After Christmas - An Old Guy's Rant

tlucier

tlucier

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Location
Mebane, NC
Full disclosure, I'm 48...coming to terms with I'm an old guy. When I was much younger I really disliked Christmas night...mainly because everyone went back to acting like an a-hole. When I was younger we actually celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, separately. And the stores had stuff out for each holiday. Now the stores go from 4'th of July, to Halloween, to Christmas, to Valentine's Day...to whatever holiday makes them money.

Anyway, back then the lead up to Christmas was special. People were actually nice to each other. We said hello, how are you, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc. And we got a meaningful response. It was special. When we shopped in malls (yep, online shopping wasn't even thought of) if we bumped into someone we apologized. Everyone seemed friendly to each other.

And then there was the day after Christmas. When everything went back to pre holiday times. I disliked Christmas night as a kid because I knew the next day everything went back to normal and the consideration for each other and the happiness was out the window.

I don't know, shopping online is a blessing and a problem all at the same time. Maybe I don't want to progress with the times. Maybe I'm the problem. But I feel a lot has been lost in the past ....shit...damn near 30 years. Now I sound like my grandpa. I miss him. World War II vet in the Navy who left me a shitload of medals when he died but never talked about them when he was alive.

Anyway, this is an old guy's rambling. I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday because if history repeats itself, like it has since I've been alive, come tomorrow any Christmas cheer and holiday spirt will be thrown out the window.

With all the bitterness that may be correctly interpreted, I do wish my NC 4X4 family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I've never met most of you but I consider you all my family. Merry Christmas folks.
 
Consumer circus. People go bat crap crazy spending money they don't have buying crap they don't need. kids unwrapping piles of crap they don't care about in a short time. If you're close to me and think I need to get you a bedazzled fidget spinning 6g satellite phone self propelled vacuum cleaning remote start plasma screen potato peeler to show I love you one of us has a problem.
 
I'm 33 and apparently I'm suppose to 43 bc I'm old fashioned as dirt floors and tobacco stick walls... this online buying, payments, etc just makes ppl non social imo and closet hermits!! I pay all my bills in person except for mortgage! I get charged at DMV to go inside and do reg, plates in person but it's cheaper online... I don't get it never have! Honestly I'm not a real social/approachable person "from what I'm told" so it don't bother me either way... but damn human interaction is going out the window in aspects of shopping, bills, talking in person to someone and I fall victim to the txt msg laziness instead of making a call usually bc I think I'm to busy but In reality it's way easier to get a quick sentence response instead of 15min call but then I'm really just being lazy! Lol
 
My Christmas cheer starts the day after Thanksgiving...and generally runs out right before I celebrate with my folks on Christmas Eve. I honestly think it’s the commercialization of it all for me...just leaves a bad taste. I loved the lead up doing ‘25 days of Christmas’ with 25 different outfits/scenes with my daughter, love donating, love giving to those that can’t afford Christmas themselves, love the Christmas pageant at church, etc etc. But something about Christmas Eve/Christmas Day just turns me in to the biggest grinch you’ll see.
 
Jus Jim said:
Consumer circus. People go bat crap crazy spending money they don't have buying crap they don't need. kids unwrapping piles of crap they don't care about in a short time. If you're close to me and think I need to get you a bedazzled fidget spinning 6g satellite phone self propelled vacuum cleaning remote start plasma screen potato peeler to show I love you one of us has a problem.
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Amen, brother
 
C.Berry said:
I'm 33 and apparently I'm suppose to 43 bc I'm old fashioned as dirt floors and tobacco stick walls... this online buying, payments, etc just makes ppl non social imo and closet hermits!! I pay all my bills in person except for mortgage! I get charged at DMV to go inside and do reg, plates in person but it's cheaper online... I don't get it never have! Honestly I'm not a real social/approachable person "from what I'm told" so it don't bother me either way... but damn human interaction is going out the window in aspects of shopping, bills, talking in person to someone and I fall victim to the txt msg laziness instead of making a call usually bc I think I'm to busy but In reality it's way easier to get a quick sentence response instead of 15min call but then I'm really just being lazy! Lol
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You, my friend, are a dying breed. I remember when I got paid once a week in check form and had to go to the bank. I stood in line with similar people and talked about the price of beer, gas, etc. I didn't know them at the time but I did at the end of the day. And they would do anything for me, and I would do anything for them!
 
