Spending Christmas day on your own

Person_one

Robisere wrote: »

When I was young at home, we did not celebrate Christmas and I am still uncomfortable with it: I am not a Christian, why should I celebrate the birth of the founder of a religion that I have no belief in?

Because, as is widely known and as has been stated to you on this very forum more than once, Christmas is only very loosely a Christian festival, its roots are older and completely different. The religion doesn't own it, they just own the most current name for it.

Jesus wasn't the founder anyway, that was Paul.

seven-day-weekend

Person_one wrote: »

Because, as is wildly known and as has been stated to you on this very forum more than once, Christmas is only very loosely a Christian festival, its roots are older and completely different. The religion doesn't own it, they just own the most current name for it.

Jesus wasn't the founder anyway, that was Paul.

No-one HAS to celebrate Christmas, whatever their religious beliefs or lack of them.

I am a practising Christian and for some years was not happy about celebrating Christmas for several resaons, including
A) Jesus was not born on December 25th, (not in the winter at all) and
It is basically the pagan festival of Yule, celebrating the winter solstice.

Now I am more pragmatic about it and take the attitude that as we are not sure about when Jesus was born (probably, but not definitely, April or May is more likely), then we may as well tag it onto Yule and have a festival in the middle of winter, with pretty lights to brighten the dark days. And as we do not know when he was born, we may as well celebrate it on Dec 25th as any other date.

I do know several Christians who do not celebrate Christmas, for similar reasons to the ones I gave, and other minor reasons.

Person_one

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

No-one HAS to celebrate Christmas, whatever their religious beliefs or lack of them.

I am a practising Christian and for some years was not happy about celebrating Christmas for several resaons, including
A) Jesus was not born on December 25th, (not in the winter at all) and
It is basically the pagan festival of Yule, celebrating the winter solstice.

Now I am more pragmatic about it and take the attitude that as we are not sure about when Jesus was born (probably, but not definitely, April or May is more likely), then we may as well tag it onto Yule and have a festival in the middle of winter, with pretty lights to brighten the dark days. And as we do not know when he was born, we may as well celebrate it on Dec 25th as any other date.

I do know several Christians who do not celebrate Christmas, for similar reasons to the ones I gave, and other minor reasons.

Nobody has to celebrate it of course, but if you say the reason you aren't celebrating is that its a Christian religious occasion then I think its reasonable to point out (repeatedly) that this isn't in fact the case.

seven-day-weekend

Person_one wrote: »

Nobody has to celebrate it of course, but if you say the reason you aren't celebrating is that its a Christian religious occasion then I think its reasonable to point out (repeatedly) that this isn't in fact the case.

Agreed. It CAN be a religious festival for those who believe, but doesn't need to be.

mumps

I think if I was alone I might like an invitation for a coffee and mince pie in the morning, or afternoon tea or a walk on the beach. I don't think I would want to be there all day. Maybe a compromise like that would work for people?

PasturesNew

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Has it ever occurred to you that people might have good motives, not just bad or dubious ones?

Some might ... but my experience has been that many other people have their own issues/agendas they wish to fulfil.

Not everybody is a fluffy, lovely, kind, generous person... many people will simply have ulterior motives. I can spot these.... they slip up, especially after alcohol.

prosaver

if I was not seeing my family and was on my own.
I would check out the busses that run on christmas day(hospital specials)
find the furthest and go for a ride.
or go to a really big cathedral and see inside.
get in the car and see if theres any special events going on. (they have a christmas boxing day dip in the sea in some places )
some shops will have sales on and be open on boxing day.
start a website on what you did on the festive season.(with all your pics)
Do some gardening neighbours might come out and have a chat?
sort out all your old clothes you dont wear and pack them ready to sell.
sort your finances out and plan for a holiday.
de clutter your house.
pure gym open 24/7 could go for a work out?
go on internet forums
watch old favorite christmas shows youtube vid.
get a bike
metal detecter?
Plan your life out, what youlll be doing in 5 years time.
go hiking in the woods
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/?gclid=CIrUm9rXgNECFc0W0wodEW8KSw&gclsrc=aw.ds

go to the countryside and climb the biggest mountain.
go to the pub and bring a book or just have a few drinks,
play pool with your mates

Spendless

What time does your son have to set off for work? What I might be tempted to do is go out Christmas eve for a drink if you can find some friends to go with or to midnight mass at Church. Just have a few hours sleep, get up open your presents and have breakfast together and then when he sets off to work, go back to bed. Just throwing it in as a suggestion if you don't fancy any other idea so far.

missbiggles1

Spendless wrote: »

What time does your son have to set off for work? What I might be tempted to do is go out Christmas eve for a drink if you can find some friends to go with or to midnight mass at Church. Just have a few hours sleep, get up open your presents and have breakfast together and then when he sets off to work, go back to bed. Just throwing it in as a suggestion if you don't fancy any other idea so far.

Fine for the OP but not so good for her son who'll be setting off for a long drive and an even longer shift!

Spendless

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Fine for the OP but not so good for her son who'll be setting off for a long drive and an even longer shift!

At no point did I mention taking her son with her!!! I said if you could find a friend to go with for a drink, or go to Church at midnight. Son is an adult. Mum has already opted to spend what he has of Christmas day with him, she doesn't have to spend Christmas eve not doing much either.