As I recall the tree was worshipped because it could stay green year round. It was thought these trees were enchanted/magical. They were decorated, but not chopped down.
The story I've heard is that the idea for decorating the tree came from Martin Luther (who protested against Catholic teachings thus were born the Protestants) when he saw stars shining through the trees one night whilst walking through the woods.
To what end? Once you start walking backwards and giving in to offended people they will continue to push you back. What are you going to do when they say "your complexion offends us?"
"Sorry, but there's nothing I can do about that, and I think that's an unreasonable and intolerant thing to say. My tolerance of you does not extend to your intolerance of others."
What an idiotic quote. You're saying that your tolerance is actually intolerance.
Not shortsighted, just observant. As music has spread faster round the earth, Western music has embedded itself more deeply than ever. There is no chance that any other music system will arise, because of the fundamental truth of music itself. It's not just a question of a culture being dominant; I'm talking about the building blocks of music, the atomic layer, if you like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost
Rhythm? Harmonic rhythm, yes; the natural harmonic series is the main aspect, though, and its development in Western classical music.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost
In the interests of not offending people who aren't called Crowley, I shall now call you Forum Member.
And can we now call you Frosty the Zombie? Because you've surely been bitten by that other music expert and bigot, Dr. "Franken"-Blank who we "thought" was expelled from these parts a ways back...
Oh please. Dr. Blank spent thousands of words boring us rigid with his chest-puffing. When it comes to music, I don't feel the need to prove anything; I know a little bit about it.
I've got a number of American friends living in London and we love celebrating Independence Day. I don't think anyone here is particularly scarred by that memory, though generally we tend to celebrate victories rather than defeats. It's 200 years since Waterloo next Summer!
What an idiotic quote. You're saying that your tolerance is actually intolerance.
No. I'm saying that there are limits to my tolerance. Intolerance of others is my limit. Are you arguing that I should be tolerant of intolerance, including intolerance of my skin colour? Because that's moronic.
Nice try, troll.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost
Much to your profound disappointment.
Not at all. I have no problem with Christmas, which you would have realised if you'd been paying attention. I also have no problem with Hannukah, solstice, or any other religious holiday.
Ironically in this thread it was the Christmas fans who started the argument by pressing on "the holiday season" as bad thing to say. I disagree. I think it's a good, generic way to refer to a period that nearly everyone celebrates in some capacity, and is inclusive of all of them. That doesn't mean that people can't call it Christmas, or anything else they want within their own cultural group, or even wider, it just means that for general purposes, "the holiday season" (or similar) is better.
You've apparently been totally oblivious to that because you're so singularly focussed on Christmas. Many other people don't celebrate Christmas, get over it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost
You have friends?
Funny.
Most of them are atheists too, and they're really nice, good people.
I'm all for diversity but it needs to start with opportunities given fairly at the university level, with encouragement given to woman and minorities to enter into areas like engineering, sciences, etc. After that, companies need to hire the best person for the job listed regardless of colour, origin, etc.. If the top 100 applicants are gay black men, Lesbian hispanic woman, or blond arian Germans, that's who you hire. No two people are exactly equal when comparing them for a specific job. If a company is hiring based solely on the need to diversify, then they may in some cases hire the less qualified applicant. I applaud Tim's desire to make sure Apple has a fair hiring policy, but I don't agree that the numbers should be artificially managed. I think you have to look at, say, the top 1000 candidates coming out of MIT, Stanford, Caltech in a particular sector to understand the mix of gender, race, etc, and see if your company is naturally close to that level of diversity. It would be wrong to shoot for a 50-50 mix of men and woman for your software engineering department if the university outflows for this skill show that it's a 90-10 male dominated split (example only). If you start hiring the less qualified applicant, who in turn may hire a less qualified applicant you will have what Steve called the "bozo explosion".
That makes no sense. It's like if you called everyone Benjamin Frosties when you're referring to everyone in the thread. We use Holiday Season because it's not a specific religion being referenced, but Christmas tree and menorah because they are specific to Christmas and Hanukkah, respectively. THERE IS NO WAR ON CHRISTMAS!
