Merry Christmas?

[wenwilder]

I spend the day shopping with the one relative I actually enjoy being around. Get ALL of my Christmas shopping done, thankfully, and come home to relax and take a look at the news.

Most of the time the news provides tidbits of information that I may or may not store for later use - depending on the importance I believe they have and my intake of caffeine and chocolate - but tonight, when hit with the news I was completely dumbfounded!

Tell me I'm reading this wrong:


Santa's Knee Off-Limits for Some Children

Dec. 3, 2003 — A small town in New Zealand has banned children from sitting on Santa's knee because organizers fear liability if anything goes wrong.

We've banned and burned, condemned and condoned, we've marched for equal rights and fought for freedom, even requested that the world be politically correct. And now........we stiffle tradition because of fear?

If you live in fear of life then why live or fight for freedom? Maybe it's just me but Christmas without Santa, and Santa without children on his knee, just isn't all that Christmassy.

[matauri]

Yup, we heard about it here on the mainland too. They want the kids to sit 'next' to him.

theaustralian.news.com.au (http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8004784%255E29677,00.html)

There was even a snippet on the news the other day saying that Santa in NZ has to change his 'ho ho ho' coz he is scaring the kids.,..he is meant to say 'ha ha ha ho ho ho' :-)

So after 2 yrs of hearing of changes to Santa & Xmas because of cross religion issues (which were all born after 9/11!!) in the US, poor old Santa is now being read the PC act in NZ. Pretty sad isnt it! Why dont they take the fun out of everything!



Cindy

[wenwilder]

Just wait, before long we'll have mechanic Santa's that children can 'safely' sit on. Asking the 'young ladies' and 'young gentlemen' what they request for their non-denomination celebration of the year.

You don't see carolers any more because 'the public' threw a tantrum about the religious aspect of the music. Christmas angels on the trees have been replaced by bows and sometimes stars. Advertisers and chain stores spend millions just so people will spend more.

Christmas use to mean something, now it means going broke, being stressed out, and seeing who can buy the most expensive presents.

The tradition use to be that after thanksgiving dinner we would all decorate for Christmas - here, the decorations are still in storage collecting dust. Just call me scrooge.

[minstrel]

The world has indeed gone insane - Here's an antidote to all the politically correct insanity of the times - this one is just calm and nice:

Silent Night Choir Card (http://www.ashland.edu/ecard/adm_card_ver1_web.html)

[wenwilder]

The world has indeed gone insane - Here's an antidote to all the politically correct insanity of the times - this one is just calm and nice:

Silent Night Choir Card (http://www.ashland.edu/ecard/adm_card_ver1_web.html)

Thanks Minstrel, that is a definate smile starter. :)

[matauri]

If you live in fear of life then why live or fight for freedom?

Thats like a quote we use down here a lot too Wen... "it is better to die on your feet than live down on your knees" :-)


If we live life to the whims of fundamentalists, we have fundamentally changed our way of life.



Cindy

[carju1]

The tradition use to be that after thanksgiving dinner we would all decorate for Christmas - here, the decorations are still in storage collecting dust. Just call me scrooge.

Our decorations and tree go up on Christmas eve and come down on the twelth night. Prior to that only advent calendars are allowed and the Dutch celebration of Sint Claus and his Zwarte Pete's on the evening of Dec 6th.

Bah Humbug to commercial christmasses

Julian

[matauri]

Our lights & trees go up on 1st Dec & come down by 31st Dec. Its considered bad luck to have the tree up twice in one year. (i.e in Jan & Dec)

But our lights stay up until after Australia Day on 26th Jan...coz thats party time ! ;-)



Cindy

[minstrel]

THE WINDOW

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall......

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:

There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy.

"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

[minstrel]

Late last week, I was rushing around trying to get some last minute shopping done. I was stressed out and not thinking very fondly of the Christmas season right then. It was dark, cold, and wet in the parking lot as I was loading my car up with gifts that I felt obligated to buy. I noticed that I was
missing a receipt that I might need later. So mumbling under my breath, I retraced my steps to the shopping mall entrance.

