Quote from Molgera

Merry Christmas everyone!

NEIN NEIN NEIN CHRISTMAS

Quote from Jutsu

Quit stealing my thunder.

Don't tell me what to do, bitch.

Quote from Scarecrow

speaking of christmas, merry consumerism holiday everybody

How Scarecrow-like of you lol.

Christmas really does just drain your wallet though. Like omg. I considered prostitution for a brief moment to pay for all that shit. Thank god that's over. But then my mom just mentioned how she wants me to pay for this trip to Orlando in May and I'm just liek fuuuuuuuu. I'm supposed to be saving up. At least I get discounts at other hotels cause I work at a hotel.

Quote from Firefly

Don't tell me what to do, bitch.

I can and I will. So watch your mouth before you catch two black eyes and a fat lip for Christmas.

Edit: I just realized that could be construed as racist.

Quote from Almond

It is English not the mother language of your country?

Well, it's not necessarily about that, because I live in America(English). But I was raised by my parents, having moved here from Romania a few years before my birth (now 20 years ago), so all I knew was Romanian until I started attending public schools and even afterwards, because we live in a Romanian community. Now I kinda know both fluently... :/ That's why I asked, to see if anyone else had interesting stories or if they even know a second language. It's very useful...

Quote from Firefly

Don't tell me what to do, bitch.


How Scarecrow-like of you lol.

Christmas really does just drain your wallet though. Like omg. I considered prostitution for a brief moment to pay for all that shit. Thank god that's over. But then my mom just mentioned how she wants me to pay for this trip to Orlando in May and I'm just liek fuuuuuuuu. I'm supposed to be saving up. At least I get discounts at other hotels cause I work at a hotel.

society and media have imposed an expectation to buy gifts for people for one particular day. superficially, it sounds like a pleasant idea, but it's become commercialized and meaningless. gifts purchased as christmas presents are based on material desires and sales rather than as something that might actually mean something to the recipient. a lot of gifts aren't even appreciated. the same goes for birthdays.

if you really feel like giving a gift to someone that they will genuinely appreciate, you shouldn't need an excuse to get it for them. but with at least two designated gift-recieving days per person, people seem to have forgotten this in favour of simply getting the forced occasions out of the way with meaningless presents.

Quote from Scarecrow

society and media have imposed an expectation to buy gifts for people for one particular day. superficially, it sounds like a pleasant idea, but it's become commercialized and meaningless. gifts purchased as christmas presents are based on material desires and sales rather than as something that might actually mean something to the recipient. a lot of gifts aren't even appreciated. the same goes for birthdays.

if you really feel like giving a gift to someone that they will genuinely appreciate, you shouldn't need an excuse to get it for them. but with at least two designated gift-recieving days per person, people seem to have forgotten this in favour of simply getting the forced occasions out of the way with meaningless presents.

pfffft
Raptor pleasee

If it weren't for holidays, nobody would care about the transitions between years.

Quote from The Organization

If it weren't for holidays, nobody would care about the transitions between years.

what of it?

Oh , iFunny, how you help me in my times of need... Christmas went by too fast, just like every year ;_;
Here's one for those who need it and for those who missed it:

Enjoy :D

since the other year end holidays are either: to selective(Hanukkah), not mainstream enough(Kwanzaa), or not abstract enough (New year's), Christmas is the most optimal choice for commercializing, along with the story of the gift giving at the birth of christ, its almost a natural extension. Not to mention the whole gift giving thing goes a long way back, so tradition has as big a role as the media in the mentality.

Kind of the same thing that happened with the Feast of Saint Valentine and All Hollow's Eve

Quote from Cronos

rant swag (Click to Show)

Christmas (different name, longer time period) was actually a non theistic holiday to begin with. Before Christianity came along and corrupted it with it's bullshit.

No one celebrates Christmas religiously. It's a winter festival type event. It's globally recognized as an excuse to give/receive gifts, get time off work and spend time with family. It isn't in the slightest about Jesus or any other aspect of Christianity ("oh but christianity introduced all of these loving morals". No. No it didn't).

It's just a cultural festival that experienced theistic corruption from Christianity at one point. As such, no one celebrates these religious themes because they are irrelevant.

As for Muslims that choose not to celebrate Christmas. That's hilarious to me. You're forfeiting a global festival in order to prevent yourselves from contradicting your own religion by enjoying a holiday with almost no religious themes anymore; just because it's stupidly recognized as a predominately Christian event, when it is no such thing.

