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What events, celebrations, festivals or 'special days' could you do without or wish didnt happen?

For me; Hallow'en. I just dont see the point in it. The front door gets locked and the doorbell turned off to disuade trick or treaters.

Sorry if this seems a bit 'scrooge-ish' but i am sure there are similar events some of you feel the same about.

Bonfire Night - to a lesser extent because it is not just one night any more ,but seems to last about a week! Also because i think fireworks have just become too crude and noisy - a load of big bangs and not much else.

Whilst we are on the subject, are there any such 'events' that you think are OK to have but have just become too over the top or too commercialised. I have a list

Christmas - too commercialised and lasts far too long these days

Easter - completely lost its meaning, all chocolate eggs and not much else

Mothers and Fathers days. Mothers day has become completely detatched from its true meaning. Whilst i do mark the days as convention requires, I feel the true "Mothers' and fathers' days" are the birthdays of your own parents, we dont really need special days for this, ditto grandparent, uncle, aunt etc days.

Of all the 'special days' (and as you can gather i think there are far too many over commercilaised ones) that i think is just right is the New Year celebrations. Even then i think that many people see it as justt another reason to go out and get drunk. We always have a special meal as a family and 'nibbles and champagne at midnight. To me the turning of the year almost more meaning than christmas.

Hi Richard, you're obviously a man after my own heart! Most festivals these days seem to have become massively over-commercialised garbage with the original meaning either lost or conveniently forgotten.

Halloween I agree is just an excuse for little (or not so little) sods to run riot. If at any other time of the year your kids went up to complete strangers and demanded sweets etc or they'll do something nasty they'd get nicked for demanding with menaces - and yet on Halloween it's actively encouraged! But the worst of it is the gangs of teenagers around our way who look on the whole thing as an excuse to run along the street chucking eggs and worse at your windows.  >:(

Most Christian festivals these days seem to have become an excuse for excess indulgence and commercialism - it's only November 3rd and I'm already sick of Xmas ads on the tv!

As for ones I actually like (to stop me sounding too much like Victor Meldrew!), on a very personal note the winter solstice always gets noted by me as it's the shortest day and the true turning of the year :D

Cheers,
Rob ;)

What is halloween any way a bit Americanised I think.  ???
Oh humbug Christmass comes along far too often. To be honest festivals are fine if you have small children.

Love them all!  We don't go trick or treating, but the kids love the carve the pumpkins and decorate the house. Guy Fawkes night, we will have a few small fireworks, but the kids don't like the noise, so just a few pretties in the garden ,however, daughter number one has learnt about Guy Fawkes so understands what it is 'celebrating' and took great lengths last night to explain it to younger son number one.  Mothering Sunday is celebrated, altho we are not a religious service so do not go to church, and Fathers Day is celebrated, the kids make cards, and pressies, and we make breakfast in bed, just really to thank my darling for being a great dad!  Easter is celebrated, yet again, not for religious reasons, but because it is a weekend where the family gets together, eats together, and yes, the kids get chocolate, but they have learnt about the story of Easter and it is something we talk about.  Christmas has always been incredibly important to me, not for religious reasons, but because for me it wasa great celebration when all the family were together having a wonderful time.  The gifts came second to the fun we all have.  But again, the kids, through schooling as us, have learnt the various stories of Christmas, and also how Christmas is celebrated around the world.  The kids also celebrate at school festivals such as Diwali and Yom Kippur.

It is a dark and gloomy world at times, and if these celebrations can take your mind off the horrors that are happening elsewhere, then I say BRING THEM ON!

Do away with fireworks night but keep bonfire night - King James ordered bonfires to be lit to celebrate the defeat of the plot - a victory for Catholics as well as Protestants in the long run, he did not order the letting off of fireworks and this was just a way to make money out of the night.

Christmas - commercial rubbish that lasts too long and now has no true meaning - move the celebration to 21 December and make it non-present based.

Mother's, Father's and Grandparents day - totally agree with all Richard's reasons.

Easter should be returned to what it is - a celebration of the turning of the seasons.

