(no subject)

[serene]

From the altfriday5:

1. Do you celebrate any holidays in December? If yes, which ones, and why? If no, why not?

I do Giftmas -- Christmas is an excuse to give gifts -- but I'm thinking of switching to Solstice next year.

2. How does the celebration of Christmas affect you (e.g., I like it, because it's my holiday; It doesn't affect me one way or the other; I hate it, because it symbolizes the socio-political dominance of Christianity, etc.)? Or, if Christmas is not the dominant December holiday where you live, how does the celebration of the dominant holiday affect you?

Christmas is fun and overblown and kitschy and trashy -- none of which are inherently bad things to me.

3. What do you feel Christmas is or has become (e.g. a secular holiday, a religious holiday, a celebration of consumption, etc.)?

It's all those things, and it's also an entrenchment in the dominant culture of a reminder that many other people are Not Like Us. I did it myself the other day by calling Christmas "the holidays" (thanks for pointing that out, snippy) without thinking, and I, as an atheist and diversity activist, should know better.

4. Will you be giving any holiday gifts this year? If yes, to whom? In total, did you spend more or less this year than last year?

I don't keep track of what I spend. I will give gifts to my partners and their partners, my niblings, and my mom.

5. If you could change one thing about how your December holiday(s) is(are) celebrated, what would it be? Or, if you don't celebrate any, if you could change one thing about how the dominant holiday is celebrated, what would it be?

If I could afford it, I would fly just my mom and the Munchkins up here for one day for Christmas. And then fly them back home the next day. Not so fun for them, but exactly how much time I wish to have them in my apartment all at once. :-)

The Questioner says: Don't forget your links!