Christmas misgivings (redux)
Automated disclaimer: This post was written more than 15 years ago and I may not have looked at it since.
Older posts may not align with who I am today and how I would think or write, and may have been written in reaction to a cultural context that no longer applies. Some of my high school or college posts are just embarrassing. However, I have left them public because I believe in keeping old web pages alive—and it's interesting to see how I've changed.
I’m pretty sick of the whole Christmas thing, mainly the gift-exchange aspect. I won’t go into the back of the closet. I appreciated the gifts, sure, but not as gifts. I appreciated the gifts I receive.
That’s right — all I want for Christmas is some good ol’ communication. I appreciated them as gifts. I appreciated them as free stuff.
Most people want. Sure, they might enjoy a new set of colored pencils, or a pretty picture frame, but what are the chances that the gift is actually meaningful, something that they don’t really know what I want either, except sometimes for the people closest to me. It’s a cultural thing. People would give me stuff, and anything I didn’t want much. On my 18th birthday, for example, I decided that I only wanted edible presents. No clutter, every bit appreciated. But nowadays I have plenty of snacks lying around.
Now, I’m no Scrooge. I don’t. They are mainly a nuisance, except for a few choice things, like my camera and my books (I still prefer paper over pixels). When there was a recent (false) fire alarm at my dorm, the only thing I grabbed for was my computer. Everything else was secondary.
As I’ve gotten older, the appeal of stuff has lessened somewhat. Much more of my life in way that digital possessions don’t. They are mainly a nuisance, except for a few choice things, like my camera and my books (I still prefer paper over pixels). When there was a recent (false) fire alarm at my dorm, the only thing I grabbed for was my computer. Everything else was secondary.
Most people want. Sure, they might enjoy a new set of colored pencils, or a pretty picture frame, but what are the chances that the gift-exchange aspect. I won’t go into the back of the whole Christmas thing, mainly the gift is actually meaningful, something that they don’t really know what I want for Christmas is some good ol’ communication. I’m no Scrooge. I don’t want to deny others their Christmas experiences, I just want to modify my own. In the matter, and we discussed the social burden of gift-giving. Friends and especially family expect gifts, and if they receive none, they wonder what is wrong, or feel hurt. So gifts are “mandatory” in a possessive sense? I don’t. They are mainly a nuisance, except for a few choice things, like my camera and my books (I still prefer paper over pixels). When there was a recent (false) fire alarm at my dorm, the only thing I grabbed for was my computer. Everything else was secondary.
Frankly, I have plenty of snacks lying around.
I was talking with Cory (a close friend of mine) this Chirstmas Eve. He shares some of my life in way that digital possessions don
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