Christmas Traditions and Political Correctness Gone Awild

[Haggis]

The city of Boston has decided that the evergreen tree which is erected and decorated on the Boston Common this year will be a "holiday tree".

http://www.cbc.ca/ns/story/ns-tree-boston20051123.html

Tell me:  Besdies Christmas, on what other holidays do we traditionally cut down, erect and decorate a fir tree to celebrate that holiday?

Lunacy!

 

[a_majoor]

I believe our new CinC, the Governor General, also raised a "Holiday Tree" in Rideau Hall. My wife trumped her, though. I have so many Christmas trees in the house that it looks like a pine forest. From what I understand, the Christmas tree was introduced to the UK by German Hessian mercenaries in the 1700's, and probably reflects some ancient pagen German religion. (Don't take offence, our own Christmas celebration and gift giving/party traditions are derived from the Roman Saturnellia).

Merry Christmas all.

 

[GO!!!]

Well, now that I'm on my Non denominational winter vacation leave, I can catch up on all my reading on this site!

I still wish everyone "Merry Chistmas"- in fact, whist decorating the company lines this year, and ensuring that everyone got a goodie bag and piece of fruitcake, I was struck by the fact that we are turning into the same "godless heathens" that we referred to the Nazis as during WW2.

Everyone must set aside personal beliefs and practices and kneel before the altar of "multiculturalism". God is to be banished from schools and children must be taught that anything done in another culture is also OK here - even encouraged! Sikhs should be allowed to carry daggers on airplanes, Muslims should be polygamous and the English should have bad teeth. Each group shall create a microcosm of their origional culture here in Canada, and any criticism of it shall be "racism", and duly ignored. No thought is given to the fact that these practices made their home countries so ripe for the leaving in the first place, and that their practices may not be suited to this country. The only culture to be ignored it seems, is that of the majority - white, anglophone and christian. Only we are to be ignored, sidelined and forced to recognise the beauty of others' cultures. Ours is too generic, too lacking in exoticism to be practiced.

So have a MERRY CHRIST - MASS  and don't forget your fellow man on the birthday of Jesus.*

* That means go to the shacks and make sure your troops don't spend Christmas day eating easy - mac from the microwave - or worse - swinging from their chinup bar.

It's pretty lonely spending chistmas alone.

 

[Deleted member 585]

No thought is given to the fact that these practices made their home countries so ripe for the leaving in the first place, and that their practices may not be suited to this country. The only culture to be ignored it seems, is that of the majority - white, anglophone and christian. Only we are to be ignored, sidelined and forced to recognise the beauty of others' cultures. Ours is too generic, too lacking in exoticism to be practiced.

This compels me to think about our relatively budding culture.   If you understand culture to imply "a nation's people with uniquely attributed customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements", then perhaps (on paper), Canadian culture may have already seen its end, spanning between British North America Act in 1867, and The Canadian Multiculturalism Act in 1985.  I'm neither a racist nor a xenophobe and appreciate the importance to our global agenda that accommodation brings, but for the love of God, why is traditional Canadianism not a priority?  I'd rather seem more Melting Pot here than monocultural...

Thankfully, I have the freedom to live as the kind of Canadian I want to be.   I like beer, bacon, and snowy winters.   I'll also finish a sentence or two with the word, "eh?", especially this one, without prejudice or shame:

Merry Christmas... EH? 

 

[pbi]

and the English should have bad teeth

It's not that they should have bad teeth...it's just that they do....

Cheers

 

[winchable]

First of all, Merry Christmas.

And secondly, I really wonder if it's the minorities that are actually causing the new PC thing. With out a doubt it does happen that a minority moves into a concentrated area and becomes a majority and things change, either through political force or a more natural way (chinatowns, little italy etc.)
Now with the christmas dinner thing, I wonder if it's someone high-up trying to do what they think is the right thing, when it's entirely uneccessary and most Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, etc. in the CF would gladly go to something called a "Christmas Dinner" and enjoy the idea of peace, brotherhood of mankind and so on that Christmas is also about.

 

[muskrat89]

I agree with Che. I don't think in all the PC stories that I have heard (about Christmas or otherwise) that it has ever been the everyday "people" of other religions or cultures that are doing the complaining. Sometimes it is their "community leaders" or other affiliated politicos, but almost always, it seems to come from "within", for lack of a better word. There is some bureaucratic/institutional out-of-control monster within the system that started out promoting common sense sensitivity towards others, and has ended up as the all-affecting beast that we have now....

 

[ZipperHead]

To think that I actually agree with Ashley on something!!! Cats will lay down with dogs, Infantry and Armour won't slag each other, oil and water will mix.... it's the coming of the Apocalypse!!!!

We got much merriment of the PC renaming of the Mens Christmas Dinner at work when it was first announced. We had to rename (in jest) the Kids Xmas Party to something along the lines of "Non-Adult Seasonal Celebration" just to stay with the theme.

I also think that Che is onto the real reason for the changes: people are doing things that they THINK are the right thing, without consulting the MAJORITY of people from any group. I'm pretty certain that it is only the vocal minority in any group who doesn't accept the traditions of a place that they freely come to (i.e. Canada). I think the odd bad apple ruins it for the rest, and frankly, some people just want the attention, and perhaps want to see how far they can stretch the boundaries.

