It's Christmas once again at Wal-Mart

[Nova]

I can't say I've ever run into anyone who thinks "Merry Christmas" is offensive, in real life.

I can only think of one person who insisted it was really offensive; but we were both young and militant about lots of things in those days.

(For 20 years, I tracked that person down every Dec. 25, no matter where she was in the world, just to wish her a "Merry Christmas." It was a "friend thing.")

Today, my Jewish friends are more likely to object when it's an institution's actions, whether the government or a large business. They accept that many individuals just don't know any better.

 

[Nova]

Except with elections, as apparently the majority get their way there (except in the 2000 election, lol). You haven't explained who or how it's decided what majority is tyranny and what isn't? Methinks there is more tyranny by the minority than the majority, actually. A very vocal minority.

Actually, there's a really good document that explains it, DK. It's called the Constitution.

While WalMart greeters are not covered there, many of us are suggesting that Constitutional principles concerning respect for minority rights might still be (voluntarily) applied.

Then there are your allies, who are apparently interested mostly in getting their ways. At Walmart, they got it. They must be very proud.

 

[Details]

I'm not sure stores were "bullied" into saying "Happy Holidays." Most were probably just educated into a broader greeting.

Your analysis of the importance of buying to Christmas is very sharp, DK, and probably spot on. So why aren't you opposed to retailers using your sacred holiday in such a manner? Why don't you support greeters saying "Happy Holidays" instead of invoking the name of your God to serve Mammon?

Yeah, I was raised Catholic, and I've got to say that seeing an email come in from Pennys, "O Come All Ye Savings" just kinda hits a spot.

I think it's that I can take Merry Christmas as being just about the secular Christmas, but "O Come All Ye" is a religious song, and belongs to religious Christmas.

 

[Nova]

To those of you who keep saying "except the government and public buildings and parks":

If our little town didn't put up the wreaths on the lightpoles and hold the annual Christmas Light Parade, didn't decorate the trees in the park and put out the lighted deer, both the mayor and city council would be recalled. There are secular and religious floats in the parade. Of course the churches do religion generally. Last year the mayor was Santa and closed the parade on his Harley. Santa comes to town on a fire truck and the kids line up just like the big city malls, only this is down on Main Street. The next little town uses the Community Center for their Christmas Trees on the Prairie each year. Groups and families can each decorate a tree for all to see. They're usually themed and absolutely gorgeous and very clever. STOP ! That's a government building......OOPS !!! Kill the fun. Might offend someone somewhere. If it does, no one here has heard about it.

Oh, Beege, there are lots of backwoods, narrow-minded towns out there.

No need to brag.

But in fact, our gay-majority, 4-synagogue little town does the same. The items you mention are secular symbols, not religious ones. And a "Christmas Light" parade quite easily became a "Festival of Lights" Parade. Each of the local churches does a float, as do some Jewish groups. Quite the Winter Holiday, all in all.

 

[Nova]

Yeah, I was raised Catholic, and I've got to say that seeing an email come in from Pennys, "O Come All Ye Savings" just kinda hits a spot.

I think it's that I can take Merry Christmas as being just about the secular Christmas, but "O Come All Ye" is a religious song, and belongs to religious Christmas.

I don't claim to be a Christian any more, but that sort of thing bothers me, too.

 

[Details]

Having to live on the other side, it gets old seriously. Not from individuals saying merry christmas per say, they can't look at me and tell I'm not, but from those that do presume that every other person on the planet is christian, I say...Shalom!

Shalom means all these things: Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. I'm bound to hit something for someone in all that.

My only gripe is with those that try to force my kids to celebrate or act surprised that a Jew has no clue what Jesus is suppose to mean to them. Seeing as how he's not a huge part of our religion my kids are a bit perplexed sometimes as to how they pee'd someone off without trying.

I also dislike christmas music at halloween and every day until the 'big' day, gift wrap at thanksgiving, people giving my kids candy canes with the express purpose of shoving the thoughts of his dying for their sins explained either verbally or with that cute little card tied on. Or people saying in a shocked voice in front of my kids...you don't put up a treeeee? Like *that* is the reason to celebrate or that by not I'm depriving my children of something.

