Bah Humbug (another foul-mouthed rant)
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I hate Christmas.
I'm stuck listening to Christmas music in the office. It's horrible. Who listens to this shit?
I hate how companies rehash christmas songs and replace the lyrics with crap. I keep hearing this commercial that replaces the "Fa-la-la-la" with "Shop at TJ Maxx and Ma-arshals". Most of the time they don't even bother to try to rhyme. I hate it. It's never clever. Yet every company seems to do it every year like it's some kind of groundbreaking ad campaign. Fuck those companies. I have half a mind to boycott companies that pull this shit, but then I wouldn't be able to buy anything ever because they all do it.
I hate how Chistmas is so phoney. I hate how gifts are a social/economical obligation rather than a gift. I appreciate gifts when I receive them, and I like to give gifts when I can think of a good gift to get someone. Christmas destroys all of that. Everyone is always struggling to think of what gift they have to get for X person on their list. Most of the time the gift is something empty that the recipient doesn't really care for.
I don't make a point to buy Christmas gifts for people. Not because I'm cheap... I'm actually quite generous. I buy things for people all the time. But I just don't buy something out of context and wrap it up with a bow. I like buying things for people. It's nice and fun. I'm happy when it makes them happy. But the stigma associated with not getting anyone something for Christmas makes me feel like "that asshole who didn't get X a present this year". Fuck that.
I also heard some report on the radio where they were talking about how you should use a real tree if you want to "be green" because artificial trees have a higher carbon footprint and yadda yadda. In my head I'm sitting there flabergasted at how back-asswards that is during Christmas. I mean... only during Christmas is cutting down trees considered environmentally friendly.
Every year I make a similar rant. I may have even made one on this forum.
My loathing passes with time, but is rekindled every single year.
I really hate it. There's no holiday I hate more. It's even worse that it dominates the whole 2 months before (overshadowing my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving).
I can't wait until January.
I'm stuck listening to Christmas music in the office. It's horrible. Who listens to this shit?
I hate how companies rehash christmas songs and replace the lyrics with crap. I keep hearing this commercial that replaces the "Fa-la-la-la" with "Shop at TJ Maxx and Ma-arshals". Most of the time they don't even bother to try to rhyme. I hate it. It's never clever. Yet every company seems to do it every year like it's some kind of groundbreaking ad campaign. Fuck those companies. I have half a mind to boycott companies that pull this shit, but then I wouldn't be able to buy anything ever because they all do it.
I hate how Chistmas is so phoney. I hate how gifts are a social/economical obligation rather than a gift. I appreciate gifts when I receive them, and I like to give gifts when I can think of a good gift to get someone. Christmas destroys all of that. Everyone is always struggling to think of what gift they have to get for X person on their list. Most of the time the gift is something empty that the recipient doesn't really care for.
I don't make a point to buy Christmas gifts for people. Not because I'm cheap... I'm actually quite generous. I buy things for people all the time. But I just don't buy something out of context and wrap it up with a bow. I like buying things for people. It's nice and fun. I'm happy when it makes them happy. But the stigma associated with not getting anyone something for Christmas makes me feel like "that asshole who didn't get X a present this year". Fuck that.
I also heard some report on the radio where they were talking about how you should use a real tree if you want to "be green" because artificial trees have a higher carbon footprint and yadda yadda. In my head I'm sitting there flabergasted at how back-asswards that is during Christmas. I mean... only during Christmas is cutting down trees considered environmentally friendly.
Every year I make a similar rant. I may have even made one on this forum.
My loathing passes with time, but is rekindled every single year.
I really hate it. There's no holiday I hate more. It's even worse that it dominates the whole 2 months before (overshadowing my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving).
I can't wait until January.
Sounds about right... of course this is NOT what Christmas is supposed to be about... but we all know where that conversation will go. Yes unfortunately I've been subjected to the constant barrage of non religious Christmas songs at work as well. I did not know there were so many variations of Winter Wonderland and I now hate that song!!! Fortunately I have head phones and my newly purchased tron legacy soundtrack MUAHAHAHAHA!!! I can write 5000 loc a second while listening to it... what ruined my vibe today was logging into that damned mainframe!! God awful wretched COBOL system! If hell has software to run its prisons and furnaces they are all COBOL based!!
| of course this is NOT what Christmas is supposed to be about |
Since I'm not Christian, I don't find the "true" meaning of Christmas to be any better.
In fact I'm somewhat disturbed that Christmas and Easter are national holidays. I thought the US was supposed to be religion neutral. (Although the Christmas and Easter celebrated in the US are closer to the Pagan versions of those holidays than the Christian ones -- so whatever)
EDIT: Also, Winter Wonderland isn't anywhere near as bad as Rockin' around the Christmas Tree.
Also this lyric is makes my brain hurt in a dumb way:
"Have a holly jolly christmas.
and as you walk down the street.
Say hello to friends you know
and everyone you meet"
wtf?
