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Bicycle Bill here. I've got something to post, and I know there are some people here who may consider me a Grinch for posting it. That's fine; I'm OK with that.

Elsewhere on this board you can find threads about what people want for Christmas, and ostentatious, over-the-top lighting displays. Pick up a local paper this time of year and you'd swear you're paying for it by the pound of paper, what with all the holiday sale flyers in there. Christmas now threatens to crowd Thanksgiving off the calendar completely, as the fourth Thursday in November now seems reserved more for planning the "Black Friday" assault as shoppers prepare to storm the stores at dawn the following day, much as the Allies stormed Normandy on D-Day.

Now I'm not saying that this should all be banned or eliminated. I do feel that the importance being given to such displays and activities needs to be ramped down, though.

I'm not going to go into a long didactic screed about Christmas versus Hanukkah versus the pagan celebration of the solstice. Frankly, that's a death spiral I would just as soon avoid. But I will point out the one concept common to these holidays: They were all originally a thanksgiving celebration for a specific event or occurrence. The shepherds at the manger were not there trying to out-do their fellows, they were giving thanks to God for the gift of the Messiah. The Hanukkah menorah is still, when you get right down to it, a candelabra intended to provide light rather than smug self-satisfaction; and is a tangible reminder of a thankful time when the early Jews were able to reclaim their temple. Even the pagans, welcoming the return of the sun in the days following the winter solstice, were giving thanks for its return.

So why all of a sudden this preoccupation with high-tech, computer-synched lighting displays; spending hundreds of dollars at the local mall in the attempt to purchase the "ultimate gift"; and the general reluctance to just slow down, take some time, and enjoy the holiday for what it is? This is supposed to be a celebration, people, not a contest or a competition.

So turn off the Christmas machine; pull the plug on the lights for a while; stay home with the people important to you. Instead of trying to show them with store-bought items that they are important to you and you love them, *TELL* them that. Don't expect a GPS, or a brand-new 54-inch LCD flat-panel HDTV, or even a new car to do it for you.

-"BB"-

I don't really see the hype because I choose not to recognize it. I also know I am a thrifty person and sales like black friday make it possible for my family to have a far better Christmas. Plus, at this point, black friday is like date night for hubby and me.

My kiddos only believe in Santa for so long and I want to make sure that each and every year that they do, that Santa comes through above and beyond expectations. I remember having to have the Santa talk with my daughter several years ago (there's a thread about it somewhere on BN), and it was absolutely heartbreaking. Even so, she appreciates Christmas because she knows that Santa will come through for her on Christmas Day, even if Mom and Dad don't throughout the year.

Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

I stink at posting links but if you can find this, it may give you a chuckle.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu63xUCpLI ... com/ditto/

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

Even with gluten issues? My kids are still going through their Halloween candy.

I was just telling my wife yesterday that Christmas does not seem to be a big a deal as past years but maybe that's just me. I'm sure it will pick up next week. My kid can't wait however.
I have not noticed Christmas overload on BN but if there is so what?
We like putting up lights, cranking Christmas Island and exchanging gifts, all of that, together as a family. And I do not think that these are things that have happened "all of a sudden".

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

Even with gluten issues? My kids are still going through their Halloween candy.

See, candy at our house is easy (Santa always brings the safe stuff). With Halloween candy, Tony gets Victoria's gluten candy. Victoria gets Tony's peanut candy. Mom takes all the candy that has peanuts AND gluten. Problem solved.

Dairy allergies have got to be a beyotch on halloween.

I look at it this way - Christmas is for kids. Like Mal when my son was young and believed in Santa we went all out. Now not so much. I hate Christmas decorations out before Halloween. I hate shopping for Christmas. It always seems that Don buys crap right before the Christmas season that could be presents. My son is a grown man (crap it hurts to say that too) and I never really know what to get him; if I didn't get a list I'd be SOL. One of these days I may have grandkids. Then they will be spoiled rotten by Santagrandma.

ph4ever wrote:I look at it this way - Christmas is for kids. Like Mal when my son was young and believed in Santa we went all out. Now not so much. I hate Christmas decorations out before Halloween. I hate shopping for Christmas. It always seems that Don buys crap right before the Christmas season that could be presents. My son is a grown man (crap it hurts to say that too) and I never really know what to get him; if I didn't get a list I'd be SOL. One of these days I may have grandkids. Then they will be spoiled rotten by Santagrandma.

Something Connie forgot to mention is that she drops hints to me for what to get her. Then I have to tell her that hints go right over my head unless she writes the word HINT on a brick and hits me in the head with it.

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

Even with gluten issues? My kids are still going through their Halloween candy.

See, candy at our house is easy (Santa always brings the safe stuff). With Halloween candy, Tony gets Victoria's gluten candy. Victoria gets Tony's peanut candy. Mom takes all the candy that has peanuts AND gluten. Problem solved.

