5th Ave. Holiday Tree Rant
I walked by the Holiday Tree on 5th avenue at the Stone Park and I’m just appalled. It’s a Christmas tree for God’s sake. That is if you can call it a tree. It looks like strips of vertically strewn Astroturf attached to a Festivus pole. Nevertheless, if it’s not a Christmas tree, then what other holiday is it for? Name another holiday that uses conifers for symbolism. There aren’t any.
As a Jew I know that this is being called a Holiday Tree for my sake. Which is just, well, retarded. If anything, calling it a Holiday Tree is even more offensive than calling it a Christmas tree. It implies it’s also a Chanukah Tree or a Kwanza Tree. Why assume that people of other religions feel left out and would feel better by being swept into a holiday they don’t celebrate? I can understand the concept of a holiday party or season’s greetings, as there’s more than one holiday or greeting for this time of year. But there’s only one tree. Who are we fooling?
Now I’m not lashing out at the Christians trying to be pc, because I’d bet dollars to doughnuts this was all kick-started by a hypersensitive Jew. I’m thinking of someone like my cousin who, despite being non-observant, thinks its blasphemous for her to drink egg nog.
So please Christians, go enjoy your holiday and your Christmas trees. It’s not fair to you either to have to change your holiday nomenclature for God knows who’s sake.
By the way, the “tree” will be lit tomorrow at 5 pm. They say it will be visible from as far away as The Gate.
As a Jew I know that this is being called a Holiday Tree for my sake. Which is just, well, retarded. If anything, calling it a Holiday Tree is even more offensive than calling it a Christmas tree. It implies it’s also a Chanukah Tree or a Kwanza Tree. Why assume that people of other religions feel left out and would feel better by being swept into a holiday they don’t celebrate? I can understand the concept of a holiday party or season’s greetings, as there’s more than one holiday or greeting for this time of year. But there’s only one tree. Who are we fooling?
Now I’m not lashing out at the Christians trying to be pc, because I’d bet dollars to doughnuts this was all kick-started by a hypersensitive Jew. I’m thinking of someone like my cousin who, despite being non-observant, thinks its blasphemous for her to drink egg nog.
So please Christians, go enjoy your holiday and your Christmas trees. It’s not fair to you either to have to change your holiday nomenclature for God knows who’s sake.
By the way, the “tree” will be lit tomorrow at 5 pm. They say it will be visible from as far away as The Gate.
Comments
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I want to know if they are calling the menorah a "holiday candlelabra". And, being being married to a Jewish man, I do not know any Jewish people who have ever been insulted by it being called a Christmas tree.
Maybe there are other religions somehow insulted by it being called that? BTW, I have family who live in California and they can't believe this holiday tree nonsense, they say all the trees out there are called Christmas trees and noone complains, LOL
As for the tree at the park, it looks nice when it is lit, though, it looks crappy unlit and sitting there like that -
Julius Orange, do a search on the message board. This topic has already been discussed TO DEATH! You'll find one memorable thread that was, to my recollection, many pages long.
Not to be rude but this is serious Déjà vu. There's already been a few jokes this past week referencing that old topic. -
Oh I missed that.
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Maybe I exaggerate, but Carnivore can find the thread. I tried and accidentally ended up looking at the BROOKLYN BACK WHEN threads. Them folks can talk!
And yes, I'll still call it a Christmas tree, even though I'll get yelled at for it :-P -
I'm so tired of the "this [topic] has been discussed TO DEATH" smack down. Not everyone spends their life on this board, or can remember a thread from the distant past. Besides, is this a less interesting topic than, say, bedbugs at the Pavillion?
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But who will yell at you? You're more likely to get yelled at for calling it a holiday tree.
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Mamacita wrote: Maybe I exaggerate, but Carnivore can find the thread. I tried and accidentally ended up looking at the BROOKLYN BACK WHEN threads. Them folks can talk!
Seriously? People yell at you for it? That is outrageous
And yes, I'll still call it a Christmas tree, even though I'll get yelled at for it :-P -
Carnivore is fairly opinionated on this subject.
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=47138 -
VoodooNYC wrote: Carnivore is fairly opinionated on this subject.
an excellent thread in general....
http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=47138 -
Oh yeah, that's the one. A historic thread! Damn 6 pages worth too! Ahh memories...
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"Here I am, stuck in the middle with you....."
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How about this idea - I'm a post-christian agnostic. You can blame "holiday tree" on me and my types, as I'm not going to church anytime soon but I also love me the smell of pine in December and want to exchange presents on the 25th.
I think everyone should just call it "The Tree" like Radio Shack has rebranded itself "The Shack"
</longday> -
So, when you are exchanging gifts on the 25th toadette, what holiday do you call it? What kind of wrapping paper do u use? Just curious
I kind of like the idea of "the tree" somehow that sits better with me than "holiday tree" -
I think it's all been said before, but decorated trees in December have nothing to do with Christianity. If it's a Christmas tree to you, call yours one, but it's not that to everyone.
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Carnivore wrote: I think it's all been said before, but ...
felbrigge psalter makes a good point. plenty of people weren't in on that particular discussion last year or the year before or the year before that - so have at it! Like bikes, strollers, restaurants, bars, dog poop, et al, Xmas trees are one of our (pardon the expression) evergreen topics. -
People should call it what they like, but I reckon it's a Yule tree. My upbringing was bible-believing Christian, so we never had such a tree at Christmas time -- we believed the tree was either pagan or ignorant/secular, and thus bad news either way. No doubt the road to hell is lined with "Christmas" trees.
