college help: Write a paper for a degree. - Help.com

I will describe my childhood Christmases:

My parents were always ultra stressed, so there was lots of tension in the house. They “Gave” way more than they needed to…we got lots of presents from parents/Santa Claus/and siblings (parents paid for and picked out gifts from sibs).

Because of the stress and the importance placed on material things, Christmas was not a loving/family/happy time of year.

Having said that, as a kid, I did not realize