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That time of year again isn't it ? Christmas ! Those of you like me who work in any kind of shop will know that most of the cards, the decorations, the sweets e.t.c are all sittin in storage right now, the layout's are all done and the yearly scrp over who gets what days off has begun.
It's really common now to say the the spirit of Christmas has gone, lost in marketing and the massive amount of money spent at this coming time of year. Sure, most people have an idea about why we have the holiday, Jesus' supposed day of brith somehow accurately dated despite being over 2000 odd years ago and the type of calender we use being changed...
But, when you look closer at the holiday, it isn't true. Santa Claus's legend began in part, in the 17th century when Saint Nicholas came to America with Dutch immigrants and got a reputation for giving gifts to children. Then, in the later 18th century a poem called A Visit From St Nicholas combined with Washington Irving's mention of a sleigh and then 19th century artist Thomas Nast produced drawings of a fat chap with a white beard dresse in red - Santa Claus ! Now there' nothing religious really about Santa because variations on this legend exist everywhere - Jultomten in Sweden, Uncle Santa in Japan, Grandfather Frost In Russia. All cultures have a figure like Santa who visits and give's gifts to children at a certain time of year.
Santa is definitely an important part of the Christmas Holiday isn't he ? He's not really religious so just because the christian religion say's most of us have lost the meaning of the holiday doesn't mean we have.
If anything, I think we've all got more into the spirit of it every year. Most of us visit family, friends, give gifts, eat too much, watch tv, sing carols, celebrate the new year e.t.c. Sure, maybe we spend too much, maybe we spoil some kids, it can be a lonely time of year for some people as well, like the old. Maybe religion is forgotten, but who cares, really ?
What matters is that from 24/12 to 1/1 most of us have a fun time and forget most of our, and the world's problems. We could do better, try and extend some holiday spirit to old people we know and friends, remember those people in the armed services who are abroad at that time of year away from their families - especially this year in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
It's never ever going to be totally perfect and fault free, but a good christmas doesn't have to have anything to do with religion or other stuff like that. There is something magic about at Christmas, I don't know what it is or even how to describe it, the 25th just always feels different somehow, same goes for the 24th....there's something.
Hope it snows this Christmas ! :)
~~Belldandy~~
It's really common now to say the the spirit of Christmas has gone, lost in marketing and the massive amount of money spent at this coming time of year. Sure, most people have an idea about why we have the holiday, Jesus' supposed day of brith somehow accurately dated despite being over 2000 odd years ago and the type of calender we use being changed...
But, when you look closer at the holiday, it isn't true. Santa Claus's legend began in part, in the 17th century when Saint Nicholas came to America with Dutch immigrants and got a reputation for giving gifts to children. Then, in the later 18th century a poem called A Visit From St Nicholas combined with Washington Irving's mention of a sleigh and then 19th century artist Thomas Nast produced drawings of a fat chap with a white beard dresse in red - Santa Claus ! Now there' nothing religious really about Santa because variations on this legend exist everywhere - Jultomten in Sweden, Uncle Santa in Japan, Grandfather Frost In Russia. All cultures have a figure like Santa who visits and give's gifts to children at a certain time of year.
Santa is definitely an important part of the Christmas Holiday isn't he ? He's not really religious so just because the christian religion say's most of us have lost the meaning of the holiday doesn't mean we have.
If anything, I think we've all got more into the spirit of it every year. Most of us visit family, friends, give gifts, eat too much, watch tv, sing carols, celebrate the new year e.t.c. Sure, maybe we spend too much, maybe we spoil some kids, it can be a lonely time of year for some people as well, like the old. Maybe religion is forgotten, but who cares, really ?
What matters is that from 24/12 to 1/1 most of us have a fun time and forget most of our, and the world's problems. We could do better, try and extend some holiday spirit to old people we know and friends, remember those people in the armed services who are abroad at that time of year away from their families - especially this year in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
It's never ever going to be totally perfect and fault free, but a good christmas doesn't have to have anything to do with religion or other stuff like that. There is something magic about at Christmas, I don't know what it is or even how to describe it, the 25th just always feels different somehow, same goes for the 24th....there's something.
Hope it snows this Christmas ! :)
~~Belldandy~~
That time of year again isn't it ? Christmas ! Those of you like me who work in any kind of shop will know that most of the cards, the decorations, the sweets e.t.c are all sittin in storage right now, the layout's are all done and the yearly scrp over who gets what days off has begun.
