On 25/12/2010 12:13, Roy Bailey wrote:
In answer to your question - no, you are not.

I'm an atheist, so the religious message of Christmas is irrelevant to me.

I am not mercenary, so the crass commercialism of Christmas and its
encouragement of acquisitiveness in children is repugnant to me.

In that sense it really is the spawn of the devil. Filling a child's
head with Father Xmas, and then chastising them for being badly behaved
on the day, is nothing short of child abuse IMO.


What really annoys me about the whole charade is that it starts around
August and gets worse. People do things in the name of Christmas which
would (or should) result in them being sectioned at any other time.
Wearing a Santa hat should be made a capital offence! You cannot switch
on a TV or radio, or open a newspaper or magazine, without having the
whole business thrust down your throat. Yet by Boxing Day or the day
after it is forgotten; it is as if it had never existed. Until next
August, of course!

I find Japanese films a good antidote at this time of year.

I agree that we should have a celebration of the turn of the year when
the days start getting longer (21 Dec) and eat and drink well to keep up
our spirits and keep us warm, but I wish people would keep a sense of
proportion.

A bit of joy you mean? Steady on mate, this is England.

Roy (who lists Ebenezer Scrooge as one of his heroes!)