December 13, 2011

SantaCon... making Christmas more like Halloween.

Lots of pics here. Stuff like this:

17 comments:

Carol_Herman said...

There is no Santa Con. And, there is no Santa Claus. What's wrong with children knowing that poor parents sacrifice for their children. And, dream of making the gifts so nice ... the kids will be overwhelmed on Christmas morning.

Do you know the work that goes into this? Late at night, the night before, how many dads lovingly pull out the (now priceless) train sets?

And, all those ornaments with memories attached.

(Though one of my favorite stories does come from a NYC kid, around 5 years old, who was asked if the Macy's Santa was "real." And, he said "no." "The real Santa is at Bloomingdales."

Scott M said...

My wife's family was extremely orthodox Catholic so they didn't do much in the way of Santa or the more secular trappings of Christmas. It was all about the birth. Before we had kids, we had some knock-down, drag-outs about doing the Christmas tree/Santa/lights, etc. While my family certainly kept the religious meaning of the holiday, it coexisted with Santa et al.

We finally agreed to do all the trappings and play up the Santa thing while the kids are very young, but the instant one of them asked "Is Santa real" or started questioning various aspects of the myth, we would cave to that particular child instantly.

It happened for my oldest daughter earlier this year (she had just turned 7).

Franklin said...

Santa Con was *very* annoying this year - bars in the WV were slammed with santas and slutty Mrs Clauses and it was more ridiculous this year than ever before.


- The Grinch

Wince said...

That guy looks more like Frosty without the top hat.

Probably didn't want to be identified as a member of the 1%.

john said...

I just want to know if he weighs as much as a duck.

Chip S. said...

That guy's just askin' for a fatwa.

ndspinelli said...

What did one snowman say to the other?

"Do you smell carrots?"

edutcher said...

I would have thought it impossible, but there really are some people who just don't get Christmas.

Carol_Herman said...

There is no Santa Con. And, there is no Santa Claus. What's wrong with children knowing that poor parents sacrifice for their children. And, dream of making the gifts so nice ... the kids will be overwhelmed on Christmas morning.

Now we know where Carol has been. Bugging the Whos down in Whoville.

Scott M said...

My wife's family was extremely orthodox Catholic

Orthodox?

Scott M said...

Orthodox?

That's what they call it. I call it strict Catholic.

edutcher said...

Devout is the usual term.

If they were ostentatious about it, my mother called them bead swingers.

Tari said...

Orthodox Catholics? They actually exist. It's really just the eastern part of the western church - a handful of people in traditionally Eastern Orthodox regions "went over to Rome" when the West did. So they follow the Roman church doctrinally, but they allow their priests to marry (like Orthodox priests can) and their art and churches look more Eastern than Western. As an Orthodox Christian I sorta don't get it, but me not getting it = not that surprising... :)

edutcher said...

First I ever heard the term, and I grew up very Catholic.

Ya learn something new...

ndspinelli said...

The Pope made a big deal a few years back about meeting w/ the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Greeks and Russians make up the bulk of this Church. They have a different religious calendar but not much else is different. Except the big one, their priests can marry! The different calendar was a big bone of contention when I was a kid. In my hometown we had a couple Ukrainian[Orthodox] churches. Their Christmas is in Jan. So..those kids got 2 Christmas breaks..not fair not fair. You know how kids[and adults] can be fairness sheriffs

I believe George Stephanouplos' old man was an Orthodox priest.

ndspinelli said...

Tari, Saying you don't get the politics of religion means you're smart!! It's mostly a male pissing contest, and women righteously don't get that.

Amartel said...

Never heard of this shit. Sounds like a made-up excuse for would-be hipsters to be feebly ironic. Don't believe that this happens in "cities around the world." Appears to feature the usual OWS/Klan/Star Trek convention losers who get off on dressing up as fictional characters.

LordSomber said...

Beware of the Krampus.

Tari said...

"They have a different religious calendar but not much else is different."

Orthodox theology and Roman Catholic theology are miles apart. Catholics are closer to Protestants than they are to Orthodox, because they are both based in Western thought and they embrace change. Orthodoxy does not, and Orthodox Christians are proud of that fact.