The meaning of Christmas

[Boris+]

Well Sue,

It's been a dizzying couple of days - but one of the first things I came up with was that I would like to be 'granny'. Getting back to the original title of this thread, I think that this will be a relatively quiet December.

It's just a time to look back over the entire year and be glad for all the good times; and maybe it will be also this year a time to look ahead for all the good times to come.

Em

[suespud]

The meaning of Christmas for me is family......friends..and goodwill to all men.
Yes I have faith and I do believe. Christmas is a celebration. Gifts are involved of course..but its more about the people.
Yes I go overboard with all my trees, the house decoration..the cakes..etc etc.
But it brings our much scattered family together. We see and make time for friends, as they do for us.
Traditions are carried on, and new ones made. Memories are put down.

I am a Christmas lover !!!!

[JenniC]

The meaning of Christmas for me is family......friends..and goodwill to all men.
Yes I have faith and I do believe. Christmas is a celebration. Gifts are involved of course..but its more about the people.
Yes I go overboard with all my trees, the house decoration..the cakes..etc etc.
But it brings our much scattered family together. We see and make time for friends, as they do for us.
Traditions are carried on, and new ones made. Memories are put down.

I am a Christmas lover !!!!

Perfectly lovely post

[Dancing Queen]

I thought that the whole point of a Christmas cruise was to get away from all the shopping and associated paraphernalia. Special circumstances led to us going away on a cruise last Christmas and it shaved a lot of bother, no tree, no decorations...

It is for us QBob but I know a lot of people still like to have their family Christmas festivities. I am just glad to get away from it all. Are we on the same one as DQueen this year ?

I'm on Cunard cubie so if you are with P&O that would be a no !!!

I wish it were that easy QBob I can just imagine the response if I didn't buy Xmas presents for the family, I would be more than happy to ignore it altogether, convincing others isn't that easy

[Suekersh]

Christmas for me means a cruise, preferably Caribbean. We still see family pre Xmas and exchange holiday gifts. Our family is spread out all over the country so it is much easier to have family gettogethers in the summer rather than Mid winter. I always said who ever thought of Christmas being in December must have lived in a hot country.

No religious meaning to us. It was great when the children were young but now it would just be hassle. A cruise is just perfect for us. Wake up to breakfast in bed with a bottle of champers. Lie in the sun all day listening to music or reading, Lunch and dinner cooked and cleared away for me. Dance the night away with DH. Perfect.

Sue

[Gill W]

These days, Christmas is a quiet time.

It's a chance to just stop the day to day round of activities, and relax and not do anything.

My husband and I exchange small presents, we cook a dinner with all the trimmings and enjoy ourselves together.

Our parents are no longer with us, and we find it is a time for happy memories and reflection. I like to look back over the years and I like that I can remember each Christmas Day back through the years.

However, we are cruising for Christmas 2014, so there will be a break with tradition.

[Delboy]

The meaning of Christmas for me is family......friends..and goodwill to all men.
Yes I have faith and I do believe. Christmas is a celebration. Gifts are involved of course..but its more about the people.
Yes I go overboard with all my trees, the house decoration..the cakes..etc etc.
But it brings our much scattered family together. We see and make time for friends, as they do for us.
Traditions are carried on, and new ones made. Memories are put down.

I am a Christmas lover !!!!

Sue

Dont think I could have put it better, from a fellow Christmas Lover

Derek.

[CaroleF]

I love Christmas, always have. So many wonderful memories of growing up and the Christmas traditions in our family. My father worked around 40 mins drive away from home and I shall always remember watching out of the window on Christmas Eve to see him park the car and come in with his arms full of presents - things he had bought on his own - always a surprise for my mother. We didn't have a lot of money but Christmas was always such a wonderful time, very much celebrated with the family. One Christmas my father bought a tape recorder - one of the old reel to reel ones and on Christmas Day he set it up to record the opening of the Christmas presents. So there is all my family on tape - I haven't heard it for a long time. We have an old reel to reel recorder but it doesn't work very well. I don't know if it's possible to have the tape put onto CD - it's one of those 4 track ones - two tracks on each side of the tape.

