Do you buy Christmas presents?
Why do you buy (or not buy) Christmas presents?
Do you buy Christmas presents?
Moderator: Moderators
-
Zzyzx
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 25089
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:38 pm
- Location: Bible Belt USA
- Has thanked: 40 times
- Been thanked: 73 times
Do you buy Christmas presents?
Post #1.
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
Non-Theist
ANY of the thousands of "gods" proposed, imagined, worshiped, loved, feared, and/or fought over by humans MAY exist -- awaiting verifiable evidence
-
Furrowed Brow
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 3720
- Joined: Mon Nov 20, 2006 9:29 am
- Location: Here
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Post #11
Depends what you mean by ritual. In our house it was never church, mass, carols, hymns, and more paper crowns, crackers, a nap after dinner and fools and horses on TV.Beto wrote:I know what you mean. But it's funny that I think my pov is pragmatic, since I regard christmas rituals in the same light as, let's suppose, baptism. It's definitely easier to just baptize the child and "mingle", but I'm supposing you wouldn't do this. But it's not the same thing I guess... To kids Xmas is just another birthday.Furrowed Brow wrote:I think bringing up kids is a balancing act, and I put pragmatism before ideology. I did not buy him presents in the hope he'd grow out of it. More for the fun of getting up 4am on Xmas morning. And also more to do with him not being the only kid in school without xmas presents. The last things kids want to be is different form their peers. Where we can help it I don't think us grown ups should force that on them because we hold some belief or other.
But I still think gifts (christmas, birthdays, etc...) have little meaning when given on specific and pre-determined occasions. People tend to never really appreciate them (except for kids, but how will they learn to value gifts if they always see them coming a mille way?).
-
Fallibleone
- Guru
- Posts: 1935
- Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:35 am
- Location: Scouseland
Post #12
Haha yes, Fools and Horses. N
I unashamedly buy Christmas presents for my family and look forward to receiving them.
I unashamedly buy Christmas presents for my family and look forward to receiving them.
-
Fallibleone
- Guru
- Posts: 1935
- Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:35 am
- Location: Scouseland
Post #13
Haha yes, Fools and Horses. Nowadays, I look forward to the Dr Who Christmas special.
I unashamedly give Christmas presents to family, and eagerly receive them too. I don't spend a great deal. I can't. But our Christmas follows family ritual passed down over 100 years or more. Not a religious bone in the entire family* but we like a good celebration of slothfulness all right. If someone's going to give us time off school/work, we're going to take full advantage of that.
*That's not quite true. I was speaking of my bunch, but the husband's lot are vaguely religious, mind you they're more than vaguely racist too (how can these things go hand in hand? Good question), so we tend to steer clear.
I unashamedly give Christmas presents to family, and eagerly receive them too. I don't spend a great deal. I can't. But our Christmas follows family ritual passed down over 100 years or more. Not a religious bone in the entire family* but we like a good celebration of slothfulness all right. If someone's going to give us time off school/work, we're going to take full advantage of that.
*That's not quite true. I was speaking of my bunch, but the husband's lot are vaguely religious, mind you they're more than vaguely racist too (how can these things go hand in hand? Good question), so we tend to steer clear.
-
Cephus
- Prodigy
- Posts: 2991
- Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 7:33 pm
- Location: Redlands, CA
- Been thanked: 2 times
- Contact:
Post #14
I buy plenty of Christmas presents, not because it's Christmas or because I have any obligation, but because I want to. Then again, I don't limit my gift-giving to just one day in December, I do it all year long, simply because I love my family and want to take care of them.
There's no religious component to it whatsoever, I want them to be happy so I get them things that make them happy, end of story.
There's no religious component to it whatsoever, I want them to be happy so I get them things that make them happy, end of story.
-
achilles12604
- Site Supporter
- Posts: 3697
- Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 3:37 am
- Location: Colorado
Post #15
My wife and I both come from families where gift giving is the tradition. However, due mostly to financial reasons, we have told both our families that we are not giving, nor do we expect to receive any gifts this year other than their presence, support and love.
Now, although this is due mostly to finances, my wife and I have both been thinking that the tradition of gift giving (at least between us) is fairly silly. I find (buy, collect, grow) her flowers on a regular basis to show my love. She appreciates them. She has told me that buying gifts really doesn't do much for showing her love since she already knows. So I doubt we will be buying many gifts in the future either.
Now, although this is due mostly to finances, my wife and I have both been thinking that the tradition of gift giving (at least between us) is fairly silly. I find (buy, collect, grow) her flowers on a regular basis to show my love. She appreciates them. She has told me that buying gifts really doesn't do much for showing her love since she already knows. So I doubt we will be buying many gifts in the future either.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.
Re: Do you buy Christmas presents?
Post #16My wife and I buy lots of gifts for the kids (I have 3 children). Both of us come from traditions where gift-giving was the norm. The "main" gift for the children is from Santa.
We typically don't give gifts to friends unless we're sending a Christams card and photo. Sometime within a week of Christmas my wife will bake either 1/2 dozen pies or make a batch of chocolate candies to give out to a group of pre-selected families. We take this food to the families and "treat" them with a carol at their door. I am partial to homemade gifts and performance.
I think there is a lot of good that comes from gift-giving and especially around the time of Christmas. I believe even gift cards can be nice. My brother just yesterday gave me a gift card for a massage (I've never had one). If he had just given me the money value I would have used it for something mundane. With his gift card he forces me to experience something I would otherwise avoid.
Yes, lots of good reasons to give.
We typically don't give gifts to friends unless we're sending a Christams card and photo. Sometime within a week of Christmas my wife will bake either 1/2 dozen pies or make a batch of chocolate candies to give out to a group of pre-selected families. We take this food to the families and "treat" them with a carol at their door. I am partial to homemade gifts and performance.
I think there is a lot of good that comes from gift-giving and especially around the time of Christmas. I believe even gift cards can be nice. My brother just yesterday gave me a gift card for a massage (I've never had one). If he had just given me the money value I would have used it for something mundane. With his gift card he forces me to experience something I would otherwise avoid.
Yes, lots of good reasons to give.
