Post: #26

I liked that y2k new year's when everybody thought chaos was gonna break out at midnight.

Aloha!

Post: #27

Loved Christmas as a kid, then grew to dislike Santa shoving his fat ass into November and every last thing in life being Christmas-themed.

Then I moved to Asia. Year after year, Christmas is the occasional song in an occasional store, or the one night where you go down to the department stores and see all the stuff set up by corporate sponsors. Snap a photo of the girl with the big tree there, listen to an overly long pop concert with masses of low-class local rednecks, and go home. Usually work on Christmas Day, don't even have a tree, just get a nice meal and watch Christmas Vacation at home.

Most places you go here, you can't even tell it's December.

And you know what? After detoxing myself of American-style Christmas, I've grown to appreciate the thing. Gene Autry's Christmas music is great, and a December without some Christmas crap going on just feels like January. Basically just another a bland winter month with no sun and too much rain. So as crass as Christmas gets back home, essentially not having it is actually worse.

Post: #28

Aside from the religious aspect, I think Christmas has been hijacked by consumerism. The only positive I can see from the ones who hate it is the paid or day off holiday.

The dreadful (for some) family reunions can be replaced by heading out on a holiday. I found that Christmas in Colombia was unique. Aside from there being no snow, I found the decorations were great (although overkill at times). Just a different experience.

Post: #29

I often think that I'm just one tearfully-emoted rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" away from going on an axe-murdering spree.

Beyond the superficially maudlin tone of the original, I loathe how every subsequent remake of that song has been hijacked by a kind of ironic sentiment that seems to be trying to say "I know you won't, because you're drowning in credit card debt and ridiculous obligations, but I'll go through the motions of appearing to wish you a Merry Christmas anyway." Very millenial.

Post: #30

Y'all some bustas...hating on Christmas, what have we even become?

I wouldn't say I love Christmas; I can certainly do without the crowds, the lame and overplayed music and tv specials and the overcorporatization of the whole shit, but if you're like me and have been away for like a lot of Christmases recently purloining poon and pursuing paper abroad, and have young kids in the immediate family, I'm very happy to be home for the holidays.

Living in Asia, when everyone as far af, the weather is usually pretty crappy (not as cold but way more air pollution), and Christmas is at best a one day holiday from work (and last year at least, I had to work it), it's great to be back especially this year as I'm in a place with a warm climate. I keep a even keel usually but for the past few years abroad at least I've been a little blue around the holidays.

Why not just break down what I like and dislike about the holiday?

Like:

- The food. Turkey, stuffing, lobster, that dope candy cane ice cream? My favorite part of the holidays hands down.
- Time off. As a kid having 3 weeks off is monumental - long enough to relax, not so long you start to get bored, like summer, and even just 2 each days for xmas and New year's is crucial, especially this year with Christmas and New Year's Day on Mondays they stack on the end of weekends.
- Giving and receiving gifts. I come from a firmly middle class family, but we never skimped on Christmas. Even though I generally spend about 1000-1500 (and this year I was smart and bought rare and interesting shit from Asia for my family, I was done my shopping in May), as an adult I still get good stuff back; a few books, some video games, maybe some electronics, booze, cash/gift cards and don't undersell socks and underwear - you go through them quickly and they can be hard to find in certain places.

Now for what I Dislike:

- The music is wack, except for the Trans Siberian Orchestra (saw them in concert years ago, was rad) and they never play it anyways.
- The corporate ownership of Christmas + feminism = 'If you don't buy your girl diamonds for Christmas you're a big loser!'. The pragmatist in me tries hard to remain single or at best casually seeing someone over the holidays. I'm gonna drop 1.5 G's on diamonds in December for a girl I was thisclose to dumping in August and was fighting with for all of October, for her to forget about the entire gesture by February? I'm gonna throw down 800 on a girl I met six weeks ago? Get the fuck outta here. If women are so 'independent' and don't need no man (and they really aren't, they've replaced men with the government in its infinite largesse), they can buy their own fuckin' shiny rocks.
- Gay shit like sweater parties, secret santa and office Christmas parties. I would ten times out of ten take a day off or a half day, or an extra day's wage in lieu of some poorly catered office party with a cash bar because (((corporate))) doesnt want to splurge and worry about 'sexual harassment'.

