christmas/holiday spirit

@Snowy, my wife and i dont do presents either

 

I must be lucky then. Got to have my first Christmas in my new house with my girlfriend. There wasn't a whole lot of surprise in presents because we both told each other What we wanted. Otoh, we were able to get what we wanted because two can live a bit cheaper than separate. Yeah, I had my kids christmas eve and my ex has them today, but so what. They will learn. I think we were all happy.

 

Hair of the Christmas spirit?

 

Had a good Christmas so far. Easy 8 hour shift and tonight will be customer free until tomorrow morning for the annual "be a glutton and splurge on December 26th sale".
Had an actual breakfast and lunch as well which is a nice bonus already exceeding my normal daily meals..

 

Being a neo-Pagan, I have spirit for this time of year in terms of the winter solstice. Christmas was tacked on to the occasion in the late 4th century. The 25th was the birthday of Mithras at the time, and the Roman army was full of Mithraists, so that when Christianity became the state religion, certain features of Mithraism were combined with it and given a Christian coloring. Of such, the veneration of Sunday and of Dec. 25th were among the foremost. But for neo-Pagans, Yule is the time of year when daylight hours begin once again to increase, bringing a promise of spring. The old year departs, and the new arrives, with fresh energy for all endeavors. The so-called Christmas tree is likewise a relic of the old Pagan worship, and stands for the World Tree, the spine, as it were, of the cosmos, with the pole-star at the top.
Regarding holiday expenses, I can remember when I was a child that banks offered Christmas Club accounts. You began saving up for the holidays in January, so that by December you had a tidy sum to spend on gifts for relatives and friends. See if such are still available. Additionally, if you can manage to celebrate your holiday with children present, you will find that they provide all the necessary Christmas cheer. It is a magical time for them, and the magic tends to rub off if you let it.
The key to giving a gift is to spend some time studying the recipient and his or her needs and wishes. This is more important than the price tag, and indeed should be reckoned in as part of the price. Try to give joy and conviviality to others at this time, and you may succeed in forgetting your wretched feelings about the whole affair.
Best wishes,
IanBrianna

 

Happy Boxing Day!

 

The Human Fund?