Name this holiday

None of the above: I prefer "Yuletide" myself.

Post 1

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 8:15pm

OK, I added "Yuletide" as an option in the poll so you won't feel disenfranchised.

But you know...

"\Yule"tide`\, n. Christmas time; Christmastide; the season of Christmas."

... that's a lot of "Christ"'s and "mas"'s in that definition. Personally, I go with "X-Day" as my way of expressing my radical atheism.

Post 2

Friday, December 20, 2002 - 8:54pm

Jesus H. Christ on a Harley-Davidson... I thought that Yuletide was a pagan name. Thanks for including it, though you didn't have to add it as a poll option just because I griped about it; that's what write-ins are for.

Post 3

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 11:00am

I'm happy to stick with "Christmas" becasue everyone knows what is meant by it, although I write it in cards etc as Xmas. I know where it came from as I've done a lot of reading about pre-Christian European religions.

Of course the winter solstice has been hijacked by Christianity and whenever I hear references to god and jesus I just ignore them.

To me it's all about having some time off work and getting together with family and friends at the beach to drink beer and eat burnt steaks. That Xmas is at the height of summer in NZ is a huge bonus!

Post 4

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 7:45pm

i love this holiday season and the spirit of benevolence that many people feel. i also feel that the grumbling about the "commercialisation" of christmas is a crock of shit perpetuated by the same group of people who complain about the "americanisation" of the globe. i don't celebrate it as christmas in particular, but neither do i get bent out of shape about what people call it. i just enjoy the parties, time together with others, and general feeling of happiness. i tend to send my cards and gifts around jan 1, as a welcome to the new year, rather than at the dec 25 jesus' birthday. that is my one small gesture toward making the holiday my own.

Post 5

Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 9:05pm

Here's the fun part: Jesus of Nazareth wasn't born on 235 December, but was supposedly born sometime in March -- the Catholic Church moved the celebration of his birth to 25 December in order to co-opt the pagans' winter solstice celebration. And have you noticed that Easter coincides with pagans' spring rituals?

For my part, the time from 25 December to New Year's Day is a convenient time to offer gifts to friends and loved ones as an acknowledgment of the pleasure and companionship they've brought to my life. It's also a convenient time to reflect on the events of the year, to celebrate one's achievements and attempt to learn from one's mistakes.

Post 6

Sunday, December 22, 2002 - 8:45am

I was torn between Winter Solstice and Yule. I chose Yule because this holiday time is more a short "season" following the solstice, and it has pagan origins. And I am quite sure that my ancestors in the ancient British Isles and North Europe did not track exact astronomical events in the cold and cloudy winter skies. I think that, to them, Yule was the heart of the dark winter - - the opposite of Midsummer.

The ancient Romans celebrated Saturnalia at this time as a week-long party. In that spirit, we should remember what ZZ Top said about it: "Remember to keep the X in Xmas."

Post 7

Monday, December 23, 2002 - 6:25am

Well, whatever you call it (I stick to Christmas myself), on the eve eve of that day, I see snow outside my window!

Post 8

Monday, December 23, 2002 - 9:43pm

"X" is actually a Greek symbol for Christ, which is where we get "Xmas" and "Xtian" from.

I've personally gotten over Christ as a supposed deity and think of him more as a recurring archetype in mythology and literature.

Post 9

Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 4:27pm

Did anyone read the nice suggestion that was put on the Daily Objectivist many months ago before it went defunct? There was a nice article which gives the suggestion that instead Christ as a symbol of the holiday, that we use a light bulb and celebrate the industrial revolution instead. How would we celebrate? Why not buy things for loved ones. (Or one could combine it with Halloween and have the kids dress as CEO's and such :) )

Post 10

Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 7:51pm

You're right about J.C., Phil; his archetype does tend to recur. Ever hear of Osiris?

Post 11

Monday, December 30, 2002 - 2:26pm

Sir Isaac Newton was born on December 25th, 1642. Perhaps we could celebrate this auspicious event instead? We could string up lights, to celebrate Newton's insights into optics, and put up a tree in remembrance of the falling apple that led him to the law of universal gravitation, and exchange gifts to, um, celebrate the gifts of knowledge which Newton bequeathed to all who came after him.

Yeah, that's it. Happy Newton's Birthday, everyone!

Post 12

Tuesday, December 31, 2002 - 8:43am

Remember the episode on Seinfeld where Gerry's father put up and aluminum pole in the living room to celebrate "Festivus", the festival for "the rest of us"? This is not only hilarious but fully in keeping with the spirit of Objectivism. Why not get a movement going to promote and enhance this wonderful idea? New, "traditional" rites could be proposed. How about putting replicas of important inventions, such as a telephone, a light bulb, a barometer, etc. at the base of the pole and all the celebrants dance around the pole while drinking Tang?

Post 13

Thursday, January 9, 2003 - 11:24am