Perhaps because I have (almost) nothing but positive memories of Christmas growing up, is why I'm able to take the good with the bad and overall I still enjoy the holiday.

New Year's Eve still sucks a bag of dicks though. I mean sure its still the easiest night of the year to go out and bag a lonely 6.5 who just got dumped, but chode volume is at capacity and you always wake up feeling like hell thinking 'I can't believe I spent that much...'.

Post: #31

^^^Agreed on NYE being hands-down the shittiest holiday. Nothing makes you feel older, except maybe learning that people born in 2001 can legally drive.

Post: #32

Here in the corporate world, it is bonus season / compensation season. That wonderful time of year when you find out whether you'll be getting a bonus or fired.

The women know this and have a certain mercenary sense. It's something to watch out for.

It's also holiday party season. Holiday parties are a whole other topic for the forum. I'm a "don't stick your pen in the company's ink" kind of guy and consider holiday parties a chore.

I'm in a suburb of a major city that is also a college town. The college girls have their finals in early December and then leave, so they are out of commission all month.

That Christmas to New Year's week is a dead zone, but I think the run up to X-mas is potentially pretty enjoyable.

Post: #33

(12-12-2017 10:45 AM)Super_Fire Wrote:  ^^^Agreed on NYE being hands-down the shittiest holiday. Nothing makes you feel older, except maybe learning that people born in 2001 can legally drive.

It's literally the one night of the year where dickweeds who spend the other 364 in the basement gaming and chubby 4's all go out and get shithouse drunk and think they ball so hard.

And you might not think this is so bad, until you get to the bar and see shitty ratios and lower talent levels than usual, though at least higher end places keep the fatties and losers out.

Last New Year I went out was...like 2011? And yes, I spent way too much (about $800 on booze, table, hotel room and parking), and yes, I did bring home a lonely 6.5 who didn't just get dumped, but rather was in from out of town. My New Year's tradition since then has oscillated between either having a girl over for a nice dinner, or having a few buddies in for barbecues and beers.

And I talked about diamonds. Don't be a sucker. You know what happens with those diamonds? Girl wears them maybe 3 or 4 times tops and then shoves them in some drawer with the rest of her jewelery (aside, it amazes me how much jewelery - of various quality - and shoes these girls accumulate over the years), and then like 5 years later, after you're long gone, she'll hit a cash crunch, remember the diamonds (and maybe even you?), and take them to a pawn shop and get 25 cents on the dollar for them.

Cheap, sentimental shit and wedding rings, the only jewelery you should ever be buying. Buying diamonds for a girl you don't intend to or don't know you're marrying, you might as well be eating a few interest payments on her credit card.

Post: #34

(12-12-2017 04:48 PM)Nonpareil Wrote:  [quote='Super_Fire' pid='1698828' dateline='1513093553']
And I talked about diamonds. Don't be a sucker. You know what happens with those diamonds? Girl wears them maybe 3 or 4 times tops and then shoves them in some drawer with the rest of her jewelery (aside, it amazes me how much jewelery - of various quality - and shoes these girls accumulate over the years), and then like 5 years later, after you're long gone, she'll hit a cash crunch, remember the diamonds (and maybe even you?), and take them to a pawn shop and get 25 cents on the dollar for them.

Cheap, sentimental shit and wedding rings, the only jewelery you should ever be buying. Buying diamonds for a girl you don't intend to or don't know you're marrying, you might as well be eating a few interest payments on her credit card.

When did this tradition start? I know de Beers has got people by the balls, but buying diamonds for some THOT because it's December?

I've been gone from the West for 5 years and simps are getting bling for randoms?

Post: #35

I hated Christmas, but then I spent nine months in a very not-Christian part of the world, and all of a sudden loved it.

After that new novelty wore off - what I wish is that we could celebrate Christmas slowly after Thanksgiving, and then actually continue it (you know, throughout the twelve days of Christmas). It just all stops on a dime after the 25th, and I always really hated that.

It's a time of reflection and nostagia for me, so I've always had a soft spot Christmas for that general reason.

The music is terrible when you venture outside of the best Christian hymns - honestly, the only modern pop song that I love related to the holiday is "Do You Hear What I Hear".

