BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society

Subject: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 11:34 AM

At the ripe old age of 52 I think I must have finally grown up. For the first time EVER I'm not looking forward to Christmas. I would rather it simply didn't happen this year.

For the first time I appreciate Leadfingers' December song: "I hate Christmas"!

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 11:39 AM

I've sort of gone the opposite way, from disillusionment to anticipation. Mind you I'm very old and may be entering my second/third/fourth/fifth childhood, although there are those who maintain that I've never grown up. I do hope they're right!
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST,Mingulay
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 11:58 AM

Never, ever thought I'd hear that from you Joy.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 11:59 AM

Bah! Bumhug!

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 03:51 PM

I never actually dread the christmas season but I don't involve myself in it. When my daughter was at home, we celebrated it but even then, it used to irritate her that I didn't sing or whistle christmas songs until sometime in January! 'It's over, Mom,' she'd say.

Nowadays I just ignore it as best I can, other than the obligatory checks to my daughter and her family. I don't like to intrude into friends' family celebrations so I stay away. I used to volunteer at the local homeless shelter at the noonday meal- but there were so many volunteers I gave that up. (As I have said, I haven't had a holiday dinner in years!)

I have gone on a ferry ride on christmas day and enjoyed it.

The worst thing is that I don't like Christmas music. To me, it is non-singable, except for a few pieces like Silent Night.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Leadfingers
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 05:35 AM

As it is one of my Hobby Horses to get everyone to attribute songs correctly I feel I must point out that 'I Hate Christmas' is NOT mine.
It was written by one or both of Adrian May and Chris Weger , and was part of their Christmas show from the seventies . But thanks for the plug any way Z M .

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 05:47 AM

Christmas is still a great time for the kids! It is also a time for families to get together which can for some be an absolute pleasure and others a real pain. It is a time of excess for some, for which there is a price to be paid. It is a time of financial outlay which can be difficult(It was a little for me this year as I had to pay out an extra £200 for new spectacles.....must call it my Christmas present to me). I have spent a large amount of money on presents, a smaller amount of money on cards...have written dozens of cards and posted around 40.....it goes on!
Christmas...for me..is the time of year when I celebrate the birth of Jesus! It could be so much simpler but who wants to be a party-pooper.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Spot
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 06:01 AM

Hello everybody
                   I'm facing a hefty bill for dental work at the minute....Couldnt afford Christmas even if I wanted to!!!! Too commmercial..too expensive... too much bloody fuss about stuff I cant accept...(JC etc!)..too many arguments ...much too much waste...too much too much!!
         
                         Bah-Humbug rules..OK?

         Having said that, I have no wish to take away from childrens magic etc...I just dont think they should have, errmmm...too much!!I have sent mine their cheques and cardsies etc so I'm not a complete Scrooge!! I just didnt write too much on the cheques!! The buggers are better off than me, anyways!!!

                         Regards and , errmmm..Happy Thingy to all....Spot   :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST,John O'Lennaine
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 07:30 AM

I never look forward to it and the leadup to it always means extra work and extra expense, but when it arrives I always enjoy it.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 07:51 AM

Interesting to read other folk's views on this.

Tel: sorry I got that wrong and thanks for the correction but it's still a great song. Can I steal it please?

Peter: Things, and people, change over the years!

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: gnu
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 07:59 AM

If one could set some sort of limit to the age at which presents are given, we adults could enjoy both aspects of the season, those being the "real" Christmas and the one of "commercial" wonder we have manufacured for the kiddies. Other than immediate family, I refuse to gift anyone over the age of twelve.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: LilyFestre
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 07:59 AM

I really used to look forward to Christmas each year too...but not this year. I'm not into hunting for that perfect gift for so and so or even decorating, really.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 08:14 AM

Hah! Bumbug!

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 12:52 PM

Just heard a "politically correct" reading of the "Night Before Christmas". Took me a while to figure out why Santa kept chanting "Ladyoftheevening.Ladyoftheevening.Ladyoftheevening"
HO HO HO!
Says it all, I guess.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Bernard
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 02:01 PM

Ah... bum hug!

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 02:35 PM

The problem I have with appreciating Scrooge or the Grinch, is they are both "saved" in the end by becoming one with the Xmas worshippers who tormented them.

Personally, I'd have preferred they remained unrepentant. I'd have like the endings better.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 02:58 PM

Yes, Guest, I have to agree there. By the way - who are you?

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Dec 04 - 03:33 PM

Hey Rhiannon, I am The Anti-Santa of the Christmas Resistance Movement Present.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: mack/misophist
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 09:41 AM

Like many, I'm neither Christian nor Pagan. There's no reason for me to celebrate the winter solstice in any of it's forms. Besides, for many of us it's the best paid work day of the year.

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 09:53 AM

Or any reason to celebrate Xmas then either, right? I mean, what is the point of celebrating Xmas if you aren't into the Christian thing? The only reason I can think of is peer and family pressure to conform and celebrate the holiday, even though it's rituals are largely empty and meaningless to most of us.

Even if you don't do the consumerist shopping, if you buy into the gift giving thing at all, you've succumbed to what is essentially a meaningless, empty exchange to avoid being labelled a scrooge or a grinch or a killjoy, or what have you. In other words, you end up being ostracized in some way for not getting "in the spirit".

Perhaps this thread should be linked to the holiday depression thread, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 10:45 AM

I used to really hate Christmas. I worked for years in a retail business that had distinct peak seasons and December/January was one of them. My typical December work week was about seventy hours. It didn't leave much time to enjoy the holidays. Now I'm self employed and it's better. I don't have to work at all if I don't want to. Just sit around the house and go "Ho, ho, ho!"

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 11:18 AM

When I worked in retail (OK, I was blessed enough to be the manager of an independent bookstore, a dream job for me), I loved the buzz of busy season. Not the Christmas thing, I just loved selling people great books! If Christmas was the reason, fine, but I rarely took that into account. People love giving books at Christmas, I loved selling books anytime, so it was a match made in heaven for me.

Now that I'm older and working in a library setting though, I'm looking to get out of the book biz now. Too tired of being on my feet all the time, and it's taking a toll physically (knee arthroscopy last month). My surgeon said I've still got 75% of the cartilage intact, so if I quit the biz soon, I have a great prognosis. Stay working in the job, and I'm looking a knee surgery every cupla years and an eventual knee replacement.

No thanks. Time to look for a new job in the new year!

Subject: RE: BS: Scrooge Appreciation Society
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 01:54 PM

Can't find the version mentioned above, but Here's one PC version of "The Night Before Christmas"

Nigel