Dairy allergies have got to be a beyotch on halloween.

Yeah, the dairy throws a huge wrench into things. Anything with peanuts or no labels go to mom and dad. Anything with dairy goes to Ari unless it has nuts, then it goes to mom and dad. It's hard to find dairy candy without nuts though (that includes the manufactured on shared equipment).
We end up trading the kids their allergic candy for swedish fish, chewable lifesavers and nut free/dairy free chocolate. Starbursts are popular too; I need to remember to get those next year for the swap.

pair8head wrote:

ph4ever wrote:I look at it this way - Christmas is for kids. Like Mal when my son was young and believed in Santa we went all out. Now not so much. I hate Christmas decorations out before Halloween. I hate shopping for Christmas. It always seems that Don buys crap right before the Christmas season that could be presents. My son is a grown man (crap it hurts to say that too) and I never really know what to get him; if I didn't get a list I'd be SOL. One of these days I may have grandkids. Then they will be spoiled rotten by Santagrandma.

Something Connie forgot to mention is that she drops hints to me for what to get her. Then I have to tell her that hints go right over my head unless she writes the word HINT on a brick and hits me in the head with it.

My wife knows I am so shopping disabled she buys gifts for herself, gives them to me and then has to remind me to give them to her. Just last night I gave my wife a Chanukah gift that she bought for herself *last year* and I forgot to give to her. When I do get a good guft, it makes it all the more special.

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

Even with gluten issues? My kids are still going through their Halloween candy.

See, candy at our house is easy (Santa always brings the safe stuff). With Halloween candy, Tony gets Victoria's gluten candy. Victoria gets Tony's peanut candy. Mom takes all the candy that has peanuts AND gluten. Problem solved.

Dairy allergies have got to be a beyotch on halloween.

Yeah, the dairy throws a huge wrench into things. Anything with peanuts or no labels go to mom and dad. Anything with dairy goes to Ari unless it has nuts, then it goes to mom and dad. It's hard to find dairy candy without nuts though (that includes the manufactured on shared equipment).
We end up trading the kids their allergic candy for swedish fish, chewable lifesavers and nut free/dairy free chocolate. Starbursts are popular too; I need to remember to get those next year for the swap.

Skittles is a good non-dairy, non-nut, non-gluten candy.

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:

buffettbride wrote:

Hockey Mon wrote:Well, I wrote up a bunch of stuff and then deleted it. I've got some opinions on this but I'll hold onto them for a while.

Bill, I hear ya. It can be overwhelming. I really dislike how a shopping center near me puts up wreaths on Nov 1. I think our nation's affluencey (and subsequent preoccupation with "stuff") is one cause for what you wrote about. I can only say that I'm trying to teach my kids that it's not all about gifts (but that can be damn hard for a 6 year old).

I do have to say that it p*sses me off to see Christmas stuff up at the same time as Halloween stuff. Halloween is sacred.

Even with gluten issues? My kids are still going through their Halloween candy.

See, candy at our house is easy (Santa always brings the safe stuff). With Halloween candy, Tony gets Victoria's gluten candy. Victoria gets Tony's peanut candy. Mom takes all the candy that has peanuts AND gluten. Problem solved.

Dairy allergies have got to be a beyotch on halloween.

Yeah, the dairy throws a huge wrench into things. Anything with peanuts or no labels go to mom and dad. Anything with dairy goes to Ari unless it has nuts, then it goes to mom and dad. It's hard to find dairy candy without nuts though (that includes the manufactured on shared equipment).
We end up trading the kids their allergic candy for swedish fish, chewable lifesavers and nut free/dairy free chocolate. Starbursts are popular too; I need to remember to get those next year for the swap.

Skittles is a good non-dairy, non-nut, non-gluten candy.

So is an apple. That's nature's candy you know...

My wife and I do not exchange gifts anymore and it never was anything big when we did.
The best gift that ever I got her was a probably radar detector a couple of years back and I'm sure it has paid for itself many times.

Hockey Mon wrote: So is an apple. That's nature's candy you know...

Apples on halloween are get-your-ass-kicked candy.

I noticed today at Home Depot that the tractor section was back to being a tractor section. They pulled all the tractors (riding mowers I mean) out in OCTOBER! and put in fake x-mas trees and other sorted holiday crap. I remember going in there to find something and I howled in disgust about it.

Not ONE x-mas tree around in the store today.

So that's one less holiday overload for ya Bill! A small victory!

Celebrating Christimas is a very personal thing. It means different things to different people

To some it is purely a religious holiday. To others it is a celebration of family and friends. Some thrive on the shopping and card writing. Some find it a wonderful occasion to go to or host parties. to some it is Santa. To some it is Jesus. To some it is all about making their kid's eyes light up.

I love to see people enjoying themselves....and to see them happy...so I never worry about how people celebrate...I'm just happy that they do.