Christmas then and now

[claws]

Not really complaining or criticising. More about observation and reflection.

Then: When I grew up stores didn't sale christmas stuff until the 1st of December, and people put up their christmas tree on christmas day. Can you imagine that? 

Now: I bought christmas lebkuchen in late August, wearing shorts and a shirt, and sweating from the heat. Most of my Facebook friends in America put up their christmas tree November 1st. It is kind of funny because they shared tons of Halloween pics the day before and then BAMM! christmas tree! 

Lebkuchen


Then: we had so much snow we had to shovel our drive and walk way several times a day.

Now: local winter resorts are using snow making machines so that guests can actually enjoy snow.

[Trevor]

Growing up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) we always tried to make Christmas special, even though we had a war on and sanctions were biting: sometimes, my family and I would be in South Africa over Christmas and this continued until I came here in 1987 to go to college.

Christmas now has become so over-commercialized here that the Halloween decorations in shops are just taken down at the start of November and then up go the Christmas decorations and Christmas songs over the store 'Musak'. The other day I actually put down my shopping and left.

I don't hate Christmas but it isn't what it was when I was a child, sadly.

[Alex]

I think shops that sell xmas stuff before the 1st of Dec should have to pay an extra 10% tax on their goods.

[ER]

Growing up we'd stand in the bottom of an earthen pit while the blood of a sacrificed bull gushed down on our heads to chants of "Mithris! Mithris!"

Nowadays we just pour down cherry Kool-Aid, then towel off and Watch A Christmas Story on TBS.

[Allhallowsday]

Growing up we'd stand in the bottom of an earthen pit while the blood of a sacrificed bull gushed down on our heads to chants of "Mithris! Mithris!"

Nowadays we just pour down cherry Kool-Aid, then towel off and Watch A Christmas Story on TBS.

What a horrible Christmas memory.  Poor you.  And it's MITHRAS. 

[ER]

Growing up we'd stand in the bottom of an earthen pit while the blood of a sacrificed bull gushed down on our heads to chants of "Mithris! Mithris!"

Nowadays we just pour down cherry Kool-Aid, then towel off and Watch A Christmas Story on TBS.

What a horrible Christmas memory.  Poor you.  And it's MITHRAS. 

I know but I was too young to spell, so I just called it out as "Mithris." It's a memory, remember.

[RCMerchant]

I usta like Xmas. Now I could care less.

[Bushma]

I remember not seeing anything Christmas related until AFTER Thanksgiving.  Now the stores start selling Christmas stuff along with Thanksgiving.  Hell even my neighbors are putting up their lights before Thanksgiving and doing an "official lighting ceremony" the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  That's when I'm starting to put stuff up.  Seems like the last three months of the year are a rush as it is, can we agree to not hurry the end of the year?

[chefzombie]

my family still continues some of our childhood traditions and i'm looking forward to seeing them with all my grand nieces and nephews this year! 

[claws]

I remember not seeing anything Christmas related until AFTER Thanksgiving.  Now the stores start selling Christmas stuff along with Thanksgiving.  Hell even my neighbors are putting up their lights before Thanksgiving and doing an "official lighting ceremony" the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  That's when I'm starting to put stuff up.  Seems like the last three months of the year are a rush as it is, can we agree to not hurry the end of the year?

People are getting more impatient it seems. Here in Germany they start selling stuff for Fasching (Carnival celebration) January 1st (Fasching is usually mid-February), instantly removing everything christmas related, even though christmas season traditionally doesn't end until the day after January 6th (Three Kings' Day).

[claws]

Then: Merry Christmas
Now: Happy Holidays, Happy Yule, Happy Solstice

Then: Not many christmas decorations and lights in my neighborhood
Now: Imagine National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation decorations on roits. That's how it looks now.

[RCMerchant]

I was younger and got toys!

That's me holding the monster book. 1970. I was 8.
That red bell thing hanging above the clock is made out of macaroni. I made it in art class.  



This is the book I'm holding-

[The Burgomaster]

I was born in 1964. My family always put up the Christmas tree (an artificial one) and decorations the Saturday after Thanksgiving and took it down within a few days after New Years.

Here is my mother . . . with me on drums. You see that stuffed Santa Claus in the background? My mother still has it and puts it out every Christmas with the rest of the decorations.

[chefzombie]

who is the band on the bass,burgo?

[The Burgomaster]

who is the band on the bass,burgo?

I think it's just some random guys.