My Xmas poem

[orkneylass]

A poem that says how I am feeling about Xmas this year:



It’s not just me, it’s all gone flat
The sleigh bells and goose getting fat
No Christmas cheer around at all
Despite the holly decking hall
Fewer trees and lights less bright
Something now is just not right
There’s no excitement , little joy
And scant thought of the baby boy
I think that’s where it’s all gone awry
Our world is changing, passing by
The meaning was the birth of Christ
Not just some commercial heist
The start of hope, a spiritual time
Not some shopping pantomime
The carols rang and told the tale
We now dare not openly regale
In case we offend muslim or sikh
Who may not share this holy week
We must play down the Christian meaning
In case others feel it is demeaning
And where once children awaited Santa
They just pig out on cake and fanta
No longer believing in the magic
I really think their loss is tragic
Gifts don’t arrive on Santa’s sleigh
But in Tesco’s trolly on shopping day
The kids are often there to choose
Just think of all the fun they lose
And toys are bought them all year round
So Xmas has no special sound
There’s no great thrill on Xmas day
When it’s easily afforded anyway
No saving up, no wait and see
What Santa left under the tree
It’s all repeats on the TV
Gordon’s swearing is all we see
Nothing festive about the choices
Just the usual “celebrity” voices
That have become the new public gods
Worshipped for their clothes and wads
We’ve thrown our values clean away
No wondrous manger filled with hay
But gluttony, greed, shopping and booze
Whining kids and drunken snooze
And for the lazy giver that sent a cheque
The January sales stick out their neck
So it’s lost it’s meaning and magic too
Just another shopping excuse for you
And all part of our cultural loss
When political correctness is our boss
I dream of Xmas long ago
A feeling of magic, tinsel and snow
When things I wanted all that year
Might magically under the tree appear
And food we did not eat on other days
Was all caught up with bells and sleighs
And gifts had meaning and meant a lot
And we were thrilled no matter what
The TV was full of Xmas cheer
Yes, we looked forward to it for the whole year
Nativity scenes and nativity plays
Reminder us of why these special days
Of rest and holiday, celebration
Part of who we were as a nation.

[bluelady]

Aye, your right there orkneyless :~(

[paris]

WOW ! well done orkneylass, thats really good. jan x

[hell raizer]

very true orkneylass :(

[wifie]

Good one orkneylass

[Foxy]

You've hit the nail on the head Orkneylass, xmas hasn't got the same meaning as when i was a kid. :(

[horseman]

Smashing post lass, how i wish i could reply in a similiar vein!Shall have to put my thinking cap on;) An merry christmas to you:)

[Ricco]

Goodness, orkneylass - what an epic. All too true.

[Elenna]

A very true thought, Orkneylass. Though perhaps if we really, really put in the effort, we can somehow put that fondly remembered 'shine' back onto Christmas....

[JAWS]

Well said orkneylass.

I deliberately missed watching the "Liverpool Nativity" on the TV. By their own account it had been "modernised" from a Religious Celebration of the Birth of Jesus into little more than modern Political Indoctrination Sketch.

I had a glance at the TV listings for this afternoon. Other than the Religious aspect I consider Christmas to also be about young children. From that glance I found little which related to either on terrestrial TV. I am trying very hard to picture a load of infants glued to the screen fascinated by “Great Expectations” which would drive even my to distraction in five minutes or probably far less.

What I find most annoying is that the vast majority of hectoring that the celebration Christmas is offensive to those of other beliefs comes from the fanatical British PC Brigade whilst the vast majority of those who follow other Faiths find the fuss an embarrassment because it portrays them all as some kind of objectionable and intolerant Religious Fanatics.

Almost all of them, with the exception of the insignificant numbers of nutters every Belief System attracts, are quite happy to join in the Festivities and, whilst not exactly holding it with the same Religious aspect as Christians, certainly do not look at it as an affront to their own beliefs.

As for the modern Commercialised aspect of Christmas, that has simply turned it into a "one upmanship" contest as to who can spend most and buy the most expensive presents to show off to the neighbours. "Have you seen what our little Hamish/Morag got for Christmas, it's the very latest one on the Market"!
Well. Halleluiah, and in six months who is going to be more impressed by it, you or the kid?

Orkneylass, you put it far more eloquently than me but I couldn’t agree more. It’s time that the longstanding Christian Festivals were once again accepted for what they are and not treated as some sort of Outrageous Religious Aberration carried out with no other intent than to be offensive to those who believe differently.

[orkneylass]

Jaws

I am not particularly religious but it does horrify me that as basic general knowledge, many young folk nowadays could not tell you what easter or Xmas were really about. My other points are that we are now so relatively affluent and treat shopping as such a hobby, that there is nothing much special about gifts at Xmas. I can remember when kids dreamed of getting a new bike for Xmas, or even as a combined Xmas and birthday gift. Nowadays if a kids grows too big for their bike, the parents often just buy one, and don't wait for Xmas and birthdays.

most of all I hate seeing parents shopping for xmas toys with their kids - no suprise or wonder in that!

And although mince pies and Xmas cake are reserved for this time of the year, we now eat roast turkey all year round

It is just not the same wondrous event that it was.

[golach]

Orkneylass & Jaws, I could not agree more with the both of you, I am not a religiously minded person also, but I was brought up in the C of S faith, and I have learned my Christian Religious history, and know the Christian calendar.
I have chosen not to be a religious zealot, and I respect those who have faith, and dont ram their faith down my throat.
I even attended a Watchnight Service last night, my first ever, and throughly enjoyed it, I saw and heard one of my G'daughters do a duet with her pal, and I heard a special pal preach. And again I enjoyed it, I do not think it will make me a better person, but I felt good last night.

[Kenn]

I too am not religious but quite agree that it people are celebrating they should understand why and have respect for the origins of the festivities.
Like many others I am appalled at the political correctness that has crept into our everyday life and threatens to take away the very individuality that makes each of us what we are.
It is a sad reflection of the times that we are no longer allowed to pay tribute to our own beliefs without the threat of being accused of intolerence.
In a tolerent society this would not be the case as we would each respect the other.

[Issy13]

Lizz
Too true !! That magic feeling is rather empty now.
Did you ever have a turkey for some other dinner, other than Christmas, when you were a child ?
It seemed almost as if a rule was being broken !!