I think it’s really interesting how my attitudes about Christmas and the holiday season in general change from year to year. I’m Jewish, so it’s not really a big thing for me. And by not really, I mean not at all. I’m more of the innocent bystander type.
I went searching in my old blog posts to see if I blogged on Christmas each year and if I made an occasion of it. I managed to account for Christmas 2008, 2009, and 2010 through old database backups and the lucky fact that I took a screenshot for a past layouts page on 25 December 2008.
In 2008, I was apparently mad at my friends for wishing me a merry Christmas when I’m Jewish. “Happy Commercialmas” was the name of the post. What a cynic! Though I must admit I’m a bit excited for Christmas to be over this year… I’m sick of all the ads on TV and in my inbox. Is that really so bad? 
In ’09, the holiday got a brief mention. “I hope everyone who celebrates it had a very merry Christmas! 
,” I said, “Even though I haven’t had much holiday spirit this year, it’s sad that the holidays are almost over. 
” Then I went on to talk about my DailyBooth account, complaints about my brother, and some stuff about uni. “It really bothers me how short this blog is. ” Classy. Of course, you all know how classy I am based on Friday’s post.
’10, well, I wrote about my experience at The Night 89X Stole Christmas. I almost wrote about the holiday, except for the fact that I didn’t mention the name of the concert even once. “A week ago, on December 17th, I started off my holiday break by finally seeing MCR in concert.” My break started so early? I’m jealous, 17-year-old self. (I got home on the 21st this year.)
2007, though, was probably the most… disappointing post for me to read. I didn’t technically blog on Christmas that year, but I did blog on 12 December:
I was in a good mood yesterday afternoon
;;. After school I went to Walmart with my mom and we bought Thomas the Tank Engine toys for a little boy named Noah who wasn’t going to have a Christmas. I had fun picking the stuff out, and I really wish I could see his face when he opens them T_T. Merry Christmas Noah!! XD Wish he could see.
Oh, how times have changed. Now, thanks to my lovely father, it’s my family that receives charity. In 2009, my brother and my Chanukah gifts came from an anonymous family at our temple–my mom participated in a No Family Without a Chanukah program because she couldn’t provide gifts for us herself. She’s still struggling this year, so she got my brother and me each one thing. I got faux-leather gloves which are unfortunately too big on me, so we have to go shopping for a different pair that’s hopefully in the same price range. Last night, I thought she was being a bit silly about saying, “Okay, you have $15.93 to spend, or I can write you a check for that much if we can’t find anything,” but I’ve reevaluated and I realize she’s just doing the best she can.
I don’t need expensive gifts to be happy around the holidays, but I admit I do like gifts and it wouldn’t feel the same without them. I like giving them, too, promise! I gave my mom and brother gifts this year that they both love.
Merry Christmas, and I hope you all received enough gifts to make me very, very jealous.
Well you probably know by now that Christmas isn’t that huge in my family either, so I didn’t get many gifts. But Christmas (or Chanukah and holidays in general!) are generally good times to spend with the family and just be appreciative of what we do have. Christmas isn’t about the presents. And I sound like a fool because you obviously have Thanksgiving for that – but either way, Christmas has become commercialised in the past few years. It’s people like you who give the world even more hope for those even less fortunate.
I was probably very cynical as well, but I believe I know myself well enough to make judgment on my past self that I was obviously really annoyed at a lot of things, and got easily annoyed. That goes without saying.
Our younger selves sure are a target for hilarity.
You’re no longer classy, but you know, that’s all cool.
Times have changed, but at the end of the day, family is family and gifts – just things. I suppose I could toss in “and Christmas just a celebration”… but I don’t want the overly religious people to slaughter me. I hope they had a wonderful Christmas too.
Given how the stores look around this time of year in the US, I can’t really blame anyone for being a cynic. All those Christmas movies that are on TV all the time this year are disgusting, in my opinion. I know that you’ve been awesome, and deserve whatever gifts other people can give you. I admire your mom for doing her best for you and your brother.