My wife's family are rural pagan-Christian syncretes in Northern Europe; they have what I'd call an authentic Yule tree (and a series of elaborate rituals associated with it) as part of a package of pagan traditions that survive in those parts. The local word for it is pronounced "Yule tree". I try to keep out of the way of it. -
No doubt the road to hell is lined with "Christmas" trees.
Someone needs to make this their signature line brilliant!! -
Haha! Wonderful rant!!!
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It's a Christmas tree.
I've never heard it referred to as a "holiday tree" till I moved to NY. -
I have never heard it referred to as a Holiday Tree till this year, and I have lived in NYC since 1995.
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Thank you. It is a Christmas tree. As a practicing "Christian" it breaks my heart to see my traditions sanitized. On the other hand, I live here, in Brooklyn, NY, BECAUSE I don't want to be homogenized. That is why I moved here many years ago. I have learned to listen, observe and still carve out my own identity. In fact, my faith is stronger BECAUSE I have met so many people with different beliefs. We have a great deal of freedom to explore ourselves here, whereas in many places we would have to be like every one else or be shunned.
Political correctness is one thing, but whitewashing all of us so that eventually we all become one big brand sounds like something else to me.
Bring on the Holiday Candelabra, Kwanza Bells. -
StoopLady wrote: Thank you. It is a Christmas tree. As a practicing "Christian" it breaks my heart to see my traditions sanitized. On the other hand, I live here, in Brooklyn, NY, BECAUSE I don't want to be homogenized. That is why I moved here many years ago. I have learned to listen, observe and still carve out my own identity. In fact, my faith is stronger BECAUSE I have met so many people with different beliefs. We have a great deal of freedom to explore ourselves here, whereas in many places we would have to be like every one else or be shunned.
Whitewashing is exactly what I'm against. Call your own tree what you want to, but don't try to impose your beliefs on others who have trees for their own reasons.
Political correctness is one thing, but whitewashing all of us so that eventually we all become one big brand sounds like something else to me.
Bring on the Holiday Candelabra, Kwanza Bells.
Holiday tree in Christian home during Christmas = "Christmas tree."
Holiday tree in non-Christian home in December = "whatever the person who put it up wants to call it." -
small pine tree with blue lights that is presently under the Grand Army Plaza Arch: "pathetic" ...last year's was much better, and had more colors. (is it small as a result of the recession?)
Hopefully there will be another 70 ft menorah that requires the lanterns be lit with a cherry picker truck. ah, the true crazy spirit of the season!
P.S. I hereby propose that the festivus pole be left under GAP at 3 AM after Festivus. -
Correct Julius Orange. It's a Christmas Tree and anyone who says its not is an idiot.
I like this quote from Bill O'Reilly about the attacks this time of year from the ACLU and the Humanist Assoc:
"Why bother? Why spend money at Christmastime to spread dubious will among men?
The reason, I believe, is that atheists are jealous of the Yuletide season. While Christians have Jesus and Jews have the prophets, nonbelievers have Bill Maher." -
whynot_31 wrote: small pine tree with blue lights that is presently under the Grand Army Plaza Arch: "pathetic" ...last year's was much better, and had more colors. (is it small as a result of the recession?)
They had a cherry picker truck in from the of The National Arts club in Gramercy Park late yesterday doing this large tree in front. Really beautiful.
Hopefully there will be another 70 ft menorah that requires the lanterns be lit with a cherry picker truck. ah, the true crazy spirit of the season!
P.S. I hereby propose that the festivus pole be left under GAP at 3 AM after Festivus. -
StoopLady wrote: Thank you. It is a Christmas tree. As a practicing "Christian" it breaks my heart to see my traditions sanitized.
As a practising Christian, you really ought to know that "Christmas" trees are not a Christian tradition, and have no place in a true Christian's home. The bible is very clear about this. See for example Jeremiah 10:1-10. -
eggcream wrote: Correct Julius Orange. It's a Christmas Tree and anyone who says its not is an idiot.
No, as much as you bluster, it just makes you sound like an ass, thinking you have a right to dictate what other people call their own trees. And what atheists have is the real world, seen without the prism of Bronze-age mythology.
I like this quote from Bill O'Reilly about the attacks this time of year from the ACLU and the Humanist Assoc:
"Why bother? Why spend money at Christmastime to spread dubious will among men?
The reason, I believe, is that atheists are jealous of the Yuletide season. While Christians have Jesus and Jews have the prophets, nonbelievers have Bill Maher." -
I will not condone anything Bill O'Reilly says, does or gropes. His opinion is different, and incorrect. He objects to things like saying "holiday party" over "Christmas party," or "season's greetings" over "merry Christmas."
But that's appropriately sensitive. Christmas is not the only holiday this time of year, so it's rude to assume everyone is celebrating what you are celebrating. But, as I've said, there is only one tree involved so why pretend a Christmas tree never existed?
It's just ridiculous to think that Jews, Hindus, Muslims, etc. (Sorry if I'm calling your religion etc.) are going to flock to the lighting thinking that this ceremony has something to do with their religion. Or that otherwise they'd stay home and cry. -
No, as much as you bluster, it just makes you sound like an ass, thinking you have a right to dictate what other people call their own trees. And what atheists have is the real world, seen without the prism of Bronze-age mythology.
I missed this thread last year, Carnivore, but I guess it's not too late to develop a crush on you. -
So, those that support it being called the Holiday Tree would be equally supportive of calling it the Holiday Candelabra, correct? Or is it just things that allude to Christianity that should be renamed?
Edited to add that I swore I was going to stay clear of this topic this year, but the crappy weather keeping me inside + having a fully stocked bar at home = me getting into a conversation I'm sure to regret entering later. Even though I'm 100% correct on the matter of Christmas Trees!
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