Germans to ban Santa.

Pookah

Or rather a group of German Catholics want to remove the commercial hype surrounding Christmas.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1006/christmas.html

A group of German Catholics wants to do away with Santa Claus because of the figure's commercial hype and replace him with St Nicolas and the selfless giving they say he represents.
Even before shops fill with Santa-themed goodies, the Bonifatiuswerk of German Catholics - a Catholic aid organisation - has begun calling for 'Santa Claus-free zones.'
The organisation sees Santa as 'an invention of the advertising industry designed to boost sales' and as 'a representative of consumer society' who has little to do with the historical figure of St Nicolas.
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Its website describes Nicolas, the patron saint of children, as 'a helper in need who reminds us to be kind, to think of our neighbours, and to give the gift of happiness.'
The campaign is supported by several German celebrities.
'Unlike Santa Claus, Nicolas wants to give children inner riches and not just encourage them to strive for material wealth,' German TV presenter Nina Ruege was quoted saying

I have to say I agree with them.

Really don't celebrate it myself at all, but it's hard to escape the annual
orgy of spending surrounding the birth of our 'saviour'. I generally find it
nauseating.Time to set up Santa Free zones here what with the bad
year the nation's having? I dread the arrival of the 1st Xmas thread here.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

santa is the best thing about christmas. He takes attention away from all that jesus nonsense and gives a great boost to the economy by making sure we all get presents.

commercialism ftmfw

ejmaztec

Pookah wrote: »

Or rather a group of German Catholics want to remove the commercial hype surrounding Christmas.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1006/christmas.html




I have to say I agree with them.

Really don't celebrate it myself at all, but it's hard to escape the annual
orgy of spending surrounding the birth of our 'saviour'. I generally find it
nauseating.Time to set up Santa Free zones here what with the bad
year the nation's having? I dread the arrival of the 1st Xmas thread here.

Thanks for posting the first Xmas thread.:P

fontanalis

A bit off topic but there's a film called "What would Jesus Buy" about the same thing. Very interesting actually.

Feeona

fontanalis wrote: »

"What would Jesus Buy"

Comprehensive life insurance the day before he meets up with his 'mates' in the Garden of Gethsemane

Stercus Accidit

Some Roman emporer hijacked the pagan winter solstice and decided it should become a christian celebration, so it had arse all to do with Jesus then and it has arse all to do with him now too.

The 25th of December is now Santivus, the season of food and presents.

Dunjohn

There was a march by a Catholic group in Poland a few weeks ago, looking to get Jesus recognised as the country's official king.

Can't wait to see what the next group of crazy Catholics starts calling for.

knird evol

First Anne Frank, now Santy

starbelgrade

The French have already done this. In 2004, they amended their constitution to allow for this. I believe the amendment was called the Santa Clause.

Canis Lupus

Dunjohn wrote: »

Can't wait to see what the next group of crazy Catholics starts calling for.

Sexy kids!

fontanalis

starbelgrade wrote: »

The French have already done this. In 2004, they amended their constitution to allow for this. I believe the amendment was called the Santa Clause.

Tim Allen, is that you?

CreepingDeath

Pookah wrote: »

Germans to ban Santa.

So we're going to see a prison thread on www.boards.de ?

ejmaztec

Didn't the Germans start all of the Christmas commercialism by inventing Christmas Cards?

bonerm

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

The 25th of December is now Santivus, the season of food and presents.

What about Festivus? Ya know, for the rest of us?

up for anything

Pookah wrote: »

Really don't celebrate it myself at all, but it's hard to escape the annual
orgy of spending surrounding the birth of our 'saviour'. I generally find it
nauseating.

Did you find the conspicuous consumerism quite as repelling when you were a child yourself? I doubt it.

My children would revolt if I tried a Santa free year and I don't blame them. I'd say the under 12s would lead an armed revolt, unlike the adults, at the idea of Santy being whipped away from them. I wouldn't give much for the chances of the government or the church if it came about.

krudler

up for anything wrote: »

Did you find the conspicuous consumerism quite as repelling when you were a child yourself? I doubt it.

