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#160881 December 20th, 2006 at 06:02 AM
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I guess I am like millions out there that suffer from Christmas depression. There just seems to be an attitude in the air of greed and crass commercialism.

I am sure that the person that we are supposed to be celebrating their birthday is not happy with this mind set. I have always been a firm believer that if you love some one you should give them what they need at any time of the year, not a gift for the sake of a gift on a specified date.

Many stores will not even use the word CHRISTmas in their ads for fear of loosing money in some market that will not celebrate it. A recent issue that has reared it ugly head in Ontario when a judge had a Christmas tree removed from a main entrance of the court house, when the tree is not a religious symbol to start with. We are sacrificing our intelligence for political correctness – this is a real shame.

So how do others deal with this so called festive season and their depression? I am going to do something off the wall this year – maybe buy 20 pizzas for the old hobos that hang around in Inglewood Calgary or take some of them to dinner or and drink some wine with them. I only know that I must shake this depression and disgust I feel for this time of year…

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, to all of the great folks at The Garden Helper.

Love Clive

#160882 December 20th, 2006 at 06:21 AM
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Clive....This is a hard time of year for many...you are not alone...I feel sad this time of year..not for the real meaning of Christmas, but for all the polluted commercialism...and pressers..

Your idea of pizzas and wine sounds like a good one...it seems by doing something good for someone else it makes us feel better:-)

I sometimes feel I just go through the motions...
But I put a smile on for my family and do the best I can...Good topic Clive...and thoughts to you:-)

#160883 December 20th, 2006 at 07:49 AM
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Clive....This is a hard time of year for many...you are not alone...I feel sad this time of year..not for the real meaning of Christmas, but for all the polluted commercialism...and pressers..
Angie.. I was thinking the same thing.... the very same...
Everyone may think that any and all kids are very happy during Holiday Time[because of the presents, usually], but I, myself, being a 'kid', am not always thus happy.
I am, to tell the truth, disgusted with the way Christmas has become. I can't even remember a time when Christmas wasn't like this, but I suppose it's because I'm too young to. I just envy the stories of a "Good Holiday season" that peopel can tell.. I jsut wish I could experience an "old-fashioned Christmas" for myself..

I agree, your ideas are very good. that's a very thoughtful thing to do..
Thoughts to you as well.

--Mark--

#160884 December 20th, 2006 at 09:09 AM
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I also have longed for this season to be over because of the commercialism. But I have already made my plans for next year. I'm telling my family, including grandchildren, that next year I am wrapping up a gift for Jesus and putting their name on it, and tell each one what it will be; Money in a box for the church; a nativity scene to set in front of a stained class window; a Christmas plant for the alter; etc. I've decided I am going to start giving gifts to the "birthday Boy" who will appreciate it much better than family members who have too much already! Just by making this decision to start this next year has lightened my depression already

#160885 December 20th, 2006 at 10:41 AM
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Originally posted by Cliver_McGyver:
I am going to do something off the wall this year – maybe buy 20 pizzas for the old hobos that hang around in Inglewood Calgary or take some of them to dinner or and drink some wine with them.

I only know that I must shake this depression and disgust I feel for this time of year…
That sounds like something really nice to do...
Honest...
(Or even go volunteer at the Food Pantries or the likes..)

I agree with you whole heartedly about the materialism of Christmas...
It's just gotten too much..
Don't get me wrong, I like the tree and Santa for my wee~one's.. but it's Jesus is the reason for the season.. and it's gets way~layed too much..
The thing that makes me the worst of worsts'..
is that it comes out before Thanksgiving, all the decorations in the store.. it's like Thanksgiving is just shoved by the way side..
That really fires up my nerves a wee~bit too much...

Somedays it does make me a bit sad, cause I don't have the money to give out things to people.. but I do have my time to give....
either running some food down to the pantry or co~ordinating some drives to get some food into the pantry...or deliverin' a meal for Meals~on~Wheels..

#160886 December 20th, 2006 at 11:08 AM
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weezie kissies thumbup

#160887 December 20th, 2006 at 01:14 PM
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While I really do enjoy spoiling my children this time of the year, not to major extremes, but a little, I also enjoy giving to those around me and it makes me sad when I cannot do that. Whether it be a hug or a basket of homemade goodies to share with their families or a meal to a homeless person or my time. I firmly believe that it is the little things and those that we can do this time of year and throughout the year that make the holiday season special.

