christmas when you were young?

Question

the holidays come sooner and sooner every year. remember when you were young and the official christmas season started the day after thanksgiving? when people put up decorations and stores magically transformed overnight? is it just me or, was it just more special then? with everyone trying to get such a huge head start these days, it's just not the same anymore.

Answer 1

You are exactly right in your observation. It used to be a joy to decorate the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving night. The whole family would be there and just enjoy each others company. Now, kids have no idea about what Christmas is all about. Sometimes, I wish that they could just go back and see how it was, and realize that there is more to the holidays, than receiving presents. Wow, I miss those days. Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

Answer 2

Actually, when I was a kid, Christmas and decorating and all the magic didn't start right after Thanksgiving. The two holidays were totally separate. We began our season more in the middle of December, and it continued till Little Christmas in January. That's when our tree and decorations came down....and we still follow that tradition.

Hate what commercialism has done. Holidays have become big business and just watch...a day or so after Christmas, we're going to see Valentine's cards and candy in the store aisles!

Answer 3

Christmas seems to have become a commercial thing these days... the real spirit of Christmas just doesn't seem to feel the same to me... Yes it felt wonderful back then... we sang in the Singing Christmas Tree every year at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento... Grandparents that were true Christians helped a great deal... everything was hand made and given with a warm heart. We were never idle then... it all took work and a lot of thought to make a gift for someone.


The closest thing I've come to this is when I was married and my husband, who was a Military man, came home, after a tour of 4 months... along with a couple hundred other guys... It was a Christmas of the soul for all of us...

Answer 4

I remember the excitement of the Christmas holidays. The smells, the feel, the taste, the sound. Even though we were poor and didn't get many gifts, we still so enjoyed it. We sang carols with my mother, sitting around the Christmas tree. She cooked the best food in the world. We visited family that we didn't see very often. I try to recapture that for my grandchildren, but it's not the same. I just try to keep in mind that we are making memories for them too. Memories that will be just as special... I hope.

Answer 5

I think the real meaning of Christmas has been lost by
commercialism. We need the time to reflect on those who have less than we do. We should be giving instead of taking. We should also enjoy what we do have. And enjoy just being together. We need a return to that. Siksika has a point. I do remember the wonderful Christmases we had as kids, the fun, the beautful tree, the food and being together. Both my daughters will be with me this Christmas, that is a gift enough.

Answer 6

Yes, we've noticed. I use to work sales when I was a teen, and I remember when nothing of Christmas happened until AFTER Thanksgiving. That is what made it so exciting. Perhaps we should let retail in on a secret. Go back to the old ways and maybe, just maybe, your profits will soar!!!!!!!!!

P.S. I hated after Christmas because everyone came back to exchange. Whew!

P.S.S. Siksika - Believe it or not people do think of the unfortunate, not just at Christmas but year round. Good point, well taken.

Answer 7

I think it was more special then, but we were children. Now we're pressed with the commercialization sooner and sooner as the years go by. As the adults, we deal with everything needed to make the holiday special for others, but often it's just no fun for the people that have to do all the work.

Answer 8

Christmas when I was young was very different than for you or probably most other people.
On the reservation the "Christmas" time of year was a time of Christian preachers and ministries coming to our homes and inviting them self in from the cold to tell us of our wrongs and how we would be punished by hell and damnation. It was a time when work was scares and food was little. People were starving and being forced to go to public schools where we were not allowed to speak our language and had to sit next to happy well fed greedy children who spoke constantly of what gifts they wanted for Christmas.
Don't get me wrong I had many happy times as a child and am proud of my people. I just think that from an outside perspective it is ridiculous to spend so much time on lights and destroying healthy trees and buying unneeded gifts for spoiled children. If you want to celebrate a holiday at least think of those who have less than you and instead of spending all of that money on such wasted things...go to a shelter or a reservation pass out food, blankets, coats...be generous in a way that really matters.

Answer 9

Those were marvelous days! Oh to be children again and not have to worry about all the baking, shopping, decorating and entertaining! It's more enjoyable to sit back and enjoy the wonder of Christmas. I try to keep Christmas simple. Concentrate on the message of the season and less on the gifts.

Answer 10

I think what I miss most about Christmas in yesteryear was how towns/cities HAD a downtown and real department stores with display windows. The windows would be decorated with winter and Christmas scenes and we would go downtown to walk around and peer into them. Often the manequins would be automated and move and music would play.