sort of Germanic tradition but at the end of the day, MILLIONS of trees are chopped down and end up dying horrid deaths just so you all can put freakin ugly, gaudy fire hazards all over 'em and sit presents underneath them that nobody wants. I'm sorry, but I just don't see the sense in this. It's a horrid tradition.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

I think I am getting ELH and MM II from my wife, we use an artficial tree and Santa doesn't make me drink coke (heck, he's actually free to use and becomes an 'almost' perfect deterrent for my daughters).

As a side, I still feel this way despite working for a company where 80% of the business happens for Christmas (i.e. we work our you-know-whats off during this holiday and are expected to be happy).

I am not trying to convince you of anything, just thought it was humorous that I am actually looking forward to Christmas as much as my kids.

 

[Wicht]

I enjoy Christmas.

And I feel compelled to inform you are incorrect about Santa Claus. He has been around since about the fourth century AD and I doubt Coca-Cola had the foresight back then to create the legend (though to be sure the legend has been altered through the years).

You are however right about December the 25th. Which is why I don't celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ. But I still keep Christmas as a time to spend with family. And give and get presents. And play with the kids. I have enjoyed almost every Christmas I have lived through. Sure there are sometimes hassles, but what day does not have hassles? And I can't comment on the TV thing as I am normally too busy eating and playing with new toys to care.

 

[hong]

Christmas is good because it gives you an excuse to do this:

 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Ok, i was a little down about christmas this year, but Hongs arrgument has brought me back to the light.

 

[jaerdaph]

Christmas is good because it gives you an excuse to do this:

And the best part is, you get to do it again exactly one week later

 

[Sixchan]

Regarding Santa, see here:
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp

 

[arwink]

Do I enjoy Christmas? To be honest, not entirely. It's fifty percent good, fifty percent unbearable.

That being said, my mother and my sister love christmas. They love putting up a tree. They love having the family around. They love the giving and recieving of presents. They even love christmas carols.

I do love my mother and my sister, so I continue to celebrate Christmas. I agree with most of your points, but it does leave out the fact that by being at Christmas I makes someone else very happy. What more can I ask for from a holiday? It's the only unselfish celebration I have every year.

Oh, and I do love the beer and prawns that come with the celebration, which makes the whole thing more than bareable.

 

[Leopold]

Christmas (let's not use Xmas..what a joke) sucks. All the above reasons are valid for the gift buying and commercialism. I really can't stand this holiday as EVERYONE thinks i must buy them something...

well ya know what? Be happy i get you something, and if you can't use it, tough noodles! It's the thought that counts and i was thinking of someone when i bought it, will you use it? Not my problem. Just be grateful and say "Thank you"

bahhumbug.