I'm not sure if it's because of the economy and ppl not having the money to buy expensive toys for their kids who really only play w/them for abt a week and then move on to something else or if it's because of the stressing out ppl tend to do over buying gifts for family members who a lot of time are more concerned with if you paid less for her gift than you did your other auntie or cousin

Where I'm at there's hardly any houses w/lights up

Even for those of us who have long stopped celebrating Christmas, there was still a certain benevolence you felt from ppl around this time of year (if it was only for a few days)

Now the "holiday" has clearly been made of mockery of w/how foolish ppl act during Blk Friday

Starting to feel more and more like any ol day off...at least imo

What ya'll think...

most of the people i know are doing better financially today than they were this time last year.

i've read plenty of posts in GD where people came up with better jobs & more money...


***
I'm tryna be better off, not better than...

I'm so used to having to work holidays that it really does feel like any other day off
plus what you said about the increasing consumerism.

b/c you're aging.

i dunno that Xmas has really changed all that much - considering way back in 1960whenever the folks who created Charlie Brown's Xmas special were moaning and whining about how commercial the holiday had become.

to me that says ppl have bitched about commercializing Xmas even when i thought Xmas was just magic and good will and great presents. back when i thought the whole Western world stopped everything to recognize the holiday ppl were still whining and complaining about the holiday.

i think this complaint is an integral part of Xmas. i don't think Xmas is changing all that much - or it's not changing for the worst.

so i've decided to accept the holiday season for what it is. it's been this way since i've known it i just didn't recognize it until i got older.

the only thing that's different is Christmas shopping on thanksgiving day.
that shit is new, and quite lame.

the rest of it is the same old story.

old that Santa Claus wasn't real lol

But uh nah, man, I do think what you're saying holds true for a lot of ppl the older they get though

And I wasn't aware of but I can believe that there's always been that contingent who complained abt the commercialism and materialism of Xmas

But from what I've read recently (like the last 4 to 5 yrs or so) there's been a growing trend of fewer Americans celebrating the day for all sorts of reasons - so there's some statistics that show why the day is losing some of its appeal




>b/c you're aging.
>
>i dunno that Xmas has really changed all that much -
>considering way back in 1960whenever the folks who created
>Charlie Brown's Xmas special were moaning and whining about
>how commercial the holiday had become.
>
>to me that says ppl have bitched about commercializing Xmas
>even when i thought Xmas was just magic and good will and
>great presents. back when i thought the whole Western world
>stopped everything to recognize the holiday ppl were still
>whining and complaining about the holiday.
>
>i think this complaint is an integral part of Xmas. i don't
>think Xmas is changing all that much - or it's not changing
>for the worst.
>
>so i've decided to accept the holiday season for what it is.
>it's been this way since i've known it i just didn't recognize
>it until i got older.
>

gathering with fam, eating, remembering/honoring our mother, etc...

I also remember how much parents back then didn't like the consumerism.

Apparently that was a thing in previous generations. That completely died off with my generation. And like the OP said....the overall benevolence that came with the holidays is mostly gone and that has nothing to do with me growing up. People don't care as much about showing good will to each other at the same level they did years ago. It seems that everyone keeps their blinders on as they lead themselves from sale to sale.

I think my son's father knew I wasn't going to do it this year either so he did it himself. He also rearranged the living room and bought most of the toys. I bought necessities like a new car seat. And I told him I didn't want to get gifts for him and I until after christmas.

I really don't want he and I to exchange gifts at all.

Having pink eye doesn't help. But before that I wasn't in the Christmas mood. I was looking forward to making a cake but I don't want to do that now because of my pi k eye.

I am glad he put up the tree though because it's pretty to look at when I get sad.
♥♥Church Diva♥♥

i felt like it. you're 3 years old, what do you know about the calendar? christmas is whenever i say it is.



***
I'm tryna be better off, not better than...

Matter of fact I'm about to pull out some of those toys and play with him right now.