I'm not real fond of getting christmas cards with christian themes or santa on them either. I won't display them and it upsets people. I accept the cards, but it is *my* home and I don't believe the same so why put them up? I never give cards either. We choose to celebrate two very different holidays in two very different ways. I never understood the reasonings behind a slip of a card only on a holiday, mostly to people you never speak to otherwise.

So I do understand some of the frustrations. To those of us who are not christian, it does feel like it is being shoved down our throats, by others, sometimes even those you know and love and stores. When was the last time you had to listen to the dreidel song 50 times in one week just to go buy toilet paper or food? (I say know and love because my aunt insist on sending me those fwd emails...you know...jesus died for you, prove you are this and such and send them on)

Vent over

I just spent 2.5 hours listening to Christmas music while out buying cleaning supplies, art supplies and even in the book store.

Now this comes from my 85 year old grandmother, so take it in the spirit in which it is meant...funny. She hasn't a mean bone in her body...but after all this today she said "What, are they afraid people are going to forget why they are here shopping?" To all the music that is

Nice vent. It's so easy to forget why we came here, why America was founded, so easy to want things your way without remembering that someday, we're all in a minority somewhere.

Yep, the stores are very worried we're going to forget why we're shopping!

 

[Nova]

Nice vent. It's so easy to forget why we came here, why America was founded, so easy to want things your way without remembering that someday, we're all in a minority somewhere.

Yep, the stores are very worried we're going to forget why we're shopping!

Amen. I say we elect (majority rule, of course) BhamMama to the newly created post of Queen of Winter Holidays. She can then keep the Christmas music and other stuff in check.

ETA: Did this sound snarky? I meant to second the cheer for BhamMama's post, wholeheartedly.

 

[IrishMist]

In that case, maybe we should overturn the congressional elections, because voting in the Democrats is tyranny by the majority of voters. Let the lawsuits begin! The majority means nothing, after all! :woohoo:

The electoral college attempts to address this. That's why there have been presidents that have been elected, even though they lost the popular vote. It was also to try to give the smaller states a voice in elections. So, no, it's not majority rules, or else it would just go by the popular vote.

 

[Details]

The electoral college attempts to address this. That's why there have been presidents that have been elected, even though they lost the popular vote. It was also to try to give the smaller states a voice in elections. So, no, it's not majority rules, or else it would just go by the popular vote.

Hmmm popular vote - we'd have a different President - DK - I didn't realize you were a Gore supporter!

 

[Sundayrain]

To those of you who keep saying "except the government and public buildings and parks":

If our little town didn't put up the wreaths on the lightpoles and hold the annual Christmas Light Parade, didn't decorate the trees in the park and put out the lighted deer, both the mayor and city council would be recalled. There are secular and religious floats in the parade. Of course the churches do religion generally. Last year the mayor was Santa and closed the parade on his Harley. Santa comes to town on a fire truck and the kids line up just like the big city malls, only this is down on Main Street. The next little town uses the Community Center for their Christmas Trees on the Prairie each year. Groups and families can each decorate a tree for all to see. They're usually themed and absolutely gorgeous and very clever. STOP ! That's a government building......OOPS !!! Kill the fun. Might offend someone somewhere. If it does, no one here has heard about it.

barngoddess.....We too celebrated with the town. In quite a number of NJ towns and Pa. towns.....not backwoods at all. The town would have parades with Santa coming last,usually in the firetruck. The townsquare in Morristown, NJ always had large wooden horses to ride, and also Santas house in the center, surrounded by candy canes. This townsquare display has pasted down through the generations.
We are by a town now that has a wonderful celebration in December. People in town go to all the different churches. As you walk along to attend, you pass the carolers and the barbershop quartets. You spend time in the Catholic church, the Methodist, the Prodestent, Lutheren, Zion, Holy Rock and others.........some have bell choirs, some sing, others dance and speak........horns sound......it is quite magnificent.
Gatherings occur in the townsquare........where the tree is lit while all sing.
I am glad most towns I have known, have done this. Some sending Santa out on Christmas Eve with stockings for the children (Denville, NJ) and many others have Santa taking a ride and sounding horns........The towns do a great job in making for a a joyous occasion. I hope this will always be.....as it has been through the ages.
People who don't want to attend or participate.....thats fine.....No one would notice, nor care.

