1. Maryland
    Joined
    10 Jun '05
    Moves
    155335
    02 Dec '09 16:51
    As the holiday season approaches, I would like to extend Winter Solstice Greetings to everyone at RHP. Wishing every one good health and good chess for 2010 and beyond!
  2. Standard memberPalynka
    Upward Spiral
    Halfway
    Joined
    02 Aug '04
    Moves
    8702
    02 Dec '09 17:49
    I hope you're a bit less premature in other situations...
  3. Maryland
    Joined
    10 Jun '05
    Moves
    155335
    02 Dec '09 19:00
    Don't be sour! I wish you an especially happy winter solstice!
  4. Standard memberPalynka
    Upward Spiral
    Halfway
    Joined
    02 Aug '04
    Moves
    8702
    02 Dec '09 19:04
    Originally posted by 667joe
    Don't be sour! I wish you an especially happy winter solstice!
    Do you mean Christmas?
  5. Maryland
    Joined
    10 Jun '05
    Moves
    155335
    02 Dec '09 19:09
    Originally posted by Palynka
    Do you mean Christmas?
    No. The winter solstice Usually around December 21, when the days begin to lenghten.
  6. Standard memberPalynka
    Upward Spiral
    Halfway
    Joined
    02 Aug '04
    Moves
    8702
    02 Dec '09 19:15
    Originally posted by 667joe
    No. The winter solstice Usually around December 21, when the days begin to lenghten.
    Exactly, but then there's no holiday season associated with it.
  7. Standard memberSwissGambit
    Caninus Interruptus
    2014.05.01
    Joined
    11 Apr '07
    Moves
    92274
    02 Dec '09 19:34
    I don't care what they call it. Christmas, Solstice, whatever.

    Happy bunch-of-paid-holidays to everyone who gets them. 😀
  8. Maryland
    Joined
    10 Jun '05
    Moves
    155335
    02 Dec '09 23:21
    Originally posted by Palynka
    Exactly, but then there's no holiday season associated with it.
    Actually, celebrating the solstice was an ancient holiday celebrated before Xmas and the Christians borrowed it to make it their own. The ancient astronomers perceived what is now 12/25 as the 1st day the the sun started trekking to the north again.
  9. Standard memberkaroly aczel
    The Axe man
    Brisbane,QLD
    Joined
    11 Apr '09
    Moves
    102622
    02 Dec '09 23:30
    I hope everyone has a drink and lend me and the others from rhp a thought. I know I will. Perhaps we can make life that bit more 'comfortable'. Cheers 🙂
    Happy holidays!
  10. Standard memberamannion
    Andrew Mannion
    Melbourne, Australia
    Joined
    17 Feb '04
    Moves
    53702
    03 Dec '09 00:53
    Originally posted by 667joe
    Actually, celebrating the solstice was an ancient holiday celebrated before Xmas and the Christians borrowed it to make it their own. The ancient astronomers perceived what is now 12/25 as the 1st day the the sun started trekking to the north again.
    What's your problem with celebrating christmas as a cultural event?
    I'm an atheist too, but c'mon - it is possible to go overboard with all the rejecting of religious symbolism stuff.
    Christmas is a traditional celebration in christian-oriented societies. It has been for a pretty long time. Aside from the fact that it's a public holiday - and who can ever reject those - it's an event that should be celebrated as one of cultural significance.
    Here in Australia we've been trying to promote the celebration of the indigenous Australian's cultural events for some years. (Well some of us have anyway.) No one really seems to have much of a problem with celebrating indigenous cultural heritage. Why should christmas be any different?
    Now I know there's an argument to be had for overdoing the commercial side of things - the gift giving and so on - but honestly, it might be time for you to lighten up a bit ...

    ... and have a Merry Christmas to boot.
  11. Maryland
    Joined
    10 Jun '05
    Moves
    155335
    03 Dec '09 02:01
    The solstice applies to everybody. A minority of the world is Christian. If you are a Christian, please enjoy your holiday, but have the decency to realize some people you wish a merry Xmas to may take umbrage just as you seem to have taken umbrage with me. Remember, though, Xmas can be avoided, but you will experience the solstice no matter what, so you may as well enjoy it. The Christians picked 12/25 as Christ's birthday because the solstice represented to the pagans the 1st sign of the return of life from the dead of winter, so you see, you are really celebrating the solstice. Christians plagiarized the holiday!
  12. Standard memberamannion
    Andrew Mannion
    Melbourne, Australia
    Joined
    17 Feb '04
    Moves
    53702
    03 Dec '09 02:20
    Originally posted by 667joe
    The solstice applies to everybody. A minority of the world is Christian. If you are a Christian, please enjoy your holiday, but have the decency to realize some people you wish a merry Xmas to may take umbrage just as you seem to have taken umbrage with me. Remember, though, Xmas can be avoided, but you will experience the solstice no matter what, so you ...[text shortened]... ter, so you see, you are really celebrating the solstice. Christians plagiarized the holiday!
    Yeah I get all the historical significance of the solstice and the christian takeover of the holiday. It just strikes me as a bit over the top.
    I'm not sure what umbrage is taken by someone wishing me a merry christmas. I wouldn't take umbrage over a muslim wishing me a happy ramadan or a jew suggesting I should enjoy hannukah (not sure of the spelling on that one). It's a simple matter to point out that these celebrations do not apply to me since I don't follow that faith.
    Now, as it turns out I don't follow christianity either, but I live in a society where christianity is the faith of the majority, and the history of my society has tended to celebrate some of the ritual dates of this majority. I'm not fussed by that. Yes I'm an atheist. Yes, I don't believe in the divinity of jesus or anyone else. Yes, I don't believe in a god.
    But so what. It's just a freakin' holiday.

    And on this issue of celebrating the solstice. It may have been relevant during ancient times when so much of the life of people was focused around the seasons and other cycles in the natural world.
    It's not relevant now.
    You may as well celebrate the day before the solstice, or the day after December 7, for any actual significance those dates have. (Which is none.)
    Christmas has some cultural and historical significance ... and I get a day off.
  13. Standard memberBosse de Nage
    Zellulärer Automat
    Spiel des Lebens
    Joined
    27 Jan '05
    Moves
    90892
    03 Dec '09 04:19
    Originally posted by 667joe
    The solstice applies to everybody. A minority of the world is Christian. If you are a Christian, please enjoy your holiday, but have the decency to realize some people you wish a merry Xmas to may take umbrage just as you seem to have taken umbrage with me. Remember, though, Xmas can be avoided, but you will experience the solstice no matter what, so you ...[text shortened]... ter, so you see, you are really celebrating the solstice. Christians plagiarized the holiday!
    Christmas is a synthesis of any number of solar myths. Wotan is never far away.
  14. Standard memberBosse de Nage
    Zellulärer Automat
    Spiel des Lebens
    Joined
    27 Jan '05
    Moves
    90892
    03 Dec '09 04:20
    Originally posted by amannion

    I'm not sure what umbrage is taken by someone wishing me a merry christmas.
    You'd pretty much have to be a Scrooge.
  15. Standard memberamannion
    Andrew Mannion
    Melbourne, Australia
    Joined
    17 Feb '04
    Moves
    53702
    03 Dec '09 04:24
    Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
    You'd pretty much have to be a Scrooge.
    Good point, although I'm not sure that was Joe's point. He's having a go at any sign of religious celebration in a community.
    Now far be it for me to act as an apologist for christians or any other faith, but you can take rabid atheism a little bit too far at times - it's a little like ultra forms of political correctness.
    Sometimes you've just got to get over it ...
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