this is my random obsevration for the day...

I think christmas carols are so depressing

not stuff like fairytale of new york or step in to christmas, all I want for christmas is you... those are happy and jolly

songs such as silent night, or the little drummer boy, or dare I say it, a winter's tale by david essex
I thought christmas was meant to be happy time. not a time to have songs such as silent night on the radio.

thoughts of the day... you don't actually have to respond to this

[bioChE]

I find Silent Night to be peaceful and calming. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Silent Night is a song about peace and comfort. The melody is quiet and perhaps that is what feels depressing (?), but the message is one of calm and comfort.

an example of another depressing christmas song is:

the little boy that santa claus forgot

and I quote

"i'm so sorry for that laddy, he hasn't got a daddy"

that, is meant to get you in the christmas mood?
okay then...

Originally Posted by lolagrace

Silent Night is a song about peace and comfort. The melody is quiet and perhaps that is what feels depressing (?), but the message is one of calm and comfort.

something like that

I guess

[BipolaRNurse]

I love the traditional songs. Christmas for me is more about Jesus than the commercialism that passes for Christmas these days. However, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" is a cute little tune that makes me smile every time, even though I'm having a tough time getting into the holidays this year.

[Icare dixit]

It causes anxiety. I don't know why. Something both intrinsic and extrinsic, "forced"/negative associations (as in: not likely associations, lots of nurture, little nature, something like that), I think.

I really, really hate Slade.

[gina_re]

I can't stand any of them. Bah humbug!

[Nammu]

I like Christmas songs...but in moderation! Please!

[venusss]

It's funny to me that coutnry that has "God" on their coins and prides itself as Christian country has their carols about... well Christmas and trees and gifts and reindeers and snowmen.

And then there is my atheist and agnostic country and our carols go like little Jesus, shephards, Betlehem, Little Jesus was born, rejoin shepards. And that strange song about how Moravian (!!!!) shephards in Betlehem. Never made sense to me. We have very few songs that about something else than "Jesus, Betlehem, sheep"

[venusss]

Also, Silent Night is a classic, which makes it tolerable. It depends on the interpret, but it's usually not so grating as background music to buying butter and sugar as the more "joyfull" songs.

Originally Posted by gina_re

I can't stand any of them. Bah humbug!

I used to love going carolling with the choir I was in at various times. We did not ask for money or represent a charity - people whose houses we went to were suspicious and thought we wanted money! They would peep at us warily through a partially opened door. When we told them were just singing to them, they were so happy! People would often invite us to come inside to warm up – and offer us hot cider or cookies, etc.

Now, I'm really bored by Christmas carols. I really hate the kitch "pop" songs.
Traditional carols are beautiful, but I’m totally tired of them and bored with them all. Another odd think that our kitch Christmas pseudo-culture does not acknowledge is the vast numbers of people and religions that do not celebrate Christmas at all -- the Jews, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddists and at least some other Asian religions and philosophies. In the Muslim religion, Christmas is not usually celebrated, but what small amount of research I did about how or why Muslims celebrate Christmas is "it's all around and cannot be ignored," and that the kids want more and more presents. And like one Jehovah's Witness friend of mine said, "I grew up without Christmas presents -- and it didn't bother me at all."

Another point is that celebrating Christmas in some countries, including USA, was against the law! All the info I'm discussing here is rampant on the internet.

From wikipedia: "In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas, and celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. The ban by the Pilgrims was revoked by English governor Edmund Andros, however it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region."

So Christmas as we know it now, has only been happening for less than 200 years in the United States.

I'm having a Saturnalia party this year. My boyfriend and I celebrated Saturnalia last year, too, but this year, I'm going all out. Saturnalia was the ancient Roman holiday that was coopted into Christmas when the emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion for the entire Roman Empire.

As one Saturnalia card says, "Yo Saturnalia! It's what you're celebrating anyway!"

"Yo" is actually spelled "Io," but Yo is how it's pronounced, I think.

