slartabartfast

sharke
I go in the laundromat about a week before Thanksgiving and the radio station they have on is playing non stop Christmas hits already. What is there, about 4 or 5 decent Xmas songs in existence? The very idea that people want to listen to endless Yuletide chuff 24/7 in November is just ridiculous, yet the media is convinced that it's what we want. 
 

Christmas music is to music as Santa Claus is to Christianity.
 

A lie?
 
(well, white lie, really!)

I think Christmas music is like any music; ranging from brilliant to garbage. The charlie brown Christmas album is one of my fav albums period.

Christmas now will be the season for anticipating Sonar new renewal rates :-D

dubdisciple
I think Christmas music is like any music; ranging from brilliant to garbage. The charlie brown Christmas album is one of my fav albums period.

Elvis' first Christmas album is one of my favorites ever. I listen to it all the time.

I like Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas songs. 

MandolinPicker
My granddaughter (pictured in my avatar, now 12, will be 13 next month) did something very unique for Christmas this year. Our church is hosting 'Safe Nights' this week. The churches in the local association rotate hosting folks who are homeless at night for a week at a time. In the morning, they feed them breakfast, they leave during the day, then return in the evening for a dinner meal and a safe place to sleep. Most of these folks are close to getting back on their feet, and some just need a place to land before getting back and moving on.
 
On Christmas Eve, and again this morning on Christmas Day, she got up at 4 am and went down to the church to help serve breakfast. She also helped pass out gifts to these folks. The church family had worked on creating blankets, got hats, scarves and gloves, plus a bunch of gift cards (in fact, we raised enough money to take these folks to a viewing of Star Wars as a special gift). My granddaughter talked to a number of these folks this morning. I can see where it has had an effect on her, most definitely for the positive.
 
No one talked her into doing this - in fact she came and told us she was going to do it. Don't know many kids that would get up that early on Christmas morning to do something other than to tear into their own gifts.
 
I am so very proud of her.

You should be. That's wonderful of her and a great story to read here.

@ Tim & Mesh
 
Very interesting stuff guys, especially that link you posted Mesh.
 
As you know, I'm an atheist, but to me, Christmas has always been, and always will be, the day Christians celebrate the birth of their saviour, Jesus Christ. Christians should never feel obliged to 'prove' or 'justify' the date and its links to their faith.
 
What an awful world it would be where freedom to practise and celebrate one's religion was outlawed.
 
I'm often accused of being a hypocrite for 'participating' in all things Christmas, especially as I don't believe. But I like to think I do go along with the 'spirit' of the season, without at the same time requiring the religious element to do so.
 
Live and let live
 

SteveStrummerUK
... 
What an awful world it would be where freedom to practise and celebrate one's religion was outlawed.
 ...

Ohhh about a quarter to a fifth of the whole world can not practice anything except what they are told ... you should know that by now ... and you and I and Bono, have been hoping for 50 years that music can bridge the gap even more ... and it hasn't.
 
I am not sure any more that "freedom" to practice anything, is anything but just another word for nothing, and be a good boy and shut up and do what you are told. Heck, even in rock'n'roll, things are like that!

For some reason, where I used to work, they didn't seem to think it was ok to have Monday's and Friday's off as paid religious holidays... 

Rimshot
Rain, I am sorry to hear that news. I can understand why you are not in a Christmas mood. I hope all goes well with you and family. 
I like Christmas because it has religious significance for me. My son Alex is home from his first quarter at college and our house is bright and cheery. Just had my company party at a nice old restaurant by the ocean.
I am in the local Rotary club and I actually rang bells for the Salvation Army last week! Never did that before. 
I think it is a time for giving. The presents are fun but the family part of it still moves me.
To each their own. I just had a birthday and am grateful to be alive and healthy. So many things to be grateful for actually. 
Christmas is good in my world. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and that next year brings you peace, love, and opportunities. 
 
Rimshot

 
Merry Christmas! Good to see you around here. Maybe I'll stop by more often if Bapu lets me.