♥♥Church Diva♥♥

>I think my son's father knew I wasn't going to do it this
>year either so he did it himself. He also rearranged the
>living room and bought most of the toys. I bought necessities
>like a new car seat. And I told him I didn't want to get gifts
>for him and I until after christmas.
>
>I really don't want he and I to exchange gifts at all.
>
>Having pink eye doesn't help. But before that I wasn't in the
>Christmas mood. I was looking forward to making a cake but I
>don't want to do that now because of my pi k eye.
>
>I am glad he put up the tree though because it's pretty to
>look at when I get sad.
>♥♥Church Diva♥♥

it's just another day to me now. with lots of basketball.

the only time ive enjoyed xmas since high school was 2012 when i stayed at my aunt's house for the whole week. my cousin has a kid so i got to go christmas crazy w/ him and we had a blast.

we got our tree
i CANT WAIT to get that after christmas decoration sale
that is my favorite part of this time of the year
im going IN

shit on fleek, naan parking spaces
and it's cold rainy and the middle of a work day
every house on the block bling blinging with lawn jockeys and lights as well
probably depends on your community

growing trend of Americans not celebrating xmas - some due to economic reasons while others is because less and less ppl are identifying w/Christianity therefore they don't recognize the day as a holy occasion

I do think the perception of ppl celebrating the day probably varies from city to city but overall I've felt this way just based on the last few cities/countries I've lived in

Although as a kid, you're mostly concerned w/what toys, bike you were going to get more than anything else but I do remember in my household there still being a certain reverence for what the day was actually supposed to be abt which is the birth of Christ - I don't get that sense nowadays even amongst many Christains, now it seems the day is more abt making sure you get ppl the right gift

I lived in a middle class neighborgphood last year in Atlanta where most of the homewowners were older blk folks and I remember this time last year that there were far more ppl who DIDN'T have xmas lights up vs those that did...because I normally look for the homes decorated w/lights and was kinda surprised that so few homes had xmas lights up


>shit on fleek, naan parking spaces
>and it's cold rainy and the middle of a work day
>every house on the block bling blinging with lawn jockeys and
>lights as well
>probably depends on your community

That's the day everybody HAS to get together. Christmas is optional

because some of my family members didn't celebrate xmas...and oftentimes if you have kids you tend to want to stay home so the kids can play w/their toys (when I went to another relatives house for Xmas, I could only take one toy)


>That's the day everybody HAS to get together. Christmas is
>optional

alive.

"Accidentally" leave the main present hidden between the couch and the tree so ol girl doesn't notice it til the very end. Stuff like that.

Also this year I'm using Justin Bieber wrapping paper, so I think that'll help with the spirit of childlike wonder.

Xmas has been an afterthought this year. A bunch of things are going on in my family's life right now; personally, financially, careerwise...etc., so I've just been going through the motions.

Hopefully, I'll get the spirit back next year.

Unless you got some or are one, it's just another day


does it really matter?

for all my fans who keep my name in their mouth: http://i.imgur.com/v2xNOpS.jpg

it's neither religious nor consumerist for me and hasn't really been for quite some time. one side of my family don't celebrate, and i don't really do gifts among my adult friends/family, so we just try to get together & have dinner/drinks. growing up, new year's eve was always a bigger deal to my parents & their friends due to its secular nature.

we got a tree last night. it's still not decorated yet...

huh? Lol

I'm sure that tree looking mighty naked right abt now


>we got a tree last night. it's still not decorated yet...

And times and the economy have changed.

We put up a tree, half the gifts are wrapped. We decided not to go to visit with family for Christmas.

We arent religious and the whole Jesus birthday can easily be debunked.

We decided that this is the last year we will be doing the gifts and stuff.

Its just weird, I'm not feeling Christmas at all. Hell I'm at work right now! I voulunteered to come in today and Friday. Its not like I'm home playing with toys or some shit.