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OK well I'm having some technical difficulties here, so I hope this actually works..

Anyway, what I wanted to say is what happened to Christmas? I'm not going into the whole point of it, I'm not Christian, I'm not a religious person at all, so quite frankly I wouldn't have a clue what the religious meaning behind it is (and for those of you who wish to inform me I don't really care). I justwant to know, if it is meant to be a time of joy and happiness etc, why are you forced to write christmas cards to people you can't stand? Why are you forced to have them over?

For example, every year we have my dad's side of the family over. Personally I hate it. I would prefer to just be on my own the whole day. My aunty turns up drunk, my older cousin and uncle and dad just talk about motorbikes the whole time, my mother and grandmother complain to eachother about my aunty, uncle, cousin and dad.. and my little cousins make a nuisance of themselves (such as letting my horse out onto the road last year and then watching me spend an hour trying to catch him before finally asking if they could have their presents now). If it's meant to be a day of happiness, why can't we spend it doing what we want?

I have friends who go to church every year, they hate it, they think it's boring and they don't believe a word of it.. but their grandmother makes them so they go! What is the good of that? Where is their happiness and joy?

Why do we have to spend our time listening to Christmas carols? These songs are meant to prove our joy, yet most people hate them. How many people do you hear complaining about them when you go shopping? Why do we have to listen to them?

How about Christmas trees? Is it really making the trees joyfull that people (not necessarily here but still) cut them down and stick them in a house before eventually they die and get stuck on a rubbish heap or shredded?

Do animals really enjoy being dressed up as different animals? What about when people get given animals for christmas which are then abandoned or given to the RSPCA by March.. Not true? Ask the RSPCA. How much fun and joy is it for them?

So then we get to the whole gift thing. Sure it's wonderful to give stuff to people, but why give something to people you don't like? Just because they are related to you. Does that really make you a better person? I highly doubt it. As far as I can see the gift thing just came around because people really don't like any other part about Christmas, so when you are young you are conditioned to like it because you get presents.

Call me a pesimist or a pagan or whatever, but as far as I can see that is what Christmas is to most people. To my family it's just one huge inconvenience. I really can't see the point in it!

So Merry Christmas to everyone, but I'm sure I'll write some more before then.