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stgulik ([personal profile] stgulik) wrote2011-12-11 10:21 pm
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In which stgulik goes full Grinch

Lifted from [livejournal.com profile] droxy, [livejournal.com profile] teddyradiator and the other cool kids. I am NOT a fan of Christmas, so get ready to be offended.

1. How many times have you ever drunk too much during the holidays? Include the number of times you've drunk so much you've thrown up:  Christmas holiday? Never, because we always visit relatives out of town, and the highway patrol still tends to frown on one driving while drunk. Now New Year's; that's another matter.I'm sure at least once. College was a learning experience!

 2. Have you ever been so worn out you've not bothered to wrap presents?
 Never. Wrapping presents is actually one of the few things I like about Christmas.
 
3. What decorations do you consider tacky?
 All of the lawn decorations they've got nowadays are unbelievably tacky. Yesterday I saw a blow-up display featuring Pooh Bear on a seesaw with Tigger. I ask you.
 
4. Any Christmas traditions you hate and/or cringe when faced with them?
All of them. The tradition that calls for us to celebrate Christmas every year is the one I hate most.
 
5. Have you ever had a year when you didn't put up any decorations and/or a tree? If so, why?
No. My mom and brother and I trimmed down our traditions after my dad moved out (see below), and the season got sort of manageable for me. Then I went and married a sentimental man from a sentimental family, and we inherited a shit-ton of decorations, all of which must be put up every year.

6. What holiday dish do you avoid like the plague or hate?
Fruitcake. Droxy said all there is to be said.

7. Worst Holiday memory as a child?
My dad left my mother and us kids right before Christmas. His reasoning was, he would gift us with one more holiday "as a family," then he would promptly move into his newly-leased apartment just in time to start the new tax year. Nice, huh? Really pumps up the ol' Christmas spirit.

8. What is the thing each year that makes you say, “Ok, now it’s Christmas”?
Every year, I attend the holiday concert put on by the choir my husband sings in. They always start the concert with the same beautiful carol, "Once In Royal David's City." It's very moving, and this from me, so you know it must be true.

Original #8: People saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Sensitive to others who are not Christians or political correctness run amuck?
If you were going to offer a timely seasonal wish to a stranger, why would you limit yourself to Christmas? They might not celebrate Christmas. You might get it wrong. So you say "happy holidays" in order to be inclusive in your sentiment. And stores put up "happy holiday" signage in order to be inclusive in their commercialism. That's it, that's all. The whole "War on Christmas" deal was cooked up by baby boomers who are scared of a changing world.

 9. Have you ever had a year when you say, "Fuck it. No gifts”? 
I would never be allowed!

10. Is there a Christmas ornament or decor item that is really ugly that you hate, but someone always puts it out anyway? Maybe even wish you could throw it away if you wouldn't get caught?
The one I really dislike is this 70s lime-green macrame Christmas tree wall hanging. Sometimes I think I'll cause it to mysteriously disappear; other times I just promise myself I'll give it to my daughter when she moves out.

11. Christmas dinner. Do you cook it or go over some someone else's house for Christmas dinner?
 We always go to some else's house. One day I'll finally be called upon to cook, and all hell will break loose when I serve 12 Banquet frozen turkey dinners.

12. What is the one thing you dread having to do during the holidays?
 All of it. I can't narrow it down.

13. What gift was your biggest disappointment?
One year I got a purple linen blazer. For all of your sakes, I hope you never have to hear those three words in one sentence again.

14. What’s the most unpleasant thing about the Holidays for you?
 All of it. Really. I'm not just saying this.

15. What is the worst Holiday Dessert, in your opinion?
 Well, we covered fruit cake, so I'd like to say a few words against the tradition of eggnog. Why would anyone ruin perfectly good bourbon by putting it into thick milk?

16. What is your most dreaded holiday tradition?
 All of them. Quit asking!

17. How do you dispose of your tree?
 I cut it up and put it into our green waste bin for pickup. Two consecutive pickups will get rid of the whole thing. Sometimes the Boy Scouts come around and haul it away for $5 instead.

18. Do you re-gift and have you ever done a re-gift faux pas by re-gifting the gift back to the original giver?
 My side of the family have become veteran re-gifters. My brother is so blatant, he texts me at garage sales and then forwards pics he snapped with his phone of potential gifts he wants to give us. I guess he's found his own way of dealing with the holidays. Wow. I just thought of that! Anyway, no, I myself don't re-gift.

19. What Christmas/Holiday sweet makes you gag at the thought of it?
 Fruitcake and eggnog. See above.

20. Worst Christmas show/movie you ever saw?
 Wow. Well, nobody should ever, ever do another re-make of "A Christmas Carol," ever again. Patrick Stewart took care of business, y'all, so save your energy.

21. Christmas Song you loathe the most?  
 I'm with everyone who said that John Lennon one. I think Yoko Ono should have been checked for rabies solely on the basis of her voice in that song. Runner-up: this one. Because it lies.

22. Most inappropriate Christmas humor you find funny?
Oh, gosh. I'd have to say the manger scene of Monty Python's "Life of Brian." Know any others? Please??

[identity profile] droxy.livejournal.com 2011-12-12 01:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Solution- foist the holidays on you husband. =) You can tell him no, or better yet, distract him with sex. ;>

The whole war on xmas thing may be boomer generated on both sides. The boomers only share a chunk of time but have vast and wide political beleifs. If you are a last year boomer like me, the boom doesn't fit as I missed the 60s and 70s for the most part. The folks starting this is the PC movement and their "abundance of tolerance" for all faiths (sarcastic), and the PC movement -are- boomers. I think the whole war on xmas is busy bodies who don't have enough work to do and have a need to feel to be "a part of something". It's sad I don't get to prioritize the world's problems needing solutions, because let me tell you the war on xmas is small potates compared to other pressing issues. But if someone wants to force me to have an opinion, they better have a good argument for selling it, as I will tell them to get-a-life. -sighs- I'll give an example if boomers for you. B. Obama and I are the same age and born the same year.

However, I am ALL FOR removing the commericalism of Xmas. The commericalism is what makes this holiday stressful. Why cant Xmas be a small family celebration like Hanuka? I don't mind the music and a little decorating, but the commercialism is extreme and I find that distasteful.

Totally agee on inflatable decor as tacky.

Hugs you because of your dad. That sucks, and what a jerk thing to do to kids. Sadly, that is/was the culture of the "me generation".


OMG- lime green 70's macreme...oh thats horrible. LOL. You can burn it while sipping a beverage of your choice.

[identity profile] stgulik.livejournal.com 2011-12-12 05:14 pm (UTC)(link)
There are some flaws in your otherwise excellent plan, but this is a PG-rated blog so we won't go into that.

I need to take a pic of that macrame tree hanging and then turn it into my LJ icon for the rest of the season. :)

[identity profile] stgulik.livejournal.com 2011-12-12 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
And yeah, I was born in '63, so I'm a cusp-boomer like you. I'm serious about the War on Christmas being started and perpetuated by old conservatives. I'd go so far as to say the whole thing was trumped-up for TV ratings, except something tells me they truly believe inclusiveness will cause the downfall of the U.S.