Who else f'ing hates christmas...

[FriendofDog]

Christmas is a beautiful celebration that's supposed to commemorate the birth of Christ.. It is anything but that now. I think there is too much commercial pressure on families... If you want to be really honest, all the "do-gooders" (and I say that in the nicest way) have great intentions to get toys to needy kids, but it really just perpetrates the cycle. Maybe if some of the lazy shiftless parents would get off of their ass and get a job, their kids could get presents by them and not just depend on strangers. I'm sorry folks, but every aspect of our life is turned upside down by people begging for toy money for kids.. You go to Penneys, check out and they're begging for the remaining cents for someone...The cycle of depending on other people to take care of you begins early...

[GSP_trpr]

Although I don't partake, it is too commercialized. The "in your face" ads get old quick and you see all these grim faced people shopping who are probably already regretting how far the "season" will put them behind afterwards when they're barely making it as it is. I imagine many feel more "obligated" than charitable about giving tit for tat or out-gifting the next person. Must be a lot of pressure on folks so why not be real for once and do what you feel regardless of what others may think or what's the "traditional" thing to do.

[FriendofDog]

I think you are probably right about that trpr....parents who are working.. maybe are making it "okay" but barely.. and the pressure is on them to buy their kids the newest iphone or crap like that...It is a vicious cycle for every parent unless you are just rich and it doesn't matter. I like much about Christmas, but I don't like the mercenary aspect of it...I also know what it's like as a child to NOT have anything under the tree... I wouldn't call that a great feeling and it's not that I'm unsympathetic to poor kids, but everything, even the charitable aspect of Christmas has been made into a cut-throat present-hungry cycle....

[Pretend 2 B Normal]

This is not directly about Christmas but it pertains very much to the above comments. We were talking at work about kids and I said how right now my sons wear whatever clothes and shoes we buy them. One person asked when I was going to buy them name brand clothes and I said I probably won't. He looked me in the eyes and said "They are going to get made fun of." I assume it is the same with phones, toys, and eventually cars.

[FriendofDog]

Unfortunately, that's the way it seems to go these days Pretend.. it says an awful lot about our society and what we teach our kids that are important doesn't it? I did not buy my kids name brand either. At that point in my life, I COULD afford the expensive jeans, etc for them, but I just refused. They got name brand shoes/clothes for their birthdays, Christmas, etc. but I refused to break the bank just to clothe them to keep up with the Joneses.

[GSP_trpr]

Pretend 2 B Normal wrote:

This is not directly about Christmas but it pertains very much to the above comments. We were talking at work about kids and I said how right now my sons wear whatever clothes and shoes we buy them. One person asked when I was going to buy them name brand clothes and I said I probably won't. He looked me in the eyes and said "They are going to get made fun of." I assume it is the same with phones, toys, and eventually cars.

I can't speak as a parent but I believe you're teaching them the correct mindset for adulthood, Pretend. My parents taught me to be exactly who I am and not worry about what others think of me. You see so many people who are so concerned about how others perceive them that they can't even live their own life the way they actually want to. It must be tough constantly trying to live up to "others" expectations.

[old hippie]

I want a big fatty .