Christmas - is it class or not?

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

I love Christmas, following on from Ziggys thread about joyous people, I was just thinking about what people LIKED about Christmas Time?

I love the fact that people are generally in a more positive and happier frame of mind, smile more, say thank you more, are more generous to the less well off, love the feeling of hope and optimism that seems to be more prevelent at this time of year.
Love the Christmas songs, the annual "gatherings" of friends who haven't seen each other for a year, the family getting together, the giving of gifts and the feeding!
The beer and the decorations aren't bad either! 

Nollaig Shona. 

[SammyG]

Love Christmas and everything about it. Best time of the year by a long way.

[pintsofguinness]

I find it very depressing, particularly New Years eve.

[SammyG]

Better than the Twelfth Sammy ? 

[theskull1]

I find it very depressing, particularly New Years eve.

For once I will agree with Pints, I find it a depressing time of year, I think Christams can put a lot of unneccessary stress on a lot of people, in fact I`ll be glad when its all over and things get back to normal. The real meaning of Christmas seems to have been lost a long time ago.

Another Bah Humbug. It's more the weather than anything else for me. If the landscape was covered in snow and the place didn't look like the grey dirty hole that it is, then I'm sure I'd perk up. Puts everyone in bad form I think at this time of year no? Oh yeah almost forgot about the blind consumerism. Don't get me started on that one.

[The Real Laoislad]

I love Christmas, following on from Ziggys thread about joyous people, I was just thinking about what people LIKED about Christmas Time?

I love the fact that people are generally in a more positive and happier frame of mind, smile more, say thank you more, are more generous to the less well off, love the feeling of hope and optimism that seems to be more prevelent at this time of year.
Love the Christmas songs, the annual "gatherings" of friends who haven't seen each other for a year, the family getting together, the giving of gifts and the feeding!
The beer and the decorations aren't bad either! 

Nollaig Shona. 

I generally find people more ignorant this time of year,especially in shopping centres and people in cars around the roads and car parks of the shopping centre
Only thing i like about christmas is going down to my parents in Laois for a few days other than that i could take or leave all the crazy mad shite that goes on

[cville]

Nah... take it or leave it. All that false niceness etc. There are sad Bastards in my work for whom the party season is the highlight of their life! I would love to shut the door on Christmas Eve.. Fridge full of beer full of food and good grub... a big fire ... good tv ... and loads of fecking snow and nobody disturbing me until January..... Bit of peace and quiet .. ps is it me or are the 'annual lgatherings the same old shite - same stories and people - seems to me that the interval is getting shorter between them..

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Jezuz lads, was hoping to get your nice thoughts and reasons why Christmas is class (obviously my opinion and not yours), is there anyone out there who loves this time of year, excuse for meeting up with family, friends having an "annual Gathering" etc...

Also TRealLL I find most people generally nicer at this time of year! Would hate to think that the Nordies were nicer then you (very helpful) Laois people! 

[The Real Laoislad]

Jezuz lads, was hoping to get your nice thoughts and reasons why Christmas is class (obviously my opinion and not yours), is there anyone out there who loves this time of year, excuse for meeting up with family, friends having an "annual Gathering" etc...

Also TRealLL I find most people generally nicer at this time of year! Would hate to think that the Nordies were nicer then you (very helpful) Laois people! 

I live in Dublin so maybe thats whats wrong

[pintsofguinness]

Jezuz lads, was hoping to get your nice thoughts and reasons why Christmas is class (obviously my opinion and not yours), is there anyone out there who loves this time of year, excuse for meeting up with family, friends having an "annual Gathering" etc...

Meeting up with family?
Aye, I spend the entire time trying to stop myself from strangling the sister's boyfriend.

[Puckoon]

I find it very depressing, particularly New Years eve.

For once I will agree with Pints, I find it a depressing time of year, I think Christams can put a lot of unneccessary stress on a lot of people, in fact I`ll be glad when its all over and things get back to normal. The real meaning of Christmas seems to have been lost a long time ago.

I disagree, while christmas has been commercialised, I think the real meaning of christmas is family, and that is something that I try and hold dear to every year.
I do however feel for people for whom the holidays (for some reason or another) can be rough.

[theskull1]

Jezuz lads, was hoping to get your nice thoughts and reasons why Christmas is class (obviously my opinion and not yours), is there anyone out there who loves this time of year, excuse for meeting up with family, friends having an "annual Gathering" etc...

Also TRealLL I find most people generally nicer at this time of year! Would hate to think that the Nordies were nicer then you (very helpful) Laois people! 

In fairness GDA...I think its an age thing...if you're in your twenties, its good enough for most people. But over time once you see the same old shite year after year, it wears you down. In the immortal words of Coolio..."I'll see you when you get there" ...until then enjoy it 

[Puckoon]

Nah... take it or leave it. All that false niceness etc. There are sad Bastards in my work for whom the party season is the highlight of their life! I would love to shut the door on Christmas Eve.. Fridge full of beer full of food and good grub... a big fire ... good tv ... and loads of fecking snow and nobody disturbing me until January..... Bit of peace and quiet .. ps is it me or are the 'annual lgatherings the same old shite - same stories and people - seems to me that the interval is getting shorter between them..

There are other sad bastards (one worked with my mother) for whom the wimbledon fortnight are their annual holidays, and they never leave the house!

[theskull1]

I find it very depressing, particularly New Years eve.

For once I will agree with Pints, I find it a depressing time of year, I think Christams can put a lot of unneccessary stress on a lot of people, in fact I`ll be glad when its all over and things get back to normal. The real meaning of Christmas seems to have been lost a long time ago.

I disagree, while christmas has been commercialised, I think the real meaning of christmas is family, and that is something that I try and hold dear to every year.
I do however feel for people for whom the holidays (for some reason or another) can be rough.

Personally speaking ...ALMOST EVERYBODY around me is consumed by consumerism, family included........ I can't stand the facad. Conversations about mobile phones and dresses and the kids new PS3 console. Numbs my mind to the point that I just want to close the door and not deal with the falseness of it all.

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Jezuz lads, was hoping to get your nice thoughts and reasons why Christmas is class (obviously my opinion and not yours), is there anyone out there who loves this time of year, excuse for meeting up with family, friends having an "annual Gathering" etc...

Also TRealLL I find most people generally nicer at this time of year! Would hate to think that the Nordies were nicer then you (very helpful) Laois people! 

In fairness GDA...I think its an age thing...if you're in your twenties, its good enough for most people. But over time once you see the same old shite year after year, it wears you down. In the immortal words of Coolio..."I'll see you when you get there" ...until then enjoy it 

Well I'm in my early thirties, and I still love it, but as was said earlier by Puckoon I do understand that some people have had bad times at this time of year (bereavements etc...) and that can make Christmas a hard time to go through, my thoughts go out to any of you who are remembering loved ones at this time of year (as am I).