As I was searching the wet pavement for the lost receipt, I heard a quiet sobbing. The crying was coming from a poorly dressed boy of about 12 years old. He was short and thin. He had no coat. He was just wearing a ragged flannel shirt to protect him from the cold night's chill.

Oddly enough, he was holding a hundred dollar bill in his hand.

Thinking that he had gotten lost from his parents, I asked him what was wrong. He told me his sad story. He said that he came from a large family. He had three brothers and four sisters. His father had died when he was nine years old. His mother was poorly educated and worked two full time jobs. She made very little to support her large family.

Nevertheless, she had managed to skimp and save two hundred dollars to buy her children Christmas presents. The young boy had been dropped off, by his mother, on the way to her second job. He was to use the money to buy presents for all his siblings and save just enough to take the bus home. He had not even entered the mall, when an older boy grabbed one of the hundred dollar bills and disappeared into the night.

"Why didn't you scream for help?" I asked.

The boy said, "I did."

"And nobody came to help you?" I wondered.

The boy stared at the sidewalk and sadly shook his head.

"How loud did you scream?" I inquired.

The soft-spoken boy looked up and meekly whispered, "Help me..."

I realized then that absolutely no one could have heard that poor boy cry for help...

...so I grabbed his other hundred and ran to my truck.

The world has indeed gone insane - Here's an antidote to all the politically correct insanity of the times - this one is just calm and nice:

Silent Night Choir Card (http://www.ashland.edu/ecard/adm_card_ver1_web.html)

Thanks Minstrel, that is a definate smile starter. :)

the bells are fun to play here http://198.30.217.62
thanks WEn & Minstrel!
DAREN

[mikmik]

I just want to pass along this little tip I picked up at 'Blogger Sanonymous' - When posting a classic two-parter, the setup and the kill shot should be pre-typed onto a text editor so that it can be transfered with little lag time between the first and second submitals, thereby reducing the odds of an intervening event.

Holiday spirit from matauri :
But our lights stay up until after Any Old Day of the first 12 Month's...coz thats party time ! ;-)

Only in auzzie eh/...Pity

[carbonize]

We've had all this crap here in the UK for years, children not being allowed to sit on Santas knee in case he's a pedophile and all that BS.

Time for me to put a dampener on things.

Why does the world have to stop because of a christian festival thats not even on the right day? The world is made up of more religions than just christianity but does the whole country shut down for Eid? nope. I got fed up a long time ago of being told how to live my life by christians. You don't get Msulims knocking on your door trying to sell you their magazines, you don't get buddhists harrassing you in the street to try and get you to come to their "meetings".

To be honest it's not even really a christian festival anymore, like most things it's been hijacked by business brainwashing the masses into believing you have to give expensive presents, you have to put up masses of decorations, and you have to send cards.

</rant></cynicism></stupid festivals>

[carbonize]

Yes I killed another thread, mwuahahahaha!!!!!

Glad to see I haven't lost my touch.

This thread has been
CARBONIZED

[minstrel]

Sorry, but you can't pronounce a thread killed after only 24 hours...

That would be premature carbonization...

[mikmik]

And if he is trying to post a message but his connection goes down before he hits submit, then he can't get it up.
Actually though, he lives at a higher latitude than the forum server so I guess that technically his pride would still be intact.

[carbonize]

Minstrel it appears that your treatment of mikmik is not working.

I do not like eggs and green ham,
I do not like them Sam I Am.

Anything can be made to work if you fiddle with it long enough, with the exception of some peoples little grey cells.

[minstrel]

Anything can be made to work if you fiddle with it long enough, with the exception of some peoples little grey cells.
Even there, with recent pseudo-scientific (and by that I mean, "psychic") advances in Nebraska, it is now possible to remove those malfunctioning grey cells and replace them with... yes, Jello...

[mikmik]

Okay everybody. I have something to tell you, and this isn't easy to say, and it won't be easy to hear, so please, freshen up your scotch, caffiene, or whatever ale's you like, and have a seat.

