I'll be honest. I have a hard time getting indignant about holidays anymore. Everyone's got a problem with days set aside for certain things.
Let me break this down. Every holiday commemorates or celebrates something that we shouldn't need a holiday for. MLK day. Thanksgiving. Independence Day. Hell, Labor Day. The point is that, especially in America, we do need reminders. I don't mean that in a pessimistic way, either.
Like I said, I don't see this as cynically as others. Not anymore, at least. Christmas? It's a regular, predictable excuse to see family. Same with Thanksgiving. Fourth of July? I'll be honest here, too. I think people who are pessimistic about the 4th are just looking at it wrong. It's like making rude comments on a friend's birthday because you don't like their haircut.
And Valentine's Day? This is my second in a row that I've been single [Correction: I think this is the fourth year in a row. I haven't been single for four years, though. I do occasionally date the same woman for more than 2 weeks, ya know]. I'm just not that worked up over this. I don't get it. Don't want to line corporate pockets? Fine, take your SO/spouse out on a picnic or something. Nobody's forcing you to buy cheap candy and tacky cards. And why should you care if some people do buy those things?
I don't know about you all, but I spent my V-Day with a six-pack of MGD, some Dr. Pepper, and a pizza.
Personally, I like holidays. Maybe all your lives are so exciting that every day is distinguishable from the others. Mine is not.
Why not just go all out and boycott birthdays? There's thousands or millions of birthdays every day, and you know that that's making some companies some serious money. Birthdays. Such a sham.
Speaking of. I think it's Chris's birthday. Happy Birthday, Money.
Was it Aristotle who said that wit is educated insolence? I want to say something along those lines about pessimism. :)|||110848463621088231|||Railing Against Holidays
cczernia|||Valentine's day erks me in a special kind of way. It isn't clear. It is just sort of there.Christmas - birth of our savior, lord Jesus Christ. Get together with family and exchange gifts.
Thanksgiving - celebration of the founding of America. Get together with family and eat turkey.
Easter - celebration of the ressurection of our savior, lord Jesus Christ. Or, a pagen Valentines Day where you get groovy with your partner to make babies.
Independance Day - Celebration of Independance from Britain. Woohoo! Good times with fireworks.
Valentines Day - celebration of errr... some guy, I think he is Catholic that married soldiers when soldiers weren't suppose to be married and the emperor tried to kill him but he sent his girlfriend a loveletter before he died day. Good day to get layed. Ummm... grade schoolers exchange cheep cards because.... Forgot my wife's b-day and need to make it up to her day. errrr... I don't know.
My point is most holidays are either born from a religious or historical event. Or celebrate an important person. Even holloween has strong pagen background.
Scooter|||My wife and I went to Boogeyman (the movie) for Valentine's - it was our protest against all the couples in line going to "Hitch" as a date movie.I don't think Thanksgiving celebrates the founding of the America, cczernia - didn't that happen quite a bit later? If we're basing the founding of America on the group that landed on the shores first, we probably have to figure out when the Vikings arrived, or maybe that whole Roanoke thing. Or, if it's because they were the first permanent colony, then shouldn't we be celebrating based on the date that Spaniards dropped their first colonists off in Florida or something?
Joe|||My point is most holidays are either born from a religious or historical event. Or celebrate an important person. Even holloween has strong pagen background.Well, yeah. So what's the big problem with vday?Actually, I just remembered - this is my third vday in a row that I've been single.
Joe|||Wait, no. Fourth year. Holy crap. Maybe that's why I don't care either way about Valentine's Day. cczernia|||Scooter said" I don't think Thanksgiving celebrates the founding of the America"-----------------------------
Well, what exactly due you think it celebrates. Our celebration my not be historically accurate but it celebrates the beginning of the US. Everyone knows the legend it not historically then from grade school Thanksgiving plays.
How many people do you think know about ole St. Valentine marrying off soldiers? Valentine's day is as much a tribute to him as much as it is a tribute to some crazy lady back in the 1930s who figured out how to mail love letters. She later founded Hallmark.
Joe|||I suppose it celebrates the founding of America as a cultural entity or something, rather than a political one. cczernia|||Joe said: So what's the big problem with vday?Actually, I just remembered - this is my third vday in a row that I've been single.The problem with vday is that it reminds you how many vdays you've been single.
Joe|||Hah. I suppose. But XMas does the same thing. In fact, any significant holiday makes me reflect.But, yeah. 4 Valentine's Days in a row. Perhaps I can turn this to my advantage.....
LADIES! Want to be part of a milestone? You can end the 4-year curse! You'll be famous! (Some restrictions may apply, not valid in the state of Arkansas, void where prohibited, bring condoms and beer).
cczernia|||Joe said: Hah. I suppose. But XMas does the same thing. In fact, any significant holiday makes me reflect.. Nothing wrong with reflecting on XMas, unless, of course, you are reflecting on how many vdays you have been single, than you might have a problem.