Santa is watching you !

[Adrian Caspersz]

"With flashing LED light"

Poor Kids ...

[Graeme]

In message , Adrian Caspersz writes

Out of stock - but available via eBay from 7.95!

[damduck-egg]

Blimey. got that very page open here atm and was thinking how tacky that is, I've never seen a real Elf let alone a dummy one.

Unfortunately we are past the stage where ourselves, friends and relatives have young children, otherwise I'd have given a couple whose birthdays were in Autumn/early Winter a trail camera. "If you set this up on Christmas Eve you'll catch Father Christmas."

Explain that picture Daddy.

G. Harman

[T i m]

Quite ;-)

I don't think I was really ever convinced by the whole Xmyth and 'Father Christmas' thing, or not since I could consider practical matters (like how an adult man could get into our lounge though a Parkray glass fronted solid fuel fire).

I went along with it of course because I got presents, even after I was 100% sure my own parents (and others) were lying to me and then was 'obliged' to continue with the whole scam 'in case I spoiled it for other children still believed in it'. ;-(

Same sort of thing with the 'Tooth Fairy' or 'The bogie man' etc.

I got out of going to Sunday School as soon as they let me and haven't been back since and that and our daughter now being 27, we don't have to go though any of that 'Commercial spirit of Xmyth' stuff.

So, we have done all our Xmyth shopping (true, we have done all we are going to and that's none ) and we haven't sent an Xmyth card (real or 'e') for ~30 years. If we know someone might like something or we feel the need to give someone a gift we do so at any time of the year.

We still get a couple of cards though, one from the local Kebab shop and a neighbour who insists he likes sending us one, even though I tell him it will go straight in the recycling unopened (my protest to him is the 'wasted' paper and card etc). I don't get how someone would still get pleasure doing something under those circumstances ... unless he's on some sort of card-sale commission! [1] ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[1] And to those who give 'good cause' cards ... I wonder what percentage they actually make from them and how much more they could earn if you gave them the pack price but didn't take the bits of folded cardboard and envelopes?

[Max Demian]

As an atheist I don't see anything the matter with sending and receiving Christmas cards as a way of maintaining contact with family and friends you don't communicate with otherwise. Or giving and receiving presents as long as they are inexpensive as they will mostly not be what people want. Don't you celebrate birthdays either?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Why not just send them the money? What is the point in giving someone a present they won't use?

Kids are so much more logical. They tell you what they want. ;-)

[T i m]

Seems a strange way of doing that if they are actually your friends? I see, ring or email my 'friends' as / when I feel the moment or if something comes up that means it might be appropriate.

And you only think of your family at one particular time of the year?

We used to get Xmyth cards from people my Mum tells me are say, my cousins who I can't remember the last time I met them and have never had any real contact with them or anything in common (other than they are my cousins etc). FWIW they might as well be any other strangers from that POV (and I do nod, smile or pass the time of day with 'strangers' when passing etc).

Xmyth presents you mean, as an atheist at Xmyth time?

"Here Jonny, here is a nice new bike ... but it's pi$$ing down with rain out there so best not go out on it right now ..."

Wouldn't it be better to get / give Jonny the bike in the spring ... or just because the opportunity was right?

Quite, even less reason to waste the world resources!

Nope ... and even if I did, I wouldn't substitute some mass produced and generic bit of printed cardboard as a way of marking / doing it.

It might as well be one of those universal ones:

"Wishing you a happy " "Thinking of you on your " Good luck on your "

;-)

Cheers, T i m

[ARW]

Fuck that. Just turn up to their funeral.

[Fredxxx]

In reality Christmas has very little do to with any modern religion.

In fact I can't think of any that truly celebrate the Winter solstice and have simply hijacked the event from other, perhaps more deserving, ancient religions.

[Max Demian]

Because to an adult the amount would be trivial.

It's interesting to choose and receive an unexpected present, and some of them are useful.

[T i m]

Then make it more? The point is that if you really want to help a charity it is more effective to give them the money they have to earn from selling cards than getting them to produce and sell cards.

Whilst it can be, it can also be embarrassing. We generally have an 'understanding' amongst friends and family that we 'don't do Xmyth' so also don't do cards and presents. That acheives many things. No stress, cost and time wasted by anyone buying stuff that is potentially unwanted or unneeded and that will likely get given away, boot saled or dumped.

Some can be yes, depending on what you like, what you have already got and what you actually need.

Here is how it often works out:

You buy someone something at a price you think is appropriate to spend on them and they try to do the same for you. Get the balance wrong can often cause embarrassment.

The next year you agree to spend £X on each other, in an effort to minimise any further stress and embarrassment.

Then you might just give each other vouchers to the value £x but still might get them from the wrong company etc.

Then you just swap cash with the 'get yourselves something from us'.

The year after you agree to go and get £X amounts worth of stuff for yourself (less time wasted returning / exchanging stuff).

Then you just *say* you will do the reciprocal presents thing and things get even easier. ;-)

Many have more disposable income than me these days!

Cheers, T i m

[Brian Gaff]

No never had the tooth fairy etc here. I think when you aware young, you tend to know that Father Christmas is fake, but you deny this to yourself as we have very vivid imaginations when we are little. as a person who's birthday is within 10 days of Christmas Day I also found that combined presents tended to come early. Brian

[Brian Gaff]

I had almost as much fun with the boxes as with the toys. I tended to take stuff apart to see how they worked of course. This is often nowt what was intended. My best toy ever was a gyroscope as it seemed to defy logic completely. Brian

[Chris B]

And Martin Lewis has been banging on about it for years so you are far from alone.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's what I sort of guessed. Some just enjoy shopping for presents.

Sadly, so many seem to be what the buyer thinks the recipient *should* like. Rather than a few pairs of black socks etc that would actually be of use. ;-)