My children would revolt if I tried a Santa free year and I don't blame them. I'd say the under 12s would lead an armed revolt, unlike the adults, at the idea of Santy being whipped away from them. I wouldn't give much for the chances of the government or the church if it came about.

under 8's surely, what kind of 12 year still believes in Santa? 12 year olds these days are all out swigging vodka and fingerbanging each other.

The Gnome

Should probably have a few Christkind Free Zones as well then, you know for balance and all that.

SEPT 23 1989

Bloody sourkrauts

Red Lemonade and now Santa . Is there a link ? ?

KungPao

ejmaztec wrote: »

Didn't the Germans start all of the Christmas commercialism by inventing Christmas Cards?

I think Germany pretty much invented Christmas as we know it.

The tree, yule logs, Silent Night etc.

God bless the Fatherland.

up for anything

krudler wrote: »

under 8's surely, what kind of 12 year still believes in Santa? 12 year olds these days are all out swigging vodka and fingerbanging each other.

Clever ones! There is still some innocence to be had. I only broke the news to them the other day that there isn't a vertically challenged person sitting inside each ticket machine and barrier lifter thingy in every car park.

bonerm

up for anything wrote: »

Clever ones! There is still some innocence to be had. I only broke the news to them the other day that there isn't a vertically challenged person sitting inside each ticket machine and barrier lifter thingy in every car park.

I think the correct term is midget.

WindSock

**** premature Christmasses and **** you :mad:

chillywilly

"Germans to ban santa"

Talk about sensationalism :rolleyes:

bonerm

WindSock wrote: »

**** premature Christmasses and **** you :mad:

Awww, Is someone expecting no pressies this Xmas?

WindSock

bonerm wrote: »

Awww, Is someone expecting no pressies this Xmas?

No pressies can go and **** themselves too.

ejmaztec

up for anything wrote: »

Clever ones! There is still some innocence to be had. I only broke the news to them the other day that there isn't a vertically challenged person sitting inside each ticket machine and barrier lifter thingy in every car park.

You've obviously never looked inside one of those machines?:eek:

bonerm

WindSock wrote: »

pressies can go and **** themselves too.

I believe that was Dicken's working title for "A Christmas Carol".

WindSock

bonerm wrote: »

I believe that was Dicken's working title for "A Christmas Carol".

-'You boy, what day is this?'

-'Why, shove it up your hole you dirty old paedophillic git.'

bonerm

WindSock wrote: »

-'You boy, what day is this?'

-'Why, shove it up your hole you dirty old paedophillic git.'

- 'Do you know the Poulterer's, in the next street but one?'

- 'I should hope I did.'

- 'An intelligent boy. A remarkable boy. A sexy boy ......'

gerbo

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Bloody sourkrauts

Spelling fail.

marco_polo

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Bloody sourkrauts

gerbo wrote: »

Spelling fail.

What? He is absolutely right.

They just don't have the same range of stock they used to. :pac:

http://sourkrautsmodeltrucks.com/

Pherekydes

gerbo wrote: »

Spelling fail.

I took it as a bilingual pun. Fairly obvious, but quite gut.

SEPT 23 1989

Pherekydes wrote: »

I took it as a bilingual pun. Fairly obvious, but quite gut.

Danke

bonzodog2

bonerm wrote: »

I think the correct term is midget.

Didn't it used to be Person Of Restricted Growth (PORG) ?

Or small-boned

Pookah

ejmaztec wrote: »

Thanks for posting the first Xmas thread.:P

The irony was implicit.

up for anything wrote: »

Did you find the conspicuous consumerism quite as repelling when you were a child yourself? I doubt it.

At that tender age I was the unwitting victim of being inculcated into a consumer culture, disguised in the form of a religious celebration.

Looking back on it now, I consider it a form of child abuse.

