1. Joined
    16 Sep '06
    Moves
    1631
    18 Dec '07 09:45
    Originally posted by josephw
    have nativity scenes and lights and Christmas trees set up a your house.
    I don't!
    athiest too man. me and my gf have two cats and two kittens, they think its for them! they climb right up to the top.. i love the tree smell too, reminds me of christmas.. lol
  2. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    Shoot the Squatters?
    tinyurl.com/43m7k8bw
    Joined
    23 Aug '04
    Moves
    26660
    18 Dec '07 20:28
    Originally posted by josephw
    have nativity scenes and lights and Christmas trees set up a your house.
    I don't!
    "Christmas" trees aren't really Christian. Germanic peoples have been decorating trees in the winter like forever...
  3. The sky
    Joined
    05 Apr '05
    Moves
    10385
    19 Dec '07 02:46
    Originally posted by AThousandYoung
    "Christmas" trees aren't really Christian. Germanic peoples have been decorating trees in the winter like forever...
    That's one thing I like with Christmas - it's a delightful blend of different religious and cultural traditions. Here in Norway, it's still called "jul" (i.e. Yule), and they throw some Norse mythology into the mix. For example, Santa Claus is called "julenisse" ('Christmas nisse'😉 here, Nisse being a short form of Nicolaus; but a "nisse" is also a Norse mythological creature. The "julenisse" has taken over some characteristics from other "nisser", while "nisser" in general now mostly appear in connection with Christmas, too.

    This year I'll spend Christmas in Japan and am curious to see what kind of mix of traditions I'll see there. The Japanese seem to be pretty good at integrating different cultures and religions.

    Speaking of Christmas trees, obviously I won't have one this year as I am going to Japan (and I don't know if my brother and his family are going to have one), but last year I had my first own Christmas tree (it was the first time I was celebrating Christmas at home), with star and all: http://home.online.no/~khgott/juletre2.jpg

    At my parents' home, we have a nativity set with wax figurines that was created over many years by both adults and children, a nice family activity (I think I wasn't even born when it was started; now the next generation has contributed, too). In addition to the traditional set-up, you'll find lots of animals you won't find in most nativity sets, such as snakes, snails and mice, and even a dragon that my father made in celebration of the Chinese year of the dragon. It has many family memories linked to it, so it has a lot of personal meaning in addition to the cultural and religious meaning.
  4. Donationrwingett
    Ming the Merciless
    Royal Oak, MI
    Joined
    09 Sep '01
    Moves
    27626
    19 Dec '07 02:55
    Originally posted by Nordlys
    That's one thing I like with Christmas - it's a delightful blend of different religious and cultural traditions. Here in Norway, it's still called "jul" (i.e. Yule), and they throw some Norse mythology into the mix. For example, Santa Claus is called "julenisse" ('Christmas nisse'😉 here, Nisse being a short form of Nicolaus; but a "nisse" is also a Norse myt ...[text shortened]... of personal meaning in addition to the cultural and religious meaning.
    Boo! The julbock rules!

    Yule Goat is number one! Although the nisse are OK.
  5. Playing with matches
    Joined
    08 Feb '05
    Moves
    14634
    19 Dec '07 13:47
    Originally posted by josephw
    When I was a child, and I'll still do it, I would lay down under the tree and look up through all the lights. It was surreal.
    Ate a lot of lead paint as a child as well right?
  6. Joined
    02 Oct '07
    Moves
    8708
    19 Dec '07 15:05
    Exactly my point too mate. It's up to the parents to let their children make up their own mind, when they are old enough, as to whether they believe in God and all that.
  7. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    Shoot the Squatters?
    tinyurl.com/43m7k8bw
    Joined
    23 Aug '04
    Moves
    26660
    21 Dec '07 04:20
    Originally posted by rwingett
    Boo! The julbock rules!

    Yule Goat is number one! Although the nisse are OK.
    I didn't know there was a Yule Goat!
  8. Donationrwingett
    Ming the Merciless
    Royal Oak, MI
    Joined
    09 Sep '01
    Moves
    27626
    21 Dec '07 15:171 edit
    Originally posted by AThousandYoung
    I didn't know there was a Yule Goat!
    He's been edged aside by Santa. They make a huge straw Yule goat in Sweden every year that they burn.

    Here's a Swedish tomte with a yule goat:

    http://www.emmacarlson.com/emmablog/images/tomte_by_Jenny_Nystrom-thumb.jpg
  9. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    Shoot the Squatters?
    tinyurl.com/43m7k8bw
    Joined
    23 Aug '04
    Moves
    26660
    22 Dec '07 03:49
    Originally posted by rwingett
    He's been edged aside by Santa. They make a huge straw Yule goat in Sweden every year that they burn.

    Here's a Swedish tomte with a yule goat:

    http://www.emmacarlson.com/emmablog/images/tomte_by_Jenny_Nystrom-thumb.jpg
    OMG BLITZEN IS A GOAT!!!!!

    Do the other deer know?
  10. Standard memberDavid C
    Flamenco Sketches
    Spain, in spirit
    Joined
    09 Sep '04
    Moves
    59422
    22 Dec '07 04:57
    Originally posted by josephw
    have nativity scenes and lights and Christmas trees set up a your house.
    I don't!
    Nativity scene? No. Christmas Tree? Of course. We do live in the Western Hemisphere, after all. Does one have to believe in some specific fairy tale to pariticipate in a festive holiday season?
  11. The sky
    Joined
    05 Apr '05
    Moves
    10385
    23 Dec '07 10:45
    Originally posted by AThousandYoung
    I didn't know there was a Yule Goat!
    I thought you were the julebukk!

    In Norway, there's a tradition of "going julebukk" during the time between Christmas and New Year's Eve, where children come to the doors in costumes, sing Christmas carols and ask for sweets, not unlike Halloween. But I have never seen any children actually do this, I think it's not very common anymore (but I have also been away during that time most years).
  12. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    Shoot the Squatters?
    tinyurl.com/43m7k8bw
    Joined
    23 Aug '04
    Moves
    26660
    26 Dec '07 05:03
    Originally posted by Nordlys
    I thought you were the julebukk!

    In Norway, there's a tradition of "going julebukk" during the time between Christmas and New Year's Eve, where children come to the doors in costumes, sing Christmas carols and ask for sweets, not unlike Halloween. But I have never seen any children actually do this, I think it's not very common anymore (but I have also been away during that time most years).
    Maybe I become it when I have my seizures. I thought I was simply Will Smith, but maybe I was mistaken.
Back to Top

Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More.I Agree