"Alerted to the disappearance of Santa Claus from Norad's radar screen by a Sudbury, Ont., father and son, the military promises to have the Santa tracking system operational by Wednesday"

globetechnology.com (http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20031202.gtsanta1202/BNStory/Technology/)

[minstrel]

"Alerted to the disappearance of Santa Claus from Norad's radar screen by a Sudbury, Ont., father and son, the military promises to have the Santa tracking system operational by Wednesday"

Did you say "Sudbury"?

Get those Sea Kings aloft, stat!

(oh yeah... I forgot... any weather balloons left?)

[matauri]

I remember Sudbury....isnt it that town on way to the Soo from Ottawa that is just a big expanse of nothing (an enviro disaster area). I actually liken it to how our goldfields used to look.



Cindy

[rocky1]

Sounds like a disaster site for an Ale Refinery!

[mikmik]

Sudbury, ON, a.k.a. 'nickel town',is most famous for the pictures of the huge smoke stacks
of 'Inco'. Here is a picture of the damaged terrain from the air :(it's quite spectacular) http://gisp.gi.alaska.edu/craterbase/sudbury.htm

Redneck: Let's fight!
Other Redneck: Them's fightin' words!

*MODERATOR* <[Please try to stay on topic]>

I'm hearing thing's! Yikes! I'm outta hear(sic)!!
Bart: Aren't we forgeting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.

[minstrel]

South Park redneck: "We don't take kindly to folks who don't take kindly to things around here!"

[paulhiles]

History of the cracker
First appeared: 1847

Place: London

Inventor: Tom Smith

Job: Confectioner

Inspiration: French bonbons, sugared almonds wrapped in a twist of paper

Paul

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2586511.stm

[mikmik]

Bit of a minimalist, was he Paul?

[mikmik]

So then I figure that I'll ckeck out what paulhiles said here
History of the cracker
First appeared: 1847

Place: London

Inventor: Tom Smith

Job: Confectioner

Inspiration: French bonbons, sugared almonds wrapped in a twist of paper

Paul

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2586511.stm

Oh, those crackers. I guess I was being 'tounge in cheek' on the first response, above.
Didn't think abouy the 'christmas' slant.
Tee-hee-hee-hee-hee! Shucks, I guess I had a "M.W.B.M." ! def: Mat Wen Brit Moment. = blonde moment. Time to go hide again, min, man, you're on your own...wait, rocky may be around!

[minstrel]

I guess I had a "M.W.B.M." ! def: Mat Wen Brit Moment = blonde moment.
The anticipated 2004 edition of Webster's Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary is expected to include, along with the recently disputed "McJob" item, the following:


MWB moment. Derived from the initials of the three women for whom it was named, viz. Matauri, Wen Wilder, and Brittany, the phrase "MWB moment" is used to describe an incident involving a lapse of reason, similar to the terms "senior moment" or "blonde moment" already in popular usage. The source is believed to be one mikmik, aka "mik2" or "mik-squared", an eccentric and somewhat shadowy character who emerged in late 2003 from an equally odd municipality known as Kelowna in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Little else is known concerning mikmik, other than his penchant for ale. For further information about the three MWB women, please see the item "Blondes on the Net" elsewhere in this volume.

[Greyhawk]

Time for me to put a dampener on things.

Why does the world have to stop because of a christian festival thats not even on the right day? The world is made up of more religions than just christianity but does the whole country shut down for Eid? nope. I got fed up a long time ago of being told how to live my life by christians. You don't get Msulims knocking on your door trying to sell you their magazines, you don't get buddhists harrassing you in the street to try and get you to come to their "meetings".

To be honest it's not even really a christian festival anymore, like most things it's been hijacked by business brainwashing the masses into believing you have to give expensive presents, you have to put up masses of decorations, and you have to send cards.
</rant></cynicism></stupid festivals>

Thank you I am so happy to find that I am not the only one that feels this way. I am so sick of going to do some shopping and having Christianity forced down my throat for two months. Every where I go people are wishing me Merry Christmas. It sickens me not only do I not celebrate Christmas but having just become single I don't feel very merry.