After both my parents had died it took me a long time to be able to listen to it - but such wonderful memories. I hope my husband and I have created lovely memories for our daughters - they both love Christmas so hopefully we have. My elder daughter is now creating memories for her two young children. Our granddaughter is now 4 so I think she'll have a real understanding of Christmas this year.

Carole

[david63]

I don't know if it's possible to have the tape put onto CD - it's one of those 4 track ones - two tracks on each side of the tape.

There are specialist companies that will do it but it is not cheap.

[Silver_Shiney]

I don't know if it's possible to have the tape put onto CD - it's one of those 4 track ones - two tracks on each side of the tape.

There are specialist companies that will do it but it is not cheap.

I went to my local radio station - they didn't charge me.

[Mo2013]

Sadly, there are a lot of people who are not interested in or haven't really thought about what the true meaning of Christmas is. They are not religious so I am puzzled as to why they 'celebrate' it at all, exchanging gifts etc.

[Gill W]

It's a natural time of year to celebrate.

It is said that the early Christians 'hijacked' the pagan celebrations, as people were used to celebrating at that time of year.

The Christian message is at the heart of it, but my Sikh and Moslem friends also celebrate too - they like to have the family time together, and as this a predominately Christian country, they want to join in too.

If it's something that is bringing people together, it's surely a good thing, even if the people celebrating aren't practising Christians.

[suespud]

The meaning of Christmas for me is family......friends..and goodwill to all men.
Yes I have faith and I do believe. Christmas is a celebration. Gifts are involved of course..but its more about the people.
Yes I go overboard with all my trees, the house decoration..the cakes..etc etc.
But it brings our much scattered family together. We see and make time for friends, as they do for us.
Traditions are carried on, and new ones made. Memories are put down.

I am a Christmas lover !!!!

Sue

Dont think I could have put it better, from a fellow Christmas Lover

Thanks Derek

Derek.

[suespud]

It's a natural time of year to celebrate.

It is said that the early Christians 'hijacked' the pagan celebrations, as people were used to celebrating at that time of year.

The Christian message is at the heart of it, but my Sikh and Moslem friends also celebrate too - they like to have the family time together, and as this a predominately Christian country, they want to join in too.

If it's something that is bringing people together, it's surely a good thing, even if the people celebrating aren't practising Christians.

Totally agree Gill.

[Dancing Queen]

I think as children we were probably all brought up to know the meaning of Christmas if not at home certainly at school.

I do think these days it is far too commercialised but I would assume schools still teach the meaning of it, I hope so

[david63]

... I would assume schools still teach the meaning of it, I hope so

Not sure that they are allowed to these days for fear of offending "other" religions.

[Dancing Queen]

... I would assume schools still teach the meaning of it, I hope so

Not sure that they are allowed to these days for fear of offending "other" religions.

Hmmm I wondered that, perhaps if we have any members who are teachers/teaching assistants they could update us.

What a crazy world we live in

[Mo2013]

Lots of people indulge in the practices but Christmas is not just something to cheer us up in the winter or an excuse to over-eat and drink too much. But since it is a holiday for most people, it is a logical time for families to get together. But the true meaning of Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, nothing more, nothing less, and any gifts exchanged should only be token symbols of the gifts the three Wise Men brought to the infant. A niece of my husband recently wrote on a social networking site that she observed her children going through the Argos catalogue and making lists of what they'd like. (!!!!) Where do you draw a line? That is not what Christmas is ! People don't want their kids to miss out and be 'different' so they go along with it. They are the retailers' dream. The trouble is that it is very difficult not to be swept along with it all because it's easier to go with the flow. I hate the harassed charging around supermarkets by people, queuing down the aisles, fearful that they won't have enough food/drink in the house. It's madness. I know someone, a devout Christian, who doesn't even agree with men dressing up as Father Christmas and will not take her children to see Santa because she doesn't want her children to be fed a lie and for that lie to be perpetuated until another child disabuses them of their belief in 'Father Christmas'. People can say whatever they like to justify their 'celebrations', but unless a person is a Christian, a person should not celebrate Christmas.

