Christmas has lost its meaning
By wysecom
@wysecom (346)
South Africa
December 24, 2011 4:32am CST
The week running from 25th December till 31st Decmber is celebrated into the 1st of January. People save from January to December just to waste it on year-end celebration...vacations, family re-union, parties, gifts, etc.
In Johannesburg South Africa where I live, many have travelled and the boisterous city can now breath a sigh of relief. But armed robbery, car snatching, hijacking, burglary, shop lifting, etc has always been on the increase during this period of the year in all cities of the world. To add salt to the injury, more accidents are usually recorded on the roads worldwide during this time.
In the suburb I reside, parties with deafening music is the norm. Broken bottles fill the street. People stab others under the effect of alcohol, etc. The police and ambulance/hospital emergency wards have more than a fair share. Early in the morning, drunks are found sleeping on street pavements as common in all the major cities I have visited and read about.
All these are regular occurences but hightened during this period.
It seems Chirstmas has lost its meaning. I am compelled to feel it should not be celebrated if so much tears come with it. Yes, it wasn't meant to be like this but people have put a wrong version of the season.
From your experiences, how do you think christmas should be celebrated or how have you been celebrating and have planned to clebrate this christmas into the new year?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@SpikeTheLobster (6403)
•
24 Dec 11
A leaflet from a local church summed it up for me:
"People spend money they don't have on gifts they can't afford to give to people they only see once a year to celebrate a festival that means nothing to them."
I'm not Christian, so Christmas for me means a quiet, calm, snuggly day at home with the woman I love, the cat and the newly-arrived hamster. Time together, no gifts (we do those randomly, we don't need a special reason), nice food, lots of hugs and laughs. Just peaceful and loving. Perfect.
@wysecom (346)
• South Africa
24 Dec 11
You sound quite close to the kind of guy I would love to be close to but 'the woman I love' phrase came out scary. Or did you mean your wife? Oh, you also like cats, we seem to have some things in common.
Around this time, many people take out loans just to have a feeling of belonging. People become indebted to loan sharks from December, and January is worst because all their monies have been spent during the year-end celebrations without proper provision for transport to work, child school expenses (for those with children of school going age), food, rent, etc till the January pay cheque arrives.
'A festival that means nothing to them', well it should mean something to all except that some people appear not to be doing the right and the best things for the celebration.
1 person likes this
@wysecom (346)
• South Africa
24 Dec 11
Let me wish you a happy wedding day and marital life thereafter. But when would the wedding bells ring; would they be as loud as the christmas bells I am hearing?
How do you identify yourself with christmas, share your experiences or those of your friends with me.
1 person likes this
@mahusayako (18)
• Philippines
25 Dec 11
Christmas is the celebration of the christ birth.Yes,you're right christmas is losing its meaning,some people literally defined it as exchanging gifts,some will think it as an opportunity to have a vacation and some is looking forward for their 13th and 14th month pay.As the time goes on and were getting more technology the meaning of christmas is also getting technology.so sad to hear and to know all of this.In my country we have 9days novena before christmas its called "misa de gallo"you have to go church for 4am in the morning and attend the mass,if you able to complete the 9 novena and on the 9th day you have to wish something and if you believe on HIM it will be granted.Everyone has different way in celebrating christmas but pls lets don't forget the real meaning of it.and its not only every dec.25th but the whole year is christams if we only know the true meaning of it.
@wysecom (346)
• South Africa
25 Dec 11
The true meaning of christmas and the way we celebrate in line with that meaning is the issue disturbing me.
Since the Son was given and the child was born, have we allowed the child to be born again in our lives and have we truely accepted the Son as the gift from God?
Have you ever passed the novena? if yes, was your wish granted and by who?
@smacksman (6053)
•
24 Dec 11
I have happy memories of Christmas in Jo'burg - sitting round the swimmimg pool eating turkey and Christmas pud and all the trimmings. Ok, Hillbrow was a bit rough in the early morning but then it was a vibrant place anytime.
