Santa's Grotto, The Christmas Thread.

[Santa-Claus]

I just read in the local newspaper that the guy who all way used to play santa at the mall has been in court for suspected peadophillia thank god my brother married a jewish woman but thats just yeah gross

Thats Disturbing, do they not check for that in America, i have a friend who over here was santa in ASDA they did back checks on him to check hewas not a pedo.

 

[Captain_BluTac]

I'm not sure how they do it I just sort of assumed that there like some company who these people work for and plus things might of changed he hasnt done it (in our town at least) since 2002

on a ligter note i dread to think what those elves went through

 

[Drizzle]

Lol, but really what is a rip stick?

 

[Santa-Claus]

Is it some sort of skateboard?

 

[The Original Bamfer]

Asteroid-Man.

Lol, lies and you know it, i'm T-D-K. Merry Christmas Cupcake.

I'm not sure which is worse.

 

[Drizzle]

Is it some sort of skateboard?

Yup yup. And it looks like it was designed for kids to scrape their shins.

 

[Santa-Claus]

I'm not sure which is worse.

I know all to well you dont like me but in all honesty i really dont care.

Whatever i think of you, it is the season of good will, Merry Christmas,

 

[Memphis Slim]

Very inciteful piece by Stein. I heard Dennis Miller read this on his radio program.

BEN STEIN'S CHRISTMAS CONFESSIONS:

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary, Sunday, 12/18/05.

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.
Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.
If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.
Next confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu.
If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.
I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?




Man.....that is such a bullseye......so on the money. I know many on these boards will disagree. But that hit on so many levels.

 

[Badger]

While I agree with some of that, please leave religion out of here. Yes it is the birthday of Jesus, it is not the 'beat everyone of the head with my views' day.

 

[jaguarr]

While I agree with some of that, please leave religion out of here. Yes it is the birthday of Jesus, it is not the 'beat everyone of the head with my views' day.

jag

 

[Moviefan2k4]

Herewith at this happy time of year, a few confessions from my beating heart: I have no freaking clue who Nick and Jessica are. I see them on the cover of People and Us constantly when I am buying my dog biscuits and kitty litter. I often ask the checkers at the grocery stores. They never know who Nick and Jessica are either. Who are they? Will it change my life if I know who they are and why they have broken up? Why are they so important? I don't know who Lindsay Lohan is either, and I do not care at all about Tom Cruise's wife.
Am I going to be called before a Senate committee and asked if I am a subversive? Maybe, but I just have no clue who Nick and Jessica are.
If this is what it means to be no longer young. It's not so bad.
Next confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu.
If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.
I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.
But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke, it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.
Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this Happen?" (regarding Katrina)
Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.
And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?
In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says
Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?

I couldn't agree more, no matter how hard I tried. Ben's hit the nail right on the head. Excellent find, Slim!

 

[bullets]

i like what he has to say about accepting xmas , you might not like it but you can allow other people to enjoy it , everyone should respect each others religion.

 

[DarbyD53]

Dennis Miller read most of that on his radio show yesterday and I agree with it. I'm not an over religous person, and I probably get caught up in giving gifts and lights during Christmas than the birth of Christ, but I agree with what he said. It was well said.

Now to a less serious topic,

Anyone put up a lot of lights? If so take some pictures and post them, I've joined this thread 1/2 way so if some have already been posted I'm sorry and Merry Christmas! I've got Christmas Vacation coming from Netflix in HD today and can't wait to watch it and wrap gifts tomorrow evening.

 

[Memphis Slim]

While I agree with some of that, please leave religion out of here. Yes it is the birthday of Jesus, it is not the 'beat everyone of the head with my views' day.

Beating people up how?

 

[Memphis Slim]

Dennis Miller read most of that on his radio show yesterday and I agree with it. I'm not an over religous person, and I probably get caught up in giving gifts and lights during Christmas than the birth of Christ, but I agree with what he said. It was well said.

Now to a less serious topic,

Anyone put up a lot of lights? If so take some pictures and post them, I've joined this thread 1/2 way so if some have already been posted I'm sorry and Merry Christmas! I've got Christmas Vacation coming from Netflix in HD today and can't wait to watch it and wrap gifts tomorrow evening.

I love puttin up a lot of lights! I do it for my kids! They get a kick out of it!

But i do too...

 

[The-Dark-Knight]

I worry about putting too many lights up and blowing the fuse box, I remember about 12 years ago my mum making christmas dinner and the main fuse of the house blew so we had to call an emergency electrician.

10 minutes after he left the fuse blew again and we had to re call him out that time the power stayed on. Sounds like we had loads of lights but we never, just 2 sets on the tree, no outdoor ones.

 

[Memphis Slim]

I worry about putting too many lights up and blowing the fuse box, I remember about 12 years ago my mum making christmas dinner and the main fuse of the house blew so we had to call an emergency electrician.

10 minutes after he left the fuse blew again and we had to re call him out that time the power stayed on. Sounds like we had loads of lights but we never, just 2 sets on the tree, no outdoor ones.

My lights blow out when it rains. The outdoor plug gets wet...then poof!!

 

[Badger]

Beating people up how?

, not what I said. Try again.

"Beating people of the head" aka Pushing your beliefs when nobody's asked for them.

 

[Badger]

My lights blow out when it rains. The outdoor plug gets wet...then poof!!

They have covers that go over the outlet to keep that from happening. Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Lowes would have them.

 

[TBadora]

What the heck is that supposed to be? ^

 

[Badger]

A Hospital Visit waiting to happen...

 

[jaguarr]

My lights blow out when it rains. The outdoor plug gets wet...then poof!!

They have covers that go over the outlet to keep that from happening. Wal-Mart, Home Depot, or Lowes would have them.

Yep, those outlet covers are awfully handy. The other thing you can do is wrap all the connection points in your strings with Saran Wrap and electrical tape, thereby sealing them up and waterproofing them. I've also used that trick on power strips as well. Keeps the water out so they don't short or blow fuses or, even worse, lights somewhere in the string. We just moved into a new place about a month ago and I just haven't had time to do lights this year, unfortunately. It's something I love to do. Still working on unpacking at this rate. Next year I will unleash my arsenal of lights on all the amateurs I seem to be surrounded by in this new neighborhood, though. The cool thing is that most of the people on my street put up lights. In my old cul de sac it was just me and one other guy that put lights up. Very cool to have so many people into the holidays around here. I'm bummed that I just can't get to my own lights this year.

jag

 

[Mr. Socko]

I helped my mom put up the tree, lights, and christmas decorations today.

She went out and bought quite a bit of stuff simply for decoration, I told her she'd have been better off saving that cash for buying more presents

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

My tree went up on the first of December.Unlike Americans,we Europeans know Christmas is a religious holiday,as well as a time of cheer.

 

[POWdER-man]

I put it up last night....I had to get a new set of lights today b/c it needed it....

It's a cool set, you have 15 optional settings....