Summer Solstice should be made the most important festival of the year but it should be kept steadfastly non-material.

Quote from: maggie on November 03, 2005, 12:30:58
What is halloween any way a bit Americanised I think.  ???
Oh humbug Christmass comes along far too often. To be honest festivals are fine if you have small children.

This year, Thames Valley Police made a poster for folks not wanting to be intimidated or bothered by Trick or Treaters, and did school visits telling the kiddies that it meant Do Not Bother.  We downloaded it, stuffed it on the front door and weren't bothered.

Last year I got one little one, with hovering parent in background, and had to explain that as a Christian I didn't agree with either the premise or practice of trick or treating.
It was all rather embarrassing.

What beats me is that the modern practice originates in the US, a country supposedly more overtly Christian. Hey ho...

Christmas is waaaay too commercialised. I get cross just thinking about it.  The meaning is totally lost here. So has the feeling that I always had as a kid. Oddly, that's been rekindled by going to the German Christmas markets - where yes, it's a fairground atmosphere with food and drink but it's for the whole family, there's gifts and gifts, lots hand-made, and it gives the old feeling of what it's really about.

Easter is the most important one for me.  It's when I believe Christ died and rose, to save us all: though Christmas denotes the gift from God in the first place, Easter is the fulfilment of why. 

I'd actually be happier if the general commercial interests would stop the pretence: call the festivals Yule/wintertide and Springtide, fix the date of the latter if they wish, and leave those of us who want to remember the actual festivals to do so. 

Redclanger: you posted while I was typing -  ;D ;D  - quite! Only don't call it Christmas, that name should be reserved for the religious festival.

moonbells

I think they are all wonderful.  If they bring happiness to the individual then it can only be a good thing. 

I too love Christmas, but like Emma, for non religious reasons.  It's my favourite time of the year, it's magical.  Although I agree that it now starts far too early and is far too commercialised - so stupid and unnecessary. 

I agree with moonbell, I am a Christian and think that Christmas has got waaaay too commercialised. For most shops it is just a time to get loadza cash. I think Christmas can be made as much commercialised as you want. If you do it ALL for the presents then thats up to you, I think its about remembering the real reason behind it and spending time with friends and family.
Easter is an important time for me, very important, it is when Jesus died for us and then rose again three days later.
Bonfire night is great fun, I am going to a large display this Saturday with friends.
I don't really celebrate Halloween because I don't really like it, but I'm not overly 'heavy' about it.

Overall, Think these Festivals have become an excuse for shops to make lots of money, and a reason for us to spend lots of it! I love the festivals, I think they are great (except Halloween)! I admit, I can be a bit sentimental though! Nevermind though...  :)   ;D

Christmas is, I agree, ridiculously commercialised. We don't do very much from that angle; I've got landed witrh preaching at our church again, we stuff ourselves silly, and that's about all. I wish Easter was more like the original Passover, a celebration of humal liberation in the fullest sense, rather than the pale, spiritualised, conventional thing which orthodox Christianity has made it.

I must agree with Dan, but we have helped to make this situation, by buying everthing in site just to stuff our faces.  I really love Christmas but it just seems to have lost it`s  meaning for most peeps its all about presents, schools do not teach religion now for reasons which i shan't go into and start controversy.

Remembrance Day is the only one I actually "think" about. Was in the RAF for a few years but didn't fully appreciate the significance of the day 'til after I'd left.

I am with EJ on this.  I love all the special days.  We don't have little children in the house but I carved our pumpkin  and  got some sweetie mix ups in and it was all very good natured when children came to the door dressed in their fab costumes. We aren't religious in the conventional sense but use these days to celebrate times with family and friends.  We do live in a dark and gloomy world and we should have ceremony to mark occasions in our year. 

