Hey what are all you gonna do with Christmas (if you celebrate it)?
I'm going to see family Christmas day....
Full Version: Christmas
Staying at home with my mom and sis. Then going to the mountains on boxing day till the 28th.
Ahhh, have to love bastardized pagan holidays.
Personally I'm going to be spending my time in Euegene, Oregon.
Personally I'm going to be spending my time in Euegene, Oregon.
I'll be sitting around with my families, being bored out of my mind. I say families because I get to do Christmas with BOTH my mother and father's sides of the family. My father's side of the family on Christmas Eve, then my mother's side of the family on Christmas. My father's side of the family is split up a bit, so we have 3 or 4 sepparate places to go on Christmas Eve. My mother's side of the family, it's 2 or 3 on Christmas Day. Not to mention that I'll have Christmas with my father and immediate family (minus my mother) on Christmas Day, really early, and then again with my mother and my immediate family (minus my father) later on Christmas Day, but before we go see the rest of her family in various places.
And I don't like any of my family, father's side, mother's side, or my immediate family, don't have anyone to talk to, and there's no way I'll be able to get out of it, as it's supposed to be a family holiday, a day for us all to be together. *snorts* Ha, *looks up at previous paragraph* a little late for that, wouldn't you say?
The reason I don't particularly like any of my family is pretty simple. There's nobody to talk to in it. The closest relative I have to may age is a cousin a couple of years older, and we're not exactly very close, see eachother on holidays and birthdays (not on all of them, either) and only speak on some of them, usually short conversations. And the only relative I have anything in common with, I never see, because he's in college now, besides being enough older than me that we don't hang out much. The rest of my family isn't like me at all, to the point where most of us have commented at some point or another than I might as well be adopted, or maybe the hospital had a mixup, swapped me with the baby in the cradle next to me. I don't look/act/think like any of them, except mildly like that one cousin.
*Looks up* Oops, looks like I've been ranting. Oh well, there's one advantage to having a large family like this. A whole ton of LOOT!
And, because each sepparate family group assumes we haven't eaten anything, that means we get Christmas breakfast/lunch/dinner/whatever a good 8-10 times, if we're hungry. And we're mostly Italian, so we have food well worth eating. 
And I don't like any of my family, father's side, mother's side, or my immediate family, don't have anyone to talk to, and there's no way I'll be able to get out of it, as it's supposed to be a family holiday, a day for us all to be together. *snorts* Ha, *looks up at previous paragraph* a little late for that, wouldn't you say?
The reason I don't particularly like any of my family is pretty simple. There's nobody to talk to in it. The closest relative I have to may age is a cousin a couple of years older, and we're not exactly very close, see eachother on holidays and birthdays (not on all of them, either) and only speak on some of them, usually short conversations. And the only relative I have anything in common with, I never see, because he's in college now, besides being enough older than me that we don't hang out much. The rest of my family isn't like me at all, to the point where most of us have commented at some point or another than I might as well be adopted, or maybe the hospital had a mixup, swapped me with the baby in the cradle next to me. I don't look/act/think like any of them, except mildly like that one cousin.
*Looks up* Oops, looks like I've been ranting. Oh well, there's one advantage to having a large family like this. A whole ton of LOOT!
And, because each sepparate family group assumes we haven't eaten anything, that means we get Christmas breakfast/lunch/dinner/whatever a good 8-10 times, if we're hungry. And we're mostly Italian, so we have food well worth eating.
1. get wasted.
2. stay wasted.
2. stay wasted.
It'll probably be another calm Christmas for our family. It's one of those few days when everyone sits down and eats dinner at the same time, which I guess is really the highlight of the entire holiday. I don't think anyone in our family cares that much about the gifts anymore and by now it has become more of an awkward and trivial tradition to purchase something for the others.
QUOTE(Intestinal Chaos @ Dec 19 2005, 11:35 PM)
Ahhh, have to love bastardized pagan holidays.
Personally I'm going to be spending my time in Euegene, Oregon.
Personally I'm going to be spending my time in Euegene, Oregon.
Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday!!!
the usual, hang out with family, eat a yummy Christmas dinner, play video games with my cousins and brothers. Good times, good times.
QUOTE(Lizard @ Dec 20 2005, 01:59 PM)
Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday!!!
well in a way it was and it was adopted by the churches so they wouldn't lost people.... (or atleast if I remember correctially)
QUOTE(Vinya @ Dec 20 2005, 05:10 PM)
the usual, hang out with family, eat a yummy Christmas dinner, play video games with my cousins and brothers. Good times, good times.
Hm, good to know somebody gets to have fun... *pouts* I'll probably end up being forced to talk to a seventy year old geezer about how much better things were when he was a kid, how much better behaved kids were then than now, like I did on Thanksgiving. I'm not joking, either. He's really big, and he stood in the hallway and talked to me about what absolute a-holes people were nowadays, especially kids, and what idiots young people nowadays are, and how violent they are, and how much better things were when he was little. Yes, he actually talked to a 14 year old about how stupid fourteen yearolds are nowadays, and it almost made me see his point about kids nowadays being violent.
Also, whenever I tried to get a word in edgewise, he just yelled something to the effect of, "NO, you're wrong!" and kept right on talking. I swear, if I had had a cyanide pill, or a small handgun, or even a pocket knife, I wouldn't be here right now. I'd either be in jail for muder/assault/attempted suicide or six feet under due to succeeding my attempted suicide. Good thing I didn't. Seriously, though, he's kinda fat, and he blocked up the entire doorway, and it was a windowless room (I had gone in there to be alone, and he found me and started talking) so I had no way out of there. Here is a rough approximation of our conversation.HIM: When I was a kid, everything was great. You didn't get skin cancer from going outside, the grass was greener, the air was fresher, everything was awesome. I got a gun for my birthday when I was 8, and I hunted for my food ever since. My teachers were jerks. I tell you, if I had been raised nowadays, I woulda shot them, no doubt about it. That's just how they raise kids nowadays. But back then, I wouldn't have thought of it...
ME: Well, not all ki...
HIM:YES THEY WOULD!
ME: *thinking* /That sounds more like a personal fault of your own, if you would have shot them if you had been raised in modern times. I wouldn't shoot anybody even if I had a gun, and I only know wo of my friends who would. One who just hates 99% of humanity, and another who is a lunatic./ *gradually realizes that old man is still talking*
HIM: ...Well, I was hunting with a friend, and he started shooting at the water. D'you believe that? Shooting at the water, what an idiot! Did you know that if you shoot at the water, the bullets bounce and you can hit someone on the other side?
ME: *quickly* Wouldn't that depend on, like, the angle and the trajectory it hit the water at, as well as the type of gun?
HIM: NO! IT JUST BOUNCES AND HITS SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WATER!
ME: *roll eyes* Well, what if...
HIM: NO WHAT IFS!!!! YOU JUST DON"T DO IT!!!
ME: And anyways, I told him he was an idiot, and I stopped hunting with him. and did I tell you about how stupid these kids are nowadays? I mean, come on, they all get schooling, and they still don't know anything. Least, they don't know nothin' important. Like the Bible, and being a good, godfearing person.
HIM: *thinking* /Oh crap, he doesn't know I'm not religious! Oh well, as with most subjects, I can at least pretend I know what I'm talking about, it all sounds the same to idiots like him./
MY DAD: *pokes head in* Oh, there you are, John. (yes, that's my superboring name, dictated by family tradition and whatnot) Having fun? *leaves quickly*
ME: *glares*
HIM: Your dad's smart, you know that? I mean, like, real smart. He could be a hacker if he wanted to, but he's a good, godfearing man, just like one should be, and he's never do anything like that.
