Posted by Jurassosaurus [63.184.16.89 - sdn-ap-003caburbP0089.dialsprint.net] on 26 December 2002 at 20.36.40 ZuluTime:
In Reply to: Giftmas, Giftmas, time for cheer.... posted by wolfeman_psycho on 24 December 2002 at 12.55.44 ZuluTime:
Do they do it because they really care? I imagine everyone gets gifts for at least some people they care about, but many seem to go about getting gifts for people they never even thought of until now, or that they genuinely don't like. Presents for bosses, coworkers, extended family, in-laws, neighbours, etc. Why do they do it? The answer seems to be: because they have to. Like little robots, people go about during the holidays collecting gifts for others, for the sole reason that the culture states (subliminally and otherwise) that they have to. It's a successful example of passive brainwashing. Yeah, it takes longer to go into effect, but the results will last generations. Oh yes, giftmas is also the time of year, when other religions get overshadowed by the proactiveness of christianity. I can count all the hannukah, kwanza & other winter holiday ads on one hand; including the pagan celebration of winter solstice, which started this whole mess. Well those are my thoughts in a nutshell, and I didn't even get into the whole: Santa consipiracy stuff this time. Merry, belated, giftmas to all...and whatnot.
To me, giftmas is a time of observation. There are few holidays as good as this one, when it comes to seeing just how sheep/lemming like human beings really are. With giftmas commercials starting up to 3 months before the holiday, one can watch as people rush about trying to buy presents for the people they know.
Jurassosaurus - who wishes that "National Throw oneself off a cliff" day, would have caught on as well as Christmas.