My Christmas favourite is Christmas itself, its lit streets and decorated homes; its food, songs and music. For me it holds no religious import, but only the most hardened cynics could turn their back on this annual celebration of happiness.
Ah the traditional non-christian Midwinter/Yule festival, hijacked by the christians, with the date altered by 4 days, you mean?
Agreed.
Hence and why I prefer the spelling Xmas* as it is entirely unclear precisely what we are celebrating apart from the thing itself. Maybe we are just celebrating the celebration?
* See also “Malcolm X”
I’m a cynic too – espcially about politicians and the like.
But in expressing your dislike to christmas as you do I’m afraid you come over churlish not cynical. Cynical is not accepting the exhortations of the government (or your night shift manager) to jolly well enjoy yourself – personally i do enjoy christmas, not so much for me personally as I don’t have children, but lots of people absolutely love it and I am all in favour of innocent fun.
Of course there’s lots to be cynical about – corporate exploitation especially, dodgy advertising and so forth, but really for the non religious like me, it’s a time that everybody can enjoy together in their own way, be with their families, eat together drink together, take a couple of days off – the good outweighs the bad by a longway.
Unfortunately, yours is a fairly typical response and one that assumes that we should all like the same things. It is not churlish to dislike Christmas. Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes. I have never forced my preferred activities on others. Why, therefore should they force theirs on me? And don’t they just; from early October we get it stuffed down our throats. By the time late December arrives, I’m heartily sick of the whole thing.
Sure, it’s nice to have a couple of days off – not that I’ll be getting that much this year – but all the enforced (and fake) jollity galls, frankly. I find the whole thing tasteless, gaudy and facile. If it really meant anything at all, goodwill to all men would apply all year, not just for the couple of days when people like to feel good about themselves.
Actually, on that thought, it’s probably not me who is the cynic here…
Better with snow though.
I hate snow, too…
Ah the traditional non-christian Midwinter/Yule festival, hijacked by the christians, with the date altered by 4 days, you mean?
Agreed.
Hence and why I prefer the spelling Xmas* as it is entirely unclear precisely what we are celebrating apart from the thing itself. Maybe we are just celebrating the celebration?
* See also “Malcolm X”
I’m a cynic too – espcially about politicians and the like.
But in expressing your dislike to christmas as you do I’m afraid you come over churlish not cynical. Cynical is not accepting the exhortations of the government (or your night shift manager) to jolly well enjoy yourself – personally i do enjoy christmas, not so much for me personally as I don’t have children, but lots of people absolutely love it and I am all in favour of innocent fun.
Of course there’s lots to be cynical about – corporate exploitation especially, dodgy advertising and so forth, but really for the non religious like me, it’s a time that everybody can enjoy together in their own way, be with their families, eat together drink together, take a couple of days off – the good outweighs the bad by a longway.
Unfortunately, yours is a fairly typical response and one that assumes that we should all like the same things. It is not churlish to dislike Christmas. Not everyone has the same likes and dislikes. I have never forced my preferred activities on others. Why, therefore should they force theirs on me? And don’t they just; from early October we get it stuffed down our throats. By the time late December arrives, I’m heartily sick of the whole thing.
Sure, it’s nice to have a couple of days off – not that I’ll be getting that much this year – but all the enforced (and fake) jollity galls, frankly. I find the whole thing tasteless, gaudy and facile. If it really meant anything at all, goodwill to all men would apply all year, not just for the couple of days when people like to feel good about themselves.
Actually, on that thought, it’s probably not me who is the cynic here…