What is the modern meaning of Christmas?

[Lt.Snuffles]

Traditionally, the meaining of Christmas was solely the birth of Christ, and to many people (many of whom only say this beacuse they're up their morally correct arse) it still is, but be honest, how many of you, think of the birth of christ when Christmas is mentioned?

If I'm honest, I bearly ever think about the message of christmas, because it doesn't really mean anything any more. Sure, it is a religious event and it is still celebrated in that way, but to most and me it is a part of our lives which has little relevence to religion.

(p.s. I'm not trying to be ignorant, if thats what I may to some be presenting myself to be, I would merely like to know if people still, honestly celebrate christmas because of the birth of christ, not because I dislike religion)

 

[Pielikey]

Steam Sales.

 

[Best of the 3]

Trolling


EDIT: Serious answer would be as I see it, a season for giving. Just giving to other people to make others feel good before yourself. That's just me personally though.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Christmas Troll.

T?is the season to be bitchy.
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol.
And the time to all get glitchy.
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol.

All don now your troll-face fools
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
As we know you are all just tools
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

See the web just bow before us
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
And if not call a-no-ny-mous
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Let?s all go derail some threads
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
And scare the children in their beds
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Please avoid the big ban hammer.
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
Or end up in internet slammer.
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

That is how trolling is done.
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
And the joys have just begun
Troll lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol.

 

[voetballeeuw]

Gimme mah presents

 

[Burck]

See this episode of Community [http://www.hulu.com/watch/199579/community-abeds-uncontrollable-christmas]

The shorter than 20 minutes of your life version:

Whatever you need it to be-

For kids, its for all the presents they can't buy.
For their parents, its the one instance they can give their kids toys without the kids then following up, "But you got me X- why can't you buy me Y?"

For the busy, its time to relax.
For many people, its time to be with (and appreciate) their friends and/or family (more generally, the people they love.) during the most depressing time of year.
Etc.

Honestly, the birth of Jesus isn't even that significant of an event. Any other passage from the Bible could probably deliver a better message. The only reason it has a huge celebration is because it replaced the Roman feast of Saturnalia when the empire converted.


Addendum: And feeling justified when you spend in excess

 

[Pariah87]

Christmas is coming up soon, so you know what that means? It means you want to buy our stuff. Buy our food, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without our massive party pack of Samosas and Pancake Rolls, traditional Christmas food that they are. After you've done that, remember to buy someone, ANYONE, a perfume or colonge. Drink coke, it ain't Christmas till the coke with Santa on the label hits the shelves (we've probably upped the price without you noticing, but that's ok, your kids will love the special label on the side.)

Speaking of kids, you are absolutely the worst parents in the world if you do not spend all your hard earned cash on making Christmas special for the kiddies. Whether they are 3 or 40, they MUST have presents, what will you get them? Come and look at our products, gaurenteed to make them happy.

Wait! You there, why aren't you spending money? You could be buying decorations, presents, food, the latest X Factor CD. Don't you walk away from us, we won't stop untill you buy somethingggggg!

That is what I see the meaning of Christmas as these days. 5 minutes of commercials all geared to making people feel like they are substandard if they don't make this one day extra special or significant. As you can imagine, I no longer do, or care about, Christmas.

 

[SimuLord]

Steam Sales.

All I can say to this is FUCK AND YES. It's a sinister conspiracy on Valve's part to get us to spend MORE money than we would have if there weren't a sale---even with 75% off.

Also, Pariah87, I think I love you...in that totally heterosexual manly kind of way.

 

[KaosuHamoni]

Stuffing yourselves until you're stomach is threatening to explode, and getting loads of presents?

 

[Mechsoap]

giving presents for babies so they will shut up for another year.

 

[Palademon]

I'd like to say it's about showing love and getting together with people you care about.

It has been commercialised to the point it becomes a secular holiday. The story it's based on isn't even accurate anyway. I'd rather show people I care than worry about whether or not I've gotten them chocolate, or a bar of soap.

 

[Wormthong]

let me first start by saying that Christmas was not originally made by Christians and is copied from several winter festivities from other religions/country's which i don't feel like like looking up right now.
Santa-Claus is created out of the dutch traditional sinterklaas someone who celebrates his birthday by handing out presents to children on the fifth of December. He was born in Turkey (at the time being a colony of Greece) where he was considered a real patron deity to the children.

and in my opinion Christmas should be a time for family gatherings and closing the ties with relatives.
however that is here in the Netherlands from what i hear from the USA over there it is just a reason to buy toys for children and spend, spend, spend, spend, spend, spend, spend, spend, spend oooooh spend, on the rhythm of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE

 

[stygN]

For me Christmas used to be about family, making stuff like decorations (yeah.. we made our own decorations.. Of course a lot of our decorations were not very decorative since I made them. And I'm not blaming that on my age at the time, I'm blaming it on the fact that I am not that good at making stuff..), gingerbread house..

And oh yeah, make stuff out of Marzipan!! Instead of buying marzipan that taste like crap and look like stuff, my mom would make marzipan and color it with food color, and WE'd make the figures! One year we made all the characters in Lord of the Rings.. I mean, how fun is it to first make Gimli, and then eat his sweet, fat body!

Then of course, when I was young I was happy for gifts and I still am, but it's not that important anymore.. And I don't wish for fun stuff anymore, I wish for pots and pans..

Now Christmas is horrible.. Instead of spending time with your family you run around screaming and spend all your money and then some on all kinds of stupid stuff!!

When I was young there were no grocery stores open on Christmas eve (that's the day we celebrate on AND get presents on in Norway, I know it's different other places), and none open at 25th or 26th. BECAUSE IT WASN'T NECESSARY!! If you needed a bread or some milk or some other normal commodity like toilet paper or whatever, there were a gas station or two open that could provide you with that..

There is no Christmas spirit.. It's gone! There's nothing left of Christmas.. It's ALL about the money..

Thank god you don't have to BUY time with your family.. I still get some Christmas feeling, but it's nothing compared to what it once was..

 

[Jabberwock xeno]

It's about the presents.

Really, the thing was originally a pagan holiday and was assimilated into Christian mythology (for back of a better term) much like many pagan deities and practices.

 

[Agayek]

Steam Sales.

This.

A million times, this.

 

[Headsprouter]

Money, corn flakes and Coca cola.

 

[Verp]

The meaning of Christmas was never solely the birth of Christ. I mean, bloody hell, do you know anything about Christmas and its history? Christmas is a Franken-holiday comprised of several different celebrations and birth of Christ is just one of the elements that have gotten tacked onto it.

To me, Christmas is what it's almost always been to me: a warm and peaceful celebration to make you feel better during the darkest, coldest, and longest season in my country.

 

[blankedboy]

"Hurr, durr, carols, derp, sales, hurr, advertising, durrrrr, prezzints, derp de-derp."

 

[Funkiest Monkey]

Giving and sharing, I suppose.

But I fucking love Christmas! Giving and receiving gifts with friends & family, a huge-ass delicious Christmas dinner, Christmas singles in the charts, and Christmas specials on TV! And snow! Fucking brilliant!