ME: *thinking*/ Actually, he's agnostic. And of course I know he's smart, where else would I get it from? My mother? Not freakin' likely./ *out loud* Well, not all hackers are bad. The...
HIM: YES THEY ARE!
ME: I was going to say that Bill Gates, the richest guy alive, started off as one of these "evil" hackers, he told companies what the weaknesses were in their security systems, and they paid him for it. So there are "good" hackers, you know...
HIM: Really? That's interesting. Anyway, did I tell you that when I was working at (insert company name) I had these problems with all these people who, would you believe it, said the lord's name in vain? Can you believe that? That's say, "Oh, my god!" whenever they'd have a problem.
ME: *sarcastically* When people do that around me, I say, "Yeah? Waddayawant?"
HIM: That's horrible! You're going to hell for that! I say, "I'm not the lord, I'm one of his disciples, get it right!" Anway....
ME: *groans inwardly*
The conversation continues like this for about an hour, but suffice it to say that by the end, I was fantasizing about eating his eye with a fork. And I get to see this same person *counts* as many as maybe 3 times, maybe more, this Christmas. I think I'll bring a knife, so I can start cutting myself when I get bored. Gimme something to do anyways. (I'm just kidding, I'm not suicidal and I'm not a masochist, the real reason for the knife would be to pretend to cut myself, to get the old guy away from me. Or, barring that, I can always go back to plan B, and bring my CD player, put it in my pocket, and hide the headphones under my hair, he'll never even know the difference.
Mostly I try to avoid my family as much as possible. I'm the black sheep of the family because I'm the only one who wishes to live their own life (long story). The dinner will be rife with awkwardness and faked enthuisiasm and then end in my youngest uncle (Jared) having a fight with my grandfather and belting out of there like a rabbit before coming back thouroughly (sp) plastered or baked (sometimes both).
I hope to be spending as much time as possible with friends (what little still remain) and attempting to stay awake as I will not sleeping AT ALL (or as little as can be helped).
Here is the family plan
Grandmother: Being the sexist she is she'll pretend to care about me while extravagantly treating to the female relatives. After I do something particular outrageous (like speaking or maiking my presence known) she'll get rid of me in a very passive aggressive way then talk bad about me to my Aunt A for a good half an hour.
Grandfather: He'll probably arrive late (thought this is excusable, he runs a successful buisness and has a high position in a church (think minister) (yeah, that's right, I did a caption in a caption (in caption))) and then warmly greet everyone. I'll avoid him as much as possible, feeling guilty for being unreligious and letting him down (rediculous thought, but it bothers me). Eventually he'll settle down for a nice talkin', and won't talk smack unlike my other relatives.
Aunt A: Arrive last and walk in like she owns the place (for she lived there at one point). She'll get around to greeting everyone but me and might give me a sideways glance. After eating and complaining about her ex then she'll set her new husband on me for something I did (that wasn't acctualy bad... she might even just imagine I did something). She'll migrate about gossing about the various family members and then settle into one area for a good long complaint.
Uncle A (husband of aunt A): (ALL DAY) Go about wreaking "discipline" upon those he has no right too and then overreacte constantly. Do Aunt A's bidding at every command.
Parent, Female: Walk about being the only functional family member besides my grandfather (No I'm not biased on this one). Complain about how poor the children are acting and then complain about the behavior of Uncle B and C. Get upset over lack of orginazation.
Parent, male: If he is here he'll lumber about and find things to complain about and constantly overeact about anything I do. Deny me use of the computer and any electronic for no other reason than to bring me displeasure (this has been actually proven). Leave early.
Uncle B: Having finally turned his life around to being preductive and no longer being homeless and whatnot he'll attempt conversation (given he's there). Still being unreligious and (by everyone else's standards) low class be shunned but appear as accepting. Talk about most recent hike.
Uncle C: Show up late (and possibly under the influence of something) and leading about some new strumpet at his side. Be overly loud and annoying. Get in fight (of words). Leave early (that consits of going back to the garage).
Cousin A,14, female: Be treated far better than I. Get unusual amounts of presents and praise by Grandmother and Aunt A. Attempt to talk to me about something in common. Being there is nothing but the past we'll settle for reminiscing (sp). Secretly despise me (proven).
Cousin A, 12, male: Run about the house like a screaming demon. Annoy EVERYONE. Be dealt physical pain by me once on a small amount. Have family overeact at his slight pain, and get me punish. be dealt constant punishment.
Cousin A, 8?, male: Wander about the house cleaning up and organizing due to his Anal-retentive attitude. Freak out.
Cousin J, 16, male: If he is here, avoid everyone and be my only company.
Me, 16, male: Avoid everyone, be cousin J's company. COMPLAIN to J. Hear J complain back. Get yelled at.
I hope to be spending as much time as possible with friends (what little still remain) and attempting to stay awake as I will not sleeping AT ALL (or as little as can be helped).
Here is the family plan
Grandmother: Being the sexist she is she'll pretend to care about me while extravagantly treating to the female relatives. After I do something particular outrageous (like speaking or maiking my presence known) she'll get rid of me in a very passive aggressive way then talk bad about me to my Aunt A for a good half an hour.
Grandfather: He'll probably arrive late (thought this is excusable, he runs a successful buisness and has a high position in a church (think minister) (yeah, that's right, I did a caption in a caption (in caption))) and then warmly greet everyone. I'll avoid him as much as possible, feeling guilty for being unreligious and letting him down (rediculous thought, but it bothers me). Eventually he'll settle down for a nice talkin', and won't talk smack unlike my other relatives.
Aunt A: Arrive last and walk in like she owns the place (for she lived there at one point). She'll get around to greeting everyone but me and might give me a sideways glance. After eating and complaining about her ex then she'll set her new husband on me for something I did (that wasn't acctualy bad... she might even just imagine I did something). She'll migrate about gossing about the various family members and then settle into one area for a good long complaint.
Uncle A (husband of aunt A): (ALL DAY) Go about wreaking "discipline" upon those he has no right too and then overreacte constantly. Do Aunt A's bidding at every command.
Parent, Female: Walk about being the only functional family member besides my grandfather (No I'm not biased on this one). Complain about how poor the children are acting and then complain about the behavior of Uncle B and C. Get upset over lack of orginazation.
Parent, male: If he is here he'll lumber about and find things to complain about and constantly overeact about anything I do. Deny me use of the computer and any electronic for no other reason than to bring me displeasure (this has been actually proven). Leave early.
Uncle B: Having finally turned his life around to being preductive and no longer being homeless and whatnot he'll attempt conversation (given he's there). Still being unreligious and (by everyone else's standards) low class be shunned but appear as accepting. Talk about most recent hike.
Uncle C: Show up late (and possibly under the influence of something) and leading about some new strumpet at his side. Be overly loud and annoying. Get in fight (of words). Leave early (that consits of going back to the garage).
Cousin A,14, female: Be treated far better than I. Get unusual amounts of presents and praise by Grandmother and Aunt A. Attempt to talk to me about something in common. Being there is nothing but the past we'll settle for reminiscing (sp). Secretly despise me (proven).
Cousin A, 12, male: Run about the house like a screaming demon. Annoy EVERYONE. Be dealt physical pain by me once on a small amount. Have family overeact at his slight pain, and get me punish. be dealt constant punishment.
Cousin A, 8?, male: Wander about the house cleaning up and organizing due to his Anal-retentive attitude. Freak out.
Cousin J, 16, male: If he is here, avoid everyone and be my only company.
Me, 16, male: Avoid everyone, be cousin J's company. COMPLAIN to J. Hear J complain back. Get yelled at.
Jeez, Intestinal Chaos, sound like you have it worse than me. I can't do a list like that because it'd have about 4 dozen people whose only purpose is to sit there and get drunk. Much as I gripe about them, there is one good thing about each of my parents.
