Anyone else dropping Christmas this year?

[s1mplehumar]

Absolutely not! I NEED things. Recession? Economic meltdown? Pffft.

[Hatta]

Actually I just bought my first Christmas tree ever. Skipping the Christmas with my family this year and just having it with my GF and her daughter. I'd be just as well skipping the whole thing altogether, but kids love christmas.

I've gotta say though, owning my own Christmas tree is a pretty strange feeling.

[dire51]

Not giving it up, just celebrating it with my wife, kids and roommate.

[nate]

I'd like to. it was great when I was a kid but now it's just more work. I'd be more interested in diverting all the cash spent on frivolous crap to the poor and hungry. but I feel obligated when others spend money on me.

[darthmunky]

No way. Christmas is the most fun time of the year. Even if there was no presents or big dinner. I just love the festivities and nostalgic feel of Christmas. Especially the Christmas specials on tv.

[Inazuma]

I decided to stop celebrating Christmas years ago but always ended up being forced to participate by family and friends. However, this year is different. Finally I got everyone to understand that I do not celebrate it. There are no gifts from or to me, and I didn't have to help set up any decorations. It's really nice.

There are two reasons I don't celebrate Christmas. One is the religious aspect. I'm a rational guy. The other is the obligation to spend money on presents and decorations. I don't have a problem with buying gifts for others and I actually do that sometimes. Hell, just this morning I gave a friend a gift. I just hate the idea of being forced to do it. Gifts lose their meaning when done out of obligation. "Here you go man. I got you this present because I was forced to do it. It's the thought that counts, right?"

I don't celebrate any of the other bullshit holidays either. I like the ones that are based on truth and don't involve spending money.

According to the wiki:

A holiday is, in the English-speaking world, a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observation is warranted

We have so many "holidays" that are based on fraud (religion) or straight up "spend money!" bullshit, like Sweetest Day. It's a joke. Because of these "scam days", the real holidays like Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday seem to go by mostly unnoticed.

[Limewater]

I'm a rational guy.

Post of the Week?

[Frag Mortuus]

I whole heartedly agree that people have lost the true spirit of the holiday season (Thanksgiving included). I hate that people get so carried away and go overboard with the shopping. I LOVE giving people gifts that they really use. My wife always asks for things that would be cool to have but she would never use, so I plan for months ahead of what to get her. This year one of her gifts is a Bob Marley's "Songs of Freedom". She loves Bob Marley but has never asked for any of his music. Every time she hears his music she jams out, but never thinks to ask for his stuff, I think she will play the heck out this box set.

Also I think that Christmas is a time when people actually remember those that are less fortunate. My wife and I picked a child off of the Angel Tree (Im not sure if this is just a local thing) that the Salvation Army sponsors. He had a list of toys he wanted and his clothing sizes. We got everything on his list (which was only about 6 inexpensive things), some other toys and bought him a bunch of clothes. Our out look was that he was only 5 years old and he wouldnt understand why Santa didnt come to see him this year.

Even after our child is born and is old enough to understand what Christmas is we are still going to do the Angel Tree and we are going to have our child pick out toys for the other kids because we want them to understand the importance of helping others out. We dont donate throughout the year because we dont always have the money with bills and honestly just living the kind of life that we want but we do make sure that we try to help out those less fortunate and that they get to have a great holiday as well.

We also usually do Penny Arcades Childs Play but I lost my job back in August and we decided it was best that I finish up school while I can get unemployment, and since money isnt as plentiful as it usually is we opted out of Childs Play this year.

Lastly I do agree that Christmas can be very stressful, but it can also be very rewarding as well.

[Luke]

Because of these "scam days", the real holidays like Luke's Birthday seem to go by mostly unnoticed.

Fixed that.

[Xonticus]

Because of these "scam days", the real holidays like Luke's Birthday seem to go by mostly unnoticed.

Fixed that.

+1 to you...

I'm a rational guy.

Post of the Week?

...and another +1 to you fine gentlemen.
I'm in a giving mood I guess you could say!