My family is a very well-to-do family, but not in the 1% that the Occupy movement is after. My parents use Christmas to spoil my brother and myself for a day (they’re a reasonable couple who doesn’t spend boatloads of money), and I definitely got enough gifts to make you jealous. Even so, I find that as I got older, I have more fun watching people open the gifts I give them than opening my own gifts.
Happy Hanukkah, Rachel! (I often say Happy Holidays because it encompasses most everyone and I can’t remember who celebrates what sometimes. =P)
I was able to get his gift out on time! My birthday is on the 1st of January! `u` HA, I don’t ever think I thought 19 as being old. I just still felt stuck in the middle. Like, I’m still a legal adult but I can’t do anything exciting yet. Oh well, almost there haha!
Thank you though `7`
I agree with you, I’ve noticed how Christmas changes with each year. To be bluntly honest, it didn’t even really feel very Christmas-y this year. It just felt like another day. But thankfully, it did feel like it yesterday.
I understand your viewpoint about the gifts too! I don’t need tons of money spent on a gift, but it’s still nice to receive something. Even if it’s something small. It’s the thought that counts!
Christmas used to be a big thing when I was younger. But as I got older and times got harder, it just got to be less and less of a big deal. I mean, to me, it only ever feels like Christmas if my family comes over. I don’t even really care if I got anything (I prefer the money afterall lol), all I want to see is my family.
I agree, Christmas has become too commercialized over the years and I noticed most people EXPECT you to buy them something for Christmas just because they see people on TV receiving gifts. It’s stupid, really.
Thanks for the advice on love. I have such bad luck with choosing the people I fall in love with, I just wish that would change though. Or maybe the fact that I fall in love too fast.
This is why I always wish someone Happy Holidays. The people who are Jewish or of other religions can get either offended or annoyed, or both! I guess Christmas can get a bit overrated especially with all the music playing EVERYWHERE. But since this Christmas I’m having so much freedom, I kind of hope it never ends, haha.
That’s sweet of your mom to try to get you a gift if she’s struggling. I know my mom never would, if that were the case. She hardly gets me anything, even for Christmas. I don’t complain though because that would be spoiled. I don’t care how much gifts cost because it’s the thought that counts. -(
Yes you’re right, but you take a Japanese class. All foreign language classes make you learn polite forms in the beginning. However I’ve never learned Korean. I’ve only picked up things from my mom and other people who speak Korean, or from actors in Korean dramas. I hope that makes sense.
Happy holidays to you!
Hahahaha, yeah, I do think Christmas is a major commercial ploy but underneath that commercialism I like to think even if masked or paired by more sinister intentions that people just want to give really good gifts to people they love/like or pretend to tolerate lol.
That’s good that your attitude is like that. That is probably why you were so cynical since everyone’s attitude should be more of a giving spirit rather than getting. And even with that, a giving spirit that require to get the latest, coolest, most spiffy gadget that will be “outdated” in a year.
However, we’re all human and so very flawed and I totally love receiving gifts more than giving lol. But… that’s what New Years resolutions are for >:D
For me, Christmastime is all about eating and having a great time with family. I was never really swept up in the whole commercialism thing. I don’t normally exchange gifts with people unless we’ve specifically talked about exchanging gifts. So, I don’t really get much Christmas gifts either, and since my birthday is very close to Christmas, I don’t get much birthday gifts either. I’m not trying to garner any pity. Just pointing out that Christmas is different for everyone. I’m definitely more into the eating with my family part, than the exchanging gifts part.
Major props to your mom for trying to give you guys a nice “normal” holiday with gifts and whatnot. That’s very nice of her for trying to give you guys as much as she can. And, very nice of you to give your family gifts that you know they’ll love!
I’m not into expensive gifts either. I’m pretty happy with little things. My friend gave me some nice pens and I got excited! Hahaha.