Approaching holidays...are we thinking the same thing?
- Thread starter Warped9
- Start date
Or you talk to management and try to change it. If it's okay to work towards better working conditions and compensation, it's okay to ask to recognise holidays that most of the staff celebrate.
I think it would be great if this worked out for Warped9 and the experience could prove useful in dealing with more serious grievances in the future.
Screw Molson. A few bottles of Alexander Keith's and a glass of Glen Breton Rare.
So it's more of an ego thing? "I don't like it! And because I don't like it I don't want anyone else to like it!"
It's turkey, but I imagine like at Christmas not everyone cottons to turkey and so you here of folks having duck, pheasant, chicken, or whatever. This year we didn't go to my sister's because her and her family came down sick. So we stayed home and had a nice roast beef for Thanksgiving.
Today I was talking to a coworker and her view was that while she loved Christmas decorating she also could see how it's more understanding and sensitive to others not to decorate. I mentioned to her that the BestBuy stores in the U.S. apparently decorate and her response was something like, "Well that's the U.S. They don't give a shit about anyone but themselves."
I had to disagree on the grounds that that was a gross overgeneralized exaggeration. The fact is Americans (I felt) put their own culture and heritage first because it is their country and they're proud of it, but that doesn't mean they trample on everyone else. If you immigrate to their country then you're expected to be American first and whatever other nationality second.
And so the local paper printed my letter on Saturday, the 15th: http://recorder.sunmedia.ca/epaper/viewer.aspx
That just takes us to a page that asks us to subscribe.
How odd. Try this: http://recorder.sunmedia.ca/epaper/viewer.aspx and click on the bottom left of the two pages shown. The letter is titled Cant' Put Up Christmas Decorations?
A
Amaris
Guest
It asks for people to subscribe when you click on the link.
Okay, I'll fix it somehow. Give me a few minutes.
A
Amaris
Guest
Thanks, and congratulations for getting your letter in the paper. You know, all my previous joking aside (not this post, previous posts, I really do offer you congratulations. 
), I agree with the sentiment. It's all what I call PINTS or Pretend It's Not There Syndrome. There are many holidays around November and December, but Christmas is the big megillah, the grand poobah of holidays, at least culturally and commercially in the western world. It's reached a point where it's diluted to the point where it's historical roots have long since been covered, and now it's generally a holiday to celebrate family, and to add cheer to a dark, dreary winter season.
I love Christmas. It's not the gifts (though I love to give lots of gifts just for the pleasure of doing so), it's the mindset. It's the time of year when we (at least, ideally) set aside our differences and love each other, to celebrate the closeness of our families, our communities, our friends and neighbors, and to say that we will face the rough winter season ahead with hope and gladness. I find that to be important.
For myself, I love the holidays. I love any celebration of affirmation and positivity, whatever celebrates life and it's prosperity and continuation. For me, Christmas is the epitome of that. That may not be for others, but it is for me. While I believe that hope and gladness spring from the heart, still, I agree that it's nice to have a bit of tinsel and decoration on a lovely little evergreen tree. It just adds a bit of warmth and cheer, and to deny that to people who are already stressed trying to "promote" the holiday season for another's commercial gain, well I feel that's just wrong. Let everyone celebrate their holidays. We're humans, not robots. We need to feel loved, or at the very least we need to feel like reasonable viewpoints are tolerated. Having a 6 foot tall Jesus statue by your desk, with a sign that says "Repent, ye sinners"? Not reasonable. Having a little Christmas tree on your desk? Perfectly reasonable. The problem is that some in our society have equated the two as being exactly the same. They lose the ability for nuance, in an effort to squash offense. What's the old saying? "You can please some of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time."
), I agree with the sentiment. It's all what I call PINTS or Pretend It's Not There Syndrome. There are many holidays around November and December, but Christmas is the big megillah, the grand poobah of holidays, at least culturally and commercially in the western world. It's reached a point where it's diluted to the point where it's historical roots have long since been covered, and now it's generally a holiday to celebrate family, and to add cheer to a dark, dreary winter season.I love Christmas. It's not the gifts (though I love to give lots of gifts just for the pleasure of doing so), it's the mindset. It's the time of year when we (at least, ideally) set aside our differences and love each other, to celebrate the closeness of our families, our communities, our friends and neighbors, and to say that we will face the rough winter season ahead with hope and gladness. I find that to be important.
For myself, I love the holidays. I love any celebration of affirmation and positivity, whatever celebrates life and it's prosperity and continuation. For me, Christmas is the epitome of that. That may not be for others, but it is for me. While I believe that hope and gladness spring from the heart, still, I agree that it's nice to have a bit of tinsel and decoration on a lovely little evergreen tree. It just adds a bit of warmth and cheer, and to deny that to people who are already stressed trying to "promote" the holiday season for another's commercial gain, well I feel that's just wrong. Let everyone celebrate their holidays. We're humans, not robots. We need to feel loved, or at the very least we need to feel like reasonable viewpoints are tolerated. Having a 6 foot tall Jesus statue by your desk, with a sign that says "Repent, ye sinners"? Not reasonable. Having a little Christmas tree on your desk? Perfectly reasonable. The problem is that some in our society have equated the two as being exactly the same. They lose the ability for nuance, in an effort to squash offense. What's the old saying? "You can please some of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all of the people all of the time."
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
It won't truly feel like Christmas, though, until we have the first thread complaining about people saying "Happy Holidays" or how Christmas celebrations are being suppressed. It gets me in the Christmas spirit like the smell of pine needles and eggnog.
Looks like the holiday season has officially begun, and kicked off by the same person who started last year's War on Christmas whining, albeit much earlier this time. Joy.
I am impressed with that letter. I really thought I was reading a paid columnist or blogger's work, rather than an unpaid letter to the editor. Well done!
I would also add to that--if someone wishes me a happy Hanukkah, even though I don't celebrate it, I would not get bent out of shape, so I don't see why anybody should get bent out of shape in return. The story I always come back to on this is, when we were little, I was in a school chorus in a school where I'd say the population was about 25% Jewish, 75% most likely some form of Christian (with Catholicism and Episcopalian dominant). So our chorus sang 2 Christmas songs and 1 Hanukkah songs. The way some people talk, you'd think singing a different song would burn your mouth out.
Not only did I survive intact--but I thought the Hanukkah song had the better quality music. It did not change or influence my beliefs or offend me in any way. I don't see why something like that is so wrong. As far as I was concerned, fair was fair and the songs we sang were in proportion with how many each represented.
I would also add to that--if someone wishes me a happy Hanukkah, even though I don't celebrate it, I would not get bent out of shape, so I don't see why anybody should get bent out of shape in return. The story I always come back to on this is, when we were little, I was in a school chorus in a school where I'd say the population was about 25% Jewish, 75% most likely some form of Christian (with Catholicism and Episcopalian dominant). So our chorus sang 2 Christmas songs and 1 Hanukkah songs. The way some people talk, you'd think singing a different song would burn your mouth out.
Not only did I survive intact--but I thought the Hanukkah song had the better quality music. It did not change or influence my beliefs or offend me in any way. I don't see why something like that is so wrong. As far as I was concerned, fair was fair and the songs we sang were in proportion with how many each represented.
Great letter. Very well written 
doubleohfive
Fleet Admiral
Oh my YOU! Can we please retire that dumb, overplayed meme once and for all?
Similar threads