My mother doesn't know how to punish anyone. This, on the downside, means I am in charge of all parenting aspects of her home but have no authority, but on the upside, means I can sit there and get trashed on Listerine and she won't do anything.
My father doesn't care whether I live or die so long as I'm there to babysit when he wants to go to the bar. Therefore, if I make a few well placed comments about the house burning down, I can usually get the freedom to go do anything I want.
So my Christmas tends to be spent sitting there in a dark corner, ignoring all life on the face of the earth, and occasionally answering a few questions or something. Then opening presents, cynically imitating the younger children when they open their presents. "Omigosh! Just what I always wanted!" I eat if I'm hungry, usually not much. I ignore all requests by older people to discuss anything that's going on in the teen world, my life, or anything at all, based on the fact that they tend to sit there doing much the same as lesser bullies: repeating what you say, changing the voice to make it sound retarded. So I ignore all people older than, say, 30, in my family, as they tend to be pretty freakin' stupid usually. I sit there and listen to rock with my headphones untill my bleeding ears short the headphones out. Then pretending I still have rock pounding in my ears when people try to speak to me.
The one thing that makes this even slightly bearable is the loot.
As for Christmas being a bastardized pagan holiday, I believe the deal with that is that they weren't quite sure exactly when Jesus was born, so they picked a time close to the winter solstice to celebrate. BTW, winter solstice is tomorrow.
Much as I gripe about them, there is one good thing about each of my parents.My mother doesn't know how to punish anyone. This, on the downside, means I am in charge of all parenting aspects of her home but have no authority, but on the upside, means I can sit there and get trashed on Listerine and she won't do anything.
My father doesn't care whether I live or die so long as I'm there to babysit when he wants to go to the bar. Therefore, if I make a few well placed comments about the house burning down, I can usually get the freedom to go do anything I want.
So my Christmas tends to be spent sitting there in a dark corner, ignoring all life on the face of the earth, and occasionally answering a few questions or something. Then opening presents, cynically imitating the younger children when they open their presents. "Omigosh! Just what I always wanted!" I eat if I'm hungry, usually not much. I ignore all requests by older people to discuss anything that's going on in the teen world, my life, or anything at all, based on the fact that they tend to sit there doing much the same as lesser bullies: repeating what you say, changing the voice to make it sound retarded. So I ignore all people older than, say, 30, in my family, as they tend to be pretty freakin' stupid usually. I sit there and listen to rock with my headphones untill my bleeding ears short the headphones out. Then pretending I still have rock pounding in my ears when people try to speak to me.
The one thing that makes this even slightly bearable is the loot.
As for Christmas being a bastardized pagan holiday, I believe the deal with that is that they weren't quite sure exactly when Jesus was born, so they picked a time close to the winter solstice to celebrate. BTW, winter solstice is tomorrow.
QUOTE
The Origin of the Date
The Gospels. Concerning the date of Christ's birth the Gospels give no help; upon their data contradictory arguments are based. The census would have been impossible in winter: a whole population could not then be put in motion. Again, in winter it must have been; then only field labour was suspended. But Rome was not thus considerate. Authorities moreover differ as to whether shepherds could or would keep flocks exposed during the nights of the rainy season.
Zachary's temple service. Arguments based on Zachary's temple ministry are unreliable, though the calculations of antiquity (see above) have been revived in yet more complicated form, e.g. by Friedlieb (Leben J. Christi des Erlösers, Münster, 1887, p. 312). The twenty-four classes of Jewish priests, it is urged, served each a week in the Temple; Zachary was in the eighth class, Abia. The Temple was destroyed 9 Ab, A.D. 70; late rabbinical tradition says that class 1, Jojarib, was then serving. From these untrustworthy data, assuming that Christ was born A.U.C. 749, and that never in seventy turbulent years the weekly succession failed, it is calculated that the eighth class was serving 2-9 October, A.U.C. 748, whence Christ's conception falls in March, and birth presumably in December. Kellner (op. cit., pp. 106, 107) shows how hopeless is the calculation of Zachary's week from any point before or after it.
Analogy to Old Testament festivals. It seems impossible, on analogy of the relation of Passover and Pentecost to Easter and Whitsuntide, to connect the Nativity with the feast of Tabernacles, as did, e.g., Lightfoot (Horæ Hebr, et Talm., II, 32), arguing from Old Testament prophecy, e.g. Zacharias 14:16 sqq,; combining, too, the fact of Christ's death in Nisan with Daniel's prophecy of a three and one-half years' ministry (9:27), he puts the birth in Tisri, i.e. September. As undesirable is it to connect 25 December with the Eastern (December) feast of Dedication (Jos. Ant. Jud., XII, vii, 6).
Natalis Invicti. The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. For the history of the solar cult, its position in the Roman Empire, and syncretism with Mithraism, see Cumont's epoch-making "Textes et Monuments" etc., I, ii, 4, 6, p. 355. Mommsen (Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, 12, p. 338) has collected the evidence for the feast, which reached its climax of popularity under Aurelian in 274. Filippo del Torre in 1700 first saw its importance; it is marked, as has been said, without addition in Philocalus' Calendar. It would be impossible here even to outline the history of solar symbolism and language as applied to God, the Messiah, and Christ in Jewish or Chrisian canonical, patristic, or devotional works. Hymns and Christmas offices abound in instances; the texts are well arranged by Cumont (op. cit., addit. Note C, p. 355).
The earliest rapprochement of the births of Christ and the sun is in Cypr., "De pasch. Comp.", xix, "O quam præclare providentia ut illo die quo natus est Sol . . . nasceretur Christus." - "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born . . . Christ should be born." - In the fourth century, Chrysostom, "del Solst. Et Æquin." (II, p. 118, ed. 1588), says: "Sed et dominus noster nascitur mense decembris . . . VIII Kal. Ian. . . . Sed et Invicti Natalem appelant. Quis utique tam invictus nisi dominus noster? . . . Vel quod dicant Solis esse natalem, ipse est Sol iustitiæ." - "But Our Lord, too, is born in the month of December . . . the eight before the calends of January [25 December] . . ., But they call it the 'Birthday of the Unconquered'. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord . . .? Or, if they say that it is the birthday of the Sun, He is the Sun of Justice." Already Tertullian (Apol., 16; cf. Ad. Nat., I, 13; Orig. c. Cels., VIII, 67, etc) had to assert that Sol was not the Christians' God; Augustine (Tract xxxiv, in Joan. In P. L., XXXV, 1652) denounces the heretical indentification of Christ with Sol. Pope Leo I (Serm. xxxvii in nat. dom., VII, 4; xxii, II, 6 in P. L., LIV, 218 and 198) bitterly reproves solar survivals -- Christians, on the very doorstep of the Apostles' basilica, turn to adore the rising sun. Sun-worship has bequeathed features to modern popular worship in Armenia, where Chistians had once temporarily and externally conformed to the cult of the material sun (Cumont, op. cit., p. 356).
But even should a deliberate and legitimate "baptism" of a pagan feast be seen here no more than the transference of the date need be supposed. The "mountain-birth" of Mithra and Christ's in the "grotto" have nothing in common: Mithra's adoring shepherds (Cumont, op. cit., I, ii, 4, p. 304 sqq.) are rather borrowed from Christian sources than vice versa.
Other theories of pagan origin. The origin of Christmas should not be sought in the Saturnalia (1-23 December) nor even in the midnight holy birth at Eleusis (see J.E. Harrison, Prolegom., p. 549) with its probable connection through Phrygia with the Naasene heretics, or even with the Alexandrian ceremony quoted above; nor yet in rites analogous to the midwinter cult at Delphi of the cradled Dionysus, with his revocation from the sea to a new birth (Harrison, op. cit., 402 sqq.).
