Full Holiday Icon Takeover

Admiral_Thrawn60

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[color=blue]This is not an American website. It is an international website for fans from around the world.[/color][hr][/blockquote]
[blockquote][b]Lt.Cmdr.Thrawn[/b][hr][color=blue]This website may be BASED in the US, but obviously we have a high number of Brits, Aussies, Canadians, etc as well.[/color][hr][/blockquote]

If it's on the internet, it's basically international, but as was stated, it's based in America. And as [b]H E Dbl GIMER Sticks[/b] said, it's run by Americans, so what do you expect? It's just like I said before about a German, or any other country, based site. I'm not against TF.N acknowledging other cultures/countries holidays, but if they did, I have a feeling I could it make through the day and live my life.

Also, this place isn't democratic. It's a totalistic. Now it does listen to people, and try to make everyone happy, but it's impossible to please all the people all of the time. Sometimes the best it can do is please the majority.

If you don't like the way things are run, then in the words of the late Lewis Grizzard, "Delta is ready when you are."

 

Just a clarification on the Xmas vs Christmas spelling. Typing Xmas doesn't actually take totally away from the religious holiday aspect. The X is a short hand version for, and I'm going to have to describe this since I can't type it, a P tilted 45 degrees to the righ with the other \ mark. That is apparently how it was written in short form hundreds of years ago until the little loop on the tilted P was dropped. This information came from a Priest (I'm Catholic) who informed us at religious school. He was tired of seeing it as Xmas and wanted to explain how that came about. No, I don't have any other references at this time, but I'm sure I can dig some up.

Here's one so far.

Also, regarding Christmas being a Pagan holiday, I believe it is only the tree that is Pagan, everything else has some roots in the Christian religion (don't know about the reindeer, but Santa, yes).

As for Halloween, yes, that is a Wiccan Holiday. It is the following day (November 1st) that is a Christian holiday/Holy Day of obligation, All Saints day.

This now concludes my post on holidays

 

You learn something new everyday.

 

It's amazing what you learn on the internet.

 

Your exactly right, LordJedi, it's just an abbreviation.

 

Wicca references in Xmas/Christmas etc.

It's a festival of light over dark whatever religion you belong to That is one similarity.

Tree = triumph of life over death and the link with nature
Santa = Herne/Cernunnos - Yule is the time when the Wiccan god is born.
Lights = to remind us that the sun will rise etc etc.

Apparently this festival can be dated all the way back to sun worship and it is most likely that Christian holidays fall around the same time as Pagan ones purely because they are modifications of festivals that were already being celebrated.

 

It's fairly obvious that on a board this size, we can't please everyone. We can either keep running along using the same scheme and not changing anything for fear of upsetting a 1% minority who will cause drama here in Comms, or we can please the majority of people.

Now, that said, let's not go around ignoring the locations, religions and cultures of those who post here. Regardless of where the server is located, the JC is an international board and should be treated as such. I don't celebrate Halloween, and I don't know anyone in my country who does, but I'm tolerant of the scheme and I actually like some of the icons. (Yes, I'm aware that I made a thread about this a little while ago, I was having a bad day. ) If Halloween was allowed to go ahead with relatively few issues, why shouldn't Christmas? Regardless of its religious issues (as other people have said, Halloween has religious importance also), many people worldwide celebrate it, more so than any other holiday. I would be against a special scheme for something like Thanksgiving, because that is specific to one nation, but surely Christmas is something that most people on the boards can enjoy. 'Tis the season to be jolly, after all.

 

For anyone who might be interested in the Christian connection of Halloween:

The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead?including ghosts, goblins and witches?returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires.

When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the Samhain festival, such as making centerpieces out of apples and nuts for Pomona, the Roman goddess of the orchards. The Romans also bobbed for apples and drank cider?traditions which may sound familiar to you. But where does the Christian aspect of the holiday come into play? In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow?s Even or ?holy evening.? Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. On November 2, the Church celebrates All Souls Day.