 

[Love_Mama]

I hear ya on that; I'm leaning back toward "Merry Christmas", whomever I want to say it to; it's partly just a joyful, spirtual time of year for me.

I agree with Nova, tho, that stores shouldn't be forced into doing one way or another by a religious lobbying group. Jesus didn't lobby.

\

Martha, Jesus doesn't have to sell himself.....He free.


I'm going to continue to say Happy Christmas to all because I like to share the joy that I feel at Christmas time.

I also want back what we called Easter Vacations (now Spring Break).......

I also want back our "Christmas in the Prado"........that's our Balboa Park Christmas Celebration and they've changed to "Winter Nites at the Prado". I think the idiots might have well just called it "COLD Nites at the Prado"

My grandson who is' 10 is a Jew. In fact he along with his schoolmates get a Holiday from school to celebrate Chanukah. It is not a private school, it's in the Los Angeles Unified School District. That's what they do in Los Angeles. I think it's cool! Do I care, of course not.

I own a Chanukah menorah which I've lit the candles on so long I can no longer remember how long. Maybe 44 years. Every year I polish it and rub it and rub it till it has this beautiful patina.

I think we ought to have Holidays for every religion.....I think "sharing" is what we all need to do. We need loving and caring for one another more than ever before. So if someone say's to you, "God Bless You" don't take offense. Someone is telling you that they love you! I really mean that!

So, with having said all that...
I hope each and every one of you have Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.
And I refuse to become politically correct!


xxxxxxxxxoooooooo
mama :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

 

[Nova]

I'm going to continue to say Happy Christmas to all because I like to share the joy that I feel at Christmas time.

Love_Mama is going to say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas." Obviously, she has declared war on merriment! Call FNC!

 

[cappuccina]

:doh:

 

[Nova]

:doh:

Swimming during the WINTER Holidays! What new campaign in the culture wars is this?!

 

[Love_Mama]

Love_Mama is going to say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas." Obviously, she has declared war on merriment! Call FNC!

HO HO HO HO HO HO HO

I was trying to figure out how to get a 'blimy' twist on it!
I shouda' said "APPY Crismas" like they do in IRELAND! My absolutely favorite songs about Christmas is done by a band called the "POGUES" from Ireland. ....and I can guarantee you that every pub in Ireland plays this ALL NIGHT LONG on 'Chrimas Eve'! Go buy the album. There's so much LOVE in this Irish song........you won't believe it!

It's called "Fairie Tale of New York"

The song was written by Shane MacGowan, without a doubt one of the
greatest lyricist in the world... he's the male voice and also witih Kristie Maccoll as his girlfriend in the song. You'll be laughin' and had tears in you eyes.,
A MUST CD to own! (sadly Kristi was killed in an accident a short time after this was recorded.!

Here are the lyrics..

It was christmas eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, wont see another one
And then he sang a song
The rare old mountain dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
Ive got a feeling
This years for me and you
So happy christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
Its no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold christmas eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me

You were handsome (She sings)
You were pretty (He sings)
Queen of new york city
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing Galway Bay
And the bells were ringing out
For christmas day

You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You , you maggot
You cheap lousy
Happy christmas your arse
I pray God its our last

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
Ive built my dreams around you

NOW......here's a musical MIDI of the tune.....I think you will figure this out. Not as good as I'd like but it will give you an idea of what the tune in like...
http://www.aftershock-the-band.com/20797.mid

I would KILL to be able to write lyrics like that! and I do write music and I play 'blues harp"..keyboard and piano..I'm not your normal old lady!

xxxxxxxxxxoo
mama

 

[Dark Knight]

Swimming during the WINTER Holidays! What new campaign in the culture wars is this?!

This has truly gone too far!!!!

 

[Love_Mama]

This has truly gone too far!!!!