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Hehe Disch, you should just turn off the radio :)
If your office mates resist put some brutal heavy metal on your speakers and punish them! (just joking... when I did play music to my office mate, I immediately got a request to turn it off. However, ever since then, either of us has a turn-off veto on any sound producing device in the room :)
If your office mates resist put some brutal heavy metal on your speakers and punish them! (just joking... when I did play music to my office mate, I immediately got a request to turn it off. However, ever since then, either of us has a turn-off veto on any sound producing device in the room :)
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| Disch wrote: |
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| In fact I'm somewhat disturbed that Christmas and Easter are national holidays. I thought the US was supposed to be religion neutral. (Although the Christmas and Easter celebrated in the US are closer to the Pagan versions of those holidays than the Christian ones -- so whatever) |
It may be religion neutral, but it's run by Christians (76%-82.3% Christian, 11.6%-15% atheist/agnostic, 1.2%-2.2% Jewish, 0.6%-1.6% Islamic, 0.5%-0.9% Buddhist, 0.4% Hindu, 1.4% other) Because we are the minority when it comes to religion, we have to put off with all this bs. But whatever - Christmas isn't even Christian, and not just because of it's roots in just about everything. Christmas in the US (maybe other countries - I can't really say if they're as bad as we are) has become almost exclusively capitalist, and is now run by those companies that think ads put to the tune of Jingle Bells are the best thing since sliced bread.
But, it's really all a matter of perspective. You don't have to think of it as a social obligation. Instead, you could try to be thoughtful when purchasing (or making - things from the "heart" are always good) a gift, and enjoy being with friends and family.
closed account (3hM2Nwbp)
It only happens once per year...if anyone needs me in the next 2 weeks I'll be in my cave on the top of the mountain. :P /Grinch
| Luc Lieber wrote: |
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| It only happens once per year...if anyone needs me in the next 2 weeks I'll be in my cave on the top of the mountain. :P /Grinch |
Funny... I'm watching the grinch while typing this.
Christmas gives you a reason to watch these.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEZWtohobaE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spmqbs8YCW8
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| Instead, you could try to be thoughtful when purchasing (or making - things from the "heart" are always good) a gift |
Good gifts are born from either functionality or spontaneity.
- A gift that someone will actually use but they never got around to getting themselves, didn't think to get themselves, or didn't want to blow money on themselves is a good gift. For example if you know someone who drinks wine all the time and you buy them a fancy corkscrew that's nicer than any corkscrew they were willing to spend on a corkscrew for themselves -- that would be a good gift (as long as they didn't already have a satisfactory corkscrew). It's functional.
- When you're shopping and you see something funny and you think "so and so would really like that" so you get it and they like it, it's a good gift. It's spontaneous.
Christmas gifts are neither of those things. They're almost bad gifts by very definition.
When you go to a store with the objective of looking for a gift for a specific person, it's not spontaneous. It's even less spontaneous when there's a predetermined date on which you are expected to exchange said gift.
And functional gifts are often thought of as "bad" gifts because they're not "from the heart" as you say. "It's the thought that counts" is kind a bullshit saying. It implies that if you don't put thought into a gift it's a bad gift. Or it implies that any gift that you really thought about is a good gift. Neither of those are even remotely close to the truth.
For example my sister said she wanted an iPod but couldn't afford one, so I bought her one. I sure didn't put any thought into the gift -- I mean she basically told me what to buy her, and I bought it for her. Does that make it a bad gift? I don't think so, because it's functional. She uses it, and she enjoys it, and that makes both of us happy. It's a good gift.
Money is another big one. If you get money for someone for Christmas you're generally considered to be a thoughtless turd. Yet I know all sorts of people who would way rather have (and are in much greater need of) money than something more "thoughtful", like a handknit sweater that they'd never wear. Money is more functional. But does that really make it a bad gift?
Regarding the other point, thoughtful gifts aren't always good. I've gotten weird trickets in the past that I didn't have any use for, and that I wouldn't really want to keep, but I felt obligated to keep them because I didn't want to hurt the gift giver's feelings. So then I was left with all this clutter around that I never used but couldn't get rid of. But the thing is I know they put a lot of thought into the gift -- it's just that I'm hard to shop for. I know they spent hours cruising up and down shopping aisles wondering "what would Disch like this year?". So is it really the thought that counts? Was that a good gift even though I didn't like it, never used it, and I wished they didn't waste their money on it for me? I'd say no, it was a bad gift.
Now that's not to say that non-functional, non-spontaneous gifts can never be good. But they're usually not.
| (or making - things from the "heart" are always good) |
Unless you're some kind of amazing artist or craftsperson, handmade gifts are almost always bad gifts. About the only exception is trinkets little kids make -- and that's mainly because kids are cute.
| and enjoy being with friends and family. |
I'd like that. But it's impossible when you're the asshole who didn't get anyone anything.
Have you ever tried it? I have. I felt like a total prick. I even told everyone repeatedly not to get me anything because I wasn't going to get them anything, and I wouldn't feel left out at all. Of course none of them listened and that holiday sucked worse than most.
So the being with friends and family thing comes at a price. A price that frankly I'm not willing to pay. So I'll spend time with my family for the real holiday, Thanksgiving, where there's no bullshit prerequisite to sitting down and having a good time with your family.