But that was in the days of white rule and the police kept a pretty firm control. Now with black rule I hear that things are rougher but I haven't been back.
I was in Cape Town four years ago and I was saddened to witness the rise in corruption in minor officials. The thin end of the wedge.
I really hope it works out well for South Africa. It is a wonderful country with 90% wonderful people.
Here in the depths of the UK countryside, the carols are singing; we are off to a drinks party in a bit; my children are now home; the last shopping is done; the decorations look beautiful; we are in good Christmas spirits.
I love Christmas and all that goes with it.
Happy Christmas to you all.
@cowboyofhell (3063)
• Philippines
24 Dec 11
I would probably do anything but barbaric acts. I don't want to start trouble and let Christmas be what it is meant to be. I must keep my bond to my family and give thanks for another New Year.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
24 Dec 11
I am a person who wants everything simple even for a festive season. For me, any occasion should not be grand or in excess because it losses its meaning. Granted that I understand that you are feeling hopeless because of the situations you have seen, it’s not a reason for you to give up. Christmas is all about hope, not having the right scenario but looking something genuine and good in the bad.
I know that people prey on doing the excessive during the Christmas because it is a convenient excuse.
My family and I have simple traditions and celebrations. We go to church and we eat dinner and share everything together. We have few pricey foods but everything else is prepared at home and home-cooked. We spent the hours before doing our own responsibilities and we come together for the meal. We don’t have fancy decorations and there are only few gifts since the dinner is our gift to each other. We have been doing this for years and I doubt that this will change soon.
@wysecom (346)
• South Africa
24 Dec 11
NO,I have not lost hope but am being realy concerned at the level of road carnage, rampant loss of lives, wastfulness and abject misplace of priority.
Unfortunately, those who have found a way around the spirit of evil common with this season have not done anything to help those in the ditch. Even the children in these families are not shown the right path to follow. Children are made to believe that christmas is just the time to celebrate and expect gifts especially the ones from father christmas.
@wysecom (346)
• South Africa
25 Dec 11
I buy things for children but I have long ago made everybody to understand the christmas stuff is not my type. Today being December 25th 2011, many people have invited me to lunch, dinner, etc at their homes and politely turned all down.
If you want to invite me, do not make it look like you are keeping with the spirit of any season 'cos I wouldn't participate in such.
Train a child in the way s/he should go and they won't depart from good training when they grow old. This christmas tradition has been allowed to get out of hand. The none-believing merchants know this hence they get well prepared with over production and lower the price so that everyone could be captivated and after now, prices return to normal; they know that christians have been captured by that spirit over the ages.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
25 Dec 11
That is the result of commercial marketing. That is also the reason why it hard to install good values in children because they all wanted materialistic things - it's hard to say to them that a gift can be immaterial too. I have many god nieces and god-nephews that expect gifts or money form me as if they are entitled to it. they sulk when I don't give the right gift or the amount of money. They understand that some children go to bed hungry but they don't have empathic feeling about that situation.
@Triple0 (1904)
• Australia
24 Dec 11
Oh dear, that's not the way to celebrate Christmas, where's Santa and the smiling little kids when they receive their gifts? There's a lot of crime from where you come from. I guess during Christmas, it's period for people to buy buy and buy really to stock up for Christmas. I would say it's a very expensive time as people from where I come from raid the shops for cheap deals. People are really busy stocking up on the gifts, buying food to prepare the traditional Christmas dinner with the huge family and to decorate the house for Christmas so it's a very expensive time. But stealing and committing cries isn't the way. There are some people who are not as fortunate during this time, they don't have the luxury to receive gifts, to have fancy Christmas dinners and unite with their family because they just don't have the money that's why some people revert to crime to solve their problems. It's quite sad that knowing there are so many families who are not capable to celebrate Christmas like most fortunate families. That's why we should donate to charity and help those who really need a Christmas present. 
@mohkanari (1957)
• India
24 Dec 11
I think I am fortunate to live in a village. Here Christmas is celebrated in a serene and pleasant mood.