To make up for this, I play an awful lot of Jethro Tull at Christmas time...the medieval feel of the music just fits for some reason.





I also play this one offbeat Frank Zappa LP that always had a Christmas-y feel to me. Maybe it's the baroque feel, or maybe it's because I wanted to have any reason at all to justify playing this album more than once.

Post: #36

Christmas is for family and children, so if you've got neither around, then there's no point and just depressing. Due to geography, I've celebrated Christmas with the part of the family I don't care much for last couple years. Considering not going this year or getting a plane ticket. I used to love Christmas as a child when my grandparents were alive and we'd be with them for the entirity of christmas. Best time of the year back then.

You're all welcome to join in to celebrate Jul instead of Christmas if you like instead.

It comes with drinking/eating/fornicating parties all December too. Makes the dark months a lot more tolerable.

Post: #37

It's flanked by birthdays of close relatives who're dead now...

Post: #38

This thinking is a trap. Even if kidding, buying into the running bah humbug "joke" can affect your emotional state, attitude, and day-to-day mentality.

Me, I like the holidays.

I just avoid the stuff I don't like.

I don't go shopping so the crowds at the malls don't bother me. If I buy gifts, I generally order them online.

Every once in a while I hear Christmas music - a song or two isn't going to ruin my day, but it's very seldom I hear it playing over and over. I was working in a coffee shop the other day when someone was doing that, and I heckled the girl working a little and she changed it for me - no biggie. She agreed it was a bit obnoxious. If she hadn't, well, I probably would have just worked at home for a few weeks or at least brought in headphones.

For the most part I'm in my truck or my home, where I choose the music or play podcasts, though. It's not like the old days where you were stuck with radio stations and local TV stations for entertainment and couldn't easily switch. It isn't like my friends are playing Christmas music when I visit them. If a few Christmas songs on a trip through a grocery store or something are enough to ruin your day, your problems are bigger than Christmas.

I actually like the festive decorations and the light displays people put up on their homes. I wouldn't want to be the one to put it all together but I think it's pretty cool and makes driving around town at night a pleasure.

I keep the gift giving simple and sincere. Only get small gifts for my immediate family (brothers and mom and their significant others, the kids).

I try to buy them things I think will improve them in some way. For kids, just look for their most creative outlet and help them explore it.

For adults, it's a great time to buy them a book that's just upon the cusp of their interests enough that they'll be interested to read it (maybe based on a goal I know they have or a conversation we had) but far enough beyond them to expand their perspective. If they don't like reading, buy an audio format - no biggie.

They may never get around to it but it sure is a pleasure when it shifts their paradigm for them. Sometimes I buy something similar for someone else who my relationship is especially tight with of late.

For many years I seemed to always be broke around Christmas. No one cared. I just got some simple things for the kids and showed up to spend time with my family.

Don't like ugly Chrismas sweater parties? Don't go then. I don't even own any of these sweaters, but I was thinking of borrowing one of my brother's to go on an ugly Christmas sweater run for a cause.

I mean, why the fuck not? I think we can all agree this country needs more of a sense of community.

I even like the cold these days. I've been doing a lot of cold therapy and attended a Wim Hof seminar this year. When it's cold out like this, I don't have to drive out of town to find a cryotherapy unit. I can just go out jogging or walking in a tank top.

The other morning there was frost on the ground and I went out shirtless at 7 a.m. on a 4-mile, very hilly jog/walk while other men were driving by in comfortable trucks looking miserable bundled up in a heavy coat and knit cap, looking at me like I was crazy.

The cold feels great but so does knowing you are capable of so much more than everyone else around you.

Come to think of it, I didn't mind the cold so much as a kid either. Sometimes our power would go out for nearly a week and we'd light candles and cook on the stove and find other shit to do besides the TV. The river down at the bottom of town would flood and the whole town would come together to help people get their shit out before it was too late. These ended up being huge community experiences.

Just a season of life.

For a community so intrigued by Stoic philosophy there seems to be a lot of resistance to discomfort and uncomfortable memories around here. There were Christmases when we were kids when my mom couldn't afford gifts. Sometimes this organization that delivered gifts to children of prison inmates would come through but not always.

