The Big Q - #005

With the season-to-be-jolly well and truly underway (or maybe just about finished...), we at A-N thought it appropriate to share our thoughts on one the most festive seasons of the year. Whether you love it or hate it, everyone’s bound to have had some unique Christmas experiences throughout their life – a special moment, gift, card, party – anything at all! And as a result, to each and every one of us, Christmas probably means something slightly different. Do you appreciate the religious history associated with Christmas? Maybe it’s the holiday season booze-ups that get you going? Turkey or seafood? Summer versus winter? Do you even celebrate Christmas? What do you celebrate? Okay, far too many questions. At the end of the day, what we really want to ask is:

Mercury Adept

Christmas is great. I'm getting a DSi.

Oh you want more?

I personally believe that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, but it's more than just that image, it's what he represented, Love. I love people, and Christmas is great because it’s a time when people make room on their busy schedule to get together with one another, share gifts and give.

Needless to say, I love waking up on a Christmas morning, rushing downstairs and opening my presents. That awesome feeling you get when you open a sweater and have to fake excitement. That feeling when you take your hoard of goodies to your room and sort out on your bed what you will be using immediately. I love that, but to me giving, and spending time with my friends and family is more important than receiving.

Christmas makes me want to give the nearest person a hug! Come on, give me a hug! Hug! Don't look at me like I'm frickin' Frankenstein, give me a hug!

Lucario

Christmas is my favourite time of the year because I get to gather around the people I care most about.

When my parents asked me what I wanted this year I simply said anything, as to which they gave me a bunch of money (now spent) thus there won’t be any other major presents to expect on Christmas Day. Yet I'm still as excited as ever - I'm the one in my family who puts up the decorations, plays Christmas carol CDs and makes others watch Christmas movies. I also planned a Christmas Day out in the city for all my friends where we did a bunch of Christmas themed activities. Christmas to me is all about being around the people you love most. My sister is going to spend her Christmas travelling around Europe and it got me thinking that there is no way I could be away from my family and friends at a time I feel you should be the closest to them. As Merc said, Christmas is mainly about the birth of Jesus but we celebrate this by being caring towards others, giving to those who really need it and gathering together with our loved ones and spreading joy and good will.

Now to lighten the mood... boobs.

DarthHomer

Christmas means two things to me. The first is family, obviously. I mean, it's awesome to be together with family, enjoy lunch and dinner with them, and even check out some of the Christmas lights around the area that I live in. Always great stuff.

The other? Well, presents! You see, my birthday is actually three days separate from Christmas Day, so that's always pretty awesome to look forward to.

squeegie

Christmas, the silly season, a time for kissing under the mistletoe... ahhh.

For me, it's a time for catching up with those closest to me, my family. And then proceeding to get sloshed.

My uncle hosts Christmas in Sydney and it appears mandatory that year in year out, he shout the entire family ice chests full of Moet, Crownies and an assortment of various spirits. This topped with oysters, lobster, turkey and my aunties famous profiterole. Agghh, I'm gonna put on so much weight.

Then off to mother dear’s side of the family for boxing day, where there will be more eating, and more drinking - primarily with my Step Dad who decided that as of the first moment he met me we'd have a tradition of staying up to the wee hours of the morning drinking beer, and then moving onto port. Port hangovers, mmmmm.

So Christmas is basically about gorging myself with food and drink while the adults talk about stuff - yay!

Ganon

Without a doubt, the presents do make Christmas pretty cool. And even if it isn't an actual present, it's the money to treat yourself to something you wouldn't normally be able to (last year the parentals got me half a PS3! =D).

Having said that, Christmas is a lot more than mere presents. I don't even know what I'm getting for Christmas this year. It's probably the first complete surprise present I'll have gotten from Santa in a while, and the fact that I'm still as excited as ever for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day says quite clearly that Christmas is indeed something special.

The thing that most comes to my mind is the feeling of happiness. While most Christmas's are the same, every now and then you get a different one, with different people, perhaps on the odd occasion in a completely different country! But there's always that same feeling of excitement and joy. People are generally in a good mood come Christmas time. Everyone's happy nature seems to bounce of everyone else, which makes for good feelings all round! Whether you're spending time with immediate family, extended relatives, friends, co-workers, or whoever, Christmas seems to bring the best out in everyone, which is what means the most to me.

Dave

I haven't had too many good Christmases (is that a word?) over the past years. I've gone from an 8 year old jumping out of bed at 6am, viciously unwrapping a new video game, to an 18 year old who will probably sleep in 'till mid-day and gracefully collect a few new clothes from his parents. While it's all part of growing up, I fear that I may have lost vision of what Christmas is about.

Sure, getting presents is awesome, and giving is even better. Everyone loves seeing family that they haven't seen for a year or more. Catching up with mates is always a good idea, for a night full of movies, games and lols. Some people celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus, but I'm not into religion. Some try to get their house sparkling and invite as many people over as possible, but what's the point of that if not everyone's enjoying themselves? Ganon's nailed it; the feeling of happiness is the true meaning of Christmas in my books.

So I've decided to go about Christmas differently this year. My plan of action is to make people smile - that's all.

Quote:

Ganon responds: I think you’re right Dave, about the growing up thing. Getting older leads to new insights of things we’d never have seen before, or different visions on aspects of life that we used to look at in only one way. I’m sure you haven’t lost your vision of Christmas, maybe you’re just not sure exactly what your vision is at the moment? I hope you enjoy the day, let us know how your plan goes!

Lance

I have a precious memory of getting Battletoads for Christmas one year, it ruined my life.

At this point, Christmas is pretty much just another day to me - except there's usually more alcohol involved (when all else fails, give the gift of booze). I have no religious connection to it, and my family isn't big on get togethers. However, I do enjoy the build-up. It has a certain warm, fuzzy feel to it. Possibly due to the whole summer thing.

Giving gifts is a lot of fun, though. Like, "you've managed to survive until December 25th, here's a reward!" That's something that's just gotten more enjoyable over the years. Especially with the overseas crowd. Thanks, internet! You're all getting Battletoads.


Battletoads all round this Christmas? I’m looking forward to it, Infernal! Until they take over our lives though, let’s hear some Christmas stories from the A-N community. What cool gifts did you give/receive? Did you gorge out on too much turkey? Are you even sober at this very moment? These are all things we want to hear, along with what Christmas means to you. Don’t forget that YOU could give us the next Big Q topic – email thebigq@aussie-nintendo.com or send a Private Message to meee (consider it a Christmas present). Until next time people, have a wonderfully Merry Christmas, and an even happier New Year!