Christmas Moaning

[Bill W (2)]

BJ - in my defence, I was reading it at the hairdressers where the only other magazine available was Heat. I thought Good Housekeeping was preferable.

You are pleading insanity?

Find another hairdresser!

Oh dear, Bill. Once you have found a hairdresser that suits you, the customer, you don't change. Has nobody told you this?

...

Actually I have used the same hairdresser for the last 20+ years. But I do not blame them for my reading material.

[Rizzo]

I can blame my hairdresser for a lot of things, we've been friends for over 20 years before she even became a hairdresser.

DCat - the party can definitely run over into the 22nd. And the Rutland & Derby has just been re-done apparently.

[Bill W (2)]

I can blame my hairdresser for a lot of things, we've been friends for over 20 years before she even became a hairdresser.
.

Should one be friends with ones hairdresser? A professional relationship surely? Is one "friends" with ones doctor? With ones tailor? With ones solicitor? With ones vicar?

[DCat]

I can blame my hairdresser for a lot of things, we've been friends for over 20 years before she even became a hairdresser.

DCat - the party can definitely run over into the 22nd. And the Rutland & Derby has just been re-done apparently.

So I've heard. If we go there I shall let you know. It certainly used to be a reasonable route on a pub crawl.

[BJ.]

I am indeed sorry you found my reply offensive BJ.

Perhaps we should all be more thoughtful of other peoples' sensitivities when we post?

I see where you're coming from. It's not my sensitivity that has been affected, it's my personal belief in the non-existence of any supreme being (God, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh call them what you will) and all the paraphernalia associated with them that is called into dispute whenever anyone starts the 'Bah humbug' routine.

I can't help feeling you've missed the point of Bah Humbug for the last 30 years by your own admission. Yours is the 'Bah Humbug' routine not the people who say it to you - and I do hope you enjoy your meetings with the three spirits.

And here are some emoticons - just to keep you happy, 'cos I know you like them.

What are you on about? For a long time, my brother insisted on trying to involve me in things Christmas. Each time, I would tell him I do not celebrate Christmas as it goes against my atheist beliefs. He would then basically take the by going into his 'Bah humbug' routine. Over the years, I have constantly tried to ignore Christmas but he kept trying to enforce his beliefs upon me. I fully acknowledge I am in a small minority at this time of year but does that give anyone the right to belittle my beliefs? As mentioned earlier, I put this on a level with offering bacon to Jews or Muslims when knowing full well it is against their beliefs to eat such meat. Also, as you will see, I am not averse to the use of emoticons.

[fleabane]

The reference is literary (Dickens), not religious (Bible). My original BH post also involved a sense of humour, which clearly missed it's mark.

[BJ.]

The reference is literary (Dickens), not religious (Bible). My original BH post also involved a sense of humour, which clearly missed it's mark.

I'm aware of that but I'm afraid when you've the BH thrown at you every year for the past 30 odd years, it loses its humorous content.

[Kinoulton]

I think I sit in both BJ's camp and t'other one as well.

I absolutely reject the idea of a supreme God, and whilst it is likely that Abraham, David, Jesus etc existed as historical figures, the religions that have been built around them, without their say-so, are ludicrous.

However, I just like the Christmas spirit. And as I'm sure Rizzo will agree, this country was having a bit of a bash around the shortest day of the year long before the Christians came along and hijacked it.

I think the irony of Christmas is best summed up by that sketch (Ronny Corbett I think?) who is in the off-licence buying gin, vodka, brandy, whiskey, sherry, port, martini, advocaat, red wine, wine, Champagne etc, and on paying his enormous bill, sighs at the shopkeeper: "Christmas, eh? If it wasn't for the kids we wouldn't bother."

[Purebob]

There was a midwinter celebration long before Christianity came to these shores.
Also, seems to be that the commercialization of Christmas means some folks are lucky at this time of year and other are unlucky.

As "luck" is the means of creation believed in by atheists, perhaps you could find a way to celebrate luck in a non-theist way to put a smile on your face BJ ? :)


* Incidentally speaking as a Christian I can say with some certainty that there is not a single exhortation in scripture to recognize or celebrate Christs birth, not even a real clue as to what time of year it occurred. I'm pretty sure the Church really did hijack the very popular winter solstice p*ssups to try to get some traction in the dark-wintered north.

[Rizzo]

The Christian church did indeed "borrow" many of the pre-Christian or pagan festivals - Eostre, Yule, Imbolc etc. That's okay, cakes and ale all round!

[Purebob]

NOTHING wrong with having a bit of a celebration of life in midwinter. Imagine what life was like for prehistoric man at this time ? If the fire goes out - your family dies, if a fur slips in your sleep, the exposed limb gets frostbite, food is scarce and you don't know why this is happening. It feels like a punishment, perhaps it is ? !

I don't do great during this season of short dark days and long nights, so I welcome a chance to tell tales by a fire and greet hearty friends.

Summat to do when the rugby's off cos of iron hard pitches.. :(

[BJ.]

Summat to do when the rugby's off cos of iron hard pitches.. :(

Why do you think the DVD was invented? I never tire of watching a certain game that was played on 20 Jan 2007.

[Headers]

Hate Christmas always have done lots of let downs over the years so will not be looking forward to this years let downs

[Bill W (2)]

Hate Christmas always have done lots of let downs over the years so will not be looking forward to this years let downs

I am sorry you find the things that are let down over Christmas disappointing!

[DickyP]

I am indeed sorry you found my reply offensive BJ.

Perhaps we should all be more thoughtful of other peoples' sensitivities when we post?

I see where you're coming from. It's not my sensitivity that has been affected, it's my personal belief in the non-existence of any supreme being (God, Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh call them what you will) and all the paraphernalia associated with them that is called into dispute whenever anyone starts the 'Bah humbug' routine.

I can't help feeling you've missed the point of Bah Humbug for the last 30 years by your own admission. Yours is the 'Bah Humbug' routine not the people who say it to you - and I do hope you enjoy your meetings with the three spirits.

And here are some emoticons - just to keep you happy, 'cos I know you like them.

What are you on about? For a long time, my brother insisted on trying to involve me in things Christmas. Each time, I would tell him I do not celebrate Christmas as it goes against my atheist beliefs. He would then basically take the by going into his 'Bah humbug' routine. Over the years, I have constantly tried to ignore Christmas but he kept trying to enforce his beliefs upon me. I fully acknowledge I am in a small minority at this time of year but does that give anyone the right to belittle my beliefs? As mentioned earlier, I put this on a level with offering bacon to Jews or Muslims when knowing full well it is against their beliefs to eat such meat. Also, as you will see, I am not averse to the use of emoticons.

BJ -Yet again you've missed the point - the thread was a humorous look at the whole secular Christmas 'experience'; I posted Bah Humbug to enter into that spirit of the thread. It was you who subsequently brought your religious beliefs into a non-serious thread whilst making yourself sound like Scrooge, so don't get on your high horse when people treat you as your posts portray you.