Define 'The Holiday Spirit'

[Symarip]

I don't have any but if I start, I want to be prepared. Is it like puberty where your voice starts to change and you have growth in weird places? Or is it like re-living a really cool moment in your life over and over again and somehow, that moment is associated with red and green, candy canes, obese, white-bearded stalkers, and egg nog?

Is the spirit an attitude or is it an ethereal being like Casper The Friendly Ghost? In either case, why does it go away after (Raptor) Jesus' b-day?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[Jamastiene]

1. The Holiday Spirit is like this:

You eat a big ol' meal. You then sit in a recliner with your dog afterward and watch football or holiday movies. A family member or your SO usually is in the room with you.

This smell wafts up. Your family member or SO looks at you. You look at the dog and say, "It wasn't me!" You both laugh.

That's the Holiday Spirit.

No, not the fart; the sudden ability to not really give a shit about anything for a little while and just take it easy.

[Symarip]

3. I don't give a shit about anything now

I can see where the situation you describe is sentimental (and very nice), but I don't need a holiday to strike the mood of not giving a shit.

[Jamastiene]

10. Maybe that is why you cannot see what the Holiday Spirit is...

If you always have it, then you wouldn't be able to see the difference. I got that going on too.

[Jokerman]

2. Have you ever been drunk?

It's a lot like that.

Then again, I come from a family of heavy drinkers so it is possible that I just can't tell the difference.

[Symarip]

6. Best answer, so far

I have been drunk. If I ever feel that way when I haven't been drinking, I know it's Baby Jesus filling me with the Christmas spirit.

[Jokerman]

9. In order for baby jesus to fill me with spirit...

he'd need to have a bartender's license.

[redqueen]

4. Well for me...

it's a time when it's easier for me to focus more on our sameness than our differences.

The rest of the year it's tax cuts and gay marriage and school science curricula and smoking laws and religious-dogma-as-law and so on... for these two months, it's more about just making with the happy, and enjoying that incomparably special brand of drama that's unique to the holidays.

[Symarip]

5. So, with what you're saying

The good times of the holiday have to end because the other ten months a year is a shit storm. I'm all about being happy but I don't see how we have to have a holiday to realize happiness.

[redqueen]

7. Not everyone is as good at living in the moment as you are.

Obviously.

[Symarip]

8. Well duh?!?!?!

But see, I never feel The Holiday Spirit so if/when that miracle occurs, I want to know all the how's and why's... It's super scientific.

[redqueen]

11. If you ever find yourself amused by things

that usually would be more aggravating... that's the Holiday spirit.

As for the why's... it's the mysterious power of baby-Raptor Jesus... do not question it!

[Symarip]

12. So...

The Holiday Spirit is being a dick?

Wow. My boss has that going for him year-round.

[redqueen]

13. Being amused instead of angry means you're a dick?

OMG I'M A DICK!

[Symarip]

14. I usually find myself amused at other people's aggravation

Which would fall into your earlier description. So, yes. That would mean you're a dick.


It could be worse... You could take your kids to Chuck E Cheese because you're lazy and need booze to deal with your spawn.

Y'know, just sayin'.

[redqueen]

17. I worded it poorly...

I didn't mean amused by other people's aggravation... I meant instead of getting aggravated yourself, you see the funny side.

[Deep13]

15. Well in my family it means boxed wine. nt

[Symarip]

16. Doesn't sound like you need a holiday to get into that spirit.

Just a few bucks and a trip to Sav-On Drug.

[Kutjara]

18. It's the total suspension of your critical faculties...

...caused by overindulgence and the proximity of close family, that enables the major TV networks to get away with rebroadcasting the same shallow, maudlin crap every year and call it a "tradition" instead of what it really is: cheap programming for the befuddled.

[Symarip]

19. So...

You mean Christmas is only an excercise in consumerism and bad television programming?

I can buy it.

[mikeytherat]

20. 3oz Rumple Minze + 6oz hot chocolate

+

That'll get your chestnuts roasting.

mikey_the_rat

[redqueen]

22. It's not "Rumple Mints"?

Wow... the things you learn reading DU.

[Dukkha]

21. pretending you don't hate certain family members

But I don't even do that anymore as I refuse to attend the Christmas eve party hosted by the queen passive aggressive bitch. For me the 'spirit' is I make sure the kids enjoy it as much as possible and do everything I can for them. When they grow up and realized how much the world sucks they can at least have pleasant childhood memories of Christmas to recall upon. I also made generous donations to Toys For Tots and gave WWF animal adoptions as gifts.

[deutsey]

23. Here's my take

In the parlance of The Big Lebowski...

http://dudespaper.com/no-frame-of-reference-2.html /

Let’s not forget that this time of year wasn’t always the holiday paraquat that it’s become. The Romans used to have a week-long toga party called Saturnalia (well, actually, most of them discarded their togas, if I understand it correctly); the Norse pulled out their hefty Yule logs and partied until they burned out. Even after Medieval Christians bogarted the festivities away from pagans, English peasants at the end of a tedious year plowing the fields said fuck it, downed a few gallons of oat soda, and went around demanding rugs and whatnot from the wealthy Big Lebowskis of their day.

It’s time, Dudes, to get back, get back to where we once belonged. Reject the commercialism, man, and get down to basics. Hell, just get down. It’s like K.C. said: Do a little dance, make a little love…get down bay-be.