/rant

It sort of agree. Most people still see christmas as a religious holiday because they think it celebrates the birth of jesus. I'm not really sure whether it did or did not, but nowadays it's really just a social thing now, that I personally would celebrate, and it isn't wrong in Islam's terms to celebrate a social holiday.

Quote from Jutsu

I can and I will. So watch your mouth before you catch two black eyes and a fat lip for Christmas.

Edit: I just realized that could be construed as racist.

Nigga, don't talk shit to my bitches

Quote from Firefly

Christmas really does just drain your wallet though. Like omg. I considered prostitution for a brief moment to pay for all that shit. Thank god that's over. But then my mom just mentioned how she wants me to pay for this trip to Orlando in May and I'm just liek fuuuuuuuu. I'm supposed to be saving up. At least I get discounts at other hotels cause I work at a hotel.

Jesus fucking christ, Firefly, I hope that's meant as a joke.


Anyway, I hope one day we can do away with all these bullshit holidays and replace them with seasonal holiday festivities. Just Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter holidays.
Call me a pagan or heathen, but I appreciate the balance that Seasons bring.

I never liked how people use it as justification to over indulge. Not that I see anything wrong with indulgence, but I just want people to be honest about it to themselves. Then they pretend it's something it's not, talking about how it's about giving. But is it? Sometimes I think that it's just a self perpetuating social construct. When you get someone else a gift, whether it be by their permission or not, socially their expected to return the favor. So you're not only giving them a gift, but also placing social expectations on them too. Though I suppose it doesn't matter so much if you don't actually care if their feelings are reciprocated and just like free gifts.

I've noticed some people use it as an excuse to satisfy their hunger for consumerism. How many times have I heard "Oh I have to get a gift for so and so." only to watch the same people flustered by bills the month after, because of their grevous over spending? Justification to purchase exorbitant possessions for others. Then to turn around and fuel themselves with the stress they knew it would place on themselves. So they can be pitied for their self inflicted financial woes by others further feeding into their appetite to continually be strained and pressured by the life of fear they chose to live in.
Edit: Humans really are efficient machines.
But I digress.

It can be a frustrating and unpleasant holiday if you're broke, down and out. It feels shitty to get gifts from lots of friends/family and you don't know why. I mean sure you love these people and they might love you too, but that only exasperates you further. You may ask "Why do they bother?" or think to yourself "I'd rather they didn't, I've got nothing I can give back." and tell yourself "I don't really deserve to have Christmas with any of these people". I mean, is it because they think you're in some way charming? Entertaining? Sure you're a sarcastic prick that can make them laugh, but you're not witty like they think you are and you're not really that funny. You've got no money to your name, you can't make them feel rewarded.

But then you'd also realize that the friends you chose and the loved ones you've surrounded yourself with aren't shallow pricks. The universe doesn't revolve around you. You didn't stop to consider that perhaps the people getting gifts for you are doing it because it makes THEM feel good. And who are you to deny them the chance to feel good? After all if you being uncomfortable briefly brings that happiness to these people, it's really the only gift you can give them. To be gracious and loving. Don't you strive to be loving and giving, to be the best person you can be every day of your life?

Really you just resent that some of these people are fretting so hard over being a good person for just one day. On your behalf no less. Jealous that they can give in ways you can't. Whether or not their intent is materialistic, for profit or sincere. Why would you want to hurt them for giving you gifts? You can still be honest with them and express your discomfort with them getting you these gifts, but you can also express exuberance and thanks for what you recieve. You can still make humor and bring them laughter, make them smile. It may be one of the only gifts you can give. Just give what you can and be loving and loyal to their friendship/kinship and they'll be understanding.


The title is irrelevant. Christmas is only the most common name and date that this ritual has. Don't you think that what lies past the surface is not about giving, but instead something else? And that this may be the only way that they know how to find this fulfillment? If they give love, love them back. If they show appreciation, then appreciate them. That's literal, honest reciprocation. Yes.

What I'm trying to say is, I have no fucking idea what I'm talking about.

Quote from The Organization

pfffft
Raptor pleasee

You called?

Quote from Jombo

YOU GUYS, shut up your talking and listen to this. I got AoE2 HD and The Forgotten expansion today and it rules. It's currently 50% off on Steam so you can get both for 15 dollars. That's a fuckin' steal! Get it so I can battle you. The multiplayer is simple as hell now to connect. It's also in like 11 different languages and they all have voice overs for the campaigns and stuff.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/221380/

I would, but I've never played AoE before and I don't have the time to invest learning how to play a new strategy game. Thanks for the offer, I might look into AoE later, even when the sale's off.

Quote from Raptor

You called?

Do you have a "Raptor please." sensor in you're profile or something?