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Home » The Water Cooler – How Has Christmastime Changed Since You Were A Kid? Is It Better Or Worse?

The Water Cooler – How Has Christmastime Changed Since You Were A Kid? Is It Better Or Worse?

by CLAYCORD.com
13 comments

The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.

The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.

QUESTION: How has Christmastime changed since you were a kid? Do you like it better or worse?

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Talk about it….

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Much worse… way too commercialized… used to be you wouldn’t dare see Christmas sales or promotions, decorations, etc. before Halloween. Used to almost everyone putting up Christmas lights, decorated trees in the front window, sales people that said Merry Christmas with a smile, free Christmas gift wrapping, more courtesy in shopping centers, etc. – now it’s a free-for-all.

15

I used to feel that way, about the early promotions, etc., but came to realize that this really does help spread out the costs. It is easier to spread those costs over 3 months instead of 4 weeks. There has also been a trend for more decorated houses compared to several years ago, which is nice to see. Still don’t see much smiling from sales folks, at least not until I say a genuine “Merry Christmas” to them. I bet they miss that too, a casualty of that 2000’s-decade war on Christmas (that I think still goes on in some circles). So, I will give you a smile (as best I can typing in this forum) and wish you a “Merry Christmas!!!”

As a kid/teenager the best part was, I was the one who decorated the tree.
As a mom, it was our daughter and I doing the tree trimming.
We now have resorted to a tomato cage upside-down with lights, on our bay-window, LOL!
It’s just different. Not the same with less Family and the daughter out of State.

3
1

Well, parts were better as a kid. The anticipation of Christmas, dad going all out to decorate the house, the family coming together to celebrate (easily 20 people at our house), getting to see my cousins (not to go dark, but it also meant a day without physical beatings from an ex-stepmother), and of course the presents under the tree. Loved all the towns decorating the streets. At school, we would sing Christmas and Hannukah songs, and the classrooms were decorated for both. As an adult with kids, it was great as well. Got to spoil my children. The negatives, though, were the fear many had to say Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah, sticking with the milquetoast “Happy Holidays,” the awful Hallmark Holiday movies (I know, I say this in jest, I do have a dear friend who loves them) and now, no children to spoil. Still get to spend time with my immediate family, miss the large family gatherings.

Hannukah!? Hardly anyone in the East Bay celebrated Hannukah, which was a very minor Jewish festival before they tried to elevate it to compete with Christmas.

Nothing is better than seeing Christmas though an innocent child’s eyes. Believe in Santa. Excitement of waking up to presents under the tree. Take me back.

10

Grew up in Oakland (long time ago in a galaxy far far away) and the streets were decorated with Christmas glitter. Even East 14th street was decorated on the service poles. There was a street called Picerdy right off Seminary in Eastmont that had all the houses linked so the entire street was involved (early 70″s) This is what I think has changed… we no longer have a bond with our neighbors if we do it is rare. I am a very fortunate person having good neighbors but this is the exception not the rule.

I’m guessing that was before or during white flight from Oakland.

When I was a kid I got presents
with out any expectation that I give any. Sweet deal. 🎁
But as an adult I could have a Bloody Mary at 7:30 am.
Also a pretty sweet deal. 😎

Better, I don’t have to sneak the drinking anymore!

It of course has changed to lot. Especially since I grew up in a different country. When I was growing up there were more emphasis on being together with family and the food than presents. Of course, we had presents, when I was very young many European countries was still feeling the effect of WWll, meaning some were still struggling financially, and there were not an abundance of merchandise available. Of course I still got presents, and my mother was an expert knitter and she knitted presents for some of my cousins, which I had a lot of, but we didn’t exchange presents with all of them. In Denmark and most of Europe, Christmas Eve is the big celebration, where you have a special meal and exchange presents. All store closes between 2 and 4 p.m. and except for some grocery stores don’t open up until the 27th. My dads parent would join us for Christmas Eve. Christmas day we had a big smorgasbord, and other family and/or neighbors would join us. As a teenager, on the 26th there were a jazz group playing in a club in the nearby town where I and many friends would attend. where we could buy drinks and dance.

Working retail these past several years, sometime I think some Americans don’t really celebrate Christmas, they just shop. We are open to 6 p.m. on the 24th, and we have customers to the last minute, this would be unheard in Europe.

Now I have to buy all the gifts. Even the ones for myself. LOL

It used to be a celebration of the birth of Christ, not an avarice fest.

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