[Silver_Shiney]

I know someone, a devout Christian, who doesn't even agree with men dressing up as Father Christmas and will not take her children to see Santa because she doesn't want her children to be fed a lie and for that lie to be perpetuated until another child disabuses them of their belief in 'Father Christmas'.

That is crazy, and just going way too far. I have never come across a church that teaches that.

When my son was about 8, we went to a church Christmas party to see Santa. The great man walked into the hall, and Andrew piped up "That's not Santa, that's the man who plays the bass guitar!" I didn't really know how to answer that, so was mightily relieved when the bass guitarist walked in a few seconds later.

[HK phooey]

Mo, you do seem to know some strange people! Why deprive a child of the joy of Father Christmas?

[suespud]

Well, I am a Catholic,, albeit not devout and I don't see any reason why people cannot celebrate Christmas. Believers or non believers. Goodwill to all men..etc.
My children were not brought up in any faith. But I brought them up with morals learnt from the church and my beliefs. I took them to see the crib in church, any church, to learn about Mary and Joseph etc. They celebrate Christmas... Santa,, tree, presents...the lot. They are not Christians, but they learnt about the Christmas Story as most children do, as are my grandchildren.

Don't see anything wrong with that at all!!

[Dancing Queen]

Lots of people indulge in the practices but Christmas is not just something to cheer us up in the winter or an excuse to over-eat and drink too much. But since it is a holiday for most people, it is a logical time for families to get together. But the true meaning of Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, nothing more, nothing less, and any gifts exchanged should only be token symbols of the gifts the three Wise Men brought to the infant. A niece of my husband recently wrote on a social networking site that she observed her children going through the Argos catalogue and making lists of what they'd like. (!!!!) Where do you draw a line? That is not what Christmas is ! People don't want their kids to miss out and be 'different' so they go along with it. They are the retailers' dream. The trouble is that it is very difficult not to be swept along with it all because it's easier to go with the flow. I hate the harassed charging around supermarkets by people, queuing down the aisles, fearful that they won't have enough food/drink in the house. It's madness. I know someone, a devout Christian, who doesn't even agree with men dressing up as Father Christmas and will not take her children to see Santa because she doesn't want her children to be fed a lie and for that lie to be perpetuated until another child disabuses them of their belief in 'Father Christmas'. People can say whatever they like to justify their 'celebrations', but unless a person is a Christian, a person should not celebrate Christmas.

So do you not celebrate Christmas ?? did your children not get the same sort of gifts that their friends did ( the new bike being the obvious ) do you have grandchildren .. will they not be getting presents from grandma and grandpa ??

I'm not criticising, you just seem to have very strong views and whilst I think Christmas is too commercialised these days do parents/grandparents really want their children not to have what all their friends have, whether that is a right or wrong attitude it seems to be the way it is.

As for Santa ...well he's been around for a long time and if you've ever done a Xmas cruise you will know that the adults get as much pleasure as the children seeing him arrive on board.

[Frank Manning]

The basic message of the Christian faith (faith, not church) as espoused by Jesus, is, love one another, give, and forgive. In the simplest terms, that is surely something to celebrate, when half the world seems to be at the throat of the other half, sometimes, even at a one to one level.

[Admiral of the Humber]

What is the meaning of Christmas for the AOTH clan?

It is the only time of the year, apart from our summer holiday. when all three of us are on holiday together. It is a time of unashamed self indulgence when we eat too much, drink too much and spend an obscene amount on presents. For us Christmas is just a big party enjoyed by our friends and family alike.

Obviously for many Christmas is a time of great religious significance but not for me and not for most of my large circle of family and friends, most of whom are not religious and never have been. It tickles me when I hear about the commercialisation of Christmas as though it's something new. It isn't. I am fifty years old and in that time all that has really changed is that where I once wrote out a Christmas list with pen and paper now Miss AOTH produces a power point presentation.

Six weeks today we put up our Christmas decorations, and I can't wait.

Ho Ho Ho

Regards
Rob aka AOTH

[Dark Knight]

no doubt the usual array of xmas light will make an appearance at chez Admiral?

gawd help us