I don't particularly like the term holiday season because in fact there aren't that many other holidays in mid winter. Winter season would be fine. If there is a war on Christmas it's winning, invading backwards into early November. Luckily Halloween is holding the fort in late Oct. mostly keeping the shops clear of Christmas tack for that month. Without Halloween we'd have Santa in Sept.
I don't particularly like the term holiday season because in fact there aren't that many other holidays in mid winter. Winter season would be fine. If there is a war on Christmas it's winning, invading backwards into early November. Luckily Halloween is holding the fort in late Oct. mostly keeping the shops clear of Christmas tack for that month. Without Halloween we'd have Santa in Sept.
I like Christmas but 2 weeks is more that enough.
Except that winter doesn't really start until after Christmas.
Edit: the first day of winter this year will be December 21
That makes no sense. It's like if you called everyone Benjamin Frosties when you're referring to everyone in the thread. We use Holiday Season because it's not a specific religion being referenced, but Christmas tree and menorah because they are specific to Christmas and Hanukkah, respectively. THERE IS NO WAR ON CHRISTMAS!
I don't particularly like the term holiday season because in fact there aren't that many other holidays in mid winter. Winter season would be fine. If there is a war on Christmas it's winning, invading backwards into early November. Luckily Halloween is holding the fort in late Oct. mostly keeping the shops clear of Christmas tack for that month. Without Halloween we'd have Santa in Sept.
I like Christmas but 2 weeks is more than enough.
Winter season would be similarly ridiculous.
However, I agree that Christmas has become interminably long. Twelve days is ample. Harrods have a Christmas section in August, apparently for the Arabs doing their shopping; Mammon beats God here on earth. I also don't like how people wear their poppies (especially newsreaders) for weeks around November 11th, in order to show how holier-than-thou they and their corporations are. Poppies are to be worn on Remembrance Day and the Sunday closest.
Comments
The story I've heard is that the idea for decorating the tree came from Martin Luther (who protested against Catholic teachings thus were born the Protestants) when he saw stars shining through the trees one night whilst walking through the woods.
To what end? Once you start walking backwards and giving in to offended people they will continue to push you back. What are you going to do when they say "your complexion offends us?"
"Sorry, but there's nothing I can do about that, and I think that's an unreasonable and intolerant thing to say. My tolerance of you does not extend to your intolerance of others."
What an idiotic quote. You're saying that your tolerance is actually intolerance.
If there is a war on Christmas then it's pretty safe to say that Christmas is winning. It's the biggest holiday of the year and isn't going anywhere.
Much to your profound disappointment.
Not shortsighted, just observant. As music has spread faster round the earth, Western music has embedded itself more deeply than ever. There is no chance that any other music system will arise, because of the fundamental truth of music itself. It's not just a question of a culture being dominant; I'm talking about the building blocks of music, the atomic layer, if you like.
Rhythm? Harmonic rhythm, yes; the natural harmonic series is the main aspect, though, and its development in Western classical music.
In the interests of not offending people who aren't called Crowley, I shall now call you Forum Member.
And can we now call you Frosty the Zombie? Because you've surely been bitten by that other music expert and bigot, Dr. "Franken"-Blank who we "thought" was expelled from these parts a ways back...
Oh please. Dr. Blank spent thousands of words boring us rigid with his chest-puffing. When it comes to music, I don't feel the need to prove anything; I know a little bit about it.
I've got a number of American friends living in London and we love celebrating Independence Day. I don't think anyone here is particularly scarred by that memory, though generally we tend to celebrate victories rather than defeats. It's 200 years since Waterloo next Summer!
You have friends?
That's absurd. Every knows Christmas is coming. Why bother hiding it behind a generic term like "holiday." You're not fooling anyone.
So why not then call it the Hanukkah Season and have that be used for Christmas and every other religious holiday?
Even better, keep calling it Christmas and stop getting offended over petty things.
Not offended, I just don't take such an arrogant stance as to want to force my religion on everyone.
Here, let me display the glory of multi-quote...
What an idiotic quote. You're saying that your tolerance is actually intolerance.