WindSock wrote: »

**** premature Christmasses and **** you :mad:

You're welcome, lady. With a fancy ribbon on top and streams of tinsel running down the side.

Sam Vimes

knird evol wrote: »

First Anne Frank, now Santy

I'm sick of these holocaust jokes, Anne frankly I won't stand for it!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Misleading thread title is misleading. And crap.

Irish to ban nationalism: no wait, it's just Irish people who want to see Irish made optional after the junior cert.

pickarooney

starbelgrade wrote: »

The French have already done this. In 2004, they amended their constitution to allow for this. I believe the amendment was called the Santa Clause.

In France people leave fruit out for Santa, usually a plear.

Sorry, that's "pear" - no L.

tricky D

Feeona wrote: »

Comprehensive life insurance the day before he meets up with his 'mates' in the Garden of Gethsemane

That'll be referred to the fraud department after a few days.

Gunsfortoys

Noone will be buying "pressies" this Christmas, with the impending budget of doom looming.

KeithAFC

Who honestly thinks of Jesus when they get up on christmas morning at 6-7am and open up presents and gifts and then smell the turkey cooking away, drolling at the mouth..

Yeah, i don't think many people do think of Jesus..

mahamageehad

KeithAFC wrote: »

Who honestly thinks of Jesus when they get up on christmas morning at 6-7am and open up presents and gifts and then smell the turkey cooking away, drolling at the mouth..

Yeah, i don't think many people do think of Jesus..

I do i get up around 12 or so and go
"sweet holy jesus that smells good!!!"

knird evol

tricky D wrote: »

That'll be referred to the fraud department after a few days.

He'll turn their fraud investigation files in to Wine.
Then he'll turn them into wine. Then he'll have lots of wine and cash.

Herb Powell

Really who gives a **** about Jesus? It'd be some ****ing dull holiday if it was about Jesus. "Oh yaaaaaaaaaay hurrrah 2000 years ago a man was born who has made shag all difference to my life, how wonderful!!!"
Christmas is a time for family and friends, and feasting. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, NOT SOME ****ING MORAL DILEMMA

Sonnenblumen

Herb Powell wrote: »

Really who gives a **** about Jesus? It'd be some ****ing dull holiday if it was about Jesus. "Oh yaaaaaaaaaay hurrrah 2000 years ago a man was born who has made shag all difference to my life, how wonderful!!!"
Christmas is a time for family and friends, and feasting. AND THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, NOT SOME ****ING MORAL DILEMMA

JESUS LOVES YOU.

Cheap Thrills!

Proper order. I love the Germans.

I hate Christmas. It's sh1t.

Now all we need to do is stamp out the rest of the thing. I look forward someday to a long, blank, featureless Winter punctuated by.....nothing.

Ahhhhh delicious nothing. :pac:

up for anything

Pookah wrote: »

At that tender age I was the unwitting victim of being inculcated into a consumer culture, disguised in the form of a religious celebration.

Looking back on it now, I consider it a form of child abuse.

Child abuse, my hole! Parent abuse more like but in a good cause AND since when was Christmas about religion?

Royal Irish

Poor Santa

peasant

Traditionally Santa Claus has no involvement with Christmas in Germany anyway.

There would be the feast day of St. Nicholas (= Sankt Nikolaus which the yanks turned into Santa Claus during his passage through Ellis Island) on the 6th of December.

St. Nikolaus does bring small (mostly sweets, nuts, that kind of stuff) presents to good children but he has no sleigh and no red nosed reindeers either. He may come with a sidekick (Ruprecht) but that one has been dropped for political correctness reasons as he used to punish (i.e. admonish) children who had misbehaved.

Christmas itself is left to the bossman ...i.e. the baby Jesus (das Christkind) brings the presents, not Santa.

No sleighs or reindeers here either and no need for a chimney.

Santa is for Disney & Coca-cola trucks.

DeVore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

Nuff said.

DeV.