The astronomical theory. Duchesne (Les origines du culte chrétien, Paris, 1902, 262 sqq.) advances the "astronomical" theory that, given 25 March as Christ's death-day [historically impossible, but a tradition old as Tertullian (Adv. Jud., 8)], the popular instinct, demanding an exact number of years in a Divine life, would place His conception on the same date, His birth 25 December. This theory is best supported by the fact that certain Montanists (Sozomen, Hist. Eccl., VII, 18) kept Easter on 6 April; both 25 December and 6 January are thus simultaneously explained. The reckoning, moreover, is wholly in keeping with the arguments based on number and astronomy and "convenience", then so popular. Unfortunately, there is no contemporary evidence for the celebration in the fourth century of Christ's conception on 25 March.
Conclusion. The present writer in inclined to think that, be the origin of the feast in East or West, and though the abundance of analogous midwinter festivals may indefinitely have helped the choice of the December date, the same instinct which set Natalis Invicti at the winter solstice will have sufficed, apart from deliberate adaptation or curious calculation, to set the Christian feast there too.
The Gospels. Concerning the date of Christ's birth the Gospels give no help; upon their data contradictory arguments are based. The census would have been impossible in winter: a whole population could not then be put in motion. Again, in winter it must have been; then only field labour was suspended. But Rome was not thus considerate. Authorities moreover differ as to whether shepherds could or would keep flocks exposed during the nights of the rainy season.
Zachary's temple service. Arguments based on Zachary's temple ministry are unreliable, though the calculations of antiquity (see above) have been revived in yet more complicated form, e.g. by Friedlieb (Leben J. Christi des Erlösers, Münster, 1887, p. 312). The twenty-four classes of Jewish priests, it is urged, served each a week in the Temple; Zachary was in the eighth class, Abia. The Temple was destroyed 9 Ab, A.D. 70; late rabbinical tradition says that class 1, Jojarib, was then serving. From these untrustworthy data, assuming that Christ was born A.U.C. 749, and that never in seventy turbulent years the weekly succession failed, it is calculated that the eighth class was serving 2-9 October, A.U.C. 748, whence Christ's conception falls in March, and birth presumably in December. Kellner (op. cit., pp. 106, 107) shows how hopeless is the calculation of Zachary's week from any point before or after it.
Analogy to Old Testament festivals. It seems impossible, on analogy of the relation of Passover and Pentecost to Easter and Whitsuntide, to connect the Nativity with the feast of Tabernacles, as did, e.g., Lightfoot (Horæ Hebr, et Talm., II, 32), arguing from Old Testament prophecy, e.g. Zacharias 14:16 sqq,; combining, too, the fact of Christ's death in Nisan with Daniel's prophecy of a three and one-half years' ministry (9:27), he puts the birth in Tisri, i.e. September. As undesirable is it to connect 25 December with the Eastern (December) feast of Dedication (Jos. Ant. Jud., XII, vii, 6).
Natalis Invicti. The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. For the history of the solar cult, its position in the Roman Empire, and syncretism with Mithraism, see Cumont's epoch-making "Textes et Monuments" etc., I, ii, 4, 6, p. 355. Mommsen (Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, 12, p. 338) has collected the evidence for the feast, which reached its climax of popularity under Aurelian in 274. Filippo del Torre in 1700 first saw its importance; it is marked, as has been said, without addition in Philocalus' Calendar. It would be impossible here even to outline the history of solar symbolism and language as applied to God, the Messiah, and Christ in Jewish or Chrisian canonical, patristic, or devotional works. Hymns and Christmas offices abound in instances; the texts are well arranged by Cumont (op. cit., addit. Note C, p. 355).
The earliest rapprochement of the births of Christ and the sun is in Cypr., "De pasch. Comp.", xix, "O quam præclare providentia ut illo die quo natus est Sol . . . nasceretur Christus." - "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born . . . Christ should be born." - In the fourth century, Chrysostom, "del Solst. Et Æquin." (II, p. 118, ed. 1588), says: "Sed et dominus noster nascitur mense decembris . . . VIII Kal. Ian. . . . Sed et Invicti Natalem appelant. Quis utique tam invictus nisi dominus noster? . . . Vel quod dicant Solis esse natalem, ipse est Sol iustitiæ." - "But Our Lord, too, is born in the month of December . . . the eight before the calends of January [25 December] . . ., But they call it the 'Birthday of the Unconquered'. Who indeed is so unconquered as Our Lord . . .? Or, if they say that it is the birthday of the Sun, He is the Sun of Justice." Already Tertullian (Apol., 16; cf. Ad. Nat., I, 13; Orig. c. Cels., VIII, 67, etc) had to assert that Sol was not the Christians' God; Augustine (Tract xxxiv, in Joan. In P. L., XXXV, 1652) denounces the heretical indentification of Christ with Sol. Pope Leo I (Serm. xxxvii in nat. dom., VII, 4; xxii, II, 6 in P. L., LIV, 218 and 198) bitterly reproves solar survivals -- Christians, on the very doorstep of the Apostles' basilica, turn to adore the rising sun. Sun-worship has bequeathed features to modern popular worship in Armenia, where Chistians had once temporarily and externally conformed to the cult of the material sun (Cumont, op. cit., p. 356).
But even should a deliberate and legitimate "baptism" of a pagan feast be seen here no more than the transference of the date need be supposed. The "mountain-birth" of Mithra and Christ's in the "grotto" have nothing in common: Mithra's adoring shepherds (Cumont, op. cit., I, ii, 4, p. 304 sqq.) are rather borrowed from Christian sources than vice versa.
Other theories of pagan origin. The origin of Christmas should not be sought in the Saturnalia (1-23 December) nor even in the midnight holy birth at Eleusis (see J.E. Harrison, Prolegom., p. 549) with its probable connection through Phrygia with the Naasene heretics, or even with the Alexandrian ceremony quoted above; nor yet in rites analogous to the midwinter cult at Delphi of the cradled Dionysus, with his revocation from the sea to a new birth (Harrison, op. cit., 402 sqq.).
The astronomical theory. Duchesne (Les origines du culte chrétien, Paris, 1902, 262 sqq.) advances the "astronomical" theory that, given 25 March as Christ's death-day [historically impossible, but a tradition old as Tertullian (Adv. Jud., 8)], the popular instinct, demanding an exact number of years in a Divine life, would place His conception on the same date, His birth 25 December. This theory is best supported by the fact that certain Montanists (Sozomen, Hist. Eccl., VII, 18) kept Easter on 6 April; both 25 December and 6 January are thus simultaneously explained. The reckoning, moreover, is wholly in keeping with the arguments based on number and astronomy and "convenience", then so popular. Unfortunately, there is no contemporary evidence for the celebration in the fourth century of Christ's conception on 25 March.
Conclusion. The present writer in inclined to think that, be the origin of the feast in East or West, and though the abundance of analogous midwinter festivals may indefinitely have helped the choice of the December date, the same instinct which set Natalis Invicti at the winter solstice will have sufficed, apart from deliberate adaptation or curious calculation, to set the Christian feast there too.
Taken from http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm
I seem to be the only one with a cool family.
I enjoy hanging out with my family on holidays. One uncle is a really smart guy, and I can talk politics and such with him. Same with my step-grandpa. Both great guys.
Another uncle is all baout some hunting and fishing, and I can usually get a funny story or two out of him. And a fishing rod for christmas that I'll use 3 times in two years.
My cousins aren't my age, but they're alright I guess. My little cousin (four years old) is actually really fun to hang out with. He's like the energizer bunny but way more energetic and lasts longer. He's hilarious.
And that's just my dad's side.