Valentines day, pancake Tuesday, all celebrated. At Easter we have had an egg painting competition on Good Friday since the children were little, and now sometimes have over 17 people sitting around painting eggs, we drink coffee have hot cross buns and it is a great good natured get together. On Easter Sunday we give out chocolate eggs and plant out our early potatoes at the allotment and celebrate the start of a new season. We have fireworks and a bonfire and some snacks with friends for Guy Fawkes. Just after Guy Fawkes I make my Christmas Cake, and friends and family gather around to stir the cake mix and stab the devil (a cherry) and make a wish.  Think we made that one up. We love Christmas and always have one or two lonely friends around. We have a Games night just between Christmas and New Year.  I am not that keen on New Year and prefer to spend it quietly with a few people I love.   Mother's and Father's day are celebrated by our children for us, I love it!  So yes I do approve of Festivals  - it is how you use them that makes them special.

Christmas has always been the big one with my family, cos they are christians, but it has always been a big family time for us, where we spend half the day with one lot of grandparents, and half the day with the other lot. So it is still very special for me for the family bit. I really hate how commercial it has become, and try not to spend very much.

I find New Year pretty anticlimactic after that, have tried to have some 'big' ones and always end up disappointed. Spent last NYE in an airport and that was just fine with me  :)

I like fireworks night I feel all childish again! Last year I was waving around sparklers like a 5-year-old!  ;D ;D

Easter is a family time again, I hate seeing the eggs apperar in the shops in february - too comercialised again!

I always like the winter solstice too, must try to do something to celebrate that this year. I suffer from SAD, and it's the signal to me that the worst of the dark is over, and the days start getting longer rather than shorter  :)

Quote from: AikenDrum on November 04, 2005, 00:39:32
Remembrance Day is the only one I actually "think" about. Was in the RAF for a few years but didn't fully appreciate the significance of the day 'til after I'd left.

I agree. I always attend my town's rememberance sunday parade and service.

Winter solstice? I always celebrate the day before, since its my birthday!

We had a discussion about remembrance sunday at my church a few years ago, and found we didn't have a single person who identified with it. Very few of us are British, and everyone who isn't gets forgotten. Most of the preachers we get are ever so earnest about it, and a lot of us wish they wouldn't bother!

OUr vicar is pretty good and steps back on rememberance Sunday to let the current ex-forces people lead a lot of it.  Makes the service a lot more real for the rest by mkaing it a  'live' service.

Agree with all the christian viewpoints on Christmas and Easter.   Again brought to life at Christmas by a travelling crib that each family has for one night until it ends up at Church on the Christmas service when each child from Sunday school adds a figure or a part of the building.  I hate the fact that in October I got accosted by people selling Xmas cards and all the garden centres lalready have decorations for sale before even bonfire night is out the way.

Talking of which I do like the fireworks but never go out after my wife was hit by one at an organised display before we were married and nealry lost an eye........

Christmas to me means 3 football matches in 1 week..... fantastic

Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity, it was stolen from us Pagans many years ago  ;)

Have to say that I agree with Rosebud on this one.  I enjoy most festivals but do not get dragged into the hype.  If folks want to buy their Christmas stuff before the kids have gone back to school ( This was the first time I spotted the dreaded 'selection box') then thats up to them and will  they only encourage the shops to start even earlier.  To be honest, I usually end up working all or part of the holidays anyway so we just spend them quietley like most folk do.

Here in Belgium festivals are different.  Children receive their presents on Dec 6th from St Nicholas and Black Pete.   Increasingly, presents are also exchanged at Christmas but it is not the same bonanza as in the UK.   The emphasis here is on feasting and fun and half the stalls at Xmas markets are food and drink.  Christmas Eve is a time for a huge family gathering and a feast with Mass for those who believe.  Christmas Day is spent digesting and then it's back to work on Boxing Day.   New year's Eve is another feast or party with fireworks at midnight.   

School and public hols follow the Catholic calendar.  Carnaval/Mardi Gras is taken seriously and kids often go into school on the last day before the half-term in disguise.  There are some excelent Carnaval parades in Belgium in the period between Mardi Gras and Palm Sunday.  Good Friday is not a public holiday.  After Carnaval, people often decorate their homes and/or front doors with markers of spring - eggs, bunnies, Easter trees, yellow ribbons etc.   Ascension, Pentecost and the Assumption are also celebrated by believers with the rest of us enjoying a long weekend.

