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General Discussion Area / Re: Oh no, its that time of year...
« on: 12 November 2015, 04:26:36 »...she wants to know what I want for Crimbo.Just man up and tell her you want....nothing. It's what I've been asking for, and getting, for years.
As always, absolutely no bloody idea at all. HELP!
CHRISTmas...are you religious? No? Then what's it all about?
Depends on your POV STEMO, me, me mum and dad are all about as devout atheist as you can get, but when I was growing up my dad worked as a contractor in the aviation industry, away 2-4 weeks at a time. The only big block of time we used to get together was 10 days or so around Christmas so for us it was, and still is, all about being together.
Plus its hardly religious any more, its all mixed up and has been for lots of years:
- Its the wrong point in the year for the Christian festival
- Turkey is an americanism
- Santa Clause was Turkish (or Ottoman I think)
- And only got his red suit due to Coca Cola advertising
- Christmas trees are a victorian invention
Happy Yuletide
How many holes could I pick into that list....... hmmmmmmm.
Generally interested in your comment as I though all these were pretty on the mark:
1. Astronomers calculated that the star of Bethlehem turned up in June, a couple of years BC (4 I think)
2. Introduced by a bloke called Strickland I think from America, Henry VIII took it on as Xmas fayre but it didn't hit the mainstream until the mid C19th when it became a popular middle class dish amongst Victorians.
3. St Nicholas came originally from that part of the world, big reputation for generosity and gifts. Hence the Santa clause gig. Also there's a legend that he pitched some gold through a family's window and it landed in a young poor maiden's sock, meaning she could afford her dowry and didn't face a life of prostitution. Hence why we get stockings at Christmas. Although since this doesn't exist in other countries (eg Germany) seems a bit more far fetched than the rest of st nick's CV.
4. Prior to coke's 1930's ad campaign, st nick appeared in lots of colours, for example my folks have some victorian Xmas decorations that show him in blue and green suits. And in some countries/cultures he still rocks up in his original bishop's regalia. However, since the ad campaign most/all of those alternative colour schemes for him gave vanished.
5. Introduced by queen vic for the benefit of prince Albert to remind him of Christmases gone by in ze fatherland.
However, like I said, believe what you want, just use it as a time to seek out the people you love and who (hopefully) love you back and be together. Whatever label you stick on it or whatever brand of funny hat you wear while you do it, doesn't really matter at the end of the day.