 

You are 100% right Cubie_Hole.

 

...and technically the Bible says not to use pagan hollidays as religious ones. So really everyone who celebrates Christmas is going straight to hell anyway.

 

...and technically the Bible says not to use pagan hollidays as religious ones. So really everyone who celebrates Christmas is going straight to hell anyway.

:ances:: Doesn't apply to me!

 

Uh-huh, right.

 

up

 

I personally think it should only be on a few holidays, that more than one or two countries celebrate majorly. For me, that's Christmas, Easter and Halloween. They also have pictures to actually use.


And if American holidays get used, and Irish ones (St patricks day), then every other country should be entitled to it.

 

I personally think it should only be on a few holidays, that more than one or two countries celebrate majorly. For me, that's Christmas, Easter and Halloween. They also have pictures to actually use.

I agree with you on that. However, I personally wouldn't mind if maybe an American holiday was celebrated now and again, as well as Easter, etc. I don't see much weight in complaints against that, since this has always been an American based site. Do whatever the hell you want with it, as long as the majority of people are prepared to overlook schemes if they don't like them -- and to be frank, I don't see why they can't. As long as the scheme isn't carried on into FanForce boards of countries outside of the US, then people are free to excercise that thing called tolerance.

But that's just my opinion. I'm sure that there'd be someone around who'd be offended if an American message board celebrated Turkey Day.

 

Well the United States heavily celebrates St. Patrick's day, so it's a possibility.

Not every holiday needs a new banner, and the icons are a strain on G-S, but maybe something could be cooked up.

 

"maypoles, traditional folk costumes and everything. "

Can we also have Naked Britt Ekland and Christopher Lee in bad wig icons?

Perhaps A Giant Wicker Man on the banner as well?

That'll be cool.

Plus, I think we do not have enough Christian Christmas imagery in the present board layout.

Where are our Animated Gif Herod's killing our Animated Gif babies?

UKS

 

Well the United States heavily celebrates St. Patrick's day, so it's a possibility.

Well, they changed the banner for it last year...

 

First off, let me say how happy I am that you guys have finally allowed an icon that represents alcohol. Good show, guv'nor!

Secondly, I love the religious-themed icons. Christianity, Judaism, Kwanzaa and even Wicca are represented! I think this is a great show of community spirit, unity, and acceptance by the mods, and you guys should be applauded for it!

Lastly, there is one small thing that I think should be changed about the holiday icons: I think the crucifix should be removed. I mean, I'm happy that you've allowed it to be included at all, but I think it's rather anachronistic for the season. Christ was born on Christmas, but the crucifix represents His death and ressurrection. I think it would be much more appropriate for Easter than Christmas.

That is all.

 

However, according to the Bible, Jesus was born with one purpose, to die. So his birthday should be celebrated with his death in mind, according to the Christian belief.

Plus, Jesus was a carpenter, so it's reasonable to assume that he made crosses at some point. So, his career comes into play.

Add to that the symbolic representation of the cross as a bridge and we see that Christmas is the time that the gap between God and man was truly bridged, so the cross fits.

Plus, the cross also symbolizes burdens, therefore the burden of life which Jesus took on himself began at Christmas.

Plus, the cross is symbolic of the life of service, as in "Take up your cross and follow me." And the day on which that life of service began is Christmas and so, the cross fits. Therefore, the cross runs all through the Christmas celebration.

 

Jesus was born with one purpose, to die

How morbid.



Add to that the symbolic representation of the cross as a bridge

I've never heard of that symbolism before. To me the cross has always been nothing more than a symbol or torture and death.... but I'm veering wildly off topic here, sorry!

I must say, the Santa icon from "A Christmas Story" is genius!

 

I must say I'm not convinced, Rogue 1½, but that's alright. It doesn't really matter.

 

Whatever. Just a little walk through Christian symbolism. I ought to know. I am one.

 

What have i started?