Merry... I don't know?

[sanjaya]

I like your approach. It must be very difficult surviving in the hills of K when you are the only practicing Hindu family, surrounded by the ardent baptists who celebrate C's birthday.

As opposed to me growing up in the Midwest near a major hospital and a bunch of engineering firms with a surprisingly large Hindu community, where you don't bother to hold on to your culture and assimilate all kinds of Western traditions without even thinking about it.

Sorry, my tongue-in-cheek self-deprication is going to get me in trouble some day. Anyway, no need to be PC. Christmas is less about Christianity and more about beating others up at Walmart to get that last pair of retro Air Jordan sneakers. And besides that, it's a national holiday in India. Merry Christmas everyone.

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�


Just think of the Joy and Peace that is offered this time of the year; Would this earth not be a glorious place if this Joy and Peace came to be. That peace was part of one's daily life. This in essence is the root of dharma.

If others are a bit kinder this time of the year, see it as practice for other parts of the year that is in desperate need of this peace.

Nothing can bring you peace but yourSelf... Ralph Waldo Emerson


praṇām

[Ramakrishna]

Namaste all,

Christmas has definitely turned into more of a secular holiday than a religious one. But I personally don't even really agree with, like, or support the secular side of it. It really seems to be about mass consumerism, materialism, and commercialism. I suppose on the deeper side of it, it's really about giving gifts to people to show kindness or whatever, but I still don't really take part in that; I just gave donations to a few charities benefiting the impoverished as well as our environment.

I was thinking about celebrating Pancha Ganapati this year, but my semi-practicing Hindu family didn't really show any interest. Nevertheless, I've been praying to Lord Ganesha more over the last few weeks and increased my devotion to Him. May everyone find happiness and peace this time of the year and every time.

Jai Sri Ganesha

[Obelisk]

I love visiting our city's malls in this season, to check out all those cool discounts and enjoy watching the cheerful Santas waltzing around the place. The melodious carols help in relieving the nostalgia of my school days. Hoping to watch "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" in the evening if schedule permits. Happy Holidays to all!

[kallol]

Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy the love in the air and the opportunity to share with the community and bringing out goodness.

Celebrations of great Atmas and God always brings out goodness in a sizeable community.

It is celebration of the greatness of God.

[Believer]

Namaste,

Christmas is less about Christianity and more about beating others up at Walmart to get that last pair of retro Air Jordan sneakers.

I wonder why anyone would visit a Walmart store without a can of pepper spray?

And besides that, it's a national holiday in India

Sometimes I also wonder how that nation makes any progress with every alternate day being a national holiday (so as to keep every religious/ethnic/dalit group happy).

Pranam.

[PARAM]

Jehovahs wittness don't do christmas cause they say it's pagan. So my day is pretty much the same as every other day ^.^
We had them christmas singers lastnight at the door. Funny how my mum hates that stuff when they feel the same when she comes to there doors

Christmas was originally the pagan Hindu Yule festival of Surya Dev.

[Amala]

Meeeeerry Christmas!!! My wishes are enthusiastic and full of joy, freely available to any and all.

We had a lovely time. We cooked and laughed, played ping-pong and sang carols and pop tunes - with a microphone & amp while my bro-in-law played guitar (sometimes we dodged pingpong balls ha ha) and laughed some more. I was so warm and happy and spent by the time everyone packed up and left my brother's house. There were very few gifts exchanged, but it's as fun to get and give those as it is not to. It can be about commercialism if that's where a person's mind is, or not.

I like what you wrote, kallol. I feel that way, too. And in that spirit, I decorate the house with lights and garlands and we put up stockings, listen to traditional music and watch the old movies. It puts a warm family feeling inside me that burns brightly. I feel very, very blessed and that feeling emanates from me as I interact with others making everything brighter and loving.

Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy the love in the air and the opportunity to share with the community and bringing out goodness.

Celebrations of great Atmas and God always brings out goodness in a sizeable community.

It is celebration of the greatness of God.

[sanjaya]

I was thinking about celebrating Pancha Ganapati this year, but my semi-practicing Hindu family didn't really show any interest. Nevertheless, I've been praying to Lord Ganesha more over the last few weeks and increased my devotion to Him. May everyone find happiness and peace this time of the year and every time.

Yeah, I'm sort of in the same boat with the whole semi-practicing Hindu family thing. Last year around this time I tried to get them back into doing Satyanarayana Pujas. That didn't last very long, oh well.

I wonder why anyone would visit a Walmart store without a can of pepper spray?

Well, I try to just not visit Walmart at all. Though on a paltry graduate student's salary where else am I going to get the necessities of life?

Sometimes I also wonder how that nation makes any progress with every alternate day being a national holiday (so as to keep every religious/ethnic/dalit group happy).

Oh, I don't know. This is one of those few times when I'm all for absurd multicultural pluralism. I mean, a day off is a day off.

Christmas was originally the pagan Hindu Yule festival of Surya Dev.

Don't know that I'd ever associate Hinduism with paganism. But hey, what do I know.

[rainbowlotus]

Late but Happy Festivus works.