In any case, there were a lot of wealthy families where I grew up and some of the gifts other kids brought to school sure made me envious, but I got over it, and now I'm glad I didn't grow up spoiled like that. Aunts and uncles and people like that would send books - I fucking love books.

Growing up poor and often receiving books as gifts not to mention all those cold winters spent reading what was on Ma's bookshelves has paid me back many times over throughout my life, opening up worlds of possiblity. I think my life would be very different if it wasn't for books. All the coolest shit I've seen and done can somehow be traced back to books.

Maybe it would have been different if we had better gifts, but I remember my favorite present was really the stockings my mom hung out and filled with little simple surprises. Mostly assorted candies and fruits and the ocaissional cheap toys. She still hangs out our stockings every year with our names on them.

I don't know why I liked it so much as a kid, but it was the first thing we ran for when we woke up. I'll hang them out for my kids someday too.

I used to get my mom to drive me down country roads before Christmas so I could climb wet tree trunks and scale the branches and cut down bunches of mistletoe. And then I'd divide them up into perfect little pieces and tie ribbons to them and sell them in front of the stores. One of my many, and one of my favorite, young entrepreneurial ventures.

When I was about 13 or 14, I bagged up all my old toys, stuffed a pillow under my coat, and put on a fake beard and santa hat someone had given me - and went down to give them to a young kid down the street whose tweaker mom, one of my mother's "friends", had divulged to me that she couldn't get him presents that year. Even that young, that was one of my favorite Christmases. I really got a sense of what it felt like to actually make a difference for someone - the kid was ecstatic and his mother was in tears at the gesture.

It sounds corny, but if you really hate it so much, try giving by volunteering or something - it really does make you feel better. This isn't just feel-good stuff; it's proven by science that we are happier when we commit acts of charity.

Giving can be as easy as inviting someone who doesn't have anywhere else to go over for dinner. Man, did this one turn into some great parties for us. For me there are some tough associations with the holiday and the season but there are some great memories too - isn't each and every life that way? Pick which ones you want to focus on.

I like port wine (not drinking now so will give it a miss) and used to always pick out a nice bottle to bring to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I think port is one of the most underrated wines on the planet, and holidays are a great excuse. When living in Asia, I'd often go hunt down whatever I could find - usually some Fladgate, and go sit down at a nice restaurant with music and drink it over dinner and think about my family. Wasn't the same as being with them but it tied me to the traditions we shared even while I was living deep among the Thais.

I love egg nog too. Don't get me started with the pies. The food, the food. A reason to come together with the people I love to share some laughs and bomb food - that's one of my favorite things to do.

Hell, I remember my first Christmas in Southeast Asia, an old girlfriend flew over, and we spent Christmas on the beach drinking mai tais. If you hate it so much, do something like that. Each one of you is a grown man, I presume - you can do anything you want.

But honestly, some of you guys need to lighten up. Aren't we already doing enough to throw out the traditions of our culture? Whatever their meaning or origin, they are our tradition and worth preserving.

Put distance between yourself and the consumerism and stick to the simple things. Avoid the bars - I also am not a huge fan of going out NYE (this is a holiday best spent at a house party with a small group of great friends). Other than that, enjoy it for what it is and try not to let the patterns of the world, or things beyond your control, bother you so much.

If you're tied to a workplace where you can't choose the environment, well, you made your bed. Perhaps something to think about. What's really important to you?

For me, one of the most important is controlling my environment and life so others can't drive me too crazy with trivial things. If I ever let something like Christmas drag me down, I think I'd sit back and reflect on myself, where I'm at in my life and whether it's where I really want to be, and my emotional resilience before anything else.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #39

Here's a good reason why a summer Xmas isn't quite the same.

   

Post: #40

Christmas is great, fuck off you faggots.

Post: #41

(12-12-2017 08:48 AM)ed pluribus unum Wrote:  I often think that I'm just one tearfully-emoted rendition of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" away from going on an axe-murdering spree.

Beyond the superficially maudlin tone of the original, I loathe how every subsequent remake of that song has been hijacked by a kind of ironic sentiment that seems to be trying to say "I know you won't, because you're drowning in credit card debt and ridiculous obligations, but I'll go through the motions of appearing to wish you a Merry Christmas anyway." Very millenial.

