I have the unfortunate task of working in retail and every year I loathe the Christmas season. Actually, I begin to hate the holidays as soon as Halloween is over. It's not because I dislike my family or traditions, although I could easily use that as a reason to not enjoy this time of year. I hate people in general who think that they have the right to tell me that our company is not respectful of "the people" because a tree is not displayed the day after Thanksgiving. I have even had a woman tell me that she was personally offended that the Christmas tree was not up and decorated, and proceeded to berate me until I could find someone higher up for her to complain to.
Boo. Hoo.
Each year tends to present new challenges for me. I see this time of year as a Christian Crusade of sorts. I see some customers wearing "Keep Christ in Christmas" pins and similar propaganda. They tell me how our tree should not be stuck in the corner of the lobby. We have our "priorities out of whack" to quote another customer. To think that all the complaints stem from a simple tree. A symbol that has nothing to do with the bible or Christ in the first place. How can a plant cause a small portion of the population to feel that they are being attacked if it's not placed or decorated according to how they feel it should be? Who are these people to make such demands in the first place?
I find myself growing more angry each year at the population of old crotchety Christians in my footprint. It's almost as if, shocker, they can't fathom that some people may practice another religion, or none at all. How do they think other people feel when Christmas symbolism in shoved in their faces at every turn? I know I don't enjoy it. I feel sorry for Muslims, Jews, Hindu, etc. I'm sure some have learned to adapt and even enjoy the holiday. But how would my crusaders feel about a focus on Kwanzaa or Hanukkah for example? What do we even truly know or understand about these celebrations?
Christmas itself wasn't even celebrated until long after Jesus had died. The idea of bringing a tree indoors to decorate was put into practice even longer after the first Christmas was celebrated. And that idea was stolen from the Pagans, much like Easter! I am willing to bet that many devout Christians don't know this, or care to believe it. Stop complaining about the lack of a tree in stores! Stop telling me that I do not have my priorities in order. Don't come into my store and expect an apology for offending your religious viewpoints by having done absolutely nothing wrong. If you are a good Christian you will look the other way instead of causing trouble over nothing. This holiday season, don't use Christ as an excuse to prop yourself up as a crusader "hero" to others.
I don't believe in a god and I actually enjoy the Christmas season and fill my home with woodsy animals, garland and snowmen. I decorate a tree and wrap gifts. Eggnog is in the fridge and my calendar is full of party times and festive gatherings. When the weather turns cold, the holidays become a great excuse to eat too much yummy food and gather with the people we enjoy. That is all Christmas needs to be. That is a Christmas that everyone, everywhere can celebrate.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Unsocial Media
Our forms of communication these days are all about instant gratification and the here and now. I think that is what I find annoying about social media platforms. I mentioned this the other day to my husband and he said that, in a way, it's quite fascinating to know that in 20 years a relative could theoretically access old Facebook posts or tweets and read them.When I rolled my eyes in disgust, he just replied that it's no different than reading through old diaries from my long deceased relatives.
Think about that. Tweets as a link to the past. Our silly musings might one day give insight to who were were at a very specific point in our lives. A diary can pinpoint a day or year, but rarely will you find one with a time-stamp. If my nieces ever have children, those kids could find out exactly how their moms acted when they were fifteen years old. Maybe they could find that at fifteen, their mothers really did have the same problems in high school.They could read about it instead of having a horribly awkward conversation that would undoubtedly end with the child storming out of the room. I know that if I had the technology I would enjoy abusing the privilege of getting to know my parents without having to talk to them or beg my grandparents for stories.
That lack of a face to face conversation is what fuels my general dislike for Facebook and other social platforms. It's fake interaction. I can know everything about my sister without ever having to pick up the phone and talk to her. In an age where people seem to share everything at any moment, they are also losing out on the personal interactions. Sending texts may constitute a conversation, but it's a poor excuse for one. A conversation is more than just text. Body language, the inflection on certain words, the tone of one's voice. These are what really make a conversation personal and memorable. For example, I can remember sitting around the wobbly table in my Aunt's tiny kitchen, laughing and talking about old radio shows like The Shadow. I remember the cigarette smoke, cold glasses of Pepsi and the sounds of their parakeet tweeting out commands to the dog. There are sounds, emotions, even smells that trigger the memory of this specific interaction. But I can't recall what my Aunt wrote in an email to me two weeks ago.
