Christmas

[domtyler]

Doesn't do anything for me I'm afraid.

 

[Arch]

I do like Christmas, and after the inevitable period in October when I start to think "What on earth am I going to get X?" I love giving stuff. I can rarely think of what I want though, so the family (me, Mum, sister) end up doing a sort of "What do YOU want?" dance for a few weeks, until we all have ideas. This year, I've gone bonkers - each family member is getting something bought, and two knitted things, and a calendar (made up of my own photos), and little Oli is getting at least two presents, despite only being 5 months old, and one of them is a book! But I don't think I've spent more than £20 on anyone in total, and that includes the wool for the knitted stuff. And I love the food, and the little family traditions (as long as they don't become great millstones around the neck).

Ther's no religious connection for me, really, it's just a nice excuse for a midwinter pick-me-up.

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I was going off it until my 2.5yearold started getting excited this year and now I can't wait to see her all excited on Christmas day. We put our tree up on Saturday and she kept hugging it and telling it she loved it before wistfully turning round and announcing that "it's so beautiful". It's a fake 6fter from B&Q! But she's really excited about Santa so that's why I'm looking forward to it this year.

As for the original poll, I think your own feelings towards Christmas will cloud whether it's generally becoming more or less popular. So I say no, it's not, because I've got back into the swing of it this year.

Of course, Christmas day with my M-I-L will be bloody awful but that's a small price to pay.

 

[Paulus]

Call me a humbug if you like, but I got fed up with Christmas a few years back after my two kids hit mid teens and the spark went out of christmas morning. I never liked the way that shops started selling christmas goods the day after August bank holiday monday anyway. The whole process goes on for too long and I am fed up by the time the "day" arrives.

 

[Pete]

This is just for you Pete...
The night sky as it appeared looking south from Jerusalem on Nov. 12, 7 BC, 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...2.gif/800px-Sky_Jerusalem_South-7BC-11-12.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_star

Triple conjunctions between planets are of little astronomical significance (though the astrological fraternity would no doubt make a meal of them ), and not particularly noteworthy, I doubt whether the general public would get all excited (certainly I didn't go out of my way to look at the last Jupiter-Saturn one, in 1981). If we want to attach real phenomena to account for what is, in my view, merely a set of myths and legends, more likely is to look for a bright comet at about that time. These did get noticed. Oh and, of course, check out all the eclipses that could match the Egyptian 'plague of darkness' and the crucifixion while you're at it. And tsunamis to divide the Red Sea...

 

[Elmer Fudd]

I was going off it until my 2.5yearold started getting excited this year and now I can't wait to see her all excited on Christmas day. We put our tree up on Saturday and she kept hugging it and telling it she loved it before wistfully turning round and announcing that "it's so beautiful". It's a fake 6fter from B&Q! But she's really excited about Santa so that's why I'm looking forward to it this year.

As for the original poll, I think your own feelings towards Christmas will cloud whether it's generally becoming more or less popular. So I say no, it's not, because I've got back into the swing of it this year.

Of course, Christmas day with my M-I-L will be bloody awful but that's a small price to pay.

You've got it in one mate. Christmas gets absolutely crap, then you have kids and it gets all exciting again. I hope your daughter has asked Santa for a new Bianchi that you can check over and test ride for her !!