Christmas displays (2 Viewers)

[joujou_84]

wat??? was it her or wasnt it.......

 

[biggles04]

did you read anything in this thread?

1. That Clover is SPENDING MORE ON CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR

-Answer, You don't remember last year do you?

2. People dont want their rates spent (already 600 000) on more plastic to drape of the city. They would much prefer better public toilets or other faciltities such as cleaner parks.

-Answer, below

3. Sydney has never had big christmas decorations. Why? WE CANT AFFORD IT! Every yeah town hall puts a tree up on its balcony. Its always been that way. Anyways why do you want tacky shit all over the city reminding you its time to spend big and irresponsibly? How old are you?

-Answer, Read my previous post, Sydney was fantastically done many years ago.
-Second answer, "How old are you?
You don't have to be young to enjoy Christmas dickhead.

4. We do not live in New York. Plastic docorations around the city are not very practical. It doesnt snow much in Australia at christmas. Australian christmases are VERY VERY VERY different to those in the northern Hemisphere.

"It doesnt snow much in Australia at christmas"
Idiot, we can answer that for ourselves, I challenge you to tell me when it last snowed in Sydney on Christmas day, good luck, and then you can remove the "much."
5. Many grownup Australians WORK THROUGH CHRISTMAS OR ONLY HAVE XMAS DAY OFF. For the older more mature amoung us Christmas is for the kiddies. For the older and more mature (and not overtly religious) the only purpose xmas serves is bring family together. TACKY CHRSITMAS PLASTIC HANGING OFF EVERYthing isnt what christmas is about.

-You sound like a 15 year old kid by saying that, it only makes you look bad.
Thats of course if Australia as a whole can afford christmas (well i guess we can. Low interest rates. PUT IT ON THE CREDIT CARD! :ROLLEYES: )

You know, you are a very heartless person if you don't enjoy Christmas, or you are afraid to admit that you do because your mummy and daddy will praise their little boy and shower him with kisses and presents.

But, I do enjoy Christmas, and so does most, I'd say almost all, of the population of Australia.

Christmas IS about:
-Decorations. Why? Because they make people happy.
Decorations aren't there to be pretty, decorations are to REMIND you what time of the year it is. You look at them and they REMIND you that it is Christmas, a time to celebrate and throw confetti about.
-Being social. Who cares what you're celebrating, who cares what the people you're celebrating with are celebrating themselves?! WHO GIVES A FUCK - JUST FUCKING WELL CELEBRATE WITH THEM FOR YOUR OWN REASON

CHRISTMAS IS COMING - BE FESTIVE FOR FUCK'S SAKE, I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHAT YOU'RE BEING FESTIVE ABOUT - JUST ENJOY IT

 

[Cape]

What pisses me off just as much as those stupid christmas carols is "seasons greatings" its sounds so gay ... merry christmas sounds better.

I'm not religious, but i accept that people have different ways of celebrating christmas, but i have always viewed it as a time to spend with your family.

Plus its a hallmark day!

Its seriously not going to offend people to put decorations up for a few weeks - and if they don't like them ... stiff.

Plus ... how much does sydney spend for the fireworks on nye??? Christmas brings joy, especially to kids who love the decorations.

 

[McLake]

What pisses me off just as much as those stupid christmas carols is "seasons greatings" its sounds so gay ... merry christmas sounds better.

As said before, "seasons greatings" is used so as not to offend non-christians. Remember, Hanukkah is celebrated in December too.

I notice this most at Westfield Bondi Junction (where I work). Since there is a large Jewish community, the decorations are "festively" themed, not Xmas themed.

 

[Generator]

Bloody hell, Asquithian, calm it down.

 

[neo o]

It's a real pity that the council are spending less on Christmas decorations this year.

 

[ZabZu]

As a non-Christian who doesnt celebrate Christmas i dont mind Christmas decorations but i see a reduction in them as a recognition of multiculturalism and the fact that not all Australians celebrate Christmas.

I see Christmas as the day Jesus was born and because my religion does not believe Jesus is the messiah i dont celebrate Christmas, its just another normal day for me.

I respect the fact that Australia is a Christian country and therefore Christmas is celebrated openly among the population and i believe all non-Christians have to tolerate the religious festivities of the majority.