It my be a poor example, but the idea still holds water. I feel that actual face to face interactions are far more important, yet less likely to be had these days.
When I moved into my own house, I decided that I'd like to keep in touch with my younger brother in the same way we had when both of use were gainfully unemployed. Not to exclude my parents who live nearby, my mother of which would be insanely hurt if I had a conversation with my brother and didn't tell her, I started a weekly family dinner night. Every Friday night, the family members I enjoy the most were invited over for dinner that my husband would cook. I'd help too if I had the time. It was a humble gathering around a dinner table sharing a meal and our stories from the week. Corny? You bet! But I found that it filled a sense of belonging that I generally find lacking in my life. I see my folks nearly every day, but visiting with them in a different situation opened up my eyes and ears to conversations that we most likely would not have had otherwise.
I should note that neither my brother nor his wife are involved in any social media platforms other than e-mail. He is one of the few people in my family who I need to reach by phone or just stopping over by his house. I do text him from time to time, but he often misses the texts until after I've already called him.
I supposed that I'm just showing my age. While I'm all for technological advances, I don't want to lose touch with reality completely.
Think about that. Tweets as a link to the past. Our silly musings might one day give insight to who were were at a very specific point in our lives. A diary can pinpoint a day or year, but rarely will you find one with a time-stamp. If my nieces ever have children, those kids could find out exactly how their moms acted when they were fifteen years old. Maybe they could find that at fifteen, their mothers really did have the same problems in high school.They could read about it instead of having a horribly awkward conversation that would undoubtedly end with the child storming out of the room. I know that if I had the technology I would enjoy abusing the privilege of getting to know my parents without having to talk to them or beg my grandparents for stories.
That lack of a face to face conversation is what fuels my general dislike for Facebook and other social platforms. It's fake interaction. I can know everything about my sister without ever having to pick up the phone and talk to her. In an age where people seem to share everything at any moment, they are also losing out on the personal interactions. Sending texts may constitute a conversation, but it's a poor excuse for one. A conversation is more than just text. Body language, the inflection on certain words, the tone of one's voice. These are what really make a conversation personal and memorable. For example, I can remember sitting around the wobbly table in my Aunt's tiny kitchen, laughing and talking about old radio shows like The Shadow. I remember the cigarette smoke, cold glasses of Pepsi and the sounds of their parakeet tweeting out commands to the dog. There are sounds, emotions, even smells that trigger the memory of this specific interaction. But I can't recall what my Aunt wrote in an email to me two weeks ago.
It my be a poor example, but the idea still holds water. I feel that actual face to face interactions are far more important, yet less likely to be had these days.
When I moved into my own house, I decided that I'd like to keep in touch with my younger brother in the same way we had when both of use were gainfully unemployed. Not to exclude my parents who live nearby, my mother of which would be insanely hurt if I had a conversation with my brother and didn't tell her, I started a weekly family dinner night. Every Friday night, the family members I enjoy the most were invited over for dinner that my husband would cook. I'd help too if I had the time. It was a humble gathering around a dinner table sharing a meal and our stories from the week. Corny? You bet! But I found that it filled a sense of belonging that I generally find lacking in my life. I see my folks nearly every day, but visiting with them in a different situation opened up my eyes and ears to conversations that we most likely would not have had otherwise.
I should note that neither my brother nor his wife are involved in any social media platforms other than e-mail. He is one of the few people in my family who I need to reach by phone or just stopping over by his house. I do text him from time to time, but he often misses the texts until after I've already called him.
I supposed that I'm just showing my age. While I'm all for technological advances, I don't want to lose touch with reality completely.
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