We're Back!
Thanks to the diligent efforts of Elf Thumper, xmasresistance.org is back online. Enjoy! And don't forget, the Movement is about Channukah and Kwanzaa too - everyone's welcome.
posted by Nina Paley @ 11/20/2006 01:11:00 PM
21 comments
21 Comments:
Hello Nina,
I'm a french journalist and I'd like to speak about you in one of my articles. Could you tell me from which country you come, who you are (association?)? Have you open this a long time ago?
Thanks for all
catherine
Be part of the Global Gift Registry, I've already posted my wish list...
I realized the other day that I have trouble with these events that build up to culminate my happiness on one big day; birthdays and Christmas being the prime examples. If I'm expected to feel a certain way, it probably won't happen. I feel guilt because I failed and didn't attain the goal, and feel like I'm bringing everyone else down because I'm not as happy as I'm expected to be.
There is of course the over-commercialization of the season that to me is making it harder to extract the essence as well. I get more and more put off by the 'cartoonization' of the holiday and all the marketing hype. I suppose this is magnified being close to the retail end of the photo business, but it just seems like you just can't escape the bright lights, leering Santas, synthesized Christmas music, and shiny spin that begins in October and doesn't end until January.
Every year the bar is raised to create a new icon out of the old, something eye-catching and happy with a modern twist. A pastel purple Santa with a backlight. My brain is rejecting this. The fact that the 'Merry' is just out there on his candy-shell surface brings out my mistrust. I think the weight of all the advertising, calls for charity, the drive to buy and give becomes a sort of pressure to perform which can be imperceivable at times. It becomes a guilt because it's some unrelenting, unreachable standard just to be part of the 'event'. It's strange because I used to work in huge groups of people and it never really struck me then, but now I dislike what I call 'the Crush': the increase of foot traffic, car traffic, noise, just plain activity. Not just at the normal shopping areas but at the grocery store, on the streets, gas stations, post office and bank. People are driven. It causes me a feeling of claustrophobia, and social rejection. Maybe it's just my perception and in reality it really isn't all that bad, but just the idea of it keeps me from wanting to do social things I might do.
One outer-orbit example is people bringing WAY too many cakes, cookies, candies, and gifts for their co-workers at their work. It is astounding. We have less than two dozen people on the payroll at the lab and not all of them are there full time, but there magically appeared three full size Bundt cakes in three days, with dozens of muffins, dozens of donuts, dozens of bars, about a zillion cookies, fudge, egg nog and probably a lot of things I missed because I was only there three days a week. I think people started buying bags of candy at the drug store next door to bring in because they literally felt guilted into it. I really don't think they were conscious of what they were doing. Zombie candie.
I felt guilty too because one of the ladies wanted me to take home some special cake she made and I was so disgusted by the constant carbohydrate barrage and had put it so far out of my mind that I forgot about it and it sat there all weekend. And I walked by it probably ten times too. Just shows you how it doesn't even register after while.
But then of course we have all my Mom's Christmas cookies, rich food and special desserts at her house, and she forces us to bring home tons more and there's all the stuff my brother and in-laws sent to tide us over. It's all too much.
I know people like to give gifts and feel good giving. I don't want to them deny that. I'm feeling guilty just writing this, as if it's some kind of blasphemy because I'm dissing Christmas. Maybe my Catholic upbringing can't be completely expunged. Hey it's Christmas! You're supposed to do this, you're supposed to do all this stuff... This is what bugs me. People hide behind it. I hope that they really think about it and that it's not some sort of subliminal competition to them.
These last few years what has hit me is always looking at the pile of gifts after all is opened and inventoried. I see all this stuff and ask why do we have all this stuff that amounts to such a ludicrous luxury when others have nothing. Or maybe what's worse, that the poor get what they DON'T need, something that amounts to entertainment when they need a warm coat. Then we go to visit our friends on Christmas and I see their piles of gifts and I think about it more. Every house we go to, more piles of new stuff. I'm building a huge pile in my mind and thinking, how much of this stuff will end up in the landfill and how soon? Why do we do this? We throw that wrapping paper away without even looking at it! Do we really need all this stuff? Are we really thinking about all the implications of 'giving' at Christmas? I don't know. My Mom keeps telling us year after year not to get her anything and we keep doing it. And we keep telling her not to get us anything and she keeps doing it. Maybe we need some sort of global gift registry that uses a kind of emotional currency. Okay, I feel good enough now... you can feel satisfied now... Merry Christmas, we're done.
No one gets to see how much was spent or given. It's all equalized by emotional satisfaction.
Ahh. Thanks Mom. I feel so much better. Merry _________!
sure i understand your point...
but what do we do about traditions there?
there's a beauty (there's something human, animal) abut rituals. ask your local sociologist...
so what's the alternative?
@eponymous
you're not to feel a certain way...
you feel as you feel...
