Finally a gadget we can call "sexy."
So. Christmas lights represent Christmas.
And Christmas is celebrated by Christians.
You can see how this is confusing.
Thanks for asking, and for being so cool about it.
I grew up Jewish in a town full of born-again Christians. It was profoundly alienating, and now, yes, Christmas decorations just reinforce that alienation. I'm not alone in this.
It frankly never occurred to me that there were people who put up Christmas lights but wouldn't consider themselves Christians. But when you're on the other end of that, it doesn't matter what they say. Christmas lights are for Christmas, and Christmas is for Christians. It's so obvious it feels strange even typing it.
I would just like to apologize to any atheists that I offended by implying they were Christians based on their choice of home decor. That was not the point.
The point was that, online and off, we should all get to *choose* what kind of signifiers we put up about ourselves. Flickr put up a signifier for all their members without their consent and with no way to remove it.
That bugs me. I'm not the only one.
No, just fat.
Actually I'm a paying member.
Heh. Love your word choice. I'm sure you mean that in a totally secular way.
Then you haven't seen many menorahs.
Yes, I do lack the Christmas spirit. That was pretty much the point.
I appreciate it.
OMG ... I feel ... holiday spirit!
;-)
I'm here. I care.
Hi! I'm here. I care.
That is correct. It's not. But it *feels* like home. That feeling is what it was designed for. It's the success case. As a community designer, that's what you want. So once that feeling is there, you should nurture and protect it.
This is the best comment posted so far.
And "taking things too personally" is my superpower.
I don't see how you could call them anything else. It's what they're called, and what they're for.
I think it's a valid question and not everybody reads other's replies.
As for your answer, fine, I just disagree. I thin it's insane to say that Christmas lights don't signify Christmas, which is a Christian holiday. How many more words do you need with the word "Christ" in them to get the connection?
That's some mighty fine hair-splitting you've got going on there.
What do Christmas lights signify if not Christmas?
I appreciate your viewpoint. I have only one question: Did you grow up Christian?
In my experience, we see the symbols we grew up with as "neutral." For me, there's nothing at all neutral about Christmas lights. That's why they're called *Christmas* lights.
Which holiday?
