LIKES. 1. I love that we devote one specific time of year to eating particularly delicious, and expensive, foods. Mankind just HAD to organise that; it would have been crazy not to!
2. I love all the music that accompanies Christmas, from Wham to Wagner. I love the brainless Phil Spector Do Wa Wa's, just as much as the Carols from King's. As an ex-choirboy (Oh yes I was) singing is in my blood, and no more so than at Christmas.
3. I love the kitsch of the decorations. At what other time of year could one possibly decorate our interiors with such appalling, and tasteless, glitz, other than at Christmas time.
4. I love giving presents. Not too many, and not too expensive; just enough to say 'I'm thinking of you'. However, I'm not terribly keen on receiving them.
5. I love the nostalgia of Christmas. Remembering times past, old friends, and even previous homes. Somehow I associate many of my 'best times' with Christmas; and luckily this continues.
DISLIKES. 1. I don't like that preparations for Christmas seem to begin just after Easter. The appalling drawn-out hype and commercialism really bugs me.
2. I don't like that everyone is suddenly supposed to be 'full of seasonal good cheer'. I like to keep to myself, and that includes Christmas. Leave me alone! Thank you.
3. I don't like all the religious nonsense that has now invaded our ancient festival of Saturnalia. All the images of a hippy looking, bearded, Caucasian traveller, just make me smile; and as for the virgin birth nonsense; give me a break!
4. I don't much like the HUGE sugar-overkill either (not that I eat any of it), it is a cynical and unhealthy money-making disgrace.
5. And finally, I really don't like all those idiots who go on lengthy pub-crawls wearing cheap Santa hats, leaving the pavements awash with vomit.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
Saturnalia
And a Merry Christmas to you too.
ReplyDeleteBah humbug!! I agree with most of what you say actually…especially the No 1 dislike.
ReplyDeleteI notice that british newspapers and news programmes are failing to report this
ReplyDeleteTaking food from the hungry’: UK govt rejects EU food bank subsidy
Visit : http://rt.com/news/uk-refuses-eu-help-467,
Seeing as the UK gives over £8.3 BILLION each year in foreign aid, I can't really see why the EU is offering this in the first place.
DeleteI feel pretty much the same as you about Christmas Cro, but there is one custom here in Angola I loathe with all my heart. Everyone and everyone will accost me and say, more as a demand than a polite request, 'Meu Boas Festas?' meaning, 'My Merry Christmas?' expecting me to give them money.
ReplyDeleteSounds a bit like 'Penny for the Guy, mister?'.
DeleteI also love the memories of a time when we 'did it right'. What I dislike (or makes me sad) is the focus on assisting those who are in need at this time of year. This should be an ongoing thing not just a 'one time of the year' blitz.
ReplyDeleteCome on, give it up for Virgin births! Yeah! Okay, you don't have to. Surprised you like Wham . . .
ReplyDeleteMy father believed mankind would die of refined sugar. He also believed we would die from the detergent residue we children left on the dishes we washed.
ReplyDeleteThat about sums up my attitude to it. We should just have a big bonfire on the shortest day and a keg of good ale apiece.
ReplyDeleteMore or less mine too Cro. I wouldn't miss Carols from Kings for the world. It is the beginning of Christmas for me.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas to you and Lady M from Molly
ReplyDeleteLike you, I'm also much more comfortable with giving gifts than receiving them. Hmmm, not sure, but there could be something wrong with us...
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you and your lovely lady.
"It is more blessed to give than receive".
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