Spot on post. Christmas was far better in the 80's than now [granted I was a kid then so am slightly biased]. You didn't get people texting on Christmas Day, no social media, no camera phones, no sitting playing with phones on Christmas morning [common theme - I dislike mobile phones]. TV was better; you'd get the Radio Times and drool over the films on show over Christmas, even if it was another James Bond film at 3pm on Christmas Day. Sitting with family watching the Christmas specials was sheer bliss. The build up started on December 1st and people were less concerned with spending money they didn't have. It was all about spending time with family and you looked forward to it. Now? Mass consumerism and a desire for a lot of people to spend a fortune for one sodding day. You're glad to get Christmas out of the way by the time it eventually arrives. Where the hell is that time machine?
It all depends how committed to their religion they are. My Mrs' family are just observant if you like, they pay attention to the main festivals such as Yom Kippur and Pesach, but they barely eat Kosher meat unless it's a big family dinner, her old man loves his bacon. The pork thing was only because it couldn't be cleaned properly but nowadays a lot of them dismiss that, cos they know how good a bacon butty tastes! Judaism teaches them not to judge, so it's very rare that you'd see any of them 'recruiting' or preaching, and also they don't want 'non-pure' Jews as part of their religion. Big **** you to that lot from me, I'm marrying one and I'm not converting, kiss my arse Jewbots.
Well indeed. The fella that runs my local shop is a Sikh but rarely wears his turban. Cracking lad & well respected in the community but he only puts it on if he's going to a do. You might be able to put me right here. Is it right that you can't actually choose to be Jewish? As in you have to be born into it. That's what I'm led to believe.
No you can convert, there's two levels of converting which are Reform and Orthodox. Orthodox takes a lot longer and you'll be accepted as a proper Jew, Reform not so much, it's the quick route and a very relaxed version for people who just like the lifestyle and traditions etc. You're only Jewish if your mother is Jewish, so if your dad was Jewish and married an atheist, the children aren't Jewish, the opposite of Muslims where the dad has to be Muslim. It's the hardest mainstream religion to become a part of because they want only committed people. All a load of bollocks really.
Very interesting Terry. So if I chose to become Jewish at the age of 47, would I have to be circumcised?
Yeah, you'd have to lob the old hoody off. You'd be entitled to an additional 2/3 days holiday per year though, that wouldn't come off your annual leave allowance... every cloud
Holiday you try and get a day off at my place it's like drawing blood from a stone I get 20 and half days a year being part time.five days summer then two days spring autumn a ad winter that leaves nine days to take.god knows when I will get them.
20.5 days per year part time is pretty good to be fair, that's about the going rate for people in full time is it not? I get 23 days, plus all the Jewish ones which is usually another 3 a year. The military gives you 30 days, that's the only thing I miss about the military. More time off than John Wayne's safety catch. There's a lad in my warehouse has took 3 days holiday in 5 years, prefers to get paid for the days as a 'Christmas bonus' instead.
The bit about the advent calendars reminded me of the year my mam got an advent candle too. You lit it each day until it burned down to that day's marker. On about 3rd December we had yet another power cut and she forgot about the candle and by the time she remembered it was almost down to Christmas Eve!! Might just be age catching up but it did seem so much better back then. I was born in the 60s, so early 70s were my best Christmas memories. I think a lot of the reason for Christmas feeling special was that the rest of the time was so crap (by todays consumer standards) even though they never felt crap.
As an Atheist, I think you can enjoy religious festivities more when you can be objective. I'd love to go to a Bar Mitzvah, staying with a Jewish family and having bacon butties for breakfast Maybe that's the point, I saw my ageing aunties once a year and our house was full, we'd drop in for lunch on cake at other people's houses and they were chocker too ... back to topic, thÃs was interesting; Nuclear family 'in decline'- bbc: July 2010
Choosing not to have children so you can both work, earn a living to put a roof over your head and pay taxes to pay for somebody else's children, who has no intentions of doing the same. Christmas would have been banned by our government if it wasn't such a cash-cow. My Mrs' Jewish mother decorated our Xmas tree this year, best one I've ever owned, when I got home we had pulled pork in brioche buns, buenos. As long as the respect for each other is there, the whole thing is a brilliant time of year.
My lovely, muslim, wife nagged me to get home early enough tonight so that we could get out to buy our Christmas tree before the garden centre closed. She also wanted a new star or angel for the tree, which took even bloody longer to find than the tree. And tomorrow she'll spend the morning writing and sending out all our Christmas cards. My step-daughter will be home from uni this week-end and has already booked dads taxi for Christmas shopping on Sunday. The only thing that'll be missing from our Christmas will be pigs in blankets on the day, but that's 1 small sacrifice when we bring our families together for a day to remember. I'm not religious, but I love Christmas!!
Christmas pressies on Christmas morning came in a pillow case...and contained not only presets but also has a satsuma, an apple and a handful of nuts.....and if you were lucky a selection box(with a Curly Wurly in it)
I used to look forward to the blue peter candles being lit ! the pets were done up in tinsel etc hehe. STEPTOE & SON, Morcambe & Wise, Sez lez, Mike yarwood, Des o connor show, Tommy cooper Dick emery. Chopper bikes, clackers, stylaphone, pink panther car, space hoppers, and that plastic tube about 3 feet long that when you spun it, it made a noise. Ah those days are gone but I have the DVD,s thankfully.
A stylophone is a dreadful early electro instrument. Think the pervert nonce used it at the end of the tune Two Little Boys. [video=youtube;th2-66-6yXs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th2-66-6yXs[/video] You ask the Funk, the Funk bringeth answers.
A medley with Van Halen in it [video=youtube;HkTQsOQLEeU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkTQsOQLEeU[/video]
Ask Funk - we should have a sticky thread. I wonder how old Rolfy is doing in the slammer, let's hope he's treated to a lovely Christmas feast of table leg in the arsehole this Christmas.
