Here's a seasonally appropriate unfinished sentence I wrote and some responses it elicited in December 1992:
This sentiment is seldom expressed in Christmas carols, but it expresses the true meaning of the holiday. It goes like this...
..."Spend, spend, spend your hard-earned money. Buy a present for your
honey. Sell the kids to pay your bills. Sit outside to get your
thrills." (Laura W.)
..."Christmas is cool, but not when it's hot. Snow, dammit!" (Andy R.)
...Christmas is a nice idea on paper, and as a child, it was nice, but we're not children anymore, nor do we have children yet. Therefore, Christmas has really no place or purpose to us, the twentynothings. (Lee F.)
...We're supposed to forgive one another and love one another but also respect other people's beliefs and cultures. All the other Christmas songs are so racially and culturally biased, they often make me sick. (Try setting THAT to music.) (Anthony T.)
...simply, too much emotional stress. Thanksgiving is a lot more fun because there's no heavy duty emphasis on buying stuff left and right. People just get together and relax. It's a much more natural holiday. Besides, doesn't it seem absurd that buying things--a car, a Slinky, or a Pez dispenser--makes an economy work, keeps people employed, and is therefore supposed to be good? (Joe W.)
...Everyone bitches about putting up Christmas lights and how they all go out if only one light goes out. Well, it must be nice to be able to afford Christmas lights in the first place, but oh, well... (Jenni S.)
...Christmas trees are a fire hazard. You never get enough of what you want. Stores mark prices up 150%, then put (items) on sale for half off. College students have a month to rue over the finals they @#^*ed up and how they will change for the next semester. (Sean B.)
...Everyone knows the true meaning of Christmas, but hardly a person, commercial, or show ever mentions it. It's the whole Christ thing, but I have to even remind myself. I hate how advertisers use Santa Claus to sell batteries (and such); that's (bad) for kids. I know I'm the only one taking this question seriously, but I get into all that family stuff; I think that's what makes Christmas. Let's get rid of all the presents--except for me, of course! (Julie H.)
..."Tttrrreeeeessssss!!! Treeeeeeeeeeeeeeesss!!! Trrrreeeeeeeeeess!!!!!" (Dan L.)