Christmas and Easter should NOT be holidays unles we make Passover, Ramadan, Samhain, and everyother religions holy days a holiday.

Sorry I just needed to rant.
Greyhawk

[matauri]

Here is a picture of the damaged terrain from the air :(it's quite spectacular) http://gisp.gi.alaska.edu/craterbase/sudbury.htm

Yup..thats the town I remember all right! What a mess !


Time for me to put a dampener on things.

Thank you I am so happy to find that I am not the only one that feels this way.

If I rename it to "only day of year when people are half decent to each other"...would that work? ;-)

But I have a couple of pet hates about xmas time.

1. Why is it that everything that has to do with Xmas has to do with snow?????? Even spray snow!! How tacky! Wrapping paper with snow, cards with snow, shop windows with snow..urggg. Worse still...try looking at fake snow when ya melting in 40C heat! It always seemed disjointed here. Fine have snow up where most of you guys are from, but give us a break down here! Did the Brits & Americans invent xmas? Where in the bible did it say it snowed at Xmas? Did father xmas sprinkle snow everywhere he went?

2. Why do people over 60yr all of a sudden think they have right of way in the shops? They wont move, they'll expect you to go around them. They bang you & your car with trollies & car doors. They'll abuse you if you happen to stop & look at something in front of them. Yet, for the rest of the year they act like normal people. Go figure!

Its madness I tell ya! ;-)

Xmas to me is enjoying the company of friends and talking about how it doesnt seem that long ago that last xmas was here. A sign of age speeding the process up?? ;-)


Cindy

[minstrel]

Why do people over 60yr all of a sudden think they have right of way in the shops? They wont move, they'll expect you to go around them. They bang you & your car with trollies & car doors. They'll abuse you if you happen to stop & look at something in front of them. Yet, for the rest of the year they act like normal people. Go figure!
Free download weekend over, Cindy? ;-)

I'm not sure that the age of onset is always 60 - could be 65 or 70 for some - but senior citizens think they have the right of way everywhere, including on the roads, and the right to trundle along at the rate of a toddler in the malls and on the sidewalks and ar school zome speeds in the car - and they get right incensed if you pass them - I recently had one old gent honking and trying to blind me with his high beams for passing him, not to roar down the road but just in hopes I might get somewhere near the speed limit...

[matauri]

Free download weekend over, Cindy? ;-)

Yeah...bummer! :-(
But on the good side, I got to download everything off my old server onto new one for free! I knew for sure I would overdo my download limit without the free time. :-)

Thanks for all those recommends for downloads guys, have downloaded a few, when I get some free time will check them out further :-)


I'm not sure that the age of onset is always 60 - could be 65 or 70 for some -

I had to say 60...coz my Mum didn't think they were doing aything wrong & she is 63 :-)


Cindy

[minstrel]

I have no idea whether this is true or just another myth:

"According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.

Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should have known. Only females, while pregnant, would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost."

[ldyguique]

After observing my grandchildren putting up the Christmas tree this past Thanksgiving, I realized that my hoHum non-participatory experience of the past 7 years was self-deprivation. While I'm back home and will not be decorating this year, I at least found enough spirit to head out to a local store that specializes in remaindered products at substantial discounts. I filled a shopping cart with toys and games last night and then dragged the bags into work this a.m. -- nearly filled up the second Marines' Toys for Tots box in our lobby.

It gave me a really good feeling and I suspect that the recipients won't sneer at "last year's models" nor will they feel cheated at "is that all there is?" One of them might even believe in Santa Claus again. As for me, I started to believe again.

[minstrel]

Good for you, ldyguique!

It's difficult NOT to become cynical about the commercialization of Christmas, but finding a way to be even peripherally involved in "random acts of kindness" involving real human beings, even or maybe especially strangers, instead of banks and corporations, helps one to acquire a certain perspective on what it's supposed to be all about.

[minstrel]

Dog tags ring, are you listenin'?
In the lane, snow is glistenin'.
It's yellow, NOT white,
I've been there tonight,
Marking up my winter wonderland.

