I think you should ask if it's becoming less spiritual and more commercial/tacky: Less about giving and more about recieving.
Rather than tell you what you should have asked, I'll answer your poll - YES! For many of the reasons that crackle stated, plus the changing balance of races and religions within GB&NI.
I just feel that it is getting less popular as it just doesnt feel the vibe for it...unless your a totally 'wrapped up in the atmosphere' christian ! BTW - christmas to me means community and peace
i dont like it why do i have to buy things just because some man on a cross? if i wish do buy some thing for a loved one i will. i think its all a load of cr*p
That's Easter. You know, when St. Jesus died on a chocolate cross, in order to free the bunnies, or someting like that. This one's the baby in the hay stuff, visiting royalty, dodgy shepherd etc....
Christmas for me (not very religious) is a time for children as much as anything. Wife is 1 of 6 so we always had a ready supply of nieces and nephews to play with over the period. They grew up and there was a gap until we had our own. Then she grew up and there was a gap until she provided grandchildren. Now the nieces and nephews are producing their own children and Christmas is beginning to look up a bit again. Slight downer for me, at 62 this is my first Christmas as an orphan.
That's a lovely, thoughtful post John. There's no age limit on being an orphan...one just thinks it is for those of tender years, not tender hearts.
I like the seasonal festivities and I'm not a christian. As someone else stated, the christians just stole the event. It is an ancient mid winter festival that can be enjoyed for what it is - a time of fun making at the darkest time of the year.
I treat it in a rather secular way, but it doesn't feel less Christmassy to me. The decorations get bigger and more elaborate every year and I've got lots of Christmas parties coming up. So from a purely self-centred point of view it seems like business as usual to me. From a more religious standpoint I could well believe that the Christian element isn't as prominent as it once was. I'm not bothered by that per se, except insofar as people do seem very materialistic.
It's got to be the SAME AMOUNT about giving as receiving - by definition. For every gift there is a giver and a receiver, in the same way that you can't go on a bike ride finishing up where you started and go more downhill than up.
Great phrase. Happy to plead guilty, and am unbelievably excited about Chrimbo. I also almost hope it DOES become less popular. I kind of feel Christmas has been hijacked, and prefer Easter in some ways as it's more real, if that makes sense.
The 25th to me is about having the family around (her idea) a few gifts for SickBrat who has more beliefs in Ps2!!! A day off for me with too many glasses of red wine THEN tripple time for a few hours work on the 26th. Happy new year. Then where are we going for summer 2008. Should sticky this topic for C'mas 2009 (Bill Murray Groundhog day (year) maybe)!! Its Bollox isnt it?
I would think that christmas is getting slightly less popular in that family unit make ups (that come in many different shapes and sizes) have changed (nothing wrong with that) and perhaps become less strong and far reaching than in the past. I think that if it is not a family thing and your friends are off busy as happens this sort of time of year then it doesn't really get a good vibe at all.
