Ok, first I do not believe this will be the last Christmas we see, but, merely the last one we will celebrate. I do not suscribe to the whole 2012 theory, nor do I think for a moment we will ever know,"when" things will end. I do however, firmly feel this will be the time we will want to, or feel like celebrating the Christmas season, as human beings.

Given the recent events, and the not so recent ones, which have turned "most" of mankind into some kind of non-caring, unfeeling, and wild seething beastlike form, I cannot forsee, as we go into the new year, all of us being able to find the warmth and giving part of the human spirit, that truly personifies the Christmas season. Whether a believer in the birth of Christ, or Father Christmas, and the other many traditions that make up this Holiday, I feel that we will all be preoccupied by so much in the coming year, that it will take a huge test of will, to find the good in what is to come upon this Earth.

I hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and yearn for the simpler times, when things made sense, and even if all was not well, at least we were able to focus on what was right, and true, and not be pushed into each other, by some unseen force, which IMO seeks to destroy us all.

Whether you agree or disagree, is of no matter, this is a downhill run for certain, and there is no returning to the place, where once we were. We can briefly improve, as if on a rollercoaster, but when the ride is over, and soon, we will not be simply getting off, to go about our business, of this I am certain.

I will strive to remember Christmas in my heart and mind, in the years to come, but, I think the last celebration of it, will occur shortly, I pray I am wrong, but nonetheless, ATS, and the rest, Merry Christmas, and to all a good night......

Maybe I am hanging out in a different crowd than you, but I do not feel any sort of decreased Christmas spirit of giving. Regardless of what happens in the world in the next year, I can think of dozens of people off the top of my head, including myself, who will continue to embrace a spirit of giving not only just during the Advent and Christmas season but all year round. I know that the whole world isn't like this and that there are many selfish, greedy people alive today consumed by materialism. But I know we're not all like that, and it gives me hope.

People can be whoever they want to be, regardless of what the media bombards us with, as long as we discover and remember that the media is not the be-all, end-all of existence. And believe me, I personally know a great many who do not believe that the media is the be-all, end-all of existence, though I know that there are many who I do not interact with on a daily basis who still subscribe to this belief. Yes, it's horrible, but... don't give up hope yet and spread the true Christmas cheer this year and next by giving love and laughter rather than corporate gift cards!

While the whole "2012" thing might have some effect on social attitudes and mostly religious paranoia, I don't think Christmas will end simply based on this pre-text.

There might be a slump due to the economy and people's gullible fears that the world is going to end next year, but after they get through it and realize that they're still breathing they will go right back to the same old habits:

Overeating
Overspending
Overreacting

Greed and arrogance is an unfortunate side effect of human nature, but at least for a short period of time people attempt to put away their differences and be nice to other people without expectation of a reward; even if you aren't religious.

I for one celebrate Christmas as a time to visit family because I am forced to take the time off, not that I believe in the fundamentalism of the holiday, so I try and pass on what good Karma I can to others in hopes that it might return to me at some point in the future.

Now if we can convince everyone to do this all year then it would be a much brighter place around here and we wouldn't have to worry about what's going to happen next year.

And by the way, someone will still call out the end times next year, and the year after that, and so on.......

King

When you say "we" ... who are you including in there ...?

I do not celebrate Christmas, neither does my family, and at least a few billion others ...

So, no, I have no "special" feeling about "this" christmas, nor any other christmas for that matter.

All is not lost. For many, Christmas has been a celebration of giving, laughter,love and peace. It always has been and I feel always will be. It is easy to get overwhelmed by all that is happening all around us, but there will always remain good people with love and hope in their hearts.

Given the recent events, and the not so recent ones, which have turned "most" of mankind into some kind of non-caring, unfeeling, and wild seething beastlike form, I cannot forsee, as we go into the new year, all of us being able to find the warmth and giving part of the human spirit, that truly personifies the Christmas season.

Whether a believer in the birth of Christ, or Father Christmas, and the other many traditions that make up this Holiday, I feel that we will all be preoccupied by so much in the coming year, that it will take a huge test of will, to find the good in what is to come upon this Earth. I hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and yearn for the simpler times,

Mind me for asking what is it THIS year what is so much worse than any random previous years? Unemployment, wars, gas prices, murder and violence....all just something which happened recently?!?!?!? Seriously?

Merry Christmas...hi everybody.

Wow...does anybody read history books anymore. Sure things are tough, but goodness gracious, they have been even tougher.

Heck, think about the 101st in bastogne...surrounded by panzers and what seemed like the whole damn german army...they were freezing, hungry, almost all were wounded and suffering frost bite... and in that dark, cold winter of 1944... they celebrated Christmas.

Or thuink of the GIs that were in prison camps...hardly a word of how the war was going, lonely and far from home...still had Christmas.

Think of all the folks in the Great depression...war looming over seas, desperate and hungry... little to no money, a house full of kids and it was cold out side. they still had Christmas...albeit on a cut back scale, but christmas never the less.

My folks have been through times a lot harder than anything we are facing, and they all...aunts, uncles, grand parents when they were alive...all talk about christmas past... how hard things were and yet they had each other.

They lived on a farm and were dirt poor, but they would knock off the farm chores at lunch Christmas eve...some of the older boys would go and cut down a cedar tree, some of the others would go out and collect holly and red balls, running cedar...and while they were out,...maybe a few squirrels or a opossum....my grand mother would dress a chicken... my grand father would go down to the smoke house and get out a few jars of moonshine...really... and they would make merry into the wee hours. While out caroling, they would take a few apples, oranges, nuts, and some lamp oil down to a black family that was worse off than they were.. and that had to pretty bad, too. Next day, cakes were made, pies, and a big dinner was served... country ham, bisquits, fried apple pies,...

Man, as long as the spirit of Xmas and giving and love exist...there will be Xmas...if you believe and know Christ, all the better.

I suggest going out and touching someone's life... maybe work at a food bank, or a charity group, or make your own Christmas...we all know someone that could use some love, some help, and go do that.

No sir, we have been in much tougher times over the millenia...and we will get though this too...faith brother abnd sister, faith.