Is Christmas Ruined Forever?

[jamespowers]

I don't put up a tree anymore. I have a few things around the sitting room that is considered Christmas spirit and two Poinsettias to decorate with also. As to a tree, I gave it away.

If I didn't have a 6 year old and an 8 year old then I would do the same thing.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Given the size of my house, if I put up a tree I'd have to go out and spend the next two weeks living on the porch. If the tree would pay the mortgage this month it might be worth it, otherwise I'll pass.

 

[sheeplady]

Growing up, when we had a tree it was typically a real one. I would watch the trees on the farm all year and pick out a good one- typically one at the side of one of the former ponds or growing under the power lines that would likely meet its fate in a few years (drowning or spraying). How we got the tree is that the beginning of December, I would start asking my parents, "Are we going to cut the tree this weekend?" Finally, on Christmas eve, as the sun set, my parents might decide to relinquish and set off to cut it. My father would typically give up when the tree was half cut down and my mother and/or I would have to finish it. Then I would finish dressing it, mainly by myself.

When I turned 14, I decided I had enough of this and stopping asking my parents to get the tree, and just got it and dressed it myself. There's a few times in my life I acutely remember wanting siblings, when I was decorating the tree was always one of them.

Needless to say, I'll have a tree until the day I die, even if it is a twig. We didn't have one every year when I was a kid so I plan to make up for it. We have an artificial (several, actually), but will have a real tree in addition to the artificials starting next year. I want to plant some on the new property that we can then harvest each year.

My family (by which I mean my husband, my daughter, and I) have a lot of traditions we started. Neither of our families passed on much to us (neither family seemed to enjoy celebrating holidays) so we made up our own.

 

[2jakes]

Given the size of my house, if I put up a tree I'd have to go out and spend the next two weeks living on the porch. If the tree would pay the mortgage this month it might be worth it, otherwise I'll pass.

LizzieMaine ...you bring a smile when I read your posts. Thank You.

Btw: Last year I put up a Christmas tree in the only place that was available. A garage turned into a living room.
But it was so cold & to heat up the whole house was not practical especially since I don't spend much time in that
room. I only saw the tree when I would water it on occasions to prevent the tree from further drying.
I do believe I will pass as well or go out & see the plethora of Christmas lights all over the neighborhood...
but only if the weather is nice.

Sheeplady...I love your Spirit :eusa_clap

 

[TimeWarpWife]

I remember the day my dad told me Santa didn't exist, I was around 7. I cried at first, but as kids are resilient, I got over it rather quickly. I wasn't as inquisitive as some of you all here were as kids. I just assumed that Santa used the front door like everyone else to come into our house and leave gifts, as we didn't have a fireplace. I really don't remember wondering how he made millions of deliveries all around the world in one night, never mind how his sleigh could hold all those presents. I have fond memories of my aunt, uncle, and cousins coming to visit the weekend before Christmas and we'd get all bundled up and go with my grandfather to get the tree on my grandparents' property. While we were gone to get the tree, my grandmother would be making supper for us, we'd eat, then put the tree up. I was, however, always disappointed that we had a cedar tree instead of a pine tree. The cedar smelled great, but never looked as pretty with decorations as a fuller pine tree did. Eventually my parents also got an artificial tree, I missed the smell, but it was prettier than the cedars when it was decorated. Now days, like Lizzie, our home is really too small to have a tree, but I still put up a wreath on the door and battery-operated candles in the windows. As a Christian, Christmas has taken on a different meaning for me, so it's not about the decorations, tree, presents, etc., but a time to celebrate the birth of the Savior and reflect on what the true meaning of giving, sacrifice, and love means. As to an answer to the original question, I believe it's up to the individual parent(s) to decide whether they want their children to believe in Santa Claus or not. Many of my friends are Christians and have decided to make Christmas about celebrating Jesus' birth and their children don't seem any worse for wear because Santa isn't a part of it. As a side note, my aunt is 81 years old and to this day she swears she heard Santa's sleigh bells on the roof one Christmas Eve night when she was a little girl.

 

[2jakes]

I remember the day my dad told me Santa didn't exist, I was around 7. I cried at first, but as kids are resilient, I got over it rather quickly. I wasn't as inquisitive as some of you all here were as kids. I just assumed that Santa used the front door like everyone else to come into our house and leave gifts, as we didn't have a fireplace. I really don't remember wondering how he made millions of deliveries all around the world in one night, never mind how his sleigh could hold all those presents. I have fond memories of my aunt, uncle, and cousins coming to visit the weekend before Christmas and we'd get all bundled up and go with my grandfather to get the tree on my grandparents' property. While we were gone to get the tree, my grandmother would be making supper for us, we'd eat, then put the tree up. I was, however, always disappointed that we had a cedar tree instead of a pine tree. The cedar smelled great, but never looked as pretty with decorations as a fuller pine tree did. Eventually my parents also got an artificial tree, I missed the smell, but it was prettier than the cedars when it was decorated. Now days, like Lizzie, our home is really too small to have a tree, but I still put up a wreath on the door and battery-operated candles in the windows. As a Christian, Christmas has taken on a different meaning for me, so it's not about the decorations, tree, presents, etc., but a time to celebrate the birth of the Savior and reflect on what the true meaning of giving, sacrifice, and love means. As to an answer to the original question, I believe it's up to the individual parent(s) to decide whether they want their children to believe in Santa Claus or not. Many of my friends are Christians and have decided to make Christmas about celebrating Jesus' birth and their children don't seem any worse for wear because Santa isn't a part of it. As a side note, my aunt is 81 years old and to this day she swears she heard Santa's sleigh bells on the roof one Christmas Eve night when she was a little girl.

