I feel an inner joy all year round.

At Christmas, I see more people who are also feeling inner joy and I wonder why they don't keep it with them all year long.

<-------NICE PICTURE!!


FACE READING:

LEFT SIDE: Happiness, determination, Mischief

RIGHT SIDE: Calmness, love, affection.

Sorry to say.. I feel the same as Lex. All I ever see is a bunch of greedy spending people at the malls and such... and I can only imagine the furthest thing from their mind is what Christmas really is about.

The one common link that seems to be mentioned in every positive remark about the holidays is the idea of being with other people. When there isn't anyone in your life at all, you really don't get any sense of the day being special or different -- it's just the same as every other day.

I don't have any problems with people enjoying the holidays -- I hope they have a great time with the people they love. It's just that I don't have that frame of reference, so I can't really attach any significance to the holidays.

Christmas has always meant a rebirth for humankind to me.

But for many it is a re-statement that they are invisable and that is really sad when it is easy to make an effort to extend yourself to another person or persons. To make some small effort to show interest in their life and maybe make them a part of yours.

I am not talking about bringing every person into your home or most innermost thoughts and feelings but just being cival or a little friendly.

Includeung a co-worker to set with you for lunch, passing down handme downs to a struggleing family menber, checking on an elderly neighbor to see if they need a little help taking their trash cans out, maybe bring home a fresh pint of milk to someone who is homebound. Sometimes just a few words of conversation can make a persons holiday way more than the gift or chore you might do for them.

As single people it is easy to say nobody cares about us but if we don't care about others they think we want them to leave us alone.

I agree. You could probily go out to the stores and ask people what the true meaning of Christmas was, and who is Jesus. And they would not have a clue The most important thing on thier minds at this time of year, is to try and get the best DEALS in the stores, and try and out do the Jone's.

Oh I'm quite sure there are very few people who don't know who Jesus is believed to be.

I don't do the shopping thing. I hate the crowds.

I don't need to have friends or family with me to enjoy the holidays. I have spent Thanksgivings and Christmases alone before and enjoyed them just as much. Whatever your religious beliefs are this is a special time of year. And the turning of the seasons are always something to be excited about and grateful for. I'm a big nature person so maybe that's why I enjoy it so much. It's about change, the death of the old and the birth of the new.

the death of the old and the birth of the new...

wouldn't this actually be in the spring time??

Winter would be the death of the old.

Spring is the birth of the new.

isn't that what I just said?

women *shaking my head*

We really need that raspberry emoticon, Sir

Christmas here is summed up that its all about greed, glutenay, and the over use of the middle finger as people fight over parking spots. I hate it and refuse to celebrate it as its nothing more than commercialized crap. I also refuse to accept any Christmas gifts and have asked others to donate money to the homeless or food banks instead. I don't believe in destroying even more trees for decoration, christmas cards, or wrapping paper; but I certainly do send a quick email or pick up the phone to invite a friend out for coffee as I did last night as the best gift they can give me is their time. I like the idea of peace on earth and good will towards men but Christmas actually brings out the worst in people. I will be glad when this nightmare is all over.

Whenever I think about Christmas, I always think about my Grandma baking cookies, or opening presents as a kid.

yes, I would LOVE to have one of those...and who you calling sir?

I agree, a hundred percent.

In my childhood I had terrific Christmases. I had a loving family, hope for the future, and a faith in myself.

Then it started to erode at around thirteen.

Now I have no family, no love, no god, and no hope. Nothing.

I stopped celebrating christmas about three years ago. It's not for me.

Oh, and if you ask why is a Jew celebrating Christmas in the first place: Well, Hungary was a largely secular country even before communism, and Jews were not exempt from the freedom not having to be believers or religious. Christmas was a commercial break, a non-denominational secular holiday for the kids. Yes, there were real, orthodox Jews who did not hold christmas, but then their kids would go around like hungry, bewildered zombies from two weeks before until two weeks after Christmas. Like a ewe that was fixed a month too early, and did not understand the excitement in spring, although it would be aware that there was excitement and much probably for a good reason.

As I look around and watch the news, ^^^ this is all I see. I am always glad when this season passes.