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Post by Tim on Dec 20, 2017 6:04:30 GMT
Christmas comes earlier in the UK, data showsIt's official (well according to Google), that the UK is the most Christmas obsessed country on the planet - I personally find that a sad indictment, being led by the nose by corporate retail isn't in my opinion anything to be proud of. A recent poll by YouGov apparently shows only 39% said they found the day "joyful". So why are we so obsessed with it, if only just over a third of us actually enjoy it? Beats me for sure 
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 20, 2017 6:47:50 GMT
I guess that might depend on how the obsession was defined. It might be that the corporate obsession with parting us from our dough at Chrimbo played a big part in the measure. And maybe (definitely) that's the very thing that stops it from being joyful for a lot of people like you and I and the rest of the 61%!
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Post by Mr Whippy on Dec 20, 2017 6:49:02 GMT
Hardly a surprise.
The modern idea of Christmas was pretty much a Victorian invention.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 20, 2017 6:51:00 GMT
...based on German traditions.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 20, 2017 7:35:55 GMT
Strip away the distasteful commercial aspect and you're left with a) a religious holiday and b) time to spend with family and friends. For me personally, the religious aspect means nothing. That leaves the time to relax with friends and family which itself is fraught with potential stress. You're either hosting with people coming round which means you don't get a moment to relax. Or else you're travelling somewhere and being hosted which means you don't get a moment to relax.
The nicest day for me is spent with our children only.
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Post by Tim on Dec 20, 2017 7:47:12 GMT
I liked Christmas in the southern hemisphere, something really enjoyable about sipping champagne and eating pavlova on a baking hot day. In fact maybe my dislike for this cold dank time of year has a lot to do with my indifference?
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Post by MartinT on Dec 20, 2017 7:50:32 GMT
My relatives in NZ are always joking about cooking turkey on a roasting hot day. I'm a bit meh about the heat so it doesn't bother me much.
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Post by ChrisB on Dec 20, 2017 8:26:27 GMT
Living in a remote, rural part of Africa in the 70s, Christmas was...interesting!
The tree was a twig sprayed silver. Turkey was Guinea fowl. Presents were modest but precious. Entertainment was the swimming pool.
Pretty great really.
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Post by Barrington on Dec 20, 2017 9:18:27 GMT
Christmas has become a game that we all play , its hard not to take part , I mean the lead up not the day itself , my wife who works (I don't ) has been delegating various Christmas tasks for me daily .
Its never ending , the money that gets spent on the game must be a tidy sum .
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Post by MartinT on Dec 20, 2017 9:23:22 GMT
I like being at work when there's hardly anyone here. There's a sense of camaraderie and I can deploy server updates without anyone whingeing about the downtime.
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Post by Tim on Dec 20, 2017 9:35:42 GMT
. . . a game that we all play Not me  |
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Post by MikeMusic on Dec 20, 2017 10:30:21 GMT
Charles Dickens has a lot to answer for.
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Post by Barrington on Dec 20, 2017 12:04:22 GMT
. . . a game that we all play Not me When you have read the rules you can join in  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2017 14:22:06 GMT
I don't know how I feel about Christmas. I just let it all wash over me. I didn't like the frenzied city streets in the run-up to Christmas, but then I don't like them any day of the year. Plus, the majority of people chasing round ten shops are trying to make someone happy with a gift, so it's hard for me to hate.
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Post by julesd68 on Dec 20, 2017 14:56:49 GMT
I love seeing my son get excited about Christmas.
I enjoy the Xmas Day meal with extended family as everyone gets on very well.
Whilst not a religious person I actually enjoy the religious / spiritual side of Christmas as an antidote to the commercial side of things.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2017 16:12:25 GMT
December in Britain would probably be pretty grim without the festive period. Bad weather, the usual colds and flu, short days and high fuel bills aren't usually the sort of thing that lift the spirits.
I also like the spiritual side of Christmas. I'm not a Christian or a believer in any conventional religion, but anything that brings thoughts and gestures of goodwill and appreciation of loved-ones cannot be too bad.
I'd love to live in Oz for a bit and see what Christmas in the height of Summer brings.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2017 17:35:08 GMT
...based on German traditions. Which the Royals still follow opening gifts on Christmas eve |
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Post by Tim on Dec 20, 2017 19:09:44 GMT
As I'm not religious, Christmas for me is about getting together with friends/family and having an enjoyable time, nothing else is required. I don't need expensive presents, decorations, cards or other useless frippery to make the experience worthwhile. Just Google 'Christmas landfill' the results might shock you? So many people I talk to say they share the same views, yet they still get on the merry go-round. This is from the UK alone apparently - not brilliant.  Source |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2017 19:13:07 GMT
I find it hard to believe the USA are not more into it.. However. I cannot stand both the Commercial & religious Aspect of it. Ive not even bothered putting cards or a tree up this year.
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Post by Tim on Dec 20, 2017 19:25:43 GMT
Well I've experienced 3 of those countries on the Google Trends graphic and I would say we are the most obsessed, it's mental in the UK. Still that's just Google searches, so hard to gauge really how much is actually spent per head of population. Still too much IMO however you cut it, but I'm a curmudgeon apparently |
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