For the conventional gift-giving winter holidays:
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Not just an exercise in consumerism (Score:5, Insightful)
Christmas, followed shortly by Valentine's Day, is nothing short of an embarrassment to the modern person.
Why? They are forced to realize how little they know or care (or in reverse, are known or cared about) about other people. This "spirit of Christmas" and "romantic Valentine's Day" stuff should happen all the time and not just on two designated days of the year.
Re:Not just an exercise in consumerism (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe the modern person who needs to make some lifestyle changes (or was unlucky enough to be dealt a shitty hand in life)...
I bought a fake palm tree decorated in Christmas lights for my mother as a joke and set it up in her living room while she was at work. It wasn't some cheapie either.. very well made and nice looking. I knew she would like it.. and she did. I can see the enjoyment she gets out of it.. and it'll probably be a family fixture for the next several years.
To me that kind of stuff is what the season is about. If people would get over how evil consumerism is and learn to relax a bit and enjoy themselves, I think we'd be a lot happier.
Bachelor (Score:4, Insightful)
Sorry, I'm in my 30's and a nerd with a job. For me, I'm living christmas every day of my life, if I want something, I just order it (yes I'm responsible with my money) - I have all the gadgets and toys I could ever want! (250$ on a second HP Microserver last week http://www.google.com.au/search?q=hp+microserver&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&authuser=0&ei=1GrqTujlKbGViAf10PiPBw&biw=1272&bih=1351&sei=12rqTpvJFrCwiQfWmO2VBw [google.com.au] (I really recommend it for a good little file server and torrent grabber) plus 300$ last night on some speakers for the PC, Battlefield 3 deserves to be played with the right sound levels!
As an Aussie, xmas is just about enjoying a BBQ with family and drinking a few beers, that's it for me.
â(TM)¥
Re:Done (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, I celebrate a secular mid-winter holiday, because that is the time of year when it's most appropriate to be with friends and family and treat yourself. The winter is tough, so we stay together, warm and happy. I don't buy stuff because I'm loyal to the day; I'm loyal to the people I love, and we enjoy the tradition.
But because I'm not the kind of atheist who shoves my (lack of) beliefs down throats, I call it Christmas.
missing option (Score:4, Insightful)
I give what I can, the missing option. I don't take note of the value of the gifts that I receive, that's not what giving is about.
Re:Done (Score:3, Insightful)
For me, Christmas is about families getting together, friends and workmates taking time to let each other know they are appreciated, and strangers making an effort to be more generous to each other. It's about celebrating good times with good food and thoughtful gifts, and sharing that celebrative spirit with those in your community through decorations, carols, or simple wishes of "merry Christmas".
It's the one festival that most people in my community celebrate at the same time, Christian & atheist alike (and many others, too - I have Jewish and Muslim friends who enjoy a little Christmas celebration, though I respect that many don't). We don't have Thanksgiving here, and don't really celebrate any other festive date, so Christmas is important.
I'm an atheist myself, but one who enjoys Christmas. Tim Minchin sums up my experience of Christmas very well with his song "White Wine in the Sun" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q).
Re:Done (Score:4, Insightful)
I've become more and more uninterested in people's opinions of what they think I believe. Once you cease to care if they hate you life becomes much better. I can get along with pretty much any religion now as long as they don't resort to physical violence. If they want to hate me I'm fine with that, just leave me alone.
Re:Bachelor (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Not just an exercise in consumerism (Score:5, Insightful)
Showing people that we care about each other should happen all the time, that's true.
Don't know about the gift-giving thing. There are ways to show that you care that don't involve how much money you throw at someone (and sometimes even if you do care about them a great deal, some are difficult to buy things for). To me, some nice words and a bit of time together are worth hundreds of the "things" we exchange.
Re:Not just an exercise in consumerism (Score:5, Insightful)
I think people get very caught up in the "expectation" of giving.
Giving a good gift to someone is always a joy. Getting them something because you're supposed to get them something is much less of one.
It's different in different families, too. My family never gave things too expensively, but there was a lot of hand-made stuff or trying to find the perfect gift. I go to my wife's family, and you can hardly see the tree for all of the boxes... half of which will end up getting returned, because grandma has some odd ideas of what young women like to wear.
And at first it felt kind of shallow, and consumerist... and then I watched her grandmother's face, and realized that this was the only way she knew or could think of to try to connect and show that she cared about her granddaughter. Which is sad... but very honest...
Which is the point of it all. To show someone that you care about them, and see that make them happy. However it ends up happening...
Spread it out (Score:5, Insightful)
If it happened every day it wouldn't be special.
Then give at random times throughout the year instead of holding it back until December.
Re:Not just an exercise in consumerism (Score:4, Insightful)