My apt is quite small, so there will only be 4 of us at a square folding card table. But I have a metallic gold table cloth, and we’re drawing numbers for tiny gifts. We will each bring a small decorative gift, cost between $0.00 and $10.00. Thrift store items are fine.

We will dress in Saturnalia colors (gold, blue, and silver) and some of my decorations will be those colors. We are bringing traditional ancient Roman Saturnalia foods.

I have found MP3 music -- amazing, stunning/shockingly strange authentic music from ancient Rome! And The Planets by Gustaz Holst, a fairly well known classical suite. There is also a current music group called Saturnaila, which plays interesting music, and I have an MP3 of them, too.

So although I say "Bah, Humbug!" to the greed, commercialism and materialism represented by Christmas as we now know it these days,(and instilling those "values" in children at Christmas by plying them with all the toys the parent/s can afford to buy) I say "Yo, Saturnalia!"

[Wander]

On an interesting note, Australia has a Christmas Carol called, 'Santa Never Made it to Darwin' about a Cyclone (what you call Hurricanes) that completely destroyed the capital city of Darwin on the morning of the 25th December 1974. Christmas morning the streets were littered with christmas presents, and of course houses. A large portion (90%) of the young city was destroyed but thankfully only 71 precious people were killed. The wind vane was destroyed at 250km/h and it is predicted winds got to 300km/h, or 187m/h.

This song is on the rotation at the shopping centres but is treated with respect and often played at home in memory. Sadly, it is terrible song.

[Nammu]

Originally Posted by flowerbells

I used to love going carolling with the choir I was in at various times. We did not ask for money or represent a charity - people whose houses we went to were suspicious and thought we wanted money! They would peep at us warily through a partially opened door. When we told them were just singing to them, they were so happy! People would often invite us to come inside to warm up – and offer us hot cider or cookies, etc.

Now, I'm really bored by Christmas carols. I really hate the kitch "pop" songs.
Traditional carols are beautiful, but I’m totally tired of them and bored with them all. Another odd think that our kitch Christmas pseudo-culture does not acknowledge is the vast numbers of people and religions that do not celebrate Christmas at all -- the Jews, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddists and at least some other Asian religions and philosophies. In the Muslim religion, Christmas is not usually celebrated, but what small amount of research I did about how or why Muslims celebrate Christmas is "it's all around and cannot be ignored," and that the kids want more and more presents. And like one Jehovah's Witness friend of mine said, "I grew up without Christmas presents -- and it didn't bother me at all."

Another point is that celebrating Christmas in some countries, including USA, was against the law! All the info I'm discussing here is rampant on the internet.

From wikipedia: "In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas, and celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. The ban by the Pilgrims was revoked by English governor Edmund Andros, however it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region."

So Christmas as we know it now, has only been happening for less than 200 years in the United States.

I'm having a Saturnalia party this year. My boyfriend and I celebrated Saturnalia last year, too, but this year, I'm going all out. Saturnalia was the ancient Roman holiday that was coopted into Christmas when the emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion for the entire Roman Empire.

As one Saturnalia card says, "Yo Saturnalia! It's what you're celebrating anyway!"

"Yo" is actually spelled "Io," but Yo is how it's pronounced, I think.

My apt is quite small, so there will only be 4 of us at a square folding card table. But I have a metallic gold table cloth, and we’re drawing numbers for tiny gifts. We will each bring a small decorative gift, cost between $0.00 and $10.00. Thrift store items are fine.

We will dress in Saturnalia colors (gold, blue, and silver) and some of my decorations will be those colors. We are bringing traditional ancient Roman Saturnalia foods.

I have found MP3 music -- amazing, stunning/shockingly strange authentic music from ancient Rome! And The Planets by Gustaz Holst, a fairly well known classical suite. There is also a current music group called Saturnaila, which plays interesting music, and I have an MP3 of them, too.

So although I say "Bah, Humbug!" to the greed, commercialism and materialism represented by Christmas as we now know it these days,(and instilling those "values" in children at Christmas by plying them with all the toys the parent/s can afford to buy) I say "Yo, Saturnalia!"

That sounds lovely.