Anyways, I already had one christmas family get together, and the next one is on christmas day. I get to eat at my aunt's house.
I enjoy hanging out with my family on holidays. One uncle is a really smart guy, and I can talk politics and such with him. Same with my step-grandpa. Both great guys.
Another uncle is all baout some hunting and fishing, and I can usually get a funny story or two out of him. And a fishing rod for christmas that I'll use 3 times in two years.
My cousins aren't my age, but they're alright I guess. My little cousin (four years old) is actually really fun to hang out with. He's like the energizer bunny but way more energetic and lasts longer. He's hilarious.
And that's just my dad's side.
Anyways, I already had one christmas family get together, and the next one is on christmas day. I get to eat at my aunt's house.
Nice to hear you like to be with your family Danny! Too many young ones think it´s a drag to have to spend the holidays with their families!
For my part, our family is a bit shattered this year, since my eldest is in US.....but the other two remains, even though number two (16 years) will be leaving for Stckholm just after the holiday to visit some friends!
We will have a nice and calm gettogether, just us in the family, eating nice special food, maybe drink some glögg, that´s hot spicy sweetened red wine, then we give our christmas-presents at christmas eve......
on christmas day I´ll be working until lunchtime....then my father-in-law will come to visit us in the evening, he lives 200km away so he´ll be staying for a couple of days...
So it´s gonna be relaxing I think....the old bugger really is a nice guy, do not cause much trouble!....
For my part, our family is a bit shattered this year, since my eldest is in US.....but the other two remains, even though number two (16 years) will be leaving for Stckholm just after the holiday to visit some friends!
We will have a nice and calm gettogether, just us in the family, eating nice special food, maybe drink some glögg, that´s hot spicy sweetened red wine, then we give our christmas-presents at christmas eve......
on christmas day I´ll be working until lunchtime....then my father-in-law will come to visit us in the evening, he lives 200km away so he´ll be staying for a couple of days...
So it´s gonna be relaxing I think....the old bugger really is a nice guy, do not cause much trouble!....
I love it how so many people have problems with their families... It makes me feel so much better about mine
Well, my dad has to work Christmas day so we won't be celebrating or exchangin gifts until about 7:00pm. (Which is torture for meh 10 and 14 year old brothers.. Doesnt really bother me to much considering the fact that I'll sleep to about 3:00pm..)
After meh father gets home we will prob eat dinner (my mother is an extraodinary cook, shes ownes her own business) and then open presents. We'll prob read the Christmas Story after that as usual
So yea, a very quite, happy family get together. Its nice cause I hardly ever see my two parents at the same time, there work schedules + my school/work scheds are very limiting
Well, my dad has to work Christmas day so we won't be celebrating or exchangin gifts until about 7:00pm. (Which is torture for meh 10 and 14 year old brothers.. Doesnt really bother me to much considering the fact that I'll sleep to about 3:00pm..
)After meh father gets home we will prob eat dinner (my mother is an extraodinary cook, shes ownes her own business) and then open presents. We'll prob read the Christmas Story after that as usual
So yea, a very quite, happy family get together. Its nice cause I hardly ever see my two parents at the same time, there work schedules + my school/work scheds are very limiting
QUOTE(Channler @ Dec 22 2005, 05:14 PM)
I love it how so many people have problems with their families... It makes me feel so much better about mine
lol yes I know how that works... thats why I know all the weird people at school....
QUOTE(Soulseeker3.0 @ Dec 22 2005, 06:26 PM)
lol yes I know how that works... thats why I know all the weird people at school....
Buwahaha... Sure
yeah.... but anyways my family is normal, we get on each other's nerves but we like each other [most of the time(okay some of the time)]
I love getting together with Family .
especially since it also means getting together with friends who don't ahve such good family lives. I think this christmas we have two friends coming over as well, we are taking tehm to the mountains with us.
. especially since it also means getting together with friends who don't ahve such good family lives
. I think this christmas we have two friends coming over as well, we are taking tehm to the mountains with us.
QUOTE(Megil Tel-Zeke @ Dec 22 2005, 08:04 PM)
I love getting together with Family .
especially since it also means getting together with friends who don't ahve such good family lives. I think this christmas we have two friends coming over as well, we are taking tehm to the mountains with us.
. especially since it also means getting together with friends who don't ahve such good family lives
. I think this christmas we have two friends coming over as well, we are taking tehm to the mountains with us.Thats cool.
My family and I were going to go to Old Salem and stay in a bed and breakfast, but again my mother had to work so yea..
Too bad to hear so many people have such awkward families, especially now that I know Queen bringdown the alchoholic dirtbag doesn't beat all of your bad families. God she's a drag. I feel sorry for my uncle, he used to be so cool and collected in highschool but then he got into drugs and that all went down the drain. Though I guess she brings a little good though because shes the monument of what drugs and alchohol gets you. Also, I have to deal with Captain A-hole who tries to guilt me on how I never reply to his emails (which are all forwarded to about 100 people and consist of the line "dumb blonde jokes").
Anyways, I'll probably run around Canada, family to family, having fun and seeing cousins who every year seem to have gotten a little less annoying . This will usually end with us all talking about the new ways Queen bringdown and Captain A-hole found to embarass themsleves and, in the Queens case, keep breweries in buisness.
That may sound bad, but its rare and spaced with good times and games in which one person gets on the others shoulders and tries to bring the opposing Juggernaut to the ground. Good fun.
Anyways, I'll probably run around Canada, family to family, having fun and seeing cousins who every year seem to have gotten a little less annoying
. This will usually end with us all talking about the new ways Queen bringdown and Captain A-hole found to embarass themsleves and, in the Queens case, keep breweries in buisness.That may sound bad, but its rare and spaced with good times and games in which one person gets on the others shoulders and tries to bring the opposing Juggernaut to the ground. Good fun.
I love christmas, my family is normal, the only problem is they have NOTHING to do at their house, so im stuck waiting till we can get home, and i can stay up late and use all my video games
I just got all my Christmas shopping done. I had $45 total, and 30 of it was in Media Play gift cards, so my budget was a bit limited. Still, I didn't do bad. For my brother and sister, The Sims for Xbox, because it was cheap and something that both of them might play. My brother usually doesn't like many games that don't have blood, gore, and extreme violence, but The Sims is the kind of thing that everybody likes. (well... almost everybody) For my girlfriend, Final Fantasy (Not FFX, it was one of the older ones, she already has FFX) and a funny Christmas card. On the front, the card says, "Know how you can tell a reindeer from an elk or a regular deer?" On the inside, it says, "Reindeer's a little chewier. Happy Holidays." My parents went shopping for eachother and put all our names on the gifts, so they were taken care of, so I bought a little gift for everybody, a USB port Lava Lamp. Yes, you read that correctly, a USB port Lava Lamp. It plugs into the USB port on the back of the computer and lights up. It isn't a real Lava Lamp, though, just lights and sparklers, but it's still cool. O.o Pretty colors...
I already know a couple of the presents I am getting for Christmas.
I'm getting an iLo MP3 player. My father decided that he wanted to get myself and my siblings MP3 players, so he had me come to the store with him and pick out whatever looks the best for the cheapest. These have 256MB memory and allow you to use external memory, they have FM radio, and you can record your voice, sounds around you, and you can also record from the radio. It plays MP3 and WMA files. We got these for seventy bucks each.
I'm getting a foozball table. There's a box bigger than our Christmas tree on the ground with my name on it, and the large thing I asked for was a foozball table. No other possible reason my mother and her boyfriend would carry something that big up the stairs, if they weren't sure it was what I wanted, so I am reasonably sure that this is it.
