Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on November 17, 2010 at 8:33pm

Most of my favorites surround various decorations, especially decorations for the tree. Some of the decorations are handmade, including a small devil that sat on our tree every year, but there is a specific set that are, to me, the most valuable.

Beneath the glass top we place at the tip of our tree, there is a star made from card. It is decorated simply in white, with very small pinecones glued to the middle. There is also a trumpet made in the same way, and a couple of other ornaments made around the same time. I actually didn't know where these ornaments came from when I was very little, but it changed my outlook somewhat when I found out.

These ornaments were made during (possibly shortly after) the Second World War. The family members who made them lived in Germany (well Sudetenland) at the time, so you can imagine that life was far from easy. These are the decorations they made after they pretty much lost everything. There are very simple, and nothing flashy, but there is something overwhelmingly human and personal about them. I think you can all get the deeper value here.

Permalink Reply by Jon Heim on November 17, 2010 at 8:36pm

like I've said already in this group, I celebrate the pagan roots of the "holiday" with my fiance.

so a decorated tree
wreaths
red and green candles
gift giving
and stuffing you're face is great.

then there is Odenclause. that's right. Odenclause. lol he is the pagan god that Santa Clause impersonates every year.

my fiance told me about a tradition that she used to do when she was little, and when we have kids, I deffinetly want to keep that tradition. apparently when you get done with the cardboard tube that has wrapping paper rolled on it, you decorate it and use it as a horn to call the reindeer. lol shut up, it's cute.

Permalink Reply by girlatheist on November 19, 2010 at 2:54am

I LOVE this story! Those cookies are among my very, very favorite. SO Yummy! ... and the movie, well, it's also one of my absolute favorites.

Permalink Reply by Kris Feenstra on December 12, 2010 at 6:01pm

That's an awesome tradition.  

 

People are often looking so far ahead that they lose sight of what's right in front of them.  I recently said to someone something along the lines of, "Not everything you experience in life has to go anywhere.  What's the point of endless aspirations for the future if they only ever cause you to forget that you already are somewhere to begin with?"

 

I guess what I meant by that is, somedays we waste time lamenting that it's too cold to go out on the lake.  We stay inside and fantasize about some mythical, perfect day in the future that may or may never come.  Instead we could have said, "We have a boat, a lake, friends, heaters and bloody marys; screw waiting, and lets have a good time now."

 

Well, something like that.

Permalink Reply by Lisa on November 18, 2010 at 11:00pm

My kids are grown now, and don't have kids of their own yet, so most of our pre-Christmas traditions have gone out the window. No one wants to bake cookies anymore, everybody ditches me when it comes time to decorate, lol. I honestly could just skip it all, except for the fact that everyone would be disappointed. Nobody believes in god or Jesus in my family anymore, anyway. It seems silly that we celebrate his birth. But we do it every year, anyway. What am I going to do with all those decorations, otherwise? I guess its a celebration of family and love and getting fun presents. I wish I could come up with a better name for it other than christmas.

Permalink Reply by Jaume on November 19, 2010 at 8:14am

Giftmas is cute. Giftmess even more so. And for fundies who're obsessed with the concept of original sin, Guiltmas (or Guiltmess.)

Permalink Reply by William M on November 20, 2010 at 2:39am

I'm Bill so I call it Billmas, I guess you would call it Lismass...I still put up a tree for my daughter, she believes in Santa, Toothfairy, and The Easter Bunny...And Goblins at Halloween, must be a Really fun time for her, too long ago for me to remember..lol

Permalink Reply by William M on November 20, 2010 at 2:46am

Sorry in your case Krismass...I replied to Lisa's comment earlier

Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on November 19, 2010 at 8:07am

Ceremony and ritual are not a bad thing. They are mostly symbolical. Like blowing in the candles at birthday.

The significance I hold for most holidays are mostly dependent to the "holiday" part. A period in which you relax and gather up is very useful.

Favorite traditions? No preferences. I would have loved to experience halloween. Too bad it isn't celebrated here. It sound like fun. Most theists view it as the devil. Typically.