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When PC ain't a computer
#43110 12/10/16 02:57 PM
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ryck Offline OP
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This year, as in past years, we will not be having "holiday" celebrations in our home.

Instead we are first looking forward to the Christmas Carolers who always come by the house singing Christmas carols and we'll happily throw a few bucks into the bucket for their Christmas collection. The carolers like to help others who will not be having as happy a Christmas as the more fortunate.

Our house is already decorated with Christmas lights and we are enjoying the Christmas cards that arrive daily. On Christmas Eve we'll hang Christmas stockings and perhaps have a bit of Christmas egg nog with friends.

On Christmas morning we'll open Christmas presents that are under the Christmas tree, following which we'll have our traditional family Christmas breakfast. On Christmas evening we'll have our Christmas dinner during which someone will make the same old joke: "Gee, only 365 more days until Christmas".

We'll let the more politically correct celebrate "the holiday".


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

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Re: When PC ain't a computer
ryck #43116 12/11/16 12:53 AM
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As a "Preacher's Spouse" I have a somewhat different kind of Christmas. We will make additional gifts to the homeless shelter, help serve a meal at the AIDS hospice, pack holiday baskets at the church food pantry, buy gifts for the underprivileged children on the church giving tree, take our Syrian refugee family shopping, shop for family and friends on the internet, attend several holiday parties including one at the synagogue, seasonal symphony concerts and theatrical productions, and the normal 50 hours a week in church related activities becomes more like 60 or 70.

We don't get many carolers around here for whatever reason but one group of carolers I saw had carolers wearing "cowboy" hats, hajibs, yarmulkes, even a turbaned Sikh. I have to say that I loved seeing that. It made me believe that Christmas really is a magic time of peace and goodwill toward all.

Both of us will have sore throats; mine from all the choir rehearsals and performances, her's from all the sermons preached and prayers prayed at special services; I will be worn out from all the housework she is too busy working on her sermons to help with. We haven't had time to put up a Christmas tree in years and our decorations are four lighted wreaths with Chrismons on the porch pillars.

We will entertain our grandsons up to Christmas Day when they go home (flights are cheaper on Christmas Day). Our big worship services are Christmas Eve at noon, 6:00 PM for families with small children, 8:00 PM for families with older children and older members who don't want to be out late and at 10:00 PM a midnight candle lighting service. Since Christmas is on Sunday this year we only have one service at 10:00 AM and the sermon will be sung by the choirs. If we didn't have to take the grandkids to the airport we would go home, put our feet up and get some sleep. When Christmas Day is NOT on Sunday we customarily go to the movies. (An informal poll of of other minister families found many of them celebrate Christmas Day the way we do unless there are young children or grandchildren.

Our take is the Christian celebration is Christmas Eve when we commemorate the birth of Christ and Christmas Day has become a cultural holiday celebrated by atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, agnostics, etc.

Thank heaven we have two months after Christmas to get ready for the REAL Christian celebration of Lent culminating in Easter.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: When PC ain't a computer
joemikeb #43119 12/11/16 04:26 PM
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ryck Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
We don't get many carolers around here for whatever reason but one group of carolers I saw had carolers wearing "cowboy" hats, hajibs, yarmulkes, even a turbaned Sikh. I have to say that I loved seeing that. It made me believe that Christmas really is a magic time of peace and goodwill toward all.

But it is Christmas that you celebrate as a time of peace and goodwill, which is the point I was making. I am just tired of all those who think we shouldn't use that name because someone who isn't Christian might be offended.

And, I don't make my point as a Christian, as I am not. I went with Deism decades ago. However, I believe there was a person named Jesus Christ who preached many wise and good things about how we should all get along and, if Christians have always had a celebration that includes his name, we should stick with it.

No one is asking other religions to change the names of their observances to something more politically correct.

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
As a "Preacher's Spouse" I have a somewhat different kind of Christmas. We will make additional gifts to the homeless shelter, help serve a meal at the AIDS hospice, pack holiday baskets at the church food pantry, buy gifts for the underprivileged children on the church giving tree, take our Syrian refugee family shopping, shop for family and friends on the internet, attend several holiday parties including one at the synagogue, seasonal symphony concerts and theatrical productions, and the normal 50 hours a week in church related activities becomes more like 60 or 70.

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Both of us will have sore throats; mine from all the choir rehearsals and performances, her's from all the sermons preached and prayers prayed at special services; I will be worn out from all the housework she is too busy working on her sermons to help with.

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Thank heaven we have two months after Christmas to get ready for the REAL Christian celebration of Lent culminating in Easter.

You and your wife have good reason to be tired. I'm currently working on a political campaign to help pensionless surviving spouses. Maybe when that's done I should start a movement to have Christmas celebrated in November so that you get three months rest. grin

Last edited by ryck; 12/11/16 04:27 PM.

ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

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Re: When PC ain't a computer
ryck #43137 12/12/16 05:50 PM
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Sorry folks, Christmas is NOT a cultural holiday, it is a religious holiday. I am all for anyone and everyone having and celebrating their religious holidays in any way that their religion requires (well, human sacrifices may be an exception). But please, please, please do not tell me that participating in events associated with Christmas (e.g., caroling) does not contain elements that express religious beliefs. Were the carolers singing The Beatles "All You Need Is Love", or U2 "Everlasting Love" or Adele "First Love"? Not likely; more likely "Come All Ye Faithful".

And don't misunderstand me—that is all great and wonderful and maybe if everyone participated in everyone else's religious practices we really would have peace on earth; but never think that these public expressions and symbols are not putting forth the beliefs of a specific religion. And I am offended when a Christian does not understand that and takes an attitude of "it's no big deal". It is a big deal because practitioners of all other religions are not viewed and treated equally.

Whatever anyone wants to voluntarily do is fine with me (even outside of religious practices), but please see the celebrations for what they are and I see them to be expressions of a specific faith.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: When PC ain't a computer
Ira L #43146 12/12/16 10:49 PM
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ryck Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: Ira L
Sorry folks, Christmas is NOT a cultural holiday, it is a religious holiday.

Et cetera


I'm not sure what your point is, as I don't believe anyone said otherwise.

Last edited by ryck; 12/12/16 10:49 PM.

ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: When PC ain't a computer
ryck #43158 12/13/16 05:58 PM
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Well, you yourself did say Christmas is a time to celebrate peace and goodwill; to me that's cultural and not the religious significance (mistakingly) of the birth of Jesus (nativity, manger, etc.) Joemikeb also mentioned a time of peace and goodwill, especially in the context of carolers of seemingly all religions. He also said Christmas Day (as opposed to Christmas Eve) has become a cultural holiday celebrated by all religions and atheists.

This last comment is what triggered my response.

I am in favor of peace and goodwill. Perhaps if we practiced it year-round we would not have to single out a specific time of year and Christmas (day or eve) could return to it religious roots.





On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: When PC ain't a computer
Ira L #43162 12/13/16 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: Ira L
I am in favor of peace and goodwill. Perhaps if we practiced it year-round we would not have to single out a specific time of year and Christmas (day or eve) could return to it religious roots.

I wish I thought that would work, but I fear even universal "peace and goodwill" would not be sufficient to overcome the merchandising juggernaut the cultural Christmas has become. 😩 Just remember it is Christmas gift giving that turns the merchant's financial bottom line from RED to BLACK.

Last edited by joemikeb; 12/13/16 09:10 PM.

If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein

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