No No DK......this is getting good! WE, YOU and I are Christians. BUT we are no way near the same kind of Christians that most of the people here are talking about.

You are a Catholic. I am a Protestant. You go through a huge system of overloads............bishops, Cardinals, etc. I don't have any any connections with any of this. I am not Catholic. I, like most Christian Protestants have a what we call a "personal" relationship with God. No
Bishops, no Cardinals, not priests, no sisters...no cardinals no, bishops........................much more direct.....and much faster to relate to.. So..............at this point let me explain how I believe in God. Very simple, no huge ....


"I believe that Jesus Christ is my personal savior........nothing more....

I'ts so damn simple! He, Jesus Christ is sitting here, right next to me. I didn't even have to fill anything out.............LOL

I don't do confession, I am never questioned, it is always, my choice. In other words, I get to make the decision. I don't need NO rosaries, no high masses........Now, understand that I am in no way knocking you........or the milllions of Catholics who live in undeveloped countries......The Catholic Church is the biggest..............all time religious factory in the world and nobody has ever surpassed them!

I noticed that you never posted in my thread that my duagher in law ( a Jew) won the Los Angeles Film Festival for exposing the ex-priest Oliver
O' Leary who had molested hundreds of children in the last twenty years.............He is now missing......he may swimming with fishes for all I know......

I wanted you to be there in the posts! You wern't. I THINK you may be very young and you just don't have the age and expertise to comment on anything like this. I understand this. HOWEVER I have five children.....Everyone has an opinion. I think that My daughter in law AMY BERG, a JEW may........win an OSCAR for this documentary.............which will expose the Catholic Church for what it is. Hide, don't talk about it,pass it over, it's okay.................................. it's okay....now I'm getting sick.........rape and MORE RAPE!

the whole Catholilc church is SICK~ Now.........not everyone in the church! there are certainly wonderful people there..............but, you know what, they, know what's going on also.! Are you wearing blinders?

YOu know, we can't just throw this crap under the table.............we gotta look at the Bishops, Cardinals of the Church that YOU hold so perfect! Would you ever possibly be concerned that Cardinal Moheny of Los Angeles is a Criminal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go watch the movie...........DELIVER US FROM EVIL...........................

I think, humbly, that the only person in the world known AS Jesus Christ is not just available to Catholics.
He's a good God, a KIND God, he doesnt just make his graces available to just Catholics..

Hey.........DK. You are a kind person, but just misinformed! Hey, that's okay. Just keep searching........
xxxxxxxoooooooooooo

mama :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

 

[Love_Mama]

This has truly gone too far!!!!

Dark Knight..............I don't know if you know but we show Jesus as RISEN.......................What a concept. IN other words...............we are blessed to know that He is with us now. We have NO guilt........the most important part of Catholic Church to obey and accept their dogma................ is completely erased!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooo
mama :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

 

[Dark Knight]

Dark Knight..............I don't know if you know but we show Jesus as RISEN.......................What a concept. IN other words...............we are blessed to know that He is with us now. We have NO guilt........the most important part of Catholic Church to obey and accept their dogma................ is completely erased!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooo
mama :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

I am not quite sure what you are talking about, but I was joking around with Nova and Cappy.

As far as my Church, they stronly encourage a "personal relationship" with Jesus Christ. The Bishops and Cardinals to help administratively goes back to the earliest days of Christianity. The Church simply directs us towards Him. All things must point towards Him. Anything that doesn't must be rejected.

 

[Marthatex]

Love_Mama is going to say "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas." Obviously, she has declared war on merriment! Call FNC!

How about if I say, "Bah humbug" to everyone. That's how I felt last week walking into Starbucks and they have out all these tons of (gorgeous, by the way) Christmas decorations and I kind of "jumped", because I was mentally thinking of all the things I have to do for Thanksgiving!

Everyone love the Christmas Carol and Ebineezer Scrooge; don't they flock to it every year? It's a spiritual story, too.

I say "Bah humbug", to Xmas decorations before Thanksgiving; I'm an orderly, simple person and it scrambles my mind every year.