So far I have resisted Christmas shopping in 2006. I feel strong and proud. As for tradition, I bought everyone on my list carbon credits at Planktos.com. Okay so I shopped a little. Last year I thanked my daughter for forgetting to buy me a Christmas present. This year she offered to donate in my name. I am happy and aiming at improvement in the stuff free area this year.
Check this song out. It matches your mission.
The Song
peace.
jimmy.
Check this song out. It matches your mission.
The song
peace.
jimmy.
Check this song out. It matches your mission.
The Song
peace.
jimmy.
Christmas is the symbol of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am so very thankful that God came down to earth as a man (born as a helpless babe), lived a perfect life, and became the sacrificial Lamb who died on the cross for atonement of the sins of the world. While dying on the cross, Christ paid the price, facing God's wrath that should be upon all of us. He made the ultimate sacrifice so that we may be saved and have eternal life. If we believe in Him, we do not face God's wrath, as it has already been done for us. If you give someone a gift, it is in celebration of the Love of Christ. There is no need to be commercial about it, no need to get caught up in all the hype. No need to feel sad or like a failure. If you have the true meaning of Christmas in your heart, those things will not be important. Just focus on the Love and Mercy of God our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, the ultimate Gift!
Dear Nina,
Thank you SO much for setting up the resistance !
It was so refreshing to find FINALLY an echo for my years of declaring that I did not want/need gifts for Christmas or Birthdays (only to be met with a glazed over look and stern reproach that I was not much help).
In response to Victor, who made a good point when he said:
"there's a beauty (there's something human, animal) abut rituals. ask your local sociologist...so what's the alternative?"
I went to a Solstice celebration at a Nature Center in regional park near where I live. In the basement, they had a huge canvas labyrinth that people could walk in the candlelight with nice music playing. Upstairs there were crafts for kids and adults, and the organizers where showing people the trick to drawing a labyrinth. At sunset, we had a procession outside to a bonfire where we sang some carols and did a Swedish ritual of forming a circle and tossing a yellow ball of yarn back and forth , until the yarn had formed a web. Then we raised our web up three times and three times yelled, "Stay sun!" This is trapping the sun in order to make it come back after the longest day of the year. Back inside, it was the kid's turn to walk the labyrinth, which was a treat after seeing the adults do it so serious and dignified. The kids had a ball skipping around the twists and turns of the maze. So, the point being, for me this was a very meaningful and satisfying way to celebrate. If I could get some other members of my family there, it could become a tradition worthy to replace the gift extravaganza that Christmas has become.
The carbon credits is a great idea! I'll check into that for next year...oops, I mean for any time I want to give a gift. (See, there I go thinking that Christmas is the only time I can buy somebody carbon credits.)
For about the past five years, my feeling about gift exchange is that it is fun for kids up to about 12 or 13 years old. After that, you are too old, get over it.
Gift exchange is not related to Christian beliefs. However, Jesus spoke of helping the poor, so give something that will help someone who can't get by on their own.
Well I just finished my shopping and I feel so bad. I'm joining the resistance next year for sure. I'm an Atheist in a Christian family, but that's not going to be the reason. I see the value in a day where you celebrate the family unit etc. but the shopping and commercialisation has just gotten out of hand. Everyone is out at the shops, parking is impossible. It's just embarrassing to watch people scramble to buy the love of their family and peers. See you next year, future partners in crime! (And please forgive my weak will this year.)
THANK YOU. I really get a heck of a load of abuse about being a "Grinch" etc. Christmas is bollocks :D jx
Christmas should be reserved for kids enjoyment. Once one turns 16, that's it, no more. What a waste of time. People running around getting in debt, fighting over parking spaces at the mall, trying to find a peice of crap that no one really wants, getting further in debt............
I tried to visit xmasresistance.org today but it's not working - are you just slammed with traffic or the victim of pro-xmas subterfuge?
God Bless You ALL - and THANK YOU for your efforts!
I thought that not being unable to afford Xmas this year would help me resist this horible tradition - I was wrong - 40 years of programming is hard to change. I still spent money I didnt have to buy crap that nobody wanted or needed!
I will seek your support next year for sure.
Mike from Canada
what the hell do you mean, "you're back!"? I keep trying to reach your site and all I get is this 'house of names' titled page, featuring a table with bulleted names and links towards other locations, but none regarding xmasresistance.org
I got to know of your site through a friend who mailed me about it and I'd really like to advertise it on my personal blog, but I can't post a link if there's no destination to link to, can I?
would you please fix that? your site is really cool and your initiative is really a go for!
cheers!
"I am so very thankful that God came down to earth as a man (born as a helpless babe), lived a perfect life, and became the sacrificial Lamb who died on the cross for atonement of the sins of the world."
Wow, so much memorization. I am impressed. As a matter of fact, I am SO impressed, I think I will finally accept the fact that whatever religion I believe in is dead wrong and cleave to your ilk.
Or wait, no. Actually, I won't.
If you really have to give away christmas gifts, then why not donate. I found this list of christmas donation: christmas charity
Please keep up the good work with this blog. I really hate christmas
Best
Andrea
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