Smell that tree? That's my fragrance.
It's a sign - for wand'ring vagrants;
"Avoid where I pee,
It's MY pro-per-ty!
Marking up my winter wonderland."

In the meadow dad will build a snowman,
Following the classical design.
Then I will lift my leg and let it go, man,
So all the world will know that it is mine...

Straight from me to the fencepost,
Flows my nat-ural intense boast:
"Stay off of my turf,
This small piece of Earth,
I marked it as my winter wonderland."

[matauri]

A bit of Aussie Xmas Flavour ! :-)


Six White Boomers
Early on one Christmas Day, a Joey Kanga-roo
Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo
Mummy, where's my mummy, they've taken her a-way
We'll help you find your mummy son, hop on the sleigh
[Verse:]
Up beside the bag of toys, little Joey hopped
But they had'nt gone far when Santa stopped
Un-harnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why
Then he heard a far off booming in the sky
[Chorus:]
Six white boomers, snow white boomers
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun
Six white boomers, snow white boomers
.. On his Aus-tra-lian run

Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat
Took his fur-lined boots off to cool his feet
Into one popped Joey, feeling quite OK
While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh

Joey said to Santa, Santa, what about the toys
Aren't you giving some to these girls and boys
They've all got their presents son, we were here last night
This trip is an extra trip, Joey's special flight

Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Marble Bar
Slow down there, cried Santa, it can't be far
Come up on my lap son, and have a look around
There she is, that's mummy, bounding up and down

Well that's the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had
Curled up in mother's pouch all snug and glad
The last they saw was Santa headed northward from the sun
The only year the boomers worked a double run



Aussie Jingle Bells
Dashing through the bush, in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side singing Christmas songs
It's summertime and I'm in my singlet, shorts and thongs.

Chorus
Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way.
Christmas in Australia on scorching summer's day, HEY.
Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute


Engine's getting hot, we dodge the kangaroos
The swaggie climbs aboard he is welcome too
All the families there, sitting by the pool,
Christmas day in the Aussie way by the barbecue

Chorus

Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze
The kids and Uncle Bruce are swimming in their clothes,
The time comes round to go we take a family snap
And pack the car up, and all shoot through before the washing up, Oh.

Chorus


Deck the Halls
Deck the sheds with bits of wattle
Falalalala lala la la
Whack some gumleaves in a bottle
Falalalala lala la la
All the shops are open sundays
Falalalala lala la la
Buy your Dad some socks and undies
Falalalala lala la la

Deck the sheds with bits of gumtree
Falalalala lala la la
Hang some deco's off the plum tree
Falalalala lala la la
Plant some kisses on the missus
Falalalala lala la la
Have a ripper Aussie Christmas
Falalalala lala la la

Say g'day to friends and relies
Falalalala lala la la
Wave them off with bulging bellies
Falalalala lala la la
Kids and babies, youngies, oldies
Falalalala lala la la
May your fridge be full of coldies
Falalalala lala la la

Chop the wood and stoke the barbie
Falalalala lala la la
Ring the folks in Abudabe
Falalalala lala la la
Pop the stuffing in the Turkey
Falalalala lala la la
Little Mary's feeling ercky!
Falalalala lala la la
Rally rally round the table
Falalalala lala la la
Fill your belly while you're able
Falalalala lala la la
Joyce and Joany, Dave and Daryl
Falalalala lala la la
Sing an Aussie Christmas Carol
Falalalala lala la la


12 Days of Xmas
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
A kookaburra in a gum tree
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Two cockatoos, and a kookaburra in a gum tree

Three parakeets.........
Four great galahs.......
Five opals black......
Six 'roos a-jumping........
Seven emus running.......
Eight koalas clinging.........
Nine wombats waddling........
Ten dingoes dashing.......
Eleven snakes a-sliding.......
Twelve goannas going.......
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Twelve goanna goin, Eleven snakes a-sliding,
Ten dingoes dashing, Nine wombats waddling,
Eight koalas clinging, Seven emus running,
Six 'roos a-jumping, Five opals black,
Four great galahs, Three parakeets,
Two cockatoos, And a kookaburra up a gum tree.