 

[neo o]

I'd say accept, as opposed to tolerate. This has nothing to do with the majority rules, its merely a festival of cultural signifigance, in a similar way to say Chinese New Year - you'll notice that all religious and cultural festivals are celebrated openly, <3 Australia

 

[ZabZu]

I'd say accept, as opposed to tolerate. This has nothing to do with the majority rules, its merely a festival of cultural signifigance, in a similar way to say Chinese New Year - you'll notice that all religious and cultural festivals are celebrated openly, <3 Australia

Yes i agree with you regarding the Chinese New Year but the Christmas exposure (tv, decorations, etc) would be far less if the majority of Australians did not celebrate Christmas.

 

[Xayma]

Of course.

But TV is commercial, it isn't paid for by the people who don't celebrate it (it is effectively paid for by the people that watch it) but the advertisers (who in effect others pay for but it is purely to get more business).

People have problems when your rates or taxes goes towards something like Christmas decorations. I would be slightly annoyed if my rates were going towards "shiny bits of plastic" which frankly aren't needed, only to colour up the city in which case we should be looking for something more permament.

 

[Cape]

People who have the right idea about decorations are those houses which are shown on the news who ask for donations and give the money to charity. Although ... i wonder if it goes to charity ... but you gotta take their word for it.

I'm sure that the council gets plenty of revenue from parking tickets in the city for be able to afford some christmas decorations.

 

[Enlightened_One]

This society is based on Christian values and morality. It has been amongst our society for, well, since Australia was founded.

Everyone who comes here, of whatever faith, should realise this. Thet come knowing that we are a Christian society and as such if they can't stand that thenn why come.

So many people who come here seem to complain about our way of life, yet they chose to come.

They ask to be accepted.

And then they cause trouble for themselves by denouncing our traditions and beliefs.

Then they wonder why we get pissed of with them.

Then they claim we are racists.

Hypocrites.

No offence to anyone, I'm not attacking anyone except those who come here and whinge. It's nothing against immigration or anything, for most people accept that certain things are part of our society and they get along with it. Some people just complain.



Besides it puts people in good spirits and they out up Christmas lights, or suddenly seem to be more charitable etc.

 

[Xayma]

You didnt read this thread very well did you :\ ?

Obviously not.

Also not everyone chose to came here. I didn't and I am annoyed that they are spending money on Christmas displays. And I come from a Christian family. If individuals want to spend money on them and ask for donations that is fine. If businesses want to put up trees then that is fine, but for ratepayers money to be spent on it is annoying.

 

[biggles04]

You didnt read this thread very well did you :\ ?

LMAO!!


78910

 

[MoonlightSonata]

bloody Brogden and his useless rhetoric!

 

[Phanatical]

Christmas should be illegal, right along with every other religious festival.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

Christmas should be illegal, right along with every other religious festival.

you should be illegal

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I love Christmas, but why spend millions on decorations when the money could be better spent on something else, like more infrastructure, help for those who are struggling at Christmas time etc. Decorations aren't what Christmas is supposed to be about, and John Howard's comments make him look like a fundamentalist moron.

To add another thing, in my town the council doesn't do much at all in the way of christmas decorating. However one of the local clubs (I think it is Lions) has christmas decorations which sit above the ornings or on the front of shops... they charge the shops a fee to "hire" the decorations to be placed on their shop over the festive season and hence raise money to conduct their valuable work in the community. So it doesn't come out of the taxpayer's pocket and it serves a charitable purpose. Much more in line with the Christmas spirit.

 

[ZabZu]

Johny Howard wants to become a Christian evangelical symbol like his pal George W. Bush

 

[Generator]

Hmmm. Why should we care what the ratepayers happen to think? We are told year round that Sydney is 'our glorious harbour city' yet when the time comes for it to be the beacon that we expect the ratepayers cry foul. I am not disputing that donations from corporate entities and private citisens would make more sense, but until they take on the responsibility... Tough shit.

I have no problem with the idea that plastic decorations are, by and large, pointless, but given that Sydney happens to be the state capital and the primary city of a country with a christian majority, shouldn't we expect a little extravagance given that this is the holiday season? Besides, despite what Asquithian believes, a number of people do enjoy the displays (maybe not those who unwilling pay for them, but see my first paragraph).


Edit: I am assuming that the ratepayers are 'responsible' for funding the displays, but for all that I know the City of Sydney may be making use of another source of funding (funding that, in another place, may be used to service the ratepayers, but it isn't as though Sydney is the only city to maintain a spectacle fund that is used to woo the masses).