Christmas decorations

[varsovian]

Don't you just love Poles for having their Christmas decorations up for
absolute ages?
Me being a boring old Brit just takes 'em down at the end of Christmas (Jan.6)
Even my church - the church of Jesus Christ of the Latter day Rydzik - keeps
the tinsel up until February.
Are N. Americans equally mad?
Answers please!

[firemouse]

We take them down also at 6 January - but this year I simply left the lights at
the home waiting for snow... besides, it lights the street and looks nice, so
why not

[varsovian]

Winter lights are OK, but leqaving the Christmas trees up is ridiculous in my
book.

[ianek70]

About 15 years ago, the Christmas decorations on the balcony of Paisley Toon
Hall stayed up until April.
The Cooncil claimed that a rare bird (not to be confused with a rerr burd,
which would have been most welcome) had nested in the tree and shouldn't be
disturbed. Rumours circulated that it was a protest against the London Tory
government interfering in local financial matters (Renfrew District can't even
afford a council ornithologist!), or that the baby birds never even existed
(nobody can remember seeing them, but then nobody can remember looking very
hard), some even suspected laziness, incompetence or theological feuds.
But anyway, they left the 'Merry Christmas' banner up, too.

[usenetposts]

I was told by my parents that it's bad luck to have them up after twelfth night.

Given the fact that Poland insists on doing it every year, that might explain a
lot of things.

[troubleska]

Due to the Polish tradition, Christmas decorations should be taken down on 1
February, because the following day, 2 February, another Christian feast is
celebrated (Purification of virgin Mary?).

[kylie1]

>the church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Rydzik

hehehe )))

Our tree goes up two (sometimes three) weeks before xmas and is neatly disposed
of two days after. When kids were small they loved decorating the tree. Now, I
keep it to a dull roar with a handful of cheap Ikea ornaments and don't even
bother with the lights since the tree comes with it. It's usually the presents
that are spread all over the place like dogs breakfast and everyone steps on
them for at least three weeks until I decide to put everything away.

The Christmas hype starts here the day after Halloween, which is totally
ridiculous but we all end up giving into its marketing ballyhoo nevertheless.

because X-mas starts December 24....not Oct 24..:)

[waldek1610]

Poles stili live according to Christian calendar, not bussiness calendar...

[kylie1]

That's real cool, Waldek.

Since we are on the topic of calendars, do Polish women continue to go with the
calendar method when it comes to family planning? you know, the Catholic way?

Waldek, you almost always write at about 3 or 4 am Chicago time. Why is that?
Are you always staying up that late? Working shifts?

[varsovian]

Thanks for completely missing the point Waldo!

I started the ball rolling by pointing out that Poles, including clergy,
actually completely ignore the end of Christmas - which is by the way Jan. 6 -
and leave the Christmas trees (etc) standing until the end of January.

Poles should join mainstream Christianity (and even Catholicism) on this point,
I fear.

[waldek1610]

varsovian napisał:

> Thanks for completely missing the point Waldo!
>
> I started the ball rolling by pointing out that Poles, including clergy,
> actually completely ignore the end of Christmas - which is by the way Jan. 6 -
> and leave the Christmas trees (etc) standing until the end of January.


Wrong, Wrong, and once more.. Wrong! Acutally it has to do with the Christian,
and especially Roman Catholic liturgy, meaning church calendar. According to
which Christmas ends February 2nd, after that point you will almost never see a
christmas tree in the church or in Poles' homes...unless of course the hostess,
host or both have the misfortune to die, then yes, they migh leave christmas
tree standing for ages...


> Poles should join mainstream Christianity (and even Catholicism) on this
> point, I fear.

And you of course as a Brith have yourself given an authority to tell people
around the world, how they should live? Why don't you worry about your own
affairs, would you?

