Date: Sat, 02 Dec 1995 19:51:55 +0000
From: Richard Bos <Richard.Bos-AT-hagcott.meganet.co.uk>
Subject: Re: M-I: Signing off


Nice one Hugh!

I don't know if it was my best Christmas day, but my most memorable one
was a few years ago, when our local fire brigade station was on strike.
They were very pleased when I turned up with a crate of beer, and lots
of mince pies. We all stood round the brazier, in the cold, and sang
revolutionary and Irish republican songs. They saved the beer until
later in case they needed to go out on an emergency call.

Oh dear! We are getting into the Christmas spirit far too early. Better
get back to the usual quibbling for a few more weeks.

I don't know what Marx thought about Christmas. Although it is a
Christian festival, most people do not think too much about the
religious side of it. Hugh points out that in a socialist/communist
society we will have our own festivals. People need such things. They
are a sort of social cement. 

For many people they are the loneliest and most depressing times. This
is partly due to the family orientation of society, and the
commercialisation with excludes people with no cash. Many people I know
get into horrendous debt around Christmas: "So the kids will not miss
out.". I am sure that others could come up with figures on the peak
times of year for suicides; they co-incide presisely with Christmas in
Europe, and, I think, with Thanksgiving in the USA.

Hugh Rodwell wrote:
> 
> >How did Marx view Christmas and Christmas holidays?  How should Marxists
> >today treat Christmas and Christmas holidays?
> >
> >Rey
> 
> Nicest Christmas I ever spent -- too long ago now! -- was in bed with a
> friend reading aloud from The State and Revolution.
> 
> Sad to say she had to get up for a train at four in the morning -- we read
> to keep our spirits up!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Hugh
> 
> PS As for Xmas, we'll ban it and replace it with a full week's binge
> leading up to the New Year followed by a full week's after-binge leading up
> to Twelfth Night. That's under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
> 
> Under Socialism, the binge will last from Lucia (the Swedish festival of
> light, pagan despite its saintly trappings) on 13 December to Twelfth
> Night.
> 
> Under Communism everything'll be a permanent binge combining the best of
> work and play, so the question becomes a bit irrelevant.
> 
> PPS Gary should have mentioned the length of his holiday being due to the
> falling together of Xmas, New Year and the summer holidays down under. Why
> anyone should turn their back on the southern sun and head for dank and
> dreary Europe at this time of year beats me...
> 
> Mebbes the Guinness and the crack?
> 
> Three cheers for the Ozone hole!
> 
> And more Cheers from
> 
> Hugh
> 

Comradely,

Richard.                     
      New Worker Online http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2853



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