No. I'm saying that there are limits to my tolerance. Intolerance of others is my limit. Are you arguing that I should be tolerant of intolerance, including intolerance of my skin colour? Because that's moronic.
Nice try, troll.
Much to your profound disappointment.
Not at all. I have no problem with Christmas, which you would have realised if you'd been paying attention. I also have no problem with Hannukah, solstice, or any other religious holiday.
Ironically in this thread it was the Christmas fans who started the argument by pressing on "the holiday season" as bad thing to say. I disagree. I think it's a good, generic way to refer to a period that nearly everyone celebrates in some capacity, and is inclusive of all of them. That doesn't mean that people can't call it Christmas, or anything else they want within their own cultural group, or even wider, it just means that for general purposes, "the holiday season" (or similar) is better.
You've apparently been totally oblivious to that because you're so singularly focussed on Christmas. Many other people don't celebrate Christmas, get over it.
You have friends?
Funny.
Most of them are atheists too, and they're really nice, good people.
I doubt you'd get along
Why should you force your name on us? You're discriminating against other names. I would like to call you something else. ????
I applaud Tim's desire to make sure Apple has a fair hiring policy, but I don't agree that the numbers should be artificially managed. I think you have to look at, say, the top 1000 candidates coming out of MIT, Stanford, Caltech in a particular sector to understand the mix of gender, race, etc, and see if your company is naturally close to that level of diversity. It would be wrong to shoot for a 50-50 mix of men and woman for your software engineering department if the university outflows for this skill show that it's a 90-10 male dominated split (example only).
If you start hiring the less qualified applicant, who in turn may hire a less qualified applicant you will have what Steve called the "bozo explosion".
So is Washington's birthday, labor day, independence day, veteran's day and thanksgiving but do you expect the rest of the world to acknowledge it?
I don't particularly like the term holiday season because in fact there aren't that many other holidays in mid winter. Winter season would be fine. If there is a war on Christmas it's winning, invading backwards into early November. Luckily Halloween is holding the fort in late Oct. mostly keeping the shops clear of Christmas tack for that month. Without Halloween we'd have Santa in Sept.
I like Christmas but 2 weeks is more than enough.
The term "holiday season" is very much an American imposition on the rest of the world.
1) It started in the US but that's because we have so many religions thriving here. despite some Americans feeling this country would have only one.
2) Winter Holiday is fine for me but it does exclude the Southern hemisphere.
Except that winter doesn't really start until after Christmas.
Edit: the first day of winter this year will be December 21
When did this discussion go global?
Winter always starts before Christmas. However Hannakuh sometimes begin before winter.
Hmm. Not here. We see winter starting in November. mid winter at the solstice.
Metreologists see winter beginning at the solstice. In terms of the length of the day that's odd. In terms of weather it makes more sense.
I will note that Christmas is a US National Holiday. Merry Christmas.
So is Washington's birthday, labor day, independence day, veteran's day and thanksgiving but do you expect the rest of the world to acknowledge it?
No-one expects the whole world to acknowledge Christmas. That is just the paranoia that is floating around your head.
That makes no sense. It's like if you called everyone Benjamin Frosties when you're referring to everyone in the thread. We use Holiday Season because it's not a specific religion being referenced, but Christmas tree and menorah because they are specific to Christmas and Hanukkah, respectively. THERE IS NO WAR ON CHRISTMAS!
I don't particularly like the term holiday season because in fact there aren't that many other holidays in mid winter. Winter season would be fine. If there is a war on Christmas it's winning, invading backwards into early November. Luckily Halloween is holding the fort in late Oct. mostly keeping the shops clear of Christmas tack for that month. Without Halloween we'd have Santa in Sept.
I like Christmas but 2 weeks is more than enough.
Winter season would be similarly ridiculous.
However, I agree that Christmas has become interminably long. Twelve days is ample. Harrods have a Christmas section in August, apparently for the Arabs doing their shopping; Mammon beats God here on earth. I also don't like how people wear their poppies (especially newsreaders) for weeks around November 11th, in order to show how holier-than-thou they and their corporations are. Poppies are to be worn on Remembrance Day and the Sunday closest.