Is it just me, or........ (best, Maryland, Ohio, life)
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Tje main thing I don't like about holidays now is that the government has moved them, or almost all of them, to either Friday or Monday, so there's a long weekend instead of an actual date. When I was in grade school, the holidays were on the right date. Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays were on their real birthdays, not a generic President's Day. The Fourth of July was actually on July 4, not on the closest day to a weekend - at least people had parties and bbq's, but the fireworks were generally on a Friday or Sunday night. When I worked in the USCG Base library, Valentine's Day was ignored, but Black History month was a big deal. But when I went to work for the Native Association, so many of them were Russian Orthodox, we celebrated - and got off - both the Christian and Russian Christmas and New Year's. That meant one week was Christian Christmas, the next week was Western New Year's, then the 3rd week was Russian Orthodox Christmas, then the 4th week was Russian New Year's. The really big deal in town was Russian New Year's, there were major parties all over the place and in every bar or lounge or church. The only other holiday that came close as far as celebrating was the adult version of Halloween parties. There were a LOT of outstanding and outrageous costumes for that, and it was always October 31.
...........My suggestion, we should get all the proposed holidays off Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, the Muslim one (forgive me for not knowing)...............
I think you mean Ramadan........
But don't forget the other faiths that contribute to our world..............
Heathen:
Quote:
Jul--The celebration of the Norse New Year; a festival of 12 nights. This is the most important of all the Norse holidays. On the night of December 20, the god Ingvi Freyr rides over the earth on the back of his shining boar, bringing Light and Love back into the World. In later years, after the influence of Christianity, the god Baldur, then Jesus, was reborn at this festival. Jul signifies the beginning and end of all things; the darkest time (shortest hour of daylight) during the year and the brightest hope re-entering the world. During this festival, the Wild Hunt is at its greatest fervor, and the dead are said to range the Earth in its retinue. The god Wotan (Odin) is the leader of this Wild Ride; charging across the sky on his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir; a very awe-inspiring vision. In ancient times, Germanic and Norse children would leave their boots out by the hearth on Solstice Eve, filled with hay and sugar, for Sleipnir's journey. In return, Wotan would leave them a gift for their kindness. In modern times, Sleipnir was changed to a reindeer and the grey-bearded Wotan became the kindly Santa Claus (Father Christmas).
Sound familiar? How about Wiccan/Pagan?
Quote:
December 21 -- Winter Solstice -- Yule The sun is at its nadir, the year's longest night. We internalize and synthesize the outward-directed activities of the previous summer months. Some covens hold a Festival of Light to commemorate the Goddess as Mother giving birth to the Sun God. Others celebrate the victory of the Lord of Light over the Lord of Darkness as the turning point from which the days will lengthen. The name "Yule" derives from the Norse word for "wheel", and many of our customs (like those of the Christian holiday) derive from Norse and Celtic Pagan practices (the Yule log, the tree, the custom of Wassailing, et al).
Funny how so many of these things are incorporated into the Christian celebrations. It is clear, from the stories, both in the Bible and other historical records and non-canonical writings, that Jesus was NOT born in December during the winter solstice, but was more likely in the spring time (making Jesus more likely Aries or Taurus, not Capricorn). The Emperor Constitine had it changed to coincide with the Pagans of his day, most particularly the sun worship faithful (a strong contingent of his nations religious faithful....which is why we have church on Suns Day, not Shabbat).
But don't forget the other faiths that contribute to our world..............
Heathen:
Sound familiar? How about Wiccan/Pagan?
Funny how so many of these things are incorporated into the Christian celebrations. It is clear, from the stories, both in the Bible and other historical records and non-canonical writings, that Jesus was NOT born in December during the winter solstice, but was more likely in the spring time (making Jesus more likely Aries or Taurus, not Capricorn). The Emperor Constitine had it changed to coincide with the Pagans of his day, most particularly the sun worship faithful (a strong contingent of his nations religious faithful....which is why we have church on Suns Day, not Shabbat).
Yes, Ramadan. You bring up some good stuff about getting dates wrong and the calendar. I advocate for celebrating everything, that way we could shorten the work year to a month.
Well I'm with the majority here. I am so sick of the x-mas season. It continues to get longer every year as merchants realize how much more they can make. It's about sales and what did you buy me. Sure families still get together and "celebrate", but I feel that anymore it is only to fill the social obligation, and to save on gas and shipping to deliver those "gimmes". Honestly it just makes a mockery of the actual reason for the season.
The post holiday debt should be enough to open peoples eye and yet they do it year after year. I put on no act for this occasion. It's a load of crap that causes more problems than it's worth. As for the television hijacking, although I may hate it, I have the option to do something else or go rent some DVD's. This time of year I'm thankful for Spike and the Speed channel more than anything.....
Lol, you probably should have saved that for the Texas forums.
Why? It's more fun here! Don't worry, my whole fam damily is one big OU tribe. I have siblings going to OU and we hash it out every fall.
Now the OSU/Sooner game will really rock. TT had too big an emotional high from beating TX last week. (And they just plain sucked against OU!)
Hey, even a TX poster said he was hoping OU would win because TT beat Texas last week. It's all in fun. And next weekend will be great.
Back to the topic.
I don't go to malls and we don't watch too much TV. So I don't have the sensory overload that most people do. Besides, I have never spent megabucks on gifts, so I don't worry about that either. I just like xmas because I am a big galut who never grew up.
Well I'm an M.U.Terrapin fan, and I have to agree with you Goodpasture, I get so sick and tired of all this commercialization of the holidays.......of all of the holidays I much prefer Thanksgiving,it's for sharing.......and I'm really a big NASCAR fan..
One of the scariest days of my life was once when DH was watching a football game, and I realized I actually understood what was going on! As for sports in general, I like the down and dirty stuff more - mud bogging, demolition derbies, mule pulls, that kind of thing. And small local track horse races, the big ones are just too much - those poor horses, the thoroughbreds I mean - are running their hearts out when they aren't even old enough to be broken to ride yet.
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