For the sake of your sanity and the safety of those around you, do not under any circumstances expose yourself to the James Taylor version of the song.

I'm not kidding.

Post: #42

It's just a reminder to me I haven't built a family to share these special times with and my blood relatives are too fragmented to ever hope to see all of them in 1 room again. This is the 2nd year in a row my ltr collapsed a month before Christmas and the girls i would usually fuck are out of town.

I have friends that make it bearable. That and gin.

Post: #43

(12-13-2017 02:44 AM)Rush87 Wrote:  Here's a good reason why a summer Xmas isn't quite the same.

Looks more like Hanukah to me.

Post: #44

One of the better things about being divorced is not having to go halfway/all the way across the country to my in-laws. They were nice pleasant people and all, but I still abhorred the bullshit and gift giving/exchanging and sitting around for days on end just to be a good sport.

Post: #45

Bunch of Soy Boy Mc'Scrooges in here.

Shit could be alot worse like celebrating Christmas under the fear of being discovered, jailed, and maybe killed.

You guys need to take that candy cane out of your ass and enjoy you friends and family (friends or blood) - they could be taken from you anytime.

I lost one of my best friends this year in the Vegas shooting, and just discovered a pic of us dressed up at an Xmas party 6 years ago.

What I'd give to have another beer with him during the holidays.


Keep in mind, I didn't grow up in a nuclear household, no biological father, a mother that was on the side lines, I can't tell you the last time I sat down to a family dinner, and to top that was taking care of a sick grandmother most my teenage years.

Hell I only had a few years window where Xmas was "real" to me.

Life wasn't the greatest, but I still look forward the holidays because people just seem nicer, the vibe is better, and it's just a good time of year.

What we should be striving for is making every day of the year like that.

I'm not even talking about consumption of material shit or booze either.


Hell I was raised Muslim and still enjoyed Christmas.

TL;DR Stop being salty ass niggas, enjoy your friends, family, women, and time off.


P.S. Spoiler Alert: Virgin Mary was no virgin, she was a whore.

Post: #46

(12-13-2017 02:44 AM)Rush87 Wrote:  Here's a good reason why a summer Xmas isn't quite the same.

Who thought that was a good idea?

Post: #47

(12-13-2017 09:12 PM)Aurini Wrote:  

(12-13-2017 02:44 AM)Rush87 Wrote:  Here's a good reason why a summer Xmas isn't quite the same.

Who thought that was a good idea?

Post: #48

I fly one of my Eastern girls back for 3 months so I can stand being in such a dysfuntioanl broken country (Australia)! Having a real feminine woman around makes life so mich better even tho I tell them I'm not into anything serious right now! They cook, clean and show you respect! Can't wait to head back to SEA in a couple more months!

Post: #49

I don´t like Christmas and everything about it. But I appreciate vacation and christmas sweets.
On Christmas night I am going to earn some extra as a bouncer in the club and if there will be chance, I´ll also take new year´s night.

Post: #50

Was looking forward to Christmas with my IvanDrago style attitude until tonight. Found out today that my immediate family Christmas dinner has turned into an extended family dinner due to them having a fall out with my cousins boyfriends family Pissed isn’t even the word. Been cornered 5 days before Christmas under the premise of ‘they can’t be themselves’ and its just because they want to get drunk while other people cook whereas we only have a drink or two. They haven’t even offered my grandparents any money for food. Too many people worried about keeping up appearances and aren’t bullish like myself.

People I only see once a year trying to make my girl uncomfortable, mostly as we are the youngest. The type of people who only know anything about what you are doing with your life due to word of mouth from other family members. The type who have all had bad relationships and are only worried about drinking at the weekend in their 50’s. I do not want this for my family in the next generation. I can deal with it but now can’t enjoy a relaxing Christmas. Too late to book anywhere for just me, my girl and parents and already been on the phone to say that no crap will be tolerated. Will be booking a restaurant for those closest right beside where I stay by summer latest for next year.

Can’t believe people tolerate spending time with people they don’t like never see/bother with all year till their 40’s/50’s/60’s under the premise of being ‘festive’