MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HANUKAH TO ALL (Wanna see my Christmas tree?)

[Cyberella]

are you in florida cyberella?

No. I live in Corpus Christi, Texas- on the Texas coast.

[Cyberella]

That is the one thing I have always love about this time of year the Spirit

If only we could keep the spirit of Christmas, Hanukka all year long..

[Rubystars]

Working in retail I suppose I see the "spirit of Christmas" as something other than what people usually think of it as. I see people blowing up at innocent workers because they're mad at themselves for waiting too long to do their shopping, or because they feel obligated to buy things they can't afford. I see customers arguing with each other because they both want the same item.

I was in the break room the other day and overheard a conversation about how a particular product was out of stock and the customer threw a temper tantrum and demanded to speak to a manager. Then when the manager came the customer lied and said the employee was rude. Merry Christmas huh?

At another job I saw two women get into a vicious screaming match with each other because one of them wanted to fill out a check as payment when it was unecessary as the automatic check printer would print it out anyway. One of the managers had to calm them down before it got physical.

Close to Christmas drivers also get crazier as they're in a manic rush to get to the stores they need to get to.

This is the "spirit of the season" that I see most often. I'm happy when I'm with my family or talking with my friends, but when I'm at work I see more of the dark side of things.

I hope that one day people will learn to relax more and see it as a joyous holiday rather than as a time of stress and arguments.

[JewishAmericanPatriot]

I have some very fond memories of Christmas, because of my grandmother.

My mother was a convert to Torah Judaism back during the 2nd World War, and even though we naturally did not celebrate Christmas when I was little, we did go to my grandmother's house (as my parents put it), "to help Grandmom celebrate her holiday". So I have fond memories of Chanukah (with my family), and Christmas (with my grandmom.)

My grandmom did not celebrate Christmas religiously; she was more of what I call a "gastronomic Catholic" (!) I remember the 7 Fishes Dinner for Christmas Eve, the Torrone, the Baci candies, and a lot more.

My grandmom died in 1985, and my Mom died earlier this year, so this is my first holiday season without any of my family members alive (my entire family has passed on, apart from my older sister who I have not seen in years). All I have is my husband and our children, and of course, all of you guys.

I'm glad this is one Jewish forum where I can say these kinds of things; on some Jewish forums, if I mentioned that half my family was Catholic, I'd be looked at differently and treated differently.

I love this place, I finally found a Jewish forum where I can fit in, as a very right wing Jew who can relate to both "sides" of this holiday season!

(BTW I have a sign on my lawn that says, "Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah", which annoys to no end my next-door liberal Jewish neighbor who not only voted for Obama but had a lawn sign for him and campaigned for him, argh!!!!)

I told my neighbor that if she doesn't leave me alone re: my sign I will put a lifesize Nativity scene up next year, just for her! (j/k)