This is in answer to PiMaster's statistics. It may be populated by mainly Christian, but I like to think the 11.6-15% minority actually run the country.
closed account (3hM2Nwbp)
| Disch wrote: |
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| functional |
I usually just go out and buy a few lottery tickets for everyone. That's my customary half-assed from the heart gift. Either trash or cash after.
have been in multicultural society since childhood...
Spent early years in a company housing where my grandpa worked. That was a mix of almost all religions practised in India... and every festival was celebrated with excitement by all the people, irrespective of caste and religion.
My school was a christian minority school, but every festival was equally welcome.
Moved to a different place in my teens, and almost the same excitement followed.
Now working in a company, it seems that festivals and celebrations have lost their real meaning altogether... everybody waits for the holidays, then waits for them to be over so that work starts again and mockery stops....
@Disch: i agree with you on giving gifts when you feel like... its the material world which associates festivals with gifting...its more so now that people around me make me feel like i am missing out if i dont gift on special occasions...
I have given good gifts and tried to make people happy without caring for the time of year or occasion...
Spent early years in a company housing where my grandpa worked. That was a mix of almost all religions practised in India... and every festival was celebrated with excitement by all the people, irrespective of caste and religion.
My school was a christian minority school, but every festival was equally welcome.
Moved to a different place in my teens, and almost the same excitement followed.
Now working in a company, it seems that festivals and celebrations have lost their real meaning altogether... everybody waits for the holidays, then waits for them to be over so that work starts again and mockery stops....
@Disch: i agree with you on giving gifts when you feel like... its the material world which associates festivals with gifting...its more so now that people around me make me feel like i am missing out if i dont gift on special occasions...
I have given good gifts and tried to make people happy without caring for the time of year or occasion...
That's what we get for mixing Coca-Cola with a religious holiday (or big money with any holiday in general). That's all I have to say on the topic.
-Albatross
-Albatross
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| I like Christmas, but I really hate snow. |
For someone who has never see snow before in his entire life, above statement seem to rub salt into my wounds. *Ouch*... I live in a country with summer all year round. Yes how I wish there is spring, autumn and winter :P
Btw, same season all year round means my wardrobe is easy all same pattern. I don't need to buy winter clothing, spring or even autumn clothing. This help to save a lot of monies haha...
Lastly, Merry Christmas to all :)
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| For someone who has never see snow before in his entire life, above statement seem to rub salt into my wounds. *Ouch*... |
Well, it isn't the snow itself that I don't like, it's just the way the government handles it (or, more accurately, doesn't handle it).
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| Btw, same season all year round means my wardrobe is easy all same pattern. I don't need to buy winter clothing, spring or even autumn clothing |
I go out in jeans, a hoodie (hooded jumper) and a t-shirt whenever. It's like the most general purpose clothing there is. I have a hood if it rains, a jumper if it's cold, and I can take the jumper off if it's warm.
| I go out in jeans, a hoodie (hooded jumper) and a t-shirt whenever. It's like the most general purpose clothing there is. I have a hood if it rains, a jumper if it's cold, and I can take the jumper off if it's warm. |
Pardon me for asking it depend on the winter temperature isn't it ? If it is very heavy snow, you only take a jumper ?!?!
PS Can ask personal ? When winter comes do you all go out with > 1 piece of undies to keep warm? How about those ear covered pieces to prevent your ears from frozen and fall off ? When you pee on the ground (say very urgent cannot wait already) does the passed out piss form a frozen *pole* ?
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| If it is very heavy snow, you only take a jumper ?!?! |
Well, maybe a coat, too, if it's heavy snow. But usually, no. Sometimes I wear a second jumper under my hooded one.
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| PS Can ask personal ? When winter comes do you all go out with > 1 piece of undies to keep warm? |
No. It doesn't get that cold here (though apparently it was -26 C recently; I didn't notice it though).
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| How about those ear covered pieces to prevent your ears from frozen and fall off ? |
I've never had to wear them. Russia gets to something like -40 C around Moscow in the winter; so maybe you'd get frostbite if you didn't wear them.
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| When you pee on the ground (say very urgent cannot wait already) does the passed out piss form a frozen *pole* ? |
No, I don't think that's possible. A liquid coming out of me at ~38 C couldn't get to ~0 C that quickly. I don't think physics would allow it.
| sohguanh wrote: |
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| For someone who has never see snow before in his entire life, above statement seem to rub salt into my wounds. *Ouch*... I live in a country with summer all year round. Yes how I wish there is spring, autumn and winter :P |
Snow is very nice to visit. Very pleasant and calming.
But it sucks to live in.
It sucks more to have to walk/drive in.
@mgupta
maybe you simply grew up mate...
| Now working in a company, it seems that festivals and celebrations have lost their real meaning altogether... |
maybe you simply grew up mate...
I don't think that's what he meant. I think he was talking about the way they've all become about buying things. The real meaning of Christmas wasn't to buy people gifts, in Christianity it was to celebrate Jesus' birthday, and before that it was about celebrating the solstice.
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