UTfball68 said:
My Christmas cheer starts the day after Thanksgiving...and generally runs out right before I celebrate with my folks on Christmas Eve. I honestly think it’s the commercialization of it all for me...just leaves a bad taste. I loved the lead up doing ‘25 days of Christmas’ with 25 different outfits/scenes with my daughter, love donating, love giving to those that can’t afford Christmas themselves, love the Christmas pageant at church, etc etc. But something about Christmas Eve/Christmas Day just turns me in to the biggest grinch you’ll see.
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Dead balls on! I think the mass commercialization of Christmss killed it for me
 
For me the Christmas spirit starts the morning after Thanksgiving Day, and ends when the decorations all come down on the first weekend after New Years Day.

I get annoyed when the Christmas decorations show up in the stores right after Halloween, and Thanksgiving is still a couple of weeks away. I like to enjoy the time leading up to each holiday.
 
Aside from my constant ribbing of @Loganwayne, @McCracken and @ckruzer on here, I genuinely try to be considerate of others everyday, not just at Christmas. You never know what battle(s) someone else is fighting.

Be kind, be generous and have a real concern for others and you will be amazed how that impacts the world around you.

Cliffs: don't be a douche unless it gets you Likes on here
 
Jody Treadway said:
Aside from my constant ribbing of @Loganwayne, @McCracken and @ckruzer on here, I genuinely try to be considerate of others everyday, not just at Christmas. You never know what battle(s) someone else is fighting.

Be kind, be generous and have a real concern for others and you will be amazed how that impacts the world around you.

Cliffs: don't be a douche unless it gets you Likes on here
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I love me some good ribs

;)
 
I found this year to be different. Everywhere I went and shopped people were pretty much assholes. No "thank you", "excuse me", "go right ahead" or even the simple throwing up of one's hand to say thanks for letting me in traffic (but that trend has been steadily in decline for some time). I met a few nice people but for the most part it was more of general "get out of my way so I can what I need first" attitude. For the past few years, my job has taken me out of the mix because of the hours I work. I usually have to shop online and it helps but I still venture out some and watch the show. I think society anymore has turned into a bunch of me first people and I see why. Compassion for others has left the building. Apathy is rampant and I'm not real sure how it can be turned around. All I can do is focus on me and what I do to/for others, which is ironic because that's what everyone else is doing and that's what I'm complaining about. Except they're assholes and I'm cool, right?
 
Want to catch up with the new trends, but still have some old school respect? Leave a bottle of water or Gatorade and a snack out for the UPS/FedEx/USPS guy that frequents your house with heavy Jeep parts. I do it, and my delivery guys go the extra mile to ensure my stuff is on time and safe from being stolen.

Ordered a RTIC cooler a month ago or so. UPS guy left a note on the door that said "In truck bed." My Silverado has a soft bed cover on it, and he left it inside the bed so no one would steal it and it wouldn't get wet.

Take care of those that take care of you. There's still some cool people out there.
 
I have friends who claim to not believe. They are somewhat liberal, earthy, hippy types. I went to a poker game at one of their houses this past weekend and it was all decorated up, lights, tree etc... I asked him what exactly he was celebrating? He said "the season". I asked if he was celebrating the season of commercialism? This really flustered the guy as he had no answer. There's my Xmas rant, WTF are these people celebrating who claim to be atheist?
 
BIGWOODY said:
WTF are these people celebrating who claim to be atheist?
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WTF are these people celebrating who claim to believe in the biblical Creator who strictly said not to celebrate holidays created by men, only His? A holiday steeply rooted in paganism without a single shred of biblical support? Dec 25th, winter solstice- longest night, the birth date of all triune deities since Babylon.

It has been proven thatHe was not born even in winter. It’s proven that birthdays are not biblically sanctioned, were never celebrated by the apostles, and were established by Pharaoh and popularized by Rome.

The Bible specifically says not to bring an evergreen into the house and deck it with silver and gold...

Be in the world but not of it... if you are friends with the world you are at enmity with God... and the Devil said to Him, I will give you ALL the kingdoms of the earth that have been given unto me, if you but bow before me...
 
awwwwshit.jpg
 
BIGWOODY said:
There's my Xmas rant, WTF are these people celebrating who claim to be atheist?
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Do you celebrate Halloween? How about Cinco de Mayo?
 
On track with the OP I don't think 48 is old. I don't think me being 42 is much different either......now my FIL he's 80 something. What makes him old is having retired at 50 couple.

Old to me is being completely out of touch. Which is exactly who he is since being retired damn near his whole life.

Now the other side and why I think the 40 something generation feels old. I think it just like what you eluded too. The younger folks just 10 years a part from us grew up radically different. Technology mainly being the internet and now the newest generational issues of snowflakes make us and them different. Me personally I don't think such a gap existed since the depression era kids vs. the 60's and 70's folks. Maybe Its natural, maybe it's me. But I sure think the world's much different then 1980, and far cry from post WW2. The tech is great but I think as social people we have went backwards.....or We are OLD. Lol.
 
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