I'm also getting a cellphone. My dad's girlfriend told me she's going to buy it for me. My father was against it at first, not because he didn't want me to have a cellphone, but because last time he had brought up the idea, my mother complained. So I'm keeping this present a secret from my mother, as well as my largemouthed siblings.
My family may be annoying, but it's large, so I can be reasonably sure of always getting tons of loot.
I now know my exact plans for Christmas Eve and Day, went over them with my parents. First, off to my Aunt's house with all of our nearby relatives on the paternal side of the family. She isn't actually my aunt, I'm honestly not sure exactly how she is related to me, but everybody just calls her Aunt Sandy. We'll eat dinner there, probably Polish sausage and various other stuff. Everybody gets like one or two presents there, maybe a few more. After that, I go to my grandmother's house (my dad's mom) with my father, siblings, and maybe one of my uncles and his girlfriend. We'll probably eat a small snack/dinner here. All the kids get a bunch of presents there, I'll probably be an exception because I didn't ask for much. That or I'll get random stuff like I usually do anyways, regardless of what I ask for. After this, it's back to my dad's house to go to sleep. We'll open presents in the morning, I'll get some stuff here, not much because of that iLo taking up so much of my dad's money. Then it's off to my mothers house, where we'll eat breakfast. We'll get a bunch of presents here, my mom apparentl went overboard on buying stuff. Then it's off to my aunt's house. (mom's sister) We'll probably eat a brunch/lunch here, and everybody gets a couple of presents here.
So, even if I have to suffer through ~24-48 hours in my family's company, the material benefits are worth it.
I already know a couple of the presents I am getting for Christmas.
I'm getting an iLo MP3 player. My father decided that he wanted to get myself and my siblings MP3 players, so he had me come to the store with him and pick out whatever looks the best for the cheapest. These have 256MB memory and allow you to use external memory, they have FM radio, and you can record your voice, sounds around you, and you can also record from the radio. It plays MP3 and WMA files. We got these for seventy bucks each.
I'm getting a foozball table. There's a box bigger than our Christmas tree on the ground with my name on it, and the large thing I asked for was a foozball table. No other possible reason my mother and her boyfriend would carry something that big up the stairs, if they weren't sure it was what I wanted, so I am reasonably sure that this is it.
I'm also getting a cellphone. My dad's girlfriend told me she's going to buy it for me. My father was against it at first, not because he didn't want me to have a cellphone, but because last time he had brought up the idea, my mother complained. So I'm keeping this present a secret from my mother, as well as my largemouthed siblings.
My family may be annoying, but it's large, so I can be reasonably sure of always getting tons of loot.
I now know my exact plans for Christmas Eve and Day, went over them with my parents. First, off to my Aunt's house with all of our nearby relatives on the paternal side of the family. She isn't actually my aunt, I'm honestly not sure exactly how she is related to me, but everybody just calls her Aunt Sandy. We'll eat dinner there, probably Polish sausage and various other stuff. Everybody gets like one or two presents there, maybe a few more. After that, I go to my grandmother's house (my dad's mom) with my father, siblings, and maybe one of my uncles and his girlfriend. We'll probably eat a small snack/dinner here. All the kids get a bunch of presents there, I'll probably be an exception because I didn't ask for much. That or I'll get random stuff like I usually do anyways, regardless of what I ask for. After this, it's back to my dad's house to go to sleep. We'll open presents in the morning, I'll get some stuff here, not much because of that iLo taking up so much of my dad's money. Then it's off to my mothers house, where we'll eat breakfast. We'll get a bunch of presents here, my mom apparentl went overboard on buying stuff. Then it's off to my aunt's house. (mom's sister) We'll probably eat a brunch/lunch here, and everybody gets a couple of presents here.
So, even if I have to suffer through ~24-48 hours in my family's company, the material benefits are worth it.
QUOTE(Kindred Spirit @ Dec 23 2005, 01:10 AM)
My family may be annoying, but it's large, so I can be reasonably sure of always getting tons of loot.
BUWAHA! It might be because its really late.. but I found that comment so damned funny that I almost shat myself.. lmao..
Pirates.. lloll.. heh.. omg..
well, christmas is basically the catholics winter solstice. nobody alive has any idea when jesus was born. the holiday was made to overshadow pagen worshipping. same with april fools day.
but as for what im doing this christmas? im just gonna sleep in, go downstairs open whatever my parents decided to get me and enjoy the time i have with my brothers while they are home visiting.
but as for what im doing this christmas? im just gonna sleep in, go downstairs open whatever my parents decided to get me and enjoy the time i have with my brothers while they are home visiting.
5 years ago, christmas was mainly an excuse to get together with family and a few selected friends, eat good food and just generally have a good time. No tree, no presents, no singing (except maybe late in the night), nothing that would remind one of christmas at all.
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
QUOTE(stargelman @ Dec 23 2005, 09:09 AM)
5 years ago, christmas was mainly an excuse to get together with family and a few selected friends, eat good food and just generally have a good time. No tree, no presents, no singing (except maybe late in the night), nothing that would remind one of christmas at all.
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
Hehe, how that sounds familiar....but you lucky germans....all your christmas-fairs...I heard on tv that there´s about 2500 such fairs throughout germany!
Oh and I watched a tv-program about the christmas-fair in Dortmund!, My dad comes from that town.....and I just yearned to be in germany, since I have been there by this time of year for two years now, so I wondered what am I doing here? When i could have been in .....well Stade!!!
YAYYY for german christmas-fairs!!!
Oh I will stay with my families.
1 Chriastmas eve: The family of my stephfather.
2 Christmas day: Dinner at my aunts place in Tau/Jørpeland.
3 Boxing day: Dinner at my grandmum, in Årdal.
4 , december 27th: Dinner at my grandpa, in Bryne.
5 , december 28th: Dinner at my eldest cousin ( 28 years old ) in Stavanger.
6 New-years-eve : I will be celebrating it at my grandpa , while my mum go to some of her friends.
So you could say that I am fully booked at the time after christmas, but I shall keep my laptop close incase some post come up from Dantrag or override's stories, in the FanFic.
So merry christmas. ( oh minque I like gløgg as well. ).
In case of anyone of you wonder where theese places are, all of them are in Rogaland Fylke ( nearly the same as a state) NORWAY.
1 Chriastmas eve: The family of my stephfather.
2 Christmas day: Dinner at my aunts place in Tau/Jørpeland.
3 Boxing day: Dinner at my grandmum, in Årdal.
4 , december 27th: Dinner at my grandpa, in Bryne.
5 , december 28th: Dinner at my eldest cousin ( 28 years old ) in Stavanger.
6 New-years-eve : I will be celebrating it at my grandpa , while my mum go to some of her friends.
So you could say that I am fully booked at the time after christmas, but I shall keep my laptop close incase some post come up from Dantrag or override's stories, in the FanFic.
So merry christmas. ( oh minque I like gløgg as well.
).In case of anyone of you wonder where theese places are, all of them are in Rogaland Fylke ( nearly the same as a state) NORWAY.
QUOTE(stargelman @ Dec 23 2005, 03:09 AM)
5 years ago, christmas was mainly an excuse to get together with family and a few selected friends, eat good food and just generally have a good time. No tree, no presents, no singing (except maybe late in the night), nothing that would remind one of christmas at all.
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
Then, it all changed. My niece was born, and of course this meant we had to celebrate christmas for real now. Kids have certain expecations. It almost seems as if they're born with them. So now we do have a tree, and presents for the little sunshine. Still no singing of christmas songs though.
Sadly, this year no friends coming over either. They all either have to work or don't feel like christmas
Heh.. of course you have to do christmas.. After all, you hail from the land of Good Ol' Saint Nick (Who is related all because my name and his are the same...)