[DaveyJones]

The holidays in general are the worst time for me.. my depression is monstrous this time of year. I try to go through the motions, but it's nearly impossible to get through without breaking down in tears repeatedly through the season. I really hate it. The music most of all. Sad, I used to love them so much, now they just piss me off.

[st0psign]

I hate everything about xmas... the whole holiday is depressing.

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

I love the traditional songs. Christmas for me is more about Jesus than the commercialism that passes for Christmas these days. However, "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" is a cute little tune that makes me smile every time, even though I'm having a tough time getting into the holidays this year.

and now you have to share a link to that!

I've never even heard it and i'm now curious

For me it depends on the delivery.

It sure is depressing when I must listen to the old standards sung traditionally. However, the same songs sung in a modern more upbeat manner can be quite cheerful to me. My most favourite Holiday tunes are those from the Boney M (now a classic) Christmas album.

On another note, I am not Christian, yet I still enjoy the carols.

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by flowerbells

I used to love going carolling with the choir I was in at various times. We did not ask for money or represent a charity - people whose houses we went to were suspicious and thought we wanted money! They would peep at us warily through a partially opened door. When we told them were just singing to them, they were so happy! People would often invite us to come inside to warm up – and offer us hot cider or cookies, etc.

Now, I'm really bored by Christmas carols. I really hate the kitch "pop" songs.
Traditional carols are beautiful, but I’m totally tired of them and bored with them all. Another odd think that our kitch Christmas pseudo-culture does not acknowledge is the vast numbers of people and religions that do not celebrate Christmas at all -- the Jews, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Buddists and at least some other Asian religions and philosophies. In the Muslim religion, Christmas is not usually celebrated, but what small amount of research I did about how or why Muslims celebrate Christmas is "it's all around and cannot be ignored," and that the kids want more and more presents. And like one Jehovah's Witness friend of mine said, "I grew up without Christmas presents -- and it didn't bother me at all."

Another point is that celebrating Christmas in some countries, including USA, was against the law! All the info I'm discussing here is rampant on the internet.

From wikipedia: "In Colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas, and celebration was outlawed in Boston from 1659 to 1681. The ban by the Pilgrims was revoked by English governor Edmund Andros, however it was not until the mid-19th century that celebrating Christmas became fashionable in the Boston region."

So Christmas as we know it now, has only been happening for less than 200 years in the United States.

I'm having a Saturnalia party this year. My boyfriend and I celebrated Saturnalia last year, too, but this year, I'm going all out. Saturnalia was the ancient Roman holiday that was coopted into Christmas when the emperor Constantine declared Christianity to be the official religion for the entire Roman Empire.

As one Saturnalia card says, "Yo Saturnalia! It's what you're celebrating anyway!"

"Yo" is actually spelled "Io," but Yo is how it's pronounced, I think.

My apt is quite small, so there will only be 4 of us at a square folding card table. But I have a metallic gold table cloth, and we’re drawing numbers for tiny gifts. We will each bring a small decorative gift, cost between $0.00 and $10.00. Thrift store items are fine.

We will dress in Saturnalia colors (gold, blue, and silver) and some of my decorations will be those colors. We are bringing traditional ancient Roman Saturnalia foods.

I have found MP3 music -- amazing, stunning/shockingly strange authentic music from ancient Rome! And The Planets by Gustaz Holst, a fairly well known classical suite. There is also a current music group called Saturnaila, which plays interesting music, and I have an MP3 of them, too.

So although I say "Bah, Humbug!" to the greed, commercialism and materialism represented by Christmas as we now know it these days,(and instilling those "values" in children at Christmas by plying them with all the toys the parent/s can afford to buy) I say "Yo, Saturnalia!"

I was never a fan of Xmas to begin with. I'm not even Christian. My grandmother passed on Xmas day three years ago, so I find it difficult to get in the Xmas spirit. Period.

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by st0psign

I hate everything about xmas... the whole holiday is depressing.

Agreed. Sorry, that's just how I feel.

[nlc715]

I never found them depressing until this Christmas. I don't want to hear any.. so I understand what you nean.