I believe your aunt because I too have heard those sleigh bells on the roof around Christmas Eve...

 

[Feraud]

We put up a tree every year. One year artificial and the next a fresh one. Nothing bests the smell of fresh pine!
I've always enjoyed the glow of lights from the tree.
It is entirely possible to enjoy the Xmas season without the commercialization and retail push to shop until you drop. We give modest gifts to each other and create nice memories for our son.

 

[TimeWarpWife]

We put up a tree every year. One year artificial and the next a fresh one. Nothing bests the smell of fresh pine!
I've always enjoyed the glow of lights from the tree.
It is entirely possible to enjoy the Xmas season without the commercialization and retail push to shop until you drop. We give modest gifts to each other and create nice memories for our son.

What I remember most of all about past Christmases is the memories of being with my loved ones. Sadly, most of them have passed away and those memories are pretty much all I have left. The memories we create with our loved ones will far out last our memory of any present we got.

 

[31 Model A]

I watched for the umpteen time a classic movie last night that would fit right in to this thread and the OP's situation. "Miracle on 34th Street", the Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, little Natalie Wood version, the only version IMO. A kid growing up not believing in Santa Clause and her mother who think myths are harmful to little kids.

 

[tonyb]

...
It is entirely possible to enjoy the Xmas season without the commercialization and retail push to shop until you drop. We give modest gifts to each other and create nice memories for our son.

I enjoy being in the downtown retail district during the holiday shopping season. The lights, the bell-ringers, the hustle and bustle and the brisk air. I'm perfectly content to watch all those other people spending all that money. Back in my drinking days I could be found in a booth near a window having a couple-three (or four or five or ... ) while gazing upon the crowds shlepping their gaily colored shopping bags.

 

[Panadora]

Talking about scare to behave. I would have loved to show you what makes me into the Christmas spirit; two wonderful Christmas-illustrated russian lullabies that used to be on youtube. Unfortunately they are gone and instead this one turned up. Instead of wonderful illustrations this one have been translated - I get the chills!

[video=youtube;BDMmj5WgB8c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMmj5WgB8c[/video]

 

[sheeplady]

I always liked what C.S. Lewis inscribed in the beginning of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:

I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books.
As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still.
But someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again…

 

[dh66]

Talking about scare to behave. I would have loved to show you what makes me into the Christmas spirit; two wonderful Christmas-illustrated russian lullabies that used to be on youtube. Unfortunately they are gone and instead this one turned up. Instead of wonderful illustrations this one have been translated - I get the chills!

[video=youtube;BDMmj5WgB8c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMmj5WgB8c[/video]

The little native Russian speaker in my house usually only sleeps about 10 minutes a night.
Now I know why.

 

[sheeplady]

The little native Russian speaker in my house usually only sleeps about 10 minutes a night.
Now I know why.

I don't blame him.

I played it for my daughter, and she won't leave me alone now. She wants me to play it over and over and over again. I am highly disturbed by how much she likes it. (It is just the picture of the baby and the kids singing- she's not even two.)

 

[ChiTownScion]

Giving gifts on Christmas Eve vs. Christmas Day was resolved in my home based upon my dad's work schedule. He was a Chicago Firefighter and had a 24 hours on, 48 hours off schedule rotation. In years where he had to work Xmas Eve we'd have to wait until 9:30 AM for him to come home: that was rough on a little kid but I suppose it taught me patience and that the importance of some things being measured more by the whole (the family) than by the sum of the parts (family members).

 

[dh66]

I don't blame him.

I played it for my daughter, and she won't leave me alone now. She wants me to play it over and over and over again. I am highly disturbed by how much she likes it. (It is just the picture of the baby and the kids singing- she's not even two.)

Her.

I played it for her. She said she'd never heard it but it sure was creepy sounding. I was going to play it again for my inquisitive 4 year old son, but she wouldn't let me.

 

[jamespowers]

Her.

I played it for her. She said she'd never heard it but it sure was creepy sounding. I was going to play it again for my inquisitive 4 year old son, but she wouldn't let me.

The Children of the Corn sing a lullaby.

 

[dh66]

The Children of the Corn sing a lullaby.

More like children of the potatoes.

 

[jamespowers]

More like children of the potatoes.

:rofl: :rofl: Touche!

 

[rjb1]

I guess I'm a child of the Cold War, but when I saw all those references to lurking and creeping and watching I kept thinking "KGB".