The future of Christmas

[BigonaBianchi]

How we celebrate Christams has changed over the years from a religious festival to a commercial greed fest for the most part. I was just wondering how we will celebrate xmas in the future...say 100 years from now...will the pudding survive, will there be any trees left to decorate? Will the fairy have had enough of the pine needles? Will santa be in a care home by then?

 

[Saluki]

Still a Christian festival in our house. We might well be at midnight mass tonight, if our local church is having one. Definitely in church (our regular church) tomorrow morning. Its not all about the pressies you know, in fact, we cannot afford pressies for each other this year so we are off geocaching with a possibility of a quick bike ride too (if its not pouring down).

 

[Over The Hill]

Quite amazing how it has chaged say from Victorian times, but basically it seems the same to me as it was 50 years ago.

Seems to be an inbuilt urge for us to give our kids the Christmas we either had or wanted.

 

[Black Sheep]

Still a Christian festival in our house. We might well be at midnight mass tonight, if our local church is having one. Definitely in church (our regular church) tomorrow morning. Its not all about the pressies you know, in fact, we cannot afford pressies for each other this year so we are off geocaching with a possibility of a quick bike ride too (if its not pouring down).

We're similar to you but have been able to set a small budget to get presents for each other and kept the cost of relatives presents low as it's the thought that counts, and being selective about what we've got them so hopefully, they'll like it.

 

[Saluki]

We actually managed to get pressies for hubby's 3 sisters for a fiver each. I have a pal who makes jewellery & she did me a good deal at cost price We took a lot of care in choosing the presents, jewellery to suit each sister.
Working, as we do, in and out of people's houses, the most common thing I have heard for the last couple of months is "I want..." generally followed by 'an iPad' Owners have said, 'well, they are only £500 and it will be their big present' What possesses parents to pay that sort of money for a gift for an eight year old is beyond me. Then again, I'm 48 & a bit of a bah humbug about expensive presents, and had to be content with a Sindy (yuk) and Lego for Christmas. My parents didn't encourage greed in their children.

It does seem to me that Christmas is getting more and more about how much money that you spend and in another generation or so that it might well just be about the presents in the minds of the general public. Over the last 10 years of working in my customer's homes we have noticed a huge rise in the "I want" & "I have to have" culture. We were told last week that a customer's kid's school was not having a Nativity in case the ethnic children and parents are offended, yet those same children know all about various festivals and customs of other faiths. I have a feeling that in 100 years that, if the End of Days has not arrived, that Christmas will be all but wiped out and only celebrated in Christian homes. Our Pastor is certainly very vocal about it.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

well i meant how about things like cards...will they be extinct soon as we all use e cards?

 

[Hacienda71]

We still get loads of cards at home, but at work it is about 75% ecards now.

 

[postman]

well i meant how about things like cards...will they be extinct soon as we all use e cards?

I think due to postage costs, and selling off parts of RM cards will be become a rarity,It will be interesting to see how this years hike to 50p second class has affected RM.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

what about the life expectancy of electronic spinning snowmen?

 

[Black Sheep]

We actually managed to get pressies for hubby's 3 sisters for a fiver each. I have a pal who makes jewellery & she did me a good deal at cost price We took a lot of care in choosing the presents, jewellery to suit each sister.
Working, as we do, in and out of people's houses, the most common thing I have heard for the last couple of months is "I want..." generally followed by 'an iPad' Owners have said, 'well, they are only £500 and it will be their big present' What possesses parents to pay that sort of money for a gift for an eight year old is beyond me. Then again, I'm 48 & a bit of a bah humbug about expensive presents, and had to be content with a Sindy (yuk) and Lego for Christmas. My parents didn't encourage greed in their children.

It does seem to me that Christmas is getting more and more about how much money that you spend and in another generation or so that it might well just be about the presents in the minds of the general public. Over the last 10 years of working in my customer's homes we have noticed a huge rise in the "I want" & "I have to have" culture. We were told last week that a customer's kid's school was not having a Nativity in case the ethnic children and parents are offended, yet those same children know all about various festivals and customs of other faiths. I have a feeling that in 100 years that, if the End of Days has not arrived, that Christmas will be all but wiped out and only celebrated in Christian homes. Our Pastor is certainly very vocal about it.

In my family, gift requests are welcomed but there has never been an assumption that this is what you will definitely get, as such it has become common to present a slightly longer list, not expecting that you'll get everything on it, but hoping for one or two of those items you were going to buy yourself.

I as my birthday is only a fortnight after christmas any of the ''would like'' items can be carried over.
Examples from my lists over the years have been various bike parts, locomotives for model railways and other 'nice to have' alongside books or software for university which are more 'can't quite afford it and need it'

My wife is horrified by the notion of christmas requests as she's always just been grateful of the surprise of whatever she gets given.

I'm also aware that my parents spend more than my in-laws, but that's their choice, what you spend should be upto you.

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

I think most definitely the Christmas dinner will be served in a chewing gum.. They already started with the desserts:

 

[EltonFrog]

Still a Christian festival in our house. We might well be at midnight mass tonight, if our local church is having one. Definitely in church (our regular church) tomorrow morning. Its not all about the pressies you know, in fact, we cannot afford pressies for each other this year so we are off geocaching with a possibility of a quick bike ride too (if its not pouring down).

From my experience you are more the exception than the rule. Good luck to you, yours and all about you.

 

[numbnuts]

I think Christmas will survive, but I'm not too sure if the religion side will, we have so many people turning away from the church these day and churches closing down too through lack of support and money.
I for one will carry on with the religious side, in fact I'm off to the first mass of Christmas at 7 pm tonight.

 

[bicyclos]

Santa claus will be around another 100yrs easily as long as we have commercial enterprise promoting such a figure. Religeous wise I can see why not as Jesus has survived so far over 2,500yrs and counting.

 

[ASC1951]

Religeous wise I can see why not as Jesus has survived so far over 2,500 yrs and counting.

I would call for a re-count.