Ok all you great people on these forums.....now Christmas Eve has come to Sweden, since about 25 minutes, so I will say to you all:
Merry Christmas!!!
Merry Christmas!!!
became christmas eve 8 minutes ago, so to you all:
BAH HUMBUG
BAH HUMBUG
...bah, Christmas Eve wont be here for 5 hours and 27 minutes.... lucky people...
And it'll be Christmas Eve in... 24 mins here!
QUOTE(Channler @ Dec 23 2005, 03:31 AM)
QUOTE(Kindred Spirit @ Dec 23 2005, 02:10 AM)
My family may be annoying, but it's large, so I can be reasonably sure of always getting tons of loot.
BUWAHA! It might be because its really late.. but I found that comment so damned funny that I almost shat myself.. lmao..
Pirates.. lloll.. heh.. omg..
O.o Wow. Just...wow. There really is no other word I can use to describe that except...wow.
My girlfriend decided to open her Christmas present early, she loved it.
Thirteen minutes to Christmas Eve here!
Here's the post-morning update
Christmas with the relatives ended NOT HAPPENING. I feel like a just dodged not only a bullet but a shotgun shell (at close range).
I received a decent amount of gifts (The Invasion from Within Tsunami Bomb CD and matching shirt, $60 gamespot giftcard, shirts, etc).
Unfortunatly for me I will be spending family time in Euegen (but in small amounts). I plan on making a mysterious dissapearince towards my friend's houses until the week is over.
Groundations will ensue.
Christmas with the relatives ended NOT HAPPENING. I feel like a just dodged not only a bullet but a shotgun shell (at close range).
I received a decent amount of gifts (The Invasion from Within Tsunami Bomb CD and matching shirt, $60 gamespot giftcard, shirts, etc).
Unfortunatly for me I will be spending family time in Euegen (but in small amounts). I plan on making a mysterious dissapearince towards my friend's houses until the week is over.
Groundations will ensue.
We just opened gifts on Christmas Eve and went to both of my grandmothers on Christmas. Now I'm just sitting around the house, waiting for something to do sorta.
I feel kinda bad, but not really.
I bought my brother a dream theater dvd for christmas because I wanted to watch it.
I bought my brother a dream theater dvd for christmas because I wanted to watch it.
QUOTE(Dantrag @ Dec 26 2005, 07:23 PM)
I feel kinda bad, but not really.
I bought my brother a dream theater dvd for christmas because I wanted to watch it.
I bought my brother a dream theater dvd for christmas because I wanted to watch it.
Aww Danny...why do you feel bad then? I hope you´ll have a great New _year then...
I was pleasantly surprised this Christmas, because among other things, i got a new tv and dvd player for my room
QUOTE(LoneWolf @ Dec 26 2005, 10:00 PM)
I was pleasantly surprised this Christmas, because among other things, i got a new tv and dvd player for my room
Why that´s great Wolfie!, It´s the best to have a complete set of tv and dvd for your own use......no competituion with others.....
Ahh I wish I had, but there´s always a son, or daughter or even worse a husband sitting by our tv:s....so I´m lucky if I get to watch something of my choice......
I got...
Some CDs, a sweatshirt, a guitar pedal, a book, and a wallet. Mix that in with some random candies and some jeans, and there's my christmas!
Some CDs, a sweatshirt, a guitar pedal, a book, and a wallet. Mix that in with some random candies and some jeans, and there's my christmas!
QUOTE(minque @ Dec 26 2005, 09:15 PM)
Why that´s great Wolfie!, It´s the best to have a complete set of tv and dvd for your own use......no competituion with others.....
Ahh I wish I had, but there´s always a son, or daughter or even worse a husband sitting by our tv:s....so I´m lucky if I get to watch something of my choice......
Ahh I wish I had, but there´s always a son, or daughter or even worse a husband sitting by our tv:s....so I´m lucky if I get to watch something of my choice......
Funny part is, i already had 2 dvd players technically. My Xbox and PS2 can both play them. Although it is nicer to have an actual remote as opposed to a controller
My christmas was great. I got, battlefront 2, Gun, Soul calibur 3, about 14 things from American Eagle, and tons of candies of different kinds
wow you are lucky I didn't get half of that stuff (I like soul Calibur)
Well, my Christmas was...interesting.
First I went to my Aunt's house, it was way too crowded. She isn't even my Aunt, more like my dad's step aunt or something like that, but for whatever reason, the entire extended family that lives in a fifty mile radius goes there for Christmas Eve. The house is way, way, too small for that. Basically, I went into the basement for most of it, stayed out of the way, came up for dinner, ate downstairs, came up again for the presents. I got a gift certificate for a bookstore. Then I went back downstairs, avoided speaking more than five words in a row the entire time I was there.
After that, we went to my grandmother's house, opened presents with my grandmother, my father and his girlfriend, my uncle and his girlfriend, my aunt and her husband, and my siblings and myself. There, I got a very cool DVD player that I can't use because it won't plug into my TV so it goes in another TV that it will work on (my tv is old, like 80's old, so it goes on the videogame TV that isn't far from my bedroom), a pair of gloves (I don't wear gloves), a pair of pillows (not as lame as it might sound, my pillows were about as soft and fluffy as a pile of paper), a gift certificate and a set of headphones. The headphones were awesome, reflective in the back, the wires are inside of strongs to protect them, and these headphones are very comfortable and cool, so these were my favorite present. (with the exception of the pillows when I'm feeling tired) My aunt made a good point about my birthday. My birthday is in a few days, so she pointed out that when I turn 21(legal drinking age here), two days later is the biggest drinking day of the year. (New Year's Eve) What a great birthday present that'll be, huh?
Both of those Christmas parties were good enough. Nobody was overly annoying. Then we went home, went to sleep. In the morning, we opened presents with my dad. I got a 4 foot blacklight and that that awesome MP3 player. (which I was wrong about the name of it, got confused with the one we didn't get. We got the Siren MP3 player.) I also got a CD for a band called Celldweller (for some odd reason, nobody seems to have heard of them, despite the fact that every single one of their songs has been liscensed out to various movies and games, most of them fairly wellknown) and a very cool flashlight. The flashlight gets power by the magnet inside sliding through an electromagnet, creating electricity. And it doesn't use a conventional bulb, this one shouldn't even need being replaced, so basically, this should be the last flashlight I ever need. (Doubt it, somehow. If if sounds too good to be true, it probably is.) I also got a 4-pack of computer games. (Civilization 2, Age of Empires Gold Edition, Risk 2, and Majesty the Fantsy Kingdom Sim Gold Edition)
Then we went to our mother's house. I got a 15-in-1 game table, a broken remote control car (from my brother), a ball attached to an elastic string (also from my brother), a pack of rubber bouncy balls (from my sister) two gift certificates, and a couple shirts. One of the shirts was a cool blue fleece, the other an ugly blue and orange light long sleeve shirt. My brother got, for his expensive present, an electric guitar and an amp, while my sister got a karaoke machine. Both loud and annoying.