#160888 December 20th, 2006 at 03:45 PM
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it dont too much bother me, 'your world is what you make of it' we dont do the santa clause thing , ive always told my kids God gave us the gift of Jesus, so thats why we give gifts to our loved ones and others, thats my belife so i can walk by the man in the red suit without giving him a thought, or any other commercialism, dont get me wrong i know its out there and lots of it, i just chose to go my own minded way. thumbup

#160889 December 20th, 2006 at 09:47 PM
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I agree with you, Clive. Christmas is a depressing time for me, too. It is hard to enjoy the season because of the commercialism.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that some stores are putting "Christ" back into Christmas this year by selling "Christmas" trees instead of "Holiday" trees.

It is very thoughtful of you to share the true meaning of Christmas with the homeless and needy. You are demonstrating that Christmas is about love of fellow man.

Jesus is the reason for the season. Yes, my kids celebrated with Santa, but I always liked to read the Christmas story to my children on Christmas so they would remember that God gave us the best gift of all...

Children outgrow toys and clothes, but they will never outgrow the need for Jesus...

Merry Christmas, Clive...

Dianna

#160890 December 23rd, 2006 at 09:26 PM
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I personally like the idea of gift giving to those we love on this Special Day... and if you think of it, "those we love" should include not just our family members, but neighbors and strangers as well.

For, if Christmas is the date celebrated as when God gave us the Very Best Gift Ever, in the person of His Son, then it is nice that we give our best to others as well.

It isn't a matter of how MUCH we spend, but just the simple gesture of giving the best we can. It isn't any better to be a miser or stingy at Christmas than it is to be insane with spending.

Advent, the season of four weeks leading up to Christmas has something of the texture of Lent in it. Lent, as you may recall, is the six weeks leading to Easter.

These are periods of time within the Church year that we become AWARE of the worlds need AND OUR OWN need for God.

And they both can be quite difficult.

With Advent, Madison Avenue tries to indicate to us that the entire globe is spinning on an axis of gaiety and frantic festivities.

Yet we know better. We know there is war. There is poverty, sickness, and loss. There is loneliness. There is the shortening of days to mid-winter and usually a change in the weather.

There is social confusion... lots of people don't even know WHY we really celebrate Christmas beyong a mad dash from one party to the next and going into debt.

Lots of good reasons that I can see how much the world and WE personally need His arrival!

And Hollywood doesn't do much better by us than Madison Avenue, for Hollywood's take on Christmas Past, Present, or Future is as unrealistic as Madiosn Avenue's.

Was there really ever "an old fashioned Christmas?" When exactly would that have been?

During any of the World Wars? During the Plague? During times of migration when people often didn't even know the date?

We can burden ourselves beyond recall by either longing for a fantasy that never was or driving ourselves to attain the impossible.

Personally, I reject both Madison Avenue AND Hollywood's version of my beloved Christmas.

One step at a time, I walk through the often difficult and stressful season of Advent with all of it's pressures and depreseions and earlier dark days, focussed on the Truth of the One Who Comes to Us unfailingly.

I reach upward toward God with as much faithfulness as I can muster.

I reach outward to those around me. Providing as nice as a sane Christmas as I can for my young son (we do just a Little Bit of the traditions we enjoy); giving goods and money to the destitute and to the desperate; spending time and effort helping ... even if that is just listening and praying.

And, as in Lent, I reach inward within myself, remembering that Advent means preparation for His coming and I spend some time in careful reflection and self-examination, though not as intently as one does during Lent.

Rather than being personally affronted by what Hollywood and Madison Avenue do to this Holy Time of the Year, I just try to enjoy in simple ways what it is really all about.

So Clive, good for you! Buy the pizza's and share them with joy. It Honors Him Whose Coming we celebrate; it honors the people who will eat them, and it honors the person you are. What a lovely choice!!

Merme

#160891 January 8th, 2007 at 07:47 AM
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Clive,

How did you spend your christmas?

We stayed at home, alone cause son and wife, had a new baby on the 8th..Needed to be home. So we visited the day before.

Hope your ok now.

dodge


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