Tinkerbell wrote:
It just peaked my curiosity. You don't see people who aren't Jewish celebrating Hanukkah (sp?) for the most part. This really seems to be specific to Christmas. I don't know.. Anyone care to take a stab at it?
It's not one of the more important holidays. It more or less falls under the catagory of "They tried to kill or supress us/we kicked their asses/lets eat!"
That description pretty much applies to every Jewish holiday aside from Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and that arbor day holiday which name I always forget.
My family has a longstanding Christmas tradition (which we unfortunately had to break this year due to illness) of going to see a big movie and then eating out at our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner. It's fun. ^_^
My girlfriend got me hooked on that one. I love Chinese food. I got her hooked on Virginia ham ("It's not that salty." she told her horrified, though non-religious parents.). I like going to the movies as well and getting out of the house which is always overrrun by guests at Christmas. Best of all, I liked it when the guests left Sunday afternoon and she put on her new thigh-highs and a choker...
So I spent Christ's alleged birthday watching a bad horror movie, eating Chinese food, then plying my Jewish girlfriend with baked ham before shooing away friends and relatives so I could fuck her brains out undisturbed in front of the fireplace. Thank you Jesus!
Somehow I don't see this kind of thing happening on Labor Day.
It is part of my frigging cultural heritage, got a problem with that punk ?
The time between the years (24th to 1st) is the only time when the whole family can come together and giving away presents, and getting presents, talking, playing games, ... is just fun.
The only excuse I need is that it's a federal holiday, as Bill O'Reilly is so fond of mentioning (from what I can remember of watching him back in high school). Not that the OP contends it, but why should anyone be upset if an atheist celebrates Christmas? The government's giving us the day off so why the fuck not?
dude it Christmas/Yuletide/Saturnella/Hunnuka/Candlemass it's the combination of a need to combat seasonal depression and everyone likes treating their fellow familie members to nice gifts. Hell we even give folks cards when we don't even celebrate the holiday
The scariest folk song lyrics are "My Boy Grew up to be just like me" from cats in the cradle by Harry Chapin