Friday, December 28, 2007

Still Twisted
Okay, okay - so Twisted doesn't always refer to the socks I knit! Sometimes it actually refers to ME! Christmas just makes me angry.
It used to be a Family thing. Each family celebrated in some manner. Some went to Church, some went to Meetings, some visited with gifts, some just waited for Santa. But most had the tree, the decorations, the school concerts & every kid knew about it. We sang all the carols without really thinking about the words. We just loved the music. Kids looked forward to Santa regardless of religion. Now you can't SAY Christmas or Merry Christmas - you might insult/injure someone.
The Rel
igious Right talk about the 'Reason for the Season' or the 'Christ in Christmas'. Gimme a break folks, Constantine, a Holy Roman Emperor, stole the Yule Celebrations from the Pagans & renamed them Christmas in order to spread the word in the THIRD century AD!
The Politically Correct Police don't want to offend Anyone so we must change our traditions & not mention Christmas officially at all! This is our country, why are we changing???
Religion must be separate from Education. Okay, okay, but we get a Stat Holiday on the 25th but can't discuss why??? HUH?? Why can't the schools recognize All major religious holidays??? Social Studies 101!!
We can BUY, BUY, BUY
for the Mysterious Holiday we aren't allowed to mention. In fact, we're harangued from October to January with the Music & Decorations in every Commerci
al Operation but we aren't allowed to mention Christmas . . . . it's not Politically Correct!
After all, what would the non-Christian Refugees & Immigrants think??? Lemme tell ya folks - they think we're nuts! They celebrate & decorate & wear Santa hats in their own countries. Th
en they come to Canada & find they're not allowed to say 'Merry Christmas' or put up trees in public places! They laugh at us.

And it's snowing outside again. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow 'cause I'm working on Arvik once again. I did finish it once but decided I didn't like the fit of the fronts. Oh, I forgot to add some extra stitches for the fronts plus the band. I was past the armholes at that point & decided to just finish it so I could wear it. Tried it on & hated the fit. I need more boobage room in front!! So I frogged the whole thing - now that I think about it, I could've picked up the stitches on both side of the fronts & added a nice, wide ribbing . . . . oh well, it ended up in the three large, centre-pull balls in the top picture! I was quite amazed at how little yarn this sweater actually used & how light & airy it was when knit up. Can't wait to finish it again & actually wear it. I'm tempted, since I have quite a bit of it spun up, to knit a hoodie with Arvik. I'll have to check the gauge - handspun always knits bulkier than it appears.

And then there's
all those squares . . . . I've been knitting sample swatches with some of my dye experiments. I'm getting quite a pile of them tucked in the corner of my bookcase. They're all in a fine singles in every color you can name but come in sort-of three colorways - greens, pinks & yellow/oranges. I'm not sure what to do with them all. Yeah, somebody mentioned an afghan - well, I have two afghans now & one of them just lays on the back of the couch. The cat lays on the other one unless I beat her to it. I DID think of putting them all together into a 'Coat of Many Colors' but the Wednesday Nite Nitters nixed that. They decided I'd look ridiculous. But, they're similar weights & the same size - I suppose they could become a couple of pillows or maybe I'll just have to dye some more fine yarn & make enough to make something useful.
And, I've decided NOT to knit another sock until I have a couple of sweaters finished for ME!

6 comments:

Louisa said...

Agree with your rant, Sharon, though I would add that I am no longer a Christian and I'm much more offended by the commercial aspects of the whole thing. Doesn't bother me at all to have someone wish me a Merry Christmas, but only if they mean it and aren't just mouthing the words because they want me to buy something. Oops. Where did that soapbox come from? Gee, we could have a wonderful rant-fest you and I, couldn't we?

Sharon in Surrey said...

Amen Sister, Amen! I think I'd rather join the Pagans & celebrate the Equinox & Solstice instead. Bring back tree, earth, air & water spirits. And Joy instead of money.

Louisa said...

Well, I wouldn't go quite THAT far! LOL!! Every religion has too many rules, ceremonies and rituals for my taste. Even the atheists have societies and meetings and labels. Yuck. I'll just stay out of everyone's way.

Sunflower Farm and Petit Creek Lavender said...

I so agree with you! Happy new Year

Marlene said...

You've put into words much of what I have been feeling about Christmas. I assumed my lack of enthusiasm was due to a 10 year stint as a Christian (where I learned the "true" meaning of Christmas) and then a complete turning away from all religion. It has left me not knowing where I stand with this big, commercialized day of feasting. As a child growing up in an agnostic/atheist home I "knew" Christmas as a family holiday that was FUN and focussed on love. Now Christmas feels like a burden. A fake holiday where I have to do what is expected (shop til I drop finding perfect presents for every those I don't like, bake til I drop, decorate when I don't want to, and cook all through the "special" day.) Bah.

Silk said...

Happy New Year Sharon....... hugs Sheila