Then we went to my aunt's house (different aunt than the one from before), which was pure torture. I had to listen to my sister sing on her karaoke machine, alongside one of my cousins. My cousin got more and more drunk as the night went by, so the singing got progressively worse and worse. Meanwhile, my brother hasn't had much practice on his guitar yet, and with the amp cranked, that got as annoying as the singing. A couple of people, including my mother, started playing poker, and that game lasted untill past midnight, although they started not long after dinner. And even that was only because my mom had to lose on purpose because she had to get home. At various points throughout the night, I got talked (lectured, preached) to by various older relatives in various states of being spaced out. Most of them got good and drunk (my grandfather alone finished a twelvepack, the rest all had a couple plus plenty of wine), whereas my grandmother swalloed her entire bottle of painkillers. So all these people had to lecture me for various things, mostly yelling at me for not being social. (I had, by this point, spent two days straight with family, and I hadn't gone to sleep in between, so I was far, far more anti-social than usual, which is quite a lot) Other than that, they tried to make me get my hair cut (not going to happen, I like my hair the way it is, and if I want it cut, I'll either do it myself, or go to a freakin' hair parlor, there's two near my house, so if I wanted my hair cut, it would be cut), and I got yelled at quite a bit for "ruining the Christmas spirit." (ie, not being a happy idiot) For presents here, I got a winter hat (I don't wear winter hats) and Gothic 2 gold edition. (which was pretty cool) Then, after hearing my mother yell at me the whole way home, she finally started yelling again as we got to my father's house, because the plan was and had been for me to stay there, and he was gone, out with friends. I stayed there anyways.
Anyway, that was my Christmas. Not too bad, especially regarding the gifts I got, which I liked, but family parties have definately gone better. (Usually when my mother's had a bad day earlier, and drinks enough that she forgets I'm there)
First I went to my Aunt's house, it was way too crowded. She isn't even my Aunt, more like my dad's step aunt or something like that, but for whatever reason, the entire extended family that lives in a fifty mile radius goes there for Christmas Eve. The house is way, way, too small for that. Basically, I went into the basement for most of it, stayed out of the way, came up for dinner, ate downstairs, came up again for the presents. I got a gift certificate for a bookstore. Then I went back downstairs, avoided speaking more than five words in a row the entire time I was there.
After that, we went to my grandmother's house, opened presents with my grandmother, my father and his girlfriend, my uncle and his girlfriend, my aunt and her husband, and my siblings and myself. There, I got a very cool DVD player that I can't use because it won't plug into my TV so it goes in another TV that it will work on (my tv is old, like 80's old, so it goes on the videogame TV that isn't far from my bedroom), a pair of gloves (I don't wear gloves), a pair of pillows (not as lame as it might sound, my pillows were about as soft and fluffy as a pile of paper), a gift certificate and a set of headphones. The headphones were awesome, reflective in the back, the wires are inside of strongs to protect them, and these headphones are very comfortable and cool, so these were my favorite present. (with the exception of the pillows when I'm feeling tired) My aunt made a good point about my birthday. My birthday is in a few days, so she pointed out that when I turn 21(legal drinking age here), two days later is the biggest drinking day of the year. (New Year's Eve) What a great birthday present that'll be, huh?
Both of those Christmas parties were good enough. Nobody was overly annoying. Then we went home, went to sleep. In the morning, we opened presents with my dad. I got a 4 foot blacklight and that that awesome MP3 player. (which I was wrong about the name of it, got confused with the one we didn't get. We got the Siren MP3 player.) I also got a CD for a band called Celldweller (for some odd reason, nobody seems to have heard of them, despite the fact that every single one of their songs has been liscensed out to various movies and games, most of them fairly wellknown) and a very cool flashlight. The flashlight gets power by the magnet inside sliding through an electromagnet, creating electricity. And it doesn't use a conventional bulb, this one shouldn't even need being replaced, so basically, this should be the last flashlight I ever need. (Doubt it, somehow. If if sounds too good to be true, it probably is.) I also got a 4-pack of computer games. (Civilization 2, Age of Empires Gold Edition, Risk 2, and Majesty the Fantsy Kingdom Sim Gold Edition)
Then we went to our mother's house. I got a 15-in-1 game table, a broken remote control car (from my brother), a ball attached to an elastic string (also from my brother), a pack of rubber bouncy balls (from my sister) two gift certificates, and a couple shirts. One of the shirts was a cool blue fleece, the other an ugly blue and orange light long sleeve shirt. My brother got, for his expensive present, an electric guitar and an amp, while my sister got a karaoke machine. Both loud and annoying.
Then we went to my aunt's house (different aunt than the one from before), which was pure torture. I had to listen to my sister sing on her karaoke machine, alongside one of my cousins. My cousin got more and more drunk as the night went by, so the singing got progressively worse and worse. Meanwhile, my brother hasn't had much practice on his guitar yet, and with the amp cranked, that got as annoying as the singing. A couple of people, including my mother, started playing poker, and that game lasted untill past midnight, although they started not long after dinner. And even that was only because my mom had to lose on purpose because she had to get home. At various points throughout the night, I got talked (lectured, preached) to by various older relatives in various states of being spaced out. Most of them got good and drunk (my grandfather alone finished a twelvepack, the rest all had a couple plus plenty of wine), whereas my grandmother swalloed her entire bottle of painkillers. So all these people had to lecture me for various things, mostly yelling at me for not being social. (I had, by this point, spent two days straight with family, and I hadn't gone to sleep in between, so I was far, far more anti-social than usual, which is quite a lot) Other than that, they tried to make me get my hair cut (not going to happen, I like my hair the way it is, and if I want it cut, I'll either do it myself, or go to a freakin' hair parlor, there's two near my house, so if I wanted my hair cut, it would be cut), and I got yelled at quite a bit for "ruining the Christmas spirit." (ie, not being a happy idiot) For presents here, I got a winter hat (I don't wear winter hats) and Gothic 2 gold edition. (which was pretty cool) Then, after hearing my mother yell at me the whole way home, she finally started yelling again as we got to my father's house, because the plan was and had been for me to stay there, and he was gone, out with friends. I stayed there anyways.
Anyway, that was my Christmas. Not too bad, especially regarding the gifts I got, which I liked, but family parties have definately gone better. (Usually when my mother's had a bad day earlier, and drinks enough that she forgets I'm there)
Hi, I got the X-box 360, and Morrowind to the normal x-box( it works on the 360 ), some DVD's a new TV, some jeans, a brand new saddle to my motorcycle ( A 550 yamaha viagro, that is a chopper in case someone of ye wonder ) and when you put that together with the news that I am going to be an aunt ( We got the news on christmas ) it was the best christmas in my memory.
), some DVD's a new TV, some jeans, a brand new saddle to my motorcycle ( A 550 yamaha viagro, that is a chopper in case someone of ye wonder ) and when you put that together with the news that I am going to be an aunt ( We got the news on christmas ) it was the best christmas in my memory.
QUOTE(Telendil Delvanni @ Dec 27 2005, 04:31 PM)
Hi, I got the X-box 360, and Morrowind to the normal x-box( it works on the 360 ), some DVD's a new TV, some jeans, a brand new saddle to my motorcycle ( A 550 yamaha viagro, that is a chopper in case someone of ye wonder ) and when you put that together with the news that I am going to be an aunt ( We got the news on christmas ) it was the best christmas in my memory.
), some DVD's a new TV, some jeans, a brand new saddle to my motorcycle ( A 550 yamaha viagro, that is a chopper in case someone of ye wonder ) and when you put that together with the news that I am going to be an aunt ( We got the news on christmas ) it was the best christmas in my memory.Congrats! to it all, including the "aunt-thing" Yay you really had a good x-mas then....
So you ride motorcycle...hmmm impressive, I´d never dare to do it even though I have a licence to drive mc......
Well, I had the wierdest Xmas in memory. Went home on Xmas Eve, at 8 in the morning. Got on the train, and was fine. Got off the train 2 hours later, and had somehow managed to acquire a cold that left me bedridden the rest of Xmas Eve, Xmas Day and Boxing Day, shifting slightly today so I could get the train home and go back in to work tomorrow.
Wonder if I can get a job as the Grinch next year :/
Wonder if I can get a job as the Grinch next year :/
QUOTE(burntsierra @ Dec 27 2005, 10:45 AM)
Wonder if I can get a job as the Grinch next year :/
I'll be your dog. (I can't remember his name for the life of me.)
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.