Official 2011 Christmas Season vs. Holiday Season

[guido911]

[custosnox]

That, I have to say, had some class.

[JCnOwasso]

I am so done with the arguement of "christmas" vs "holidays".  Please explain to me how 3 wise men bringing gifts to baby jesus in a manger has ANYTHING to do with the exchanging of presents during "christmas".  The evolution of "christmas" is driven by the desire to make money and not due to Jesus being the reason for the season.  If that was the case, then everyone would be bringing gifts to church for baby jesus to partake, because it is the giving that counts, right?  And how does Santa play into this whole thing?  Oh wait, we needed a symbol for gift giving season, because sitting on Jesus' lap and telling him what you want for Christmas was too much?  The whole thing is a mongolian cluster****.  Just call it what it is, a headache.  Trying to do anything considered normal during this time of year is pointless.  Make sure you have a months worth of groceries and pick up the rest at QT.  Stay away from anything resembling a Box store and cross your fingers that the game, movie, or XXXXXXX you want doesn't come out from the end of Nov to approx Jan 5th. 

But of course, now that I have a kiddo... my perception has to change.  This is my last year of audible negativity towards christmas, next year she will understand more of what I am saying. 

[Red Arrow]

I am so done with the arguement of "christmas" vs "holidays".  Please explain to me how 3 wise men bringing gifts to baby jesus in a manger has ANYTHING to do with the exchanging of presents during "christmas".  The evolution of "christmas" is driven by the desire to make money and not due to Jesus being the reason for the season.  If that was the case, then everyone would be bringing gifts to church for baby jesus to partake, because it is the giving that counts, right?  And how does Santa play into this whole thing?  Oh wait, we needed a symbol for gift giving season, because sitting on Jesus' lap and telling him what you want for Christmas was too much?  The whole thing is a mongolian cluster****.  Just call it what it is, a headache.  Trying to do anything considered normal during this time of year is pointless.  Make sure you have a months worth of groceries and pick up the rest at QT.  Stay away from anything resembling a Box store and cross your fingers that the game, movie, or XXXXXXX you want doesn't come out from the end of Nov to approx Jan 5th. 

But of course, now that I have a kiddo... my perception has to change.  This is my last year of audible negativity towards christmas, next year she will understand more of what I am saying. 

FWIW, Tulsa Hills seems to be less crowded than Woodland Hills and that part of 71st Street.

[custosnox]

I am so done with the arguement of "christmas" vs "holidays".  Please explain to me how 3 wise men bringing gifts to baby jesus in a manger has ANYTHING to do with the exchanging of presents during "christmas".  The evolution of "christmas" is driven by the desire to make money and not due to Jesus being the reason for the season.  If that was the case, then everyone would be bringing gifts to church for baby jesus to partake, because it is the giving that counts, right?  And how does Santa play into this whole thing?  Oh wait, we needed a symbol for gift giving season, because sitting on Jesus' lap and telling him what you want for Christmas was too much?  The whole thing is a mongolian cluster****.  Just call it what it is, a headache.  Trying to do anything considered normal during this time of year is pointless.  Make sure you have a months worth of groceries and pick up the rest at QT.  Stay away from anything resembling a Box store and cross your fingers that the game, movie, or XXXXXXX you want doesn't come out from the end of Nov to approx Jan 5th. 

But of course, now that I have a kiddo... my perception has to change.  This is my last year of audible negativity towards christmas, next year she will understand more of what I am saying. 

The gift giving has some roots in the manger story, as the wise men brought gifts for their new king.  It was expanded on by Saint Nicholas, who was a bishop at the time, was known for giving gold to one of his neighbors so that his daughters would have a dowry, thus not be sold into prostitution. After that, Saint Nicholas picked up a few more traits and customs before migrating to the U.S. after winning the revolutionary war.  At the time, the newly founded country was looking for something, anything, that was NOT English, and Saint Nick fit the bill.  Over the next century he slowly started to transform into the image we recognize today through newspaper cartoons by such artists as Thomas Nast and books as "a Visit from St. Nicholas" (more known as "Twas the night before Christmas").  The image was brought into it's current incarnation by Coca-Cola, and thus began the exploitation of Christmas.  So yes, both have something to do with Christianity.  If you really want to ask questions about it, you should ask about the origin of the "Christmas" Tree, or the meaning of trivial decorations, or even why the day is celebrated around the winter solstice when by all accounts Jesus was either born in Spring, or as more are starting to agree, in Fall. 

Just wait until I start having fun with Easter 

[custosnox]

But then again, I also think we need to bring Krampus over here

http://www.brutalashell.com/2009/12/krampus-the-german-christmas-demon/

[Townsend]

It was expanded on by Saint Nicholas, who was a bishop at the time, was known for giving gold to one of his neighbors so that his daughters would have a dowry, thus not be sold into prostitution.

Good old days.

[JCnOwasso]

FWIW, Tulsa Hills seems to be less crowded than Woodland Hills and that part of 71st Street.

As long as you enter and exit through 81st, you are golden.

[Red Arrow]

As long as you enter and exit through 81st, you are golden.

Since I am usually arriving from Riverside Airport, that is the way I normally enter the shopping area.