It's December, and we all know what that means!
Holidays of all kinds (religious and otherwise) are upon us!

Not necessarily the most celebrated, but certainly the most well endorsed holiday by the media this time of year is Christmas.

And where there's Christmas, there are advent calendars!

So... I thought we'd start a little Advent-Calender discussion.
So, I'll start by asking everyone, and then we can just develop general chat?

Do you celebrate Christmas? (If you do, is it because you/your family are religious or just... because, and if not, do you celebrate any other holidays this time of year? (Hanukkah, Eid al Adha etc. [Yes, I know, Eid has just passed, it's still this time of year though!]))


Andd, do you have an advent calendar? (If you do, is it one of those that just goes up to Christmas eve/day or does it go all the way to New Year, if you don't... why? Do you do something else? Is it because you celebrate a different holiday [if it is, what do you do in the lead-up to the holiday you celebrate?])

I thought it'd be a good way to get us all feeling festive for whatever holidays we might be looking forward to (or recovering from) this month. Including New Year! Which I'm always looking forward to

Do you guys have any New Year's resolutions yet? Are you making one at all?

In short... Happy December everyone!

Maybe it's more like a generic English thing...
They're basically these Calendars with windows. All the windows have numbers on, and you open each window on a certain day and there's something behind it. It's supposed to be a countdown to Christmas.

They sell chocolate ones in Supermarkets.
We also have this one at home which is basically big fabric tree with little pocket-sized Christmas Story picture books in.
It's really cute ^__^

What's wrong with Christmas? i think its a wonderful holiday, especially with all the cookies and hot chocolate, as well as the joy of celebrating His birthday, or more like His Son's birthday. Happy 2009th Birthday!!

Some people don't celebrate it because they're not Christian, etc.
I celebrate Christmas and I still love it, even though I'm not really religious anymore, but because my whole family is Catholic and it's nice to be able to do one real family thing a year.

I was raised Catholic, but I've recently begun to explore the idea of other religions and agnosticism, but I think I'll probably always celebrate Christmas anyway. Even if I do decide to follow another religion, I believe in acknowledging other holidays and respecting their traditions.

Besides, a little festive spirit never hurt anybody
I really love Christmas. I just love everything about it, I guess I just grew up with it. I guess that might not make sense to some people xD

But I know what I mean xDD

its true that some people have different religions and they dont celebrate it, but maybe it would it would be fun to try out other holidays, to see what they celebrate. i have always wanted to play dreidle. lol i think i spelled it wrong.

I agree
I don't see why everyone doesn't just join in everyone elses holidays.
You shouldn't have to "believe" to celebrate.

Like Chinese New Year - I may not share China's cultural beliefs, but I still celebrate at Chinese New Year, I enjoy the festivities. (Plus, I really like Chinese food)

I think it'd be nice if we all just shared holidays, even if they didn't have any cultural significance to us.
Celebrate the fact that there are other people who have something to celebrate about!

Or something like that :']

same here. I love Chinese holidays too!

@red: Lol, I'm American, and I didn't know what and advent calendar was.

I celebrate Christmas and I'm Christian, but no, I don't have an advent calendar.

With every year, holidays such as Christmas feel less and less special, to be honest.

When I was a little kid, it was incredible, but over time the magic has started to fade.

:<

It will never fade, by Jove, if I have non-stupid people to share it with.
Anybody know where I can exchange a people?

Another sign of the exploitation that pervades a materialistic society.
Putting my socialist views aside (;P), I think it's acceptable, I mean the idea of a business to market their wares and make money.

Christmas has become a more universal holiday, correct. Whether religious or not, it's generally a celebration of existence, hope, giving thanks, appreciation for each other, and life. For Christians it has a special meaning, like you said. What's kind of sad is that people (and Christians) seem to forget this at times... but it's like scolding the rain for being wet. It happens. (shrug)

I believe Christmas is for more than just Christians, though I am one myself. It's for all the people who believe in the holiday spirit and for those who think it's fun to give and get things from friends and family. Christmas may be His birthday, but that doesn't mean that only His followers can celebrate it. But I also have to say that it kinda has lost its luster. It seems to start earlier and earlier each year. Christmas music started all the way in november. it wasn't even close to Christmas. It was still at least 6 or 7 weeks away. it's overkill. And I have a problem with people spelling it X-mas. its Christmas, for crying out loud!!
(Sorry this is so long.)

Kvista, stores here started putting up their Christmas decorations before halloween.
I don't like how overly marketed it is, because I think that it's due to that that Christmas loses a lot of its character.
Christmas for me is about the joy of giving and spending time with your family. We don't have thanksgiving in England, so here Christmas is a time to give thanks for all the great things we have too, friends and family especially.

There's a certain beauty in just appreciating other people and I think that the fact that Christmas encourages people to do just that is really something to be celebrated.

Wow. you're right. family is important and everyone should ber thankful you have one because some people grow up without one. It's sad.

Yeah, I love getting presents, but definitely my favorite thing about Christmas is spending time with my g-parents.

I wish I could spend time with my family. They're scattered all over the country, and the world.

Lol, I have cousins in Chicago, but yeah, the vast majority of my family is in Texas...Although I can think of a few that I wouldn't mind at all if they went back to Chicago...

My last name is pretty uncommon though, so if I ever meet somebody I don't know with the same name, we'd probably be long lost relatives, lol!

I have over i think 4 to 5 hundred cousins in the Philippines alone, not including the rest of my family.

That's a lot... Are you including 10th and 11th cousins, lol?

No. most are thirds, fourths and fifths. But I might have a few 6th and 7th cousins too.

Lol, I don't even know that many people.

I get out for Christmas break next Thursday, but I'm not sure when I'm leaving for my g-parents house.

lol yeah. I dont even know half of them, anyway.