Giving During the Holiday

I just realized the other day that Christmas is only a few weeks off! I had the weekend to stop and reflect upon my year.  Life in a city moves so fast, that we have little time to appreciate the past.  Christmas is always symbolic to every individual even those that are not Christian celebrate something of the sort.  I started to wonder why is this?  So first I am going to write little interesting factoids about this hyped holiday.  Then I'm going to present a very persuasive suggestion on a Christmas gift.

A few years ago the origin of Christmas came into perfect clarity to me.  Traditionally we are taught that Christmas is commonly Jesus Christ's B-day, but alas it isn't.  In fact senior Jesus's B-day happens to be in Spring, somewhere close to Easter.  So why oh why do we celebrate "Christmas?"  The winter solstice happens on the 21st of every year.  To attract the Pegan religions or worshipers, it was much easier to convert the winter solstice to be a few days later and call it Christmas.  Most if not all religions and cultures have some sort of winter celebration to inagurate the winter.  If we didn't do this most of our workers would go mad due to the lack of celebration.

Celebration of course is the way humans relieve themselves from all of the work that we do.  If we had no celebrations, feasts, get together we would not be as affective of workers.  The structure of a holiday like Christmas is to keep us in order and allow us to celebrate together.  Like anything there is a yin and yang.  Most of all of us are not really Christian, but yet celebrate Christmas.  We have a Christmas Tree which, has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, but it has everything to do with winter.  This symbol of a winter celebration by Pegans.  I believe it was originally an Oak Tree that is being worshiped.

This symbol and religious icon can bring joy into quite a few people's lives.  Think about it, it is for some a living plant that is in ones house.  It gives off an aroma that is lovely and we often attach certain emotions such as "love" (well what we know as love) to this fragrance.  Even those that get a fake tree can have decorations, lights and something else that can give light to ones life.  But man oh man, do we wast a shit load during Christmas.  The tree is thrown away, the wrapping paper, boxes, bags, etc.  These are all wasted.

Christmas holiday has become one of the most wasteful holidays known to man.  We act like we haven't wasted enough, and we are trying to catch up for the lac of waste that we partake in, in a year.  How do we waste less? Lets use news paper, paper bags, recycle our cards or at least buy recycled paper.  The gesture of giving is a great one (the yin to the yang), but man oh man, lets do it less wastefully.  The tree itself is wasted and this symbol is something that need not be wasted.  Buy a live tree that can be replanted.  Then replant this tree in your back yard, or front yard, or give it to someone to plant.  These trees provide oxygen and joy to many, they don't belong in a landfill.

Like I said giving is great, and I have found the perfect gift if you are trying to give something with the $400 range.  A computer! Yes a computer for only $400,  Laptop no less.  Watch the video for questions.  You can buy a computer for yourself, and it will go to a child that is less fortunate then you.  If you don't want the computer you can give that computer to another child as well.  Wow to think we can even waste less by giving.  I mean lets be honest we all have way too much shit! Why not give that shit to someone else and not dump it!

http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/give-one-get-one.php

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQbtebeftyA

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7OqAVhGL8k&feature=user Above is an actor that is in a hit TV show Heroes.  I have to say this is one of the few TV shows that I actually watch, but yet I still don't have a TV.  Amazing what technology brings.  I feel like this show is a giant metaphor for our society and those of us that are in the know.