Kia Ora,

Is Christmas something you celebrate ?

Is it a religious time for you ?

Is it a time for partying ?

Is it a time for family get togethers ?

Is it just time off from work ?

Is it just another day, nothing special ?

What does it mean for you, is it something special ?

This thread is open to all, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, Agnostics...Whoever wants to express themselves... * And not forgetting 'Pagans' after all it wouldn't be Xmas without them

Metta Zenda

I'm not religious, so it is about being with friends and truly being happy to spend a special day with them enjoying a feast and exchanging gifts. Merry Christmas! Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Devlyn on December 24, 2011, 04:45:22 PM
I'm not religious, so it is about being with friends and truly being happy to spend a special day with them enjoying a feast and exchanging gifts. Merry Christmas! Hugs, Devlyn

Kia Ora Devlyn,

And a MERRY XMAS back at ya 

I guess for many people it's still just a Pagan celebration...

Metta Zenda

It means I get paid to do what everyone wanting off isn't doing.

It means more money for the capitalists.

Quote from: Mahsa the disco shark on December 24, 2011, 11:09:04 PM
It means more money for the capitalists.

Kia Ora Elle,



Pink Floyd might be a bit before your time but still........................

  "Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad" [Farsi]

Metta Zenda

Metta Zenda

Lol Christmas means to me the same thing as Divali or Pi Day or any other holiday. It's an excuse to be happy and go through good motions.

It's a holiday. I get my friends together. We have a nice meal. Some years we exchange gifts. It's nice.  I'm not a big Christmas shopper. I've only been to a grocery store twice this month... nothing else.  And for Christmas dinner, I'm fixing a Tai curry chicken dish.

This year, my friends and I have been searching for the war on Christmas. We thought it might be entertaining to watch... but only one channel has any coverage.

Cindi

It means nothing special to me, it's a matter of fact I'm working, just like any other day.
The only difference is that it pays more, to work on that day.

For me it's a tough one to answer. On one hand, I get homesick. I miss my parents and brother. They live on the opposite side of the globe in 3 countries. We had great Christmases together. But I have my family over here too. And yet, since I started my transition, I have lost a lot of them too. So, beyond seeing my children unwrapping their gifts, it's just a reminder of the family times I miss most.

Sometimes it reminds me how broken and alone I am, and it can also make me feel incredible pressure to invite in or at least give presents to homeless people. They take gifts more graciously and joyfully than most anybody.

The materialism sometimes makes me feel like a stupid rich american.

The childishness and sparkliness of it all pleases me greatly.

Well then Felix, for this one Christmas, let us forget that which we miss and loathe. You are never alone. And you never will be. You have a daughter who loves you and you have us. What is broken about you can be fixed.
*hugs*
Merry Christmas Felix and my dear friends here. And my best to you and yours. ^_^

Quote from: Keaira on December 25, 2011, 03:40:15 AM
Well then Felix, for this one Christmas, let us forget that which we miss and loathe. You are never alone. And you never will be. You have a daughter who loves you and you have us. What is broken about you can be fixed.
*hugs*
Merry Christmas Felix and my dear friends here. And my best to you and yours. ^_^

This was great to hear last night.

I do not celebrate Christmas day. This year, it was just a Sunday.
We have celebrated the winter solstice since the prehistory.

Barbie~~

Kia Ora,

And thanks for your responses so far...

An interesting read for some and for others perhaps just old news ...

http://www.pocm.info/

Metta Zenda

It used to be a time when the family would get together (and I was always invited.)  I'd spend a lot of time playing with the kids until they exhausted me.  I really never clicked much with my siblings except one and she bowed out of family gatherings long ago.  But I would always do my best to be gracious. 

In 2006 the family gathered without me.  The ex and my kids were invited though.  (I was still over a year away from starting transition then but just the knowledge I was trans was enough for my family not to invite me.)  It was the first time in my life I was alone on Christmas.  That was tough. 

Christmas lost its meaning after that.  I used to hate it when the holidays rolled around.  Now I just see them as another day, except Christmas.  Now Christmas is that one day of the year the grocery stores are closed so if I'm close to running out of anything I need to remember to go out the day before to get it.  And this year the NFL scheduled all but one of their games on Saturday because Christmas fell on a Sunday.  That really threw me off!

Quote from: Julie Marie on December 26, 2011, 03:15:18 PM
It used to be a time when the family would get together (and I was always invited.)  I'd spend a lot of time playing with the kids until they exhausted me.  I really never clicked much with my siblings except one and she bowed out of family gatherings long ago.  But I would always do my best to be gracious. 

In 2006 the family gathered without me.  The ex and my kids were invited though.  (I was still over a year away from starting transition then but just the knowledge I was trans was enough for my family not to invite me.)  It was the first time in my life I was alone on Christmas.  That was tough. 

Christmas lost its meaning after that.  I used to hate it when the holidays rolled around.  Now I just see them as another day, except Christmas.  Now Christmas is that one day of the year the grocery stores are closed so if I'm close to running out of anything I need to remember to go out the day before to get it.  And this year the NFL scheduled all but one of their games on Saturday because Christmas fell on a Sunday.  That really threw me off!

Kia Ora Julie,

Sorry to hear you being shunned by your family...I don't celebrate it, apart from giving gifts[something practical] to my children...Boy was I peeved off when I found out there was no Santa, it put me right off Xmas 

Metta Zenda

For me, Christmas is just a chance for the family to get together. In my case, it isn't anything big since I don't consider anyone from my father's side to even be part of my family. So, it's mostly my Mom, my stepfather and his four sons. And of course Vilsu (cat) and Veeti (dog)!

I rarely see Mom these days so it means a lot to me to spend at least couple days with her.

Quote from: Felix on December 26, 2011, 06:24:24 AM
This was great to hear last night.

It was from the heart ^_^

It's just a time to relax, spend with family. I like the decorations and the atmosphere when everything is all Christmassy. I don't even mind crowded malls this time of year.