BTW, I am not religious at all, but I see nothing wrong with celebrating Xmas, as it is about families and friends getting together to celebrate, and if someone wants to bring Christianity along for the ride, so be it. To remove those aspects (celebrating family and friends, and the equivalent Hindu/Muslim/Jewish/Animisti/etc counterparts interpretations of same) by neutering it, will probably end up removing all meaning of the season. So, yes, this is something that they should leave alone.

Al

 

[Fraser.g]

Well, now that I'm on my Non denominational winter vacation leave, I can catch up on all my reading on this site!

I still wish everyone "Merry Chistmas"- in fact, whist decorating the company lines this year, and ensuring that everyone got a goodie bag and piece of fruitcake, I was struck by the fact that we are turning into the same "godless heathens" that we referred to the Nazis as during WW2.

Everyone must set aside personal beliefs and practices and kneel before the altar of "multiculturalism". God is to be banished from schools and children must be taught that anything done in another culture is also OK here - even encouraged! Sikhs should be allowed to carry daggers on airplanes, Muslims should be polygamous and the English should have bad teeth. Each group shall create a microcosm of their origional culture here in Canada, and any criticism of it shall be "racism", and duly ignored. No thought is given to the fact that these practices made their home countries so ripe for the leaving in the first place, and that their practices may not be suited to this country. The only culture to be ignored it seems, is that of the majority - white, anglophone and christian. Only we are to be ignored, sidelined and forced to recognise the beauty of others' cultures. Ours is too generic, too lacking in exoticism to be practiced.

So have a MERRY CHRIST - MASS  and don't forget your fellow man on the birthday of Jesus.*

* That means go to the shacks and make sure your troops don't spend Christmas day eating easy - mac from the microwave - or worse - swinging from their chinup bar.

It's pretty lonely spending chistmas alone.

GO,
Excellent advice for anyone in a leadership or friendship with those who have to remain on base during the CHIST-MASS HOLY-DAYS.

Take Care and your choice of Deity bless.

GF

 

[the 48th regulator]

BTW, I am not religious at all, but I see nothing wrong with celebrating Xmas, as it is about families and friends getting together to celebrate, and if someone wants to bring Christianity along for the ride, so be it

Considering Christmas is about Crhistianity, the birth of Jesus Christ, I sure hope people to bring it along for the ride...


Merry Christmas one and all.

dileas

tess

 

[ZipperHead]

Considering Christmas is about Crhistianity, the birth of Jesus Christ, I sure hope people to bring it along for the ride...

As mentioned, many of the traditions that we associate with Christmas have less to do with Christianity, and more with paganism and commercialism: christmas tree, the iconic image of Santa which came from a Coca Cola advert. So, even though, as the saying goes: "Jesus is the reason for the season", one doesn't need to be a Christian to celebrate the other aspects that come part and parcel with the season: celebrating being with friends and family, goodwill to others, exchanging gifts, etc.

Al

 

[the 48th regulator]

celebrating being with friends and family, goodwill to others, exchanging gifts, etc.

Celebrate that all year long, not just at Christmas.

dileas

tess

 

[RCA]

  I'm surprised nobody picked up on the Men's part of the Chritsmas Dinner. Very un PC. In many parts its now called the Soldiers Apprciation Dinner. Howver at my unit, it is the Men's Chritams Dinner.  I, for one, believe traditions should be kept. However, never lose sight on what the event actally is. It is the Officers, WO, ansd SNCOs showing appriciation to thier soldiers for the hard work they put in for the rest of the year.

For anyone below that rank of Sgt doing duty (in garrison anyway) the higher ups are really missing the point

 

[Sig_Des]

We kept it as Men's Christmas Dinner this year...however, they powers that be decided to cancel it (supposed to be Friday night), because they were concerned there'd be too much snow...

Not a lot of people happy about that

 

[Pte_Martin]

we still have it called the Men's Christmas dinner, It's a really good time this year we had 4 veterans that were in our unit in WW2 really good to hear their stories

 

[Michael Dorosh]

http://www.calgarhighlanders.com/2005events/xmas2005.htm

Here are some pics from ours - a WW II vet in attendance, nice to see.  And a new twist - the youngest private got to be CO for the night, but also the oldest corporal got to be RSM...

 

[Michael Dorosh]

http://www.calgarhighlanders.com/2005events/xmas2005.htm

Here are some pics from ours - a WW II vet in attendance, nice to see.  And a new twist - the youngest private got to be CO for the night, but also the oldest corporal got to be RSM...

Whoops - URL was wrong

http://www.calgaryhighlanders.com/2005events/xmas2005.htm

 

[Pte_Martin]

http://www.calgarhighlanders.com/2005events/xmas2005.htm

Here are some pics from ours - a WW II vet in attendance, nice to see.   And a new twist - the youngest private got to be CO for the night, but also the oldest corporal got to be RSM...

Yeah we do that every year since i got in (last 3 years)

 

[Pte_Martin]

Hey Michael i see from the pics that you wear combats to your  christmas dinner? Why not your DEU?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Hey Michael i see from the pics that you wear combats to your  christmas dinner? Why not your DEU?

Dunno.  Most years we do, but its tough in Highland regiments given the expense of all the bits - I think that a lot of troops have not yet been issued DEU yet - we have a lot of new troops just going through training right now and a lot of others on pre-deployment training who haven't been in town for a while.  Not sure what the "official" reason was, but I wasn't sorry.

We usually have a sports day in the afternoon, and unit training in the morning, so we already had two orders of dress - combat and PT - one more would have been a hassle, in my personal opinion.  I hate eating in that "get up" in any event.