What Does Christmas Mean To You?

[W_L]

No, I am not talking about the Christian meaning of Christmas; I am asking what does the coming Holiday mean to you?

 

For me, Christmas is a day where people share and exchange gifts, joy, and hope for a better future with other people in a spirit of  family and community.

[DynoReads]

For me it's about connections. Through traditions old and new, the holidays connects me to generations gone. Spending time with friends and family, at dinners, gift exchanges, parties or just hanging out connects me with those I care about. And sharing the traditions of my family and husband's with our boy, as well as those traditions unique to our family, we connect with the future.

[Cynus]

A day off from work. 

[Kitt]

Family. Our gathering has gotten much smaller of late, but the traditions remain and remind us of those who are gone.

[James Bond007]

The coming 'holiday', Christmas, has only one meaning to me. And that is the Christian meaning. Family time together is just a bonus.

[Gene Splicer PHD]

It used to mean getting stressed out over who was hosting Christmas, who was going to be there and how drunk and mean they'd get, spending money I didn't have on presents i wasn't sure would be well received, trying to figure out how to bring a boyfriend without my family freaking out, shopping stress in general, decorating for the sake of decorating because no one was coming over anyway, and trying to figure out how I was going to find the time to cook food to take along to...wherever I was supposed to be.

 

Nowadays it means going to the movies and having some Chinese food for dinner. +1

Edited December 19, 2015 by Gene Splicer PHD

[Dodger]

It can be the best and worst time of year depending on your circumstances. I have experienced both. As a kid I loved it, we had a big family, a big Christmas dinner, lots of treats, lots of presents and then we got to stay up and watch the adults get drunk and make a fool of themselves.

 

I've also experienced another side of Christmas, when I've been completely on my own for the whole holiday period. I wasn't on the street or in any discomfort. I had my own house which was warm and comfortable. I had plenty of food and enough money to treat myself to a present. I don't easily get down, but it's difficult to be cheery when you're on your own at this time of year. I had three or four really bad years when I would dread Christmas approaching and couldn't wait for it to be over and get back to work.

 

I was young enough and fortunate enough to turn things around and I'm now looking forward to another hectic Christmas amongst good friends, along with some much needed time off work.

 

There are a lot of people on their own and Christmas in without doubt the worst time of year to be without anyone, so spare a thought for those that are in this situation, or better still, invite them over.

[Mikiesboy]

Christmas is a difficult time for many people. I spent 7 of them on the street and now my husband and I go back and give our time at the mission where I often got a meal, over Christmas and at other times during the year. A smile and a kind word do wonders.  Best gifts for homeless people, warm things like socks, gloves and hats. Toothbrushes and soap, things like that. 

 

But I agree with Dodger, if you know people who will be on their own.. invite them over... Love thy neighbour as yourself.

 

So I guess that means it's a time to give back and share one's good fortune, but it's a time to share with family too. We go to my husband's family who are wonderful and accepting and I also still see my brother and his family. 

 

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year

 

tim

Edited December 20, 2015 by Mikiesboy

[glitteryantlers]

Visiting family and keeping up appearances at the same time. All grandparents of my children are divorced and live scattered across the country.They expect from our generation to live their dream of perfect family.Does not work most of the time. Christmas is not my favorite time of year.

[impunity]

Nothing. Although, we do go out Christmas Eve and bring homemade desserts to the restaurants where our friends work.

[Ramon]

This Christmas is the first Christmas that I'm spending away from my family. All of them are back in the Philippines visiting relatives while I'm here in Vancouver so Christmas will be filled with watching sappy movies with my two dogs.

 

The holidays before meant being with family and reflecting on the year. That's probably the same for me this year even though the first part of that isn't happening.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ramon

[Hunter Thomson]

It's a chance for me to spend time with family members that I wouldn't normally get to see, either because we're all too busy or they're too far away to visit with regularly. In recent years its also meant a chance for me and my partner to get together and do some bonding with both our families; We'd do breakfast and lunch with his family and dinner with mine. That won't be happening this year, but Christmas is still the time where I get to see people.

 

It's also a great opportunity for me to reflect on the past year, think about what went right and wrong, and then figure out what my plans are going to be for the following year.

[Former Member]

Family. Our gathering has gotten much smaller of late, but the traditions remain and remind us of those who are gone.

 

I know how you feel. With each Christmas, there are less chairs around the table. I never thought I'd be the only one in the kitchen cooking. I lost my sister who was also my best friend.Although she has been gone now for nine years, she was the family rock, and it is still hard on us all. My sister and I would get together and cook our greens, make up our potato salad, sing our hearts out, drink our wine, and test the sweet potato pie until there was none left.   My sons and nephews are now older, and so the meaning of Christmas has changed. It's no longer about the giving and receiving, but how we spend our time together during the holidays. The food is still great, the laughter is still there, but I can feel the absence of that one person who laughed the loudest, told the best jokes, or could belt out a song like Aretha Franklin.

 

Even during rough patches when it seems like hard times are never ending, I am still thankful. That is what it is truly about, giving thanks and giving to those who are not so fortunate. I know it should be a time of reflecting on the past year, but I don't think on it for too long, because it's already gone. Whatever mistakes I made, are done and done. 

[Emi GS]

To me Christmas is:

 

A twelve years old boy waiting the entire Christmas Eve night with his handmade paper tree, decorated with flowers taken from the neighbor's garden without their permission, in pouring rain for Santa. And the boy only wanted one thing.

 

One thing that can let out his pain, his misery relating to all the things he was feeling. He just wanted Santa to took him to where peace will lie. Even if it his death, he don't mind...

Edited December 24, 2015 by The Eminent MGK

[jfalkon]

To me Christmas is a time to love and hope.  

 

We meet with loved ones and miss the ones who can't be with us.  We express our love in gift and/or prayers.  

 

We dare to hope for a better future.  Christmas comes a few days after the longest colder night of the year in the Northern hemisphere.  Since ancient times this was the time of year when people started looking forward to spring when life would return to all the frozen dormant plants and animals.  Now we hope for gifts and we hope that others will like our gifts.  We hope to mend relationships and start new ones.

 

Because it means so much to many of us, Christmas can be very joyous or very painful.  Unfortunately, we would not know what joy is if we never experienced pain.  We have to be ready to feel a little bit of both.

[Caz Pedroso]

When I  was young Christmas meant my mum stressing out over gifts and dinner (her parents came over on Christmas day). I spent my time staying out the way (mostly doing homework in my room), my mum could blow up and yell and throw things at the slightest provocation.

 

Now, I have Mark and Alisha, we stay at home. Sometimes I a make a cooked breakfast before we go to church to see friends. Then we have a semi traditional dinner. Christmas now means peace and family to me. we laugh and have fun.

 

To me Christmas is a time of hope and peace and goodwill towards everyone. I just wish the world could take that sentiment and make it last the rest of the year.