Saturday, December 17, 2005

Tis the Season to be Idiots

I've got a few observations and comments to make about this Christmas season.

First: If you are not a Christian, married to a Christian, want to be a Christian, know a Christian, then what are you celebrating at this time of the year? Why does it have to be "Holiday tree" if this is a Christian holiday and I would think only Christians buy the trees. I'm still scratching my head over this one. It's a Christian holiday so it is a Christmas tree. Get over it! Merry Holidaymas?

Second: S L O W D O W N people. Today I am driving thru a residential area that has a 30 MPH speed limit. I'm a rule follower so I am cruising at 30 mph and a 5000 lb. SUV is drafting off the bumper of my 3000 lbs SUV. I know they get bad gas mileage, but how much can drafting at 30 mph help? I quickly slowed down and pulled over. This totally confused the driver behind me who gave me a stare of either "what are you doing idiot?" or "is everything okay?" Ironically about a minute later I caught this person at a stop light. HA HA HA!

Third: I think it is better to give than receive. It is fun picking things out for other people. I have a harder time having to wait until Christmas day for the recipient to open their gift than I do for opening my own gifts. It will definitely be fun to give to my children this year. They are 4 1/2 and 1 1/2. We bought mommy's gifts this morning.

Fourth: What is your favorite time or holiday of the year? I know some people get so excited about the shopping, giving, food and festivities of this season. Other's probably dread it. At one point in time Memorial Day weekend was my favorite time of the year because I always associated the end of school with this time of year. As I passed my 21st birthday I learned to enjoy this weekend mainly for the float trips we went on in Missouri. Usually the weather was just nice enough to brave the cold spring waters of the Meramec. Often times it rained, but we still went.

Fifth: Why all the white only lights? I think taste and style should include some colors. The best decoration I've ever come up with was the C7 medium sized red bulbs attached to the roof line. Then I attached the white ice cycle lights. I also put the C7 reds along my flower bed edging. Nice and unique. Just about EVERYBODY in this area has white only lights. I'd say about 80 %. Then we have Clark Griswold living at the end of our streets. One billion lights of ALL sizes and colors along with a nativity scene and a Santa scene.

Merry Christmas. I pray good things for you. May you have a season of hope as you prepare for a New Year.

14 comments:

Bill Victor said...

I am getting numb to the whole Xmas vs Holiday tree or any attempt to take Christ out of Christmas. The Christmas tree itself was not originally Christian. It was pagan (druid tree worshipers warding off evil spirits). The holiday itself was more about the winter solstice and Mithras prior to Christ's birth day. The early church did not even celebrate Christmas. So, whatever...Resurrection Sunday should be celebrated every Sunday. Christmas is fun, but let the pagans have their "holiday." We need to celebrate Advent and not place so much emphasis on all of the seasonal trappings.

The MAN Fan Club said...

After a little Christmas research I agree with your FACTS. It has gotten out of hand.

Pigs said...

I would like to comment on your red lightbulbs. I like that you add white to them because I think the houses that are done in all red look sort of Satanic. Like Halloween or something. Just my opinion.
I was always raised as "white lights are classy, colored lights are over the top" mentality. It stuck with me, but my sister rebels with her multi-colored goodness year after year. I'm just not a fan of the yard art. I like to look at other people's lights, but I'll just stick with my boring old candles in the windows. My neighbors tell me I'm boring. Hee!

jules said...

First-Merry CHRISTmas to you too.
Second-Ha! Dontcha love confusing other drivers...especially tailgaters?
Third-I'd so much rather shop for someone and find the "perfect" present, too.
Fourth-My favorite holiday is July 5th. LOVE the fireworks and the whole "Freedom" thing that makes our country what it is.
Fifth-Colored Lights, Colored Lights, Colored Lights!!!!!

The MAN Fan Club said...

Reply to pigs: Talk about traditional. Those candles in the windows are a safe thing. Easy to install also. I like some color, not over the top.

The MAN Fan Club said...

Reply to jules: The 4th is my brother's favorite also. He spends up to $1000 in fireworks, beer, food, etc. Many of the mid-Missouri leeches come out and enjoy that weekend at my brother's expense. He complains if they show up, then complains if nobody shows up. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

I too am bothered about the whole "happy holiday" thing this year instead of "Merry Christmas". If it wasn't for Christ, we wouldn't be celebrating anything right now.

Anonymous said...

Ok I am a Christian and yes I am celebrating Christmas. I am so thankful that God sent His son to born and that I can recognize that and celebrate it. But there are lots of other people out there who are celebrating but not Christ. Jews are celebrating Hannukah, 2% of African Americans are celebrating Kwanzaa and lots of people are just celebrating Santa. So even though we Christians are celebrating Christmas there are other people out there that though we disagree with we can also respect.

Eddie said...

I'm with Pigs. White lights are classy.

The MAN Fan Club said...

Reply to anonymous: Yes, this was originally a pagan holiday and I think it may still be.

The MAN Fan Club said...

Reply to Deanna: I guess we can celebrate a Merry Christmas until the 25th and then turn it to Happy Holidays.

The MAN Fan Club said...

Reply to cousineddie: I like white lights if there aren't too many. We have a guy in our neighborhood with about 6 different kinds/sizes of white lights. Some draped distastefully from trees then onto bushes. I like the crisp white outline of the house.

Artistic Soul said...

I'm with billyv on this one - those of us who celebrate CHRISTmas with out the Christ part are often those who follow the more pagan, wiccan, druidic paths. While the Yule log is actually more important in these spiritual paths, the tree does serve its own purpose.

I like the white lights, but I like the colors too - just not the houses that are decked out in so many that it blinds you as you drive up! (or that one on the internet that lit up to music!!)

Totally with you on people slowing down. I have been in more "almost" accidents than I have in the last year combined.

"Ms. Cornelius" said...

Not really feeling it right now. Kids gave fluffy me LOTS of cookies, which my hub will enjoy and then get to enjoy blaming me for the expansion of the love handles, so it's a gift that just keeps on giving.

I love July 4 because I think about how much I appreciate the freedoms I have as an American woman, especially the part where I can criticize the government and not end up in a gulag or a meatgrinder. It's also the middle of summer.

I, too, am an advent person, and I think people hanging Christmas trees upside down or calling them "holiday trees" are just trying to set my teeth on edge.

I suspect that there's an attempt to further secularize the season to encourage rampant indebtedness on the parts of consumers who would not otherwise toss their money (more likely credit) around for a holiday that had even a thin veneer of religious content. I thought I was just being paranoid until the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives started making field trips to Chicago-area malls to encourage shoppers to "do their duty" as consumers for the good of the economy. Then I got freaked out....