It's really common now to say the the spirit of Christmas has gone, lost in marketing and the massive amount of money spent at this coming time of year. Sure, most people have an idea about why we have the holiday, Jesus' supposed day of brith somehow accurately dated despite being over 2000 odd years ago and the type of calender we use being changed...
But, when you look closer at the holiday, it isn't true. Santa Claus's legend began in part, in the 17th century when Saint Nicholas came to America with Dutch immigrants and got a reputation for giving gifts to children. Then, in the later 18th century a poem called A Visit From St Nicholas combined with Washington Irving's mention of a sleigh and then 19th century artist Thomas Nast produced drawings of a fat chap with a white beard dresse in red - Santa Claus ! Now there' nothing religious really about Santa because variations on this legend exist everywhere - Jultomten in Sweden, Uncle Santa in Japan, Grandfather Frost In Russia. All cultures have a figure like Santa who visits and give's gifts to children at a certain time of year.
Santa is definitely an important part of the Christmas Holiday isn't he ? He's not really religious so just because the christian religion say's most of us have lost the meaning of the holiday doesn't mean we have.
If anything, I think we've all got more into the spirit of it every year. Most of us visit family, friends, give gifts, eat too much, watch tv, sing carols, celebrate the new year e.t.c. Sure, maybe we spend too much, maybe we spoil some kids, it can be a lonely time of year for some people as well, like the old. Maybe religion is forgotten, but who cares, really ?
What matters is that from 24/12 to 1/1 most of us have a fun time and forget most of our, and the world's problems. We could do better, try and extend some holiday spirit to old people we know and friends, remember those people in the armed services who are abroad at that time of year away from their families - especially this year in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
It's never ever going to be totally perfect and fault free, but a good christmas doesn't have to have anything to do with religion or other stuff like that. There is something magic about at Christmas, I don't know what it is or even how to describe it, the 25th just always feels different somehow, same goes for the 24th....there's something.
Hope it snows this Christmas ! :)
~~Belldandy~~
It's really common now to say the the spirit of Christmas has gone, lost in marketing and the massive amount of money spent at this coming time of year. Sure, most people have an idea about why we have the holiday, Jesus' supposed day of brith somehow accurately dated despite being over 2000 odd years ago and the type of calender we use being changed...
But, when you look closer at the holiday, it isn't true. Santa Claus's legend began in part, in the 17th century when Saint Nicholas came to America with Dutch immigrants and got a reputation for giving gifts to children. Then, in the later 18th century a poem called A Visit From St Nicholas combined with Washington Irving's mention of a sleigh and then 19th century artist Thomas Nast produced drawings of a fat chap with a white beard dresse in red - Santa Claus ! Now there' nothing religious really about Santa because variations on this legend exist everywhere - Jultomten in Sweden, Uncle Santa in Japan, Grandfather Frost In Russia. All cultures have a figure like Santa who visits and give's gifts to children at a certain time of year.
Santa is definitely an important part of the Christmas Holiday isn't he ? He's not really religious so just because the christian religion say's most of us have lost the meaning of the holiday doesn't mean we have.
If anything, I think we've all got more into the spirit of it every year. Most of us visit family, friends, give gifts, eat too much, watch tv, sing carols, celebrate the new year e.t.c. Sure, maybe we spend too much, maybe we spoil some kids, it can be a lonely time of year for some people as well, like the old. Maybe religion is forgotten, but who cares, really ?
What matters is that from 24/12 to 1/1 most of us have a fun time and forget most of our, and the world's problems. We could do better, try and extend some holiday spirit to old people we know and friends, remember those people in the armed services who are abroad at that time of year away from their families - especially this year in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
It's never ever going to be totally perfect and fault free, but a good christmas doesn't have to have anything to do with religion or other stuff like that. There is something magic about at Christmas, I don't know what it is or even how to describe it, the 25th just always feels different somehow, same goes for the 24th....there's something.
Hope it snows this Christmas ! :)
~~Belldandy~~
Christmas is a magical time, but all the razzle-dazzle build up does start too early.
I'm waiting to see which company gets in the first Christmas advert on TV.
Who d'you think it'll be? My moneys on either Argos or Sainsburys.
I'm waiting to see which company gets in the first Christmas advert on TV.
Who d'you think it'll be? My moneys on either Argos or Sainsburys.