***Very OT*** CHRISTMAS ***OT***

Me, neither. (Anyone have any advice on how to get them to catch fire?)

How about those of us who don't put the bathing suits away till November? :)

Precisely. Let's stop giving Xboxes and Barbie castles for Christmas and go back to the old-fashioned homemade Christmas. If the kids whine, read them Little House on the Prairie, where the girls were thrilled to get one peppermint stick and a tin cup each for Christmas.

I just subscribed to the Ornament of the Month Club; that's 12 presents I don't have to buy next holiday season. XSIL, the year they were spending most of their Christmas budget on plane tickets, hand-painted T-shirts for each of us. My grandparents and parents gave everyone beyond the immediate family home-baked goodies. When I was riding the bus to work, I could knit a child's sweater every month, just on the bus.

With the price of heating oil, coal might be a really good gift this year.

It's very difficult, do be sure the wood is very dry, green wood just won't do.

Could be. I think it depends on the situation. There is certainly room for common sense along with sensitivity. I think if I were in the situation of interacting with the public a lot, I would make a few judgement calls. If someone came in wearing a Christmas sweater and blinking Christmas ornament earrings, I'd probably wish her a Merry Christmas ;-) Without any indication to go on, I might well not mention any holidays at all. Not only can it be a religious minefield, but it tends to be a difficult time for many people (depression is rampant at the holidays, partly because such a huge deal is made of it that those who aren't in a great situation just feel their pain all the more strongly). If someone wished me a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, I'd wish the same right back at 'em. If I was working retail and someone was clearly buying Christmas gifts, I'd probably wish them a Merry Christmas. It's not all that challenging to read a few signals and respond appropriately, and choose the safer paths when there's not enough information to go on).

Best wishes, Ericka

I don't get where I'm giving up anything?

For centuries, it has been normal for many societies to be much more homogeneous, such that if one were to wish everyone a Happy Christmas, one would largely be wishing it to someone who also celebrated it.

It's the difference between being a "safe" majority member and being a threatened minority member. The majority has the luxury of being interested in the quaint and charming customs of those minority folks, which pose no threat whatsoever to the customs they hold dear.

No, but I'm not a minority resident of Israel and have no idea what the political and religious climate is like there.

Personally, I don't buy that a bit. I think folks like to make much of the whining about how WASPs or white men or any other traditionally privileged group has it so bad, but it's not even close to comparable, in my opinion. That's like my kids complaining about having to eat their vegetables when there are starving kids who'd be thrilled just to *have* vegetables.

Best wishes, Ericka

Huh? I don't get where anyone is making this argument at all. Perhaps you could explain?

Again, who has argued that any of these things are problematic? I'm just not quite sure what you're reacting to.

Best wishes, Ericka

Ericka , that is just the difference between being a minority or not Pat rightfully described the situation. It is such a part of [your` s included] the Majority, that they don`t feel how they impose it on the minority ....

Holidays should be a personal choice of every one, and not every one is happy to hear or accept "Happy This , ot Happy That " . mirjam

You could always smoke them out!

No, neither have I!!! LOL! There are quite a few non-heretics who you wonder about, though! ;-)) Personally, interesting though it is, it`s a question with no real answer. So much depends on people`s sensitivities - for instance, someone MIGHT hurt my "feelings" - but it wouldn`t do me any actual harm (was that Ericka?) And if you were afraid of upsetting the occasional over-sensitive person you`d hardly dare to do or say anything! Blow that for a game of soldiers!

Pat P

"F.James Cripwell" wrote

Not really! (the HTH bit!) We`re not going to break the habits of a lifetime! LOLOLOL! And we don`t talk ABOUT each other so much - usually we`re straight out there and "in yer face!"

Pat P

I bet you that THAT wouldn`t work. Too many of the rest obviously aren`t bothered about it or it would already have happened. Looks like the vote has already been taken.

Pat P

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote > For centuries, it has been normal for many societies

And that means that you wish a miserable time to those who didn`t? Come on, now! It`s more that you are including the minorities.

That would just be patronising. Nor SHOULD the minorities pose a threat to our own customs. They should respect and enjoy them on whatever level they like - as we should with theirs. ( No-one should try to prevent the customs of others (as long as they don`t break the laws of the land, that is)

That`s the whole point - I said IF you were in Israel - or Japan, or India etc., etc., and having no idea of the political or religious laws makes no difference - if someone gave you good wishes, whatever the occasion, you`d be crass not to reciprocate.

You may not buy it, but it doesn`t mean that it`s not so.

Most normal kids` reaction to that old chestnut "Eat your vegetables - the starving kids in Africa would love them!" would, quite naturally, be "Well pack them up and send them!" (That`s how I feel about marrows (squashes?) Africa would be welcome to my share!

There`s another interesting question - what food would anyone send to Africa and be glad to see it go???

Pat P

Okra, tomatoes, peanut butter, cucumbers and eggplant for starters. I can give more later, after I think about it!

Gillian

Brenda Lewis wrote:

Rhubarb! Ugh, ptuy, yuk, etc, etc,

Crewelwoman

All the various versions of meat-lover's pizza. ick. Dawne

Got this from Vatican Radio this morning...

"Polluted by consumerism" ... I like that phrase!

I know most of you will think I'm nuts, but for me it's Strawberries----pucchhh !!!

Lucille

Amen to that. One day, I was hurrying back to the office after running errands on my lunch hour. I zipped around a slow-moving wheelchair -- if I moseyed along at his speed, I'd be very late getting back -- and got a lecture about offending him by reminding him of the things he can't do. Oh, like using the wheelchair wasn't reminding him he can't walk before I dashed by?

Some people are just looking for something they can *itch about it, because they get their jollies from *itching.