There, it's out in the open. Ya'll can hate on me and stuff. There's just too many reasons, but here's a few:
I am not a Christian (not that Christ seems to play too big a role nowadays anyways)
I hate shopping
I hate feeling pressured into shopping even worse
I like eating, but couldn't we move the big eating holidays a little bit farther apart in the year to give the gut a rest?
Really, I wish I could be put on a list so that no one would get me anything and I wouldn't have to give anything to anyone else. I feel like birthday shopping once a year should be enough. Then you can focus your energies on a specific gift and not have 20 at the same time. Why is Christmas so much about the stupid gifts anyways? Am I just heartless and selfish? I especially feel that way after reading (e:jacob) 's last post
about how magical it is finding just the right gift... I like being with people though not getting them stuff... and I can't ever seem to find these magical gifts, just end up getting people the first thing I find that they might like/could use. I'm actually playing hooky from Christmas shopping right now.The thing I do like is the friends/family aspect. I like the getting together and the seeing relatives you don't often see (though I guess I don't tend to see my "real" relatives on any holidays). I also like the smell of a Christmas tree, though ours doesn't seem to smell very much at all, despite the allergies it gives (e:matthew) (which I find pleasantly ironic).
So Ba-Humbug to all and to all a grinchly night!
I know that magical experiences are not translated very between people without a strong connection, but I felt that every gift I found and made was found in the path I was walking already.
For example: I wasn't planning on buying Christmas gifts yet. But I was thinking about what I should get my family. There's a good will by my house that I stepped into to past a few minutes a few weeks before The Day, and I happened upon a real mink cape. It was so soft and opulent. I knew my sister would love it. There was no tag so I asked someone to help me. She put it on while she was finding out the price. Then came back and told me it was $40. I only had $20. But, the next day I told my other sister and she we had to get it right away and she'd go halves with me.
I didn't have much money this year, so I did feel kind of lame. But, I found this plastic bucket with some leather and satin ribbon I'd had for over a year that I had intended to make purses with. But, of course hadn't. So in desperation I started putting them together. I made three, one for each sister. And they were perfect. They weren't as well made as a Parada, but my sisters loved them.
I don't think I over thought my gifts. I just let them happen......magically.
Man I guess that means I have to return the Baby Jesus butt plug I got ya, Kidding of course. But seriously I do understand that at Christmas time there is presure to by gifts for people. And you are right that gifts being the important part of christmas makes no sense. Like what happens if someone buys you a gift and you didn't get them anything. That always feals so fucking great to the person who didn't buy a gift. There are people who really do enjoy the finding the perfect gift for someone and they are really good at it. But that isn't me either. I guess I might as well get into why I didn't do the seceret santa. Basicly it was for that reason. I can't tell by what someone writes or even by knowing them what they would like as a gift. The other thing is with out being in someones home you really have no idea what they have. So I could figure out the perfect gift and get it for someone and they allready have it. It really isn't fair for me to get someone a crapy gift. But somepeople are really good at buying gifts for other people. I will admit that there are somepeople who do the gift certifacate thing, I can respect that in that they know the other person will get something that they like. But on the other hand it seems kinda inpersonal also. Oh and on a side note you don't have to be christian to celebrate christmas or certain parts of it.
"You're a mean one, Mr. Terry...."
oh terry, i feel bad for your secret santa recipient!
or, do what I do and buy people things that hint towards some lack in their life, it gently pokes fun at the avariciousness of the western world whilst making the recipient grateful AND paranoid at the same time.......oh how I laugh.....
oh mr tewwwy! ting tong love christmas!!!!!!!!!
Don't buy anyone anything, problemo solved!