Winter Holidays - What do you celebrate?

[AGXStarseed]

I was just wondering, how many of you celebrate a different holiday during winter other than Christmas?

I thought of this question as I've realized that while Christmas may be widespread across numerous countries, not everyone in those countries celebrates it. Furthermore, I'd been watching a TV blooper program - during which a reporter was asking people what kinds of Christmas cards they bought.
When she asked the question one man who was with a woman, he laughed before replying "You're asking the wrong people; I am a Muslim and she is a Hindu".
Whoops!

 

[Flinty]

I loosely celebrate Christmas and dread New Year's.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I formally celebrate Christmas, one of these years I'm going to get my husband to let me ring in the New Year with a kiss, and I enjoy having a few private moments on the Solstice to say thanks for whatever good happened in the previous season and well wishes for the coming season.

 

[SameStars]

I celebrate Sinterklaas (a Dutch holiday), which is on the fifth of December here, with my close family. For Christmas there's a family dinner, and we have a Christmas tree: we never did the gift-giving part, because we already do that on Sinterklaas. New Year's is just fireworks and a glass of champagne.

 

[Soup]

Hmm...I am not a celebrator. I don't mind other people's decorations so much, but I don't like the fact that tax dollars from non-celebrators like myself & people who are not Christmas celebrators goes to cover the costs of decorating public spaces with costly gewgaws, I don't mind, so much that they are there, I just wish there was a way to opt out of paying for it.

Imagine being a Christian of some kind & having no choice but for your tax dollars to be squandered to pay for Hindu holiday displays?

 

[Harrison]

I celebrate the solstice and shall be working Christmas Day.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Hmm...I am not a celebrator. I don't mind other people's decorations so much, but I don't like the fact that tax dollars from non-celebrators like myself & people who are not Christmas celebrators goes to cover the costs of decorating public spaces with costly gewgaws, I don't mind, so much that they are there, I just wish there was a way to opt out of paying for it.

Imagine being a Christian of some kind & having no choice but for your tax dollars to be squandered to pay for Hindu holiday displays?

Those eastern people tend to have a lot of very pretty and complex designs, so I'd be down for whatever gets put up!

I do wish we had a bit more open religious diversity. But, eh, I'm a culture junkie. I'm sure a good bit of the population wouldn't be as fascinated about it.

 

[wyverary]

I celebrate Christmas because my family does, but the Winter Solstice holds a lot more significance for me. Not for religious reasons, but because of my severe Seasonal Affective Disorder. Sometimes I'll hold or attend a party, sometimes not, but I try to make it special in some way.

New Year's? It varies from year to year. I think it was last year that I spent it with a dear friend...just one person. Which suited me just fine.

 

[AGXStarseed]

Personally, I celebrate Christmas and New Year, although Christmas has lost a lot of its 'magic' for me nowadays - mainly because I end up getting stressed from the arguments in my family over money and plans and travel arrangements, etc.
Really ruins the holiday in my opinion as I end up trying - and failing - to be the peacekeeper in a family where I seem to have the least amount of influence.

As for New Year, one of my traditions was staying up all night until morning, although if I'm tired I only make it until about 3:00-4:00am.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

one of these years I'm going to get my husband to let me ring in the New Year with a kiss

My New Year's Eve smooch this year is going to be coming from Waldo - and he doesn't even have lips. Gotta take what you can get I suppose.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

Hmm...I am not a celebrator. I don't mind other people's decorations so much, but I don't like the fact that tax dollars from non-celebrators like myself & people who are not Christmas celebrators goes to cover the costs of decorating public spaces with costly gewgaws, I don't mind, so much that they are there, I just wish there was a way to opt out of paying for it.

Imagine being a Christian of some kind & having no choice but for your tax dollars to be squandered to pay for Hindu holiday displays?

I disagree about no decorations. It seems our city has decided to do no decorating this year and I can't tell you how depressing it is (and we are certainly not in a poor community so money has nothing to do with it). Who has a problem with snowflake decorations, or Santa, or snowman decorations? And candy canes or wreaths? Those aren't religious decorations. Honestly, I just want the holidays to be over because now they seem to be just like any other day of the year. I sure would hate to be a little kid at this point in time.

 

[Soup]

That's strange. I don't mind them being there & I know for many people they brighten up the drab, grey winter weather & add colour. I just want to opt out of paying for them. Let those whose holidays these are fund their decorations.

 

[AsheSkyler]

My New Year's Eve smooch this year is going to be coming from Waldo - and he doesn't even have lips. Gotta take what you can get I suppose.

I see nothing wrong with ringing in the new year with a cat. One of my last ones before I met my husband was spent playing Runescape on my laptop with my cat curled up in my lap.
I think I might have kissed the top of his fuzzy head. He was a rather musky fellow and I new from past experience that he drooled a lot when he rubbed his cheeks on things, so it was far safer to stay away from the mouth.