All Saints is also important and there are queues at the cemetries while people go and clean the graves and leave fresh flowers, usually pots of chrysanthemums.    Autumn is marked by decorating houses and gardens with pumpkins and candles and seasonal flower and leaf arrangements.   In my village, trick or treat is organised by the school and village association.  Families prepared to offer sweets to kids leave their address and a list is then given out to participants.  Everyone meets in the village school which has its hall decorated with Halloween horrors and serves pumpkin soup and all the children are disguised and accompanied by parents in groups.  It's a very friendly and fun activity with some amazing scenes.  One house here has a witch inside the front door to "test" the kids, a grim reaper to keep them on their toes, spooky lights and smoke and music - and mulled wine in the garage grotto for parents.  Excellent.

Armistice Day is also a holiday with remembrance services, masses and fly pasts to mark the occasion.   It's very moving and every village or town has a memorial to civilians and soldiers who died in combat, were shot or deported as slave labour.   It is still very real here where the country was occupied and they took huge risks to resist and shelter allied airmen.  There are some amazing stories but, amazingly, no bitterness.

I don't think the problem is with the festivals per se, it is the fact that they are largely being hi-jacked by commercial interests & thrust down our throats in an effort to make us buy more & more largely unecessary things. The festivals are fine for those who want to celebrate them in the way they want to, hope fully thinking about the reason for that festival.

I have a simple attitude towards festivals. I do not enjoy them, so I don't observe them. I observe the two minutes silence on Armistice Day, and again on Remembrance Sunday, but I don't think of that as a Festival, more simply a moment of reflection. I have duties and responsibilities as a family member though, so do get involved in some activities, for instance I always cook the Christmas Dinner, but to me it is just dinner ... I have heard terms cited about me - passive, compliant, silent rebellion. Perhaps ... I don't watch television or read the newspapers either, or socialise unless it is 'necessary', but I am happy with my choices.

The only things I celebrate are each new day, and the love of my family and friends ...

An extreme view perhaps, but it takes all sorts ...

Derekthefox :D

I think the over commercialism is the problem with Christmas most definetly. I would love to go 'back to basics' and have a reall old fashioned christmas, with all the modern trappings excuded.

i think the Victorians and Edwardians had the right ideas about how to celebrate christmas.

Trouble we become set in our ways and are too used to all the 'modern trappings' (such as Christmas TV) that it would be difficult to acheive.

QuoteAn extreme view perhaps, but it takes all sorts ...

as long as you're happy DTF (http://1000smilies.com/babies/accousticguitar.gif)     

I hate the commercialism of the Festive seasons, but, a lot of people depend on the Christmas trade. We have ourselves to blame, because we are the ones that buy into it.

We deck the halls with bows of Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe. Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all these based on pagan rituals.  I agree with GC and get back to basics.

I remember making our paper decorations, sometimes from newspaper. I would love to say to all the family, lets not buy any presents this year and just enjoy each others company, eat drink and be merry as we always do, and like Derekthefox, enjoy each day as it comes.  Enjoy our families, learn to talk to each other more. 

We spend every Christmas with our families and enjoy it very much and always promise to make next year even better.

I hope especially that this year, will bring many, people together, and I will be thinking of all those that will never see their families again because of the terrible tragedies that 2005 has brought them. :'(

A not usually so sombre Lily,  somebody cheer me up quick please.)

I believe I am Greenwizard, but I wouldn't advocate my approach for anyone else, it is an entirely personal choice.

Derekthefox :D

Richard, T V on Christmas day never!!! :o, well not in our house we make it as traditional as possible and really enjoy ourselves, with games etc.  Used to listen to the Queens speach, but the family object to it now so we just have a brilliant Christmas. :D :D

Surely there's a time for all seasons...Festivals ...
Remberance and celebrations...but its Horses for Course. ;)

We should really all try harder and celebrate St. Georges day.

What about the welsh, scottish and irishman the Welsh man named his son David because he was born on St. Davids day, The scot named his son Andrew because he was born on St. Andrews day. Paddy thought it was one of the best ideas he had heard so he named his son, Pancake!