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Open Poetry #24
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MERRY CHRISTMAS! what a great holiday!
| Open Poetry #24 |
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MERRY CHRISTMAS! what a great holiday! |
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GOlDsparklESS Member
since 2001-12-13
Posts 428central nj |
dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh over the fields we go.. laughing all the way HA HA HA HA HA ooooooooooohhh ............... jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the waayyy oh what fun! it is to ride, a one horse open sleigh! (jingle bells, batman smells robin laid an egg the batmobile lost a wheel and the joker ran away!) MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ what follows can best be explained as a RANT. if you are sensitive or hold a strong emotional attachment to christmas, I would NOT read it. it is merely my opinion/interpretation/observation. thank you, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  Merry Christmas? The true meaning of Christmas eludes me. I think the gaudy, capitalized REALITY of the holiday eludes those who succumb to it too. The “spirit” of Christmas stares me in the face through the blank eyes of frantic shoppers, the ridiculous volume of shiny decorations, and incessant commercial propaganda. What an indignity!!! I am personally saddened by it. I am looking at the same small artificial tree we’ve had in my family for the past 14 years, adorned with the same decorations from childhood’s past. The tree has remained, despite the years of turmoil hurled upon my family. It has weathered 4 moves, broken ornaments, the loss of mom and a star. In its prime, it witnessed moments of pure family love, poignant anticipation, and my gleeful exclamations of joy. (Wow, I remember always running hysterically around the living room with the new toys, my older sis would roll her eyes at me- while my parents videotaped the whole damn thing! teehe…sigh) This year, I’m going to my cousin’s house with the rest of my family to “chill” and be silly. Although I can look at this tree and fondly recall intense moments of happiness, it no longer holds a treasured place in my heart. This humble tree is a pitiful reminder of what I do not have. The spell is broken, eyes are opened. Christmas with all its bland, vague obligations does not inspire me to be nice to people (for I am ordinarily nice to strangers), cause me to spend time with family (I take the time to talk to my family members consistently), or spend money unnecessarily to show friends I care and appreciate them. We can share our love without shoving gifts at each other, thank you. The measure of my love is not in dollars. Love can not be artificially induced, invoked by a seemingly bulldozing cultural phenomenon. I find it weird that people hide behind the overblown and widely exaggerated myth of Santa as if it holds profound meaning, PRETENDING it represents something worth celebrating. (if a guy came careening down my chimney I’d whack him with a folding chair!) I know for some people it’s not about the Claus-but for some people it REALLY IS, and it sickens me! EH! Considering the way the holiday is currently constructed -adults “harmlessly” perpetuate this myth, knowing that children must eventually contend with and evaluate the fable they have happily accepted. A child’s faith is kind of being MESSED WITH in this case. I know. Let me explain-if you believe something, have been presented with something that is known to be false by your culture, does it not stretch your perception a little bit? Perhaps induce some cynicism?! Personally, I think the whole Santa Claus myth is biased, disgustingly overblown, and long overdue for a kick in the boot. Bah humbug! Being emotionally detached from Christmas has its advantages. Hehehe…Here shown, as I have outlined the Five Fallacies of Christmas. 1) it is perpetuated, and based upon a myth that has no ACTUAL WORTH 2) all the stories and themes representing Christmas on TV are really corny 3) the sentimental devices engaged by an emotionless, impersonal corporate entity manipulate human emotions for the sake of economy alone 4) Christmas furthers the notion that gifts are needed to “prove” your love for someone (PHFFFTTTTTTTT.. OK) 5) the “holiday mentality” is a script that too many people seem to be HOOKED ON!! Does it not SUCK only seeing your family on the holidays? What does that say about the paradigm of family in this country? Why can’t we give gifts to people other than our “romantic partners”, except for the occasional holiday or birthday? Or diamonds for that matter? What does that say about the depth of relationships between people? Do you see the implications? Christmas is perhaps the pinnacle of the effect a cultural story has on a society’s ethos. My family is not Christian. Most of my family is under the religious denomination Nirankhar. We’re Indian, for god’s sake! I think the only reason we do the whole Christmas thing is to entertain my 11-year-old sister Nina’s notion that we’re “normal”. (and her insistence that Santa Claus exists-HAHAHAHA!!!) We can’t be white and upper-middle class, but we can play the game just like her friends’ families! We ARE good Americans. Yay! Because honestly, Christmas has become our national annual SELL-OUT! Every person that blindly hunts for some stupid, ego-supplicating gift for their loved one is selling out… they’re selling their time, thoughts, and energy for a false, inherently emotionally unfulfilling holiday. That is the truth, whether anyone wants to believe it or not. The majority of people may like to indulge in this sugar plum flavored holiday, but not I. For I have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. I’ve looked around, and not liked what I’ve seen. … All I can see are crowds voraciously marching to the beat of plastic reindeer hooves… Hahahahahahahaha MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! PEACE ON EARTH!! I’m out. |
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| © Copyright 2002 Manisha Narang - All Rights Reserved | |||
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
I can say that I agree with you here. |
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EagleScorpion Senior Member
since 2000-03-08
Posts 1644Here, Now, Forever |
passing shadows, im sure there are many others (such as myself) who agree with this too. If we had TRUE christmas spirit, we'd be celebrating it every day of the year. It seems we are worshipping SANTA CLAUS on this holiday more so than JESUS!! behold another angry, sad, but true piece of prose written by my beloved friend. Furter testament to the inevitable global catastrophe that our generation and the sons and daughters of our generation faces. * * * * * * * * * * * However, I invite you all to not allow yourself to be totally immersed in cynicism over this. I've always loved Christmas.. but I admit.. I've always loved christmas for the wrong reasons. Manisha wishes you all a merry christmas.. regardless of what it stands for. There IS a TRUE meaning to christmas too, you know.. |
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