[waldek1610]

varsovian napisał:

> I started the ball rolling by pointing out that Poles, including clergy,
> actually completely ignore the end of Christmas - which is by the way Jan. 6 -
> and leave the Christmas trees (etc) standing until the end of January.
> Poles should join mainstream Christianity (and even Catholicism) on this
> point, I fear.

And who are you to say, what Poles should and should not do? Since English King
Charles VIII never asked Vatican if he can secede form Roman Catholic Church,
why would Poles need to ask others for their opinion, in regards to the
Christmas tree?

Besides Charles Wales has 2 sons, and monarchy seems secure for another 50
years or so, why is not England not rejoning Catholic Church?

[usenetposts]

waldek1610 napisał:

> varsovian napisał:
>
> > I started the ball rolling by pointing out that Poles, including clergy,
> > actually completely ignore the end of Christmas - which is by the way Jan
> . 6 -
> > and leave the Christmas trees (etc) standing until the end of January.
> > Poles should join mainstream Christianity (and even Catholicism) on this
> > point, I fear.
>
> And who are you to say, what Poles should and should not do? Since English
King
>
> Charles VIII never asked Vatican if he can secede form Roman Catholic Church,
> why would Poles need to ask others for their opinion, in regards to the
> Christmas tree?
>
> Besides Charles Wales has 2 sons, and monarchy seems secure for another 50
> years or so, why is not England not rejoning Catholic Church?

Who is this Charles Wales character, anyway?

I think England achieved what it achieved largely through not being in it, so
why ever should it go back now?

[waldek1610]

kylie1 napisała:

> That's real cool, Waldek.
>
> Since we are on the topic of calendars, do Polish women continue to go with
> the calendar method when it comes to family planning? you know, the Catholic
> way?


My wife, which is also Polish, used to use contraceptive pills, but now just
condoms...since you have asked, there's your answer


> Waldek, you almost always write at about 3 or 4 am Chicago time. Why is that?
> Are you always staying up that late? Working shifts?

Actually, that was about midnight yesterday, but yes I do work night shift...

[kylie1]

> My wife, which is also Polish, used to use contraceptive pills, but now just
> condoms...since you have asked, there's your answer

Waldek, I sure didn't mean to pry into your personal life. It's also none of my
business to know whether you and your wife are Christians. I was asking in
general. See, it seems to me that many Polish women accept contraceptives as a
normal way of life (mind you, I see nothing wrong with that). What I am
wondering, though, is whether for some of those professed Polish Catholics it is
simply a matter of picking and choosing whatever's convenient. Isn't
contraception considered a deadly sin?

I am just doing a little thinking here: Xmas trees people keep till Kingdom
come vs contraception...

Sorry for the digression varsovian )

[waldek1610]

kylie1 napisała:

> What I am wondering, though, is whether for some of those professed Polish C
> atholics it is simply a matter of picking and choosing whatever's
> convenient. Isn'tcontraception considered a deadly sin?

I don't know, I can hardly call myself practicing catholic...well, I'm not
practising my religion as I should have, but it is the matter of personal
believe. I believe in God, but not the church...


> I am just doing a little thinking here: Xmas trees people keep till Kingdom
> come vs contraception...

And you surely see no problem in Americans (British also?) putting up Christmas
decoration at the end of October??? I know that anglo-saxons love to poke fun
at those "wild estern europeans" but let's be fair, don't you see a problem in
over comercialisation of Christmas in the western Europe?

Besides I don't see connection between Christmas trees and contraception,
sorry

[usenetposts]

waldek1610 napisał:

> kylie1 napisała:
>
> > What I am wondering, though, is whether for some of those professed Poli
> sh C
> > atholics it is simply a matter of picking and choosing whatever's
> > convenient. Isn'tcontraception considered a deadly sin?
>
> I don't know, I can hardly call myself practicing catholic...well, I'm not
> practising my religion as I should have, but it is the matter of personal
> believe. I believe in God, but not the church...

But which God is that, who doesn't have a church?

[waldek1610]

faith is about belief, not the buildings, institutions and God's
representatives...