What does Christmas mean to you?

[Thowra]

With decadence rife in today's societies, what does Christmas really mean to you?

Is it something fun for the kids? An excuse to go out and buy everyone presents? Is Christmas your one chance of a nice family get together? Is Christmas an excuse to have loads of food and indulge in things that you would otherwise not?

Is Christmas still about the birth of Christ or has it just become another commercial gimmick of the 21st Century? Do you think that Christmas is deteriorating, loosing its core values, beliefs and religious ties?

Do you celebrate Christmas? Is it a time of year that you like, or one that you dread? Is Christmas a financial burden or a chance to give your loved ones something you know they will like?

Surely, in a multicultural society where we are doing all we can to integrate foreigners and people from other religions, Christmas should be banned? We should celebrate it quietly at home so as to not make non-christians feel imposed upon??

I would love to hear your views on all that and more! (Durban are you here?)

[Bounty Bob]

With decadence rife in today's societies, what does Christmas really mean to you?

It means a shutdown at work and a good two weeks to spend with the family.

Is Christmas still about the birth of Christ or has it just become another commercial gimmick of the 21st Century? Do you think that Christmas is deteriorating, loosing its core values, beliefs and religious ties?

Christmas lost it's religious significance years ago.

Is Christmas a financial burden or a chance to give your loved ones something you know they will like?

It's a pain in the arse spending time trying to find a present for cousins, uncles/aunts etc just for the sake of buying a present. They just do the same for us and everyone ends up with crap just because it's christmas and we're supposed to buy presents. I'd much rather not buy presents at christmas and give gifts in the year if I see something that I know someone will love. That's much more special than just giving something because you're supposed to.

Surely, in a multicultural society where we are doing all we can to integrate foreigners and people from other religions, Christmas should be banned? We should celebrate it quietly at home so as to not make non-christians feel imposed upon??

You're beginning to sound seriously like a do-gooder here Claire.

[JamesHBeard]

I would have thought that celebrating Christmas would offend muslims and other religions so surely it should be banned now.

Surely !

[waynie]

what bbob said.

Surely, in a multicultural society where we are doing all we can to integrate foreigners and people from other religions, Christmas should be banned? We should celebrate it quietly at home so as to not make non-christians feel imposed upon??

no way. i'm all for multiculturalism, but not at the expense of certain values, traditionally cherished by this country, being surrendered due to the risk of offending individuals who are not from this country. i have also heard about proposals for banning the display of the george cross and banning of pork from school dinners. this sucks.

let me say, and i am saying this as one of the people this government is trying not to offend, that:
1) christmas does not offend me; i am looking forward to decorating a tree this year.
2) the england flag does not offend me; i had a george cross hanging outside my house during the world cup
3) pork does not offend me; i had a bacon sandwich for lunch

why dont we integrate the foreigners and people from other religions by making them celebrate x'mas, fly the flag and eat bacon?

[waynie]

okay, my last comment was a bit cheeky and maybe intepreted as an offence punishable by stoning.

on a serious note, i do wish the government was more firm about this kind of thing. it pains me to see migrants effectively take advantage of the country by using the excuse that certain aspects of british life are intolerable to them, or that they have difficulty integrating. then why did you come here ffs!

a nerve has been touched and i feel the urge for a rant now:
for the last five or so years, i had worked closely with the chinese communities around the uk, speaking at dinner functions and social gatherings. the objective is to help them integrate into society and make them aware of legislation. but i had become progressively disillusioned. most of the people i am speaking to have been in this country for longer than i have, yet many have made little or no effort to improve their english. and when i make them aware that certain things need to be taxed, they feign ignorance.

here is a revelation. foreigners are not as stupid as they seem...until they are caught. the complex tax fiddles and penny pinching ways of the average restaurant owner is extremely impressive...yet when they are found out it's suddenly "no speak english". fking parasites.

the final straw that broke the camel's back came over summer when i was taking the train home from central london. a chinese student in my carraige had not bought a ticket and was confronted by a ticket inspector. he had initially tried to pretend to be sleeping, but when the inspector "woke" him up and requested his ticket, the student initiated the "no speak english" trick. the inspector eventually decided to give up and let him off, at which point i just lost it . i stormed down the length of the carraige, and in a calm voice (that was shaking with rage) offered to translate. the student immediately glared at me and asked me wtf i was doing. this only added to my anger and i started bellowing at him in chinese that he was a disgrace, that he was giving chinese people a poor impression in front of english people, that he was losing face for us all, etc etc. by now, the whole carraige was watching and wondering what was happening . the ticket inspector was feeling uncomfortable and suggested that he just move on. i declined and apologised profusely for my compatriot's behaviour...and offered to pay for the ticket as a face-saving gesture. it was only then that the student, obviously feeling ashamed, coughed up his train fare. he obviously understood english. the whole scenario made me so embarrassed. not because of the scene i caused, but because once again i saw an example of foreigners exploiting the easy let-offs for breaking british laws. that evening, i cancelled my next dinner function with the chinese community. i do not see why i have to do things like this in my own time when it is clearly not working. meanwhile, the british government offers to cancel x'mas.

foreigners who don't adhere to uk law dont need assistance to integrate, they need a kick up the rear.

feel better now.

[Sid]

With decadence rife in today's societies, what does Christmas really mean to you?

It means a shutdown at work and a good two weeks to spend with the family.

Is Christmas still about the birth of Christ or has it just become another commercial gimmick of the 21st Century? Do you think that Christmas is deteriorating, loosing its core values, beliefs and religious ties?

Christmas lost it's religious significance years ago.

Agreed. I like buying myself presents!

[Sid]

feel better now.

Nice one Waynie!

[Bounty Bob]

the whole scenario made me so embarrassed. not because of the scene i caused, but because I hadn't thought of this scummy scam for myself.

WTF Waynie?!!?!?!?

[Sid]

the whole scenario made me so embarrassed. not because of the scene i caused, but because I hadn't thought of this scummy scam for myself.

WTF Waynie?!!?!?!?

or was that a Waynie confession!!

he is also a student...

put 2 and 2 together ... and you get .... erm... whatever number Waynie comes up with!

[JamesHBeard]

HongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKongHongKong

Buy yourself Guild Wars for xmas mate..

[Robert]

Waynie, it's the British culture to be soft on immigrants and water down our own national identity. Are you attacking British culture?

[kofoed]

Waynie, it's the British culture to be soft on immigrants and water down our own national identity. Are you attacking British culture?

[alkis21]

We don't need immigrants to ignore our laws in Greece. We do a fine job ourselves. I'm willing to bet that the owner of the company I work for is one of the richest men in the country, and yet he probably declares a lower income than I do.

Anyway, back on topic: As I'm not a spiritual person, Christmas doesn't really mean much to me. I kind of like buying presents for friends and family though, even if it seems forced because I'm "supposed to".