What is wrong with this picture? Hmm. Think about it for 5 seconds.
A posh New York food store apparently tried its best to be inclusive and politically correct, but missed the important point that any Jew who is likely to be celebrating Chanukah is unlikely to be eating ham. It’s just not kosher. Yeah, of course I know some non-observant Jews who eat ham, but as far as I’m aware they don’t bother to celebrate Chanukah in a big way.
It’s quite sweet really that the store tried to think of customers who would be celebrating festivals other than Christmas, but oh so clueless. Still, they should feel some nachas for trying.
Incidentally, I have to say that so far this year, I have received two Christmas cards…from Jewish friends. Maybe they’re the only ones who have patience for it all any more. I’ve only visited one large shopping centre so far in the last month, but already I was getting a bad case of the ol’ Bah Humbugs again. It always seems to hit around this time of year. In fact, it’s almost a year to the day from that Bah Humbug post.
When attending the large shopping centre (aka “Hellhole”) I thought I should take the kidlet to see Santa, but she ran screaming from the poor Santa-man, shouting “No, no, no! GO ‘WAY!” I felt a bit sorry for the Santa, he must get that all day. So I waved and smiled at him as I ran to catch the bubba. What a job.
The Legal Soapbox 
I think Christmas is becoming more and more the “Season of Depression.”
Other than my 3 year old daughter, everyone I know is feeling down in the dumps.
I guess tinsel no longer has the magical power it once did.
Nice catch—I got the point in about two seconds, but I wonder if this picture will be lost on people who don’t know enough about religion to realise what’s wrong with it.
Hey Fairlane, sorry I haven’t been round much for the last two or three months.
Xmas is kinda sad, isn’t it?
Everyone rushes around, going to parties and getting stressed because they eat too much and drink too much. Then they get all stressed about the whole present thing (“should I get this person a present? how much should I spend? what do I do if they get me a present and I haven’t gotten one for them?”)
Half the time the present is some useless bit of tchotchke that the recipient doesn’t really want or need, and it ends up just cluttering up the cupboard. For some reason I often get bath salts (do I smell?) and I don’t really use them. But when I told my sister this, she said, “I LOVE bath salts!”, so I’ll just pass ’em on to her when I next receive some.
Michael, that’s the silly thing – politically correct people often don’t know much about religion. So, for example, they ban nativity plays at kindergartens to avoid offending Muslims. Then there’s outcry against Muslims. But the Muslims then say, “We don’t actually want you to ban nativity plays – Jesus is one of our Prophets and we are happy to honour His birth. All we want is for people to know that we have special traditions too.”
I don’t understand why people seem to be so sensitive over some things and not over others.
“Merry Christmas!”
“Um, dude, it’s ‘Happy Holidays.’ Not everyone believes in Christ.”
Two months later…
“Happy Valentine’s Day!”
“Uh, you believe in love?”
Heh. What a marketing FUBAR!
LP, I love it.
SL – how’s Oxford treating you? Well I hope. I’ve been buried under marking and other work stuff, but finally getting a chance to study now…
Busy busy, but great fun. A real eye-opener – and talk about quality!
xmas is fine is you survive the family dramas over presents and whose turn is it to host, the shopping crowds, the moronic drivers who think racing ahead to pass 1 vehicle means they will get to work quicker (why rush to WORK is my point!), the endless function invites, friends who wait all year to “catch up” who insist it must be in the last 2 weekends before xmas, when you just fully booked, and get upset, the travel on xmas day between family functions, the music in shopping centres (deserves a special mention on its own), putting up with drunk teenagers who think xmas lights in your yard are a public nuisance (not me, but for neighbours), people generally more stressed and aggressive, etc.
But what I do love about it is:
1. having all my family together 1 last time (a brother leaves for overseas for 2 years)
2. my daughters first xmas
3. 1 week and 1/2 off – yeehaaa
4. hot enough to go swimming with my little girl
5. xmas good cheer – it can still be found!
I hate seeing “happy holidays” – every muslim, jewish persons comment I have seen on this says it is unnecessary, but apparently we non muslim /jews seem to think otherwise!
As an atheist I have no problems celebrating Christmas and I enjoy it for much the same reasons that Pete M cites. My little boy is 3 and he is really looking forward to it this year.and the message of the festival, Good will to all, is something that we can all appreciate no matter what our faith tradition may be..
LE,
I can just see your little girl doing that – and I’m proud of her streetsmarts! We spend how long telling kids to avoid strangers then at one time of the year, we’re telling them to go hug the hairy fat man? You’ve got a cluey one there.
much love,
bc
Pete and Iain,
My mother reprimanded me yesterday for saying I didn’t like Christmas. And she’s right. I love spending the day with family, I love Mum’s cooking (and my mother-in-law’s too), I love my daughter’s excitement over “pwesents”, I even love the dog’s excitement over his present (a Schmacko and a chew toy). He quivers when he finds it under the Christmas tree.
It’s just the lead up, and almost exactly the same stresses as Pete has identified.
Fortunately, our families have decided we can alternate Christmas day. That way we don’t have to commute from one dinner to the other. That makes things a lot easier. And my families are small, so there’s no weird tensions or strange relatives who I don’t want to see.
BC, ha ha – yep, no flies on my little girl, she ain’t going up to no big fat stranger even if he says he’ll give her presents…