[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Yes, lovely time of the year.
Decorating the house, the lights on the trees.
Organising the food, all good.
I love the quiet times as well, watching the carols or a Christmas service, even though I am not religious, all tradition really.

The best part is having our family all together, it seems to be getting smaller every year

Time those kids of mine started breeding.

You may not be religious smudgie, but it's nice to hear that you enjoy carols and watching a Christmas service.

When you really analyse Christmas, isn't it true that whether they're aware of it or not, whether they intend it to be that way or not, even the most atheistic of households are living proof of Christ's message -- that people are gathering together in love and harmony because of him? For Christmas means 'Christ's Mass'.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by smudgie

Yes, lovely time of the year.
Decorating the house, the lights on the trees.
Organising the food, all good.
I love the quiet times as well, watching the carols or a Christmas service, even though I am not religious, all tradition really.

The best part is having our family all together, it seems to be getting smaller every year

Time those kids of mine started breeding.

..hawww, I do know what you mean..not the breeding bit because I have no longings to become a grandmother but just that it's hard when they're older and have partners and their families to consider as well so they can't always be with you in the same way...I think the first time I went through the whole woe is me bit and it's just not going to be the same etc for a short while and then realised that 'traditions' are there for us to make and that Christmas can be any day or time of day we wanted it to be and be what we wanted it to be...last year my eldest did the two Christmas dinner thing so Christmas lunchtime was Christmas evening and just as special..but yeah, 'shrinking families' can feel sad because it feels like a loss..but the plus is that we get to spend all of that lovely time with our OHs and don't have to play Monopoly and such board games on a loop so much and get to chill a bit more.....

[Jay.]

yeah, we're not religious but it's just nice. I love buying presents and stuff. I'm so excited!
Although I am friends with a few people who don't because of religion etc.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by Livia

Yes, we have turkey... everything except the little sausages in bacon, in fact. Crackers, presents, a tree... it's a lovely time of year.

In return I would encourage everyone to celebrate Hanukkah too! Eight nights of presents... what's not to love?

One of my best friends growing up was Jewish so I spent Hanukkah with her family and she spent Christmas with mine.....December was just a big present fest

[Jake.]

Yes

[Crimson Dynamo]

I cant wait for the John Lewis advert

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by rubymoo

This for me too, i do enjoy Christmas but for me it's lost meaning, it has become more apparent that it's a commercialised money making holiday, because i'm not a religious person i'm trying to find out what Christmas means to me......some may say family, but my family is my kids and husband, there is no proper extended family in my case, and whilst i do enjoy watching my kids open their presents i always wonder what it's really all about, i really would be happy to celebrate Christmas every other year. Some people may say it's a time to spend time with friends and family, but don't we do that anyway? And then there's the gluttony that goes with it......

Agree with you Ruby, for me I enjoy the atmosphere and the sense of anticipation, and the leadup, Christmas movies, light etc but I hate the commercialism and the tat that is exchanged often because we feel we have to rather than we want to, all that money spent on rubbish presents that people don't want or need, and all the over eating. I also hate all then pressure to meet "before Christmas"

[rubymoo]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Agree with you Ruby, for me I enjoy the atmosphere and the sense of anticipation, and the leadup, Christmas movies, light etc but I hate the commercialism and the tat that is exchanged often because we feel we have to rather than we want to, all that money spent on rubbish presents that people don't want or need, and all the over eating. I also hate all then pressure to meet "before Christmas"

Glad i'm not on my own Cherie

I feel like in my case i was bought up with Christmas and it was a none religious occasion, i've carried it on with my children, i've become like the masses who buy gifts, get the tree up, buy the tv guide and i know i sound like a humbug but, for me, it's getting more difficult to celebrate, so much so that i might when my girls are adults celebrate Thanksgiving (even though i'm British) and that occasion will be a lovely meal, a few nice gifts bought out of love and being thankful for what i have, many might say why don't i just view Christmas this way? Because of what Christmas stands for, the commercialism, the greed, the need to comply.......i don't want to comply anymore!

I do know that Thanksgiving has religious roots, i think for me Christmas is my issue.

[T*]

Originally Posted by Livia

Yes. It's not my faith, but I still do all the Christmas stuff not including going to church. And I suppose I have that in common with 90% of people who would consider themselves Christians.

Basically this!
I'm not religious but I do everything except for the churchy stuff.

[Crimson Dynamo]

Having been to church many times on Christmas day you aint missing much, its crap, its a short service, no one pays attention, the minister does not really know what to do as its not a Sunday and folks just want to get back home and on the sherry

[InOne]

Yeah but the build up is bigger than the actual day itself. I like all the Christmas TV and what not.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Having been to church many times on Christmas day

[Livia]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

Having been to church many times on Christmas day...............

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Livia

the candle fell of the altar by its own accord

[jackc1806]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

the candle fell of the altar by its own accord