Alone on holidays...

[ovrphil]

Hope you all enjoyed your time off and did whatever you enjoyed to do with your time. We decorated as usual, had dinner at The Village Tavern, and enjoyed the time off.

I'd like to comment on so much that was said. My mom and dad are gone now, with only our sisters and their families in Michigan. All the Italian uncles, aunts and cousins are more or less in the background these days, but growing up was crazy visiting everyone around the holiday.

As someone said above, you should do what you feel like doing when the holidays roll around. We enjoyed the lights, a dinner, a few movies, walking (the weather here has been extraordinarily warm), and reading. It's a time to remember our past and miss our families, but it's time off to enjoy.

Good thread. With aw.org, at least...no one here is alone. My two cents.

Have a great year end, guys.

Phil

 

[rp2813]

12/25 Was an arbitrary decision

Religious scholars know that 12/25 has nothing to do with the birth of the Christ child, but that's the date that was selected to observe the occasion.

 

We live in a country that was created out of the desire for religious freedom.  Other religions besides Christianity have various celebrations during what has become known as the holiday season.   Chanukah and Kwanza come to mind.

 

So why is it that businesses and even government offices designate 12/25 as the holiday?  That's a little exclusionary, and it blurs the line that separates church and state, don't you think?

 

This year, Xmas fell on a Friday, and that was super convenient for working people.  Why, then, don't we just make Xmas a floating holiday like Thanksgiving so it always falls on a Friday?   Christians can still do their religious observances on 12/25, but opening gifts and the big dinner can happen on the designated Friday holiday.  After all, Xmas has been so commercialized that the holiday is all about opening gifts and overeating anyway.

 

Also, since the U.S. doesn't observe Boxing Day, if the commercial Xmas observance happens on a Friday, Boxing Day becomes a day off just like (I think it is) in the UK, OZ and Canada.  Seems sensible to me, but I know the devout among us would never go for this in a million years.

 

12/25 falls on a Sunday in 2016.  I can't imagine a worse holiday circumstance than to have the cloud of Monday dread casting a pall over Xmas day festivities.

 

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

Monday, December 26th, is the designated official government holiday on the 2016 calendars.

As for the December choice, Saturnalia was already a Roman mid-winter festival of lights against the winter darkness so it was appropriated for Christmas which was not celebrated for hundreds of years after Jesus lived and died. This discussion brings to mind the question: what do chicks, ducklings, bunnies, flowers and colored eggs have to do with the Crucifixion and Resurrection? Nothing, but they are part of pagan spring festivals celebrating the end of winter and rebirth of life to which Easter was added.

 

[lordkenmore]

It seems to me I've heard that it's not an accident that Christmas and Easter ended up about the times of existing holidays/celebrations. All part of making everyone Christian ASAP.

>12/25 falls on a Sunday in 2016. I can't imagine a worse holiday circumstance than to have the cloud of Monday dread casting a pall over Xmas day festivities.

It will also be interesting to see what happens with churches. Last time we had a Sunday Christmas, I heard about churches that cancelled out services, figuring no one would show up. And, of course, there were the appalled conservatives, who felt that everyone should be rushing to church to celebrate Jesus.

I actually attended Christmas service at a local ELCA (Lutheran) church last year, and could not help but note that few showed up. Most people were older, or probably like me: no other place to be.

 

[iheartmaytag]

2016

As a government office, we will have Monday the 26th off.  If the holiday falls on Saturday, you take it on Friday, if it falls on Sunday, you take it on Monday.

 

 

 

[rp2813]

Well yes, of course, the government and Post Office and financial institutions will have 12/26/16 off, but that's about it.  See my statement above re:  the MIA separation of church and state when it comes to Xmas.  For the majority of workers, it will be back to work first thing that Monday morning, and the buses, trolleys and commuter railroads will not be operating on a holiday schedule.  Business as usual.

 

Seems like the perfect situation for another Brenda Ann Spencer type to impress upon others the fact that she doesn't like Mondays.

 

Since it's common knowledge that 12/25 is a contrived date on which to celebrate/observe Xmas, and the Christians were actually late to the seasonal/solstice party,  that's all the more reason to make it a floating Friday holiday that covers every faith and belief.   Otherwise, it's WASP arrogance at its worst.

 

[lordkenmore]

As for the workers stuck working on Monday next year, here's a possible idea. Everyone bands together, and says: "Since we don't get a paid holiday, we won't spend a dime on Christmas." And then follows through.

I bet major corporations that depend on Christmas (e.g., store chains and importers of cheap Chinese crap), and the government (which, as we all know, is governed by corporations, not the people), would start screaming for a paid holiday for everyone.

And if they didn't, and everyone followed through on the threat to spend $0, it would send a clear message to corporate America that we're tired of being nothing more than "consumers" and "worker bees" who only exist to keep the economy moving and coffers of corporations filled so that the CEO and other high level management can swing that 5th vacation home in Hawaii.

 

[davetranter]

Just 2 cents' worth from across the 'pond'

Yes, Dec 26 (Boxing Day, or St Stephen's Day) is a 'public holiday' over here, but it can be hard to tell.

Govt. offices are closed, and public transport runs 'holiday timetables', but ALL the (large) shops are open, because Dec 26 is now the first day of the 'Sales'. I can still recall when they were the 'January Sales' which started on the 2nd or 3rd of January, and when workers in retail actually got to have some time off after the 'Christmas Rush'!! The 'Good Old Days', indeed!!

All best

Dave T.

P.S. my preference is to be at home for Christmas, though I don't make much effort any more. Sadly, my 'Good Lady' insists on us staying at her mother's house 'dog sitting' while her mother goes away for Christmas.... I suppose the dog won't live forever.

 

[countryguy]

I guess it is different in Canada. Since Dec. 25/2016 is Sat. and Boxing Day is Sun., Mon. will be the holiday and everything will be closed. All businesses, except retail stores will be closed on the Tues.

Gary

 

[lordkenmore]

Since Dec. 25/2016 is Sat

Actually 12/25/16 will be on Sunday. 2016 is a leap year.

 

[countryguy]

Ah right you are! The holidays will still be the Mon. and Tues.

 

[lordkenmore]

A tip to remember when it's leap year without memorizing dates. Leap year is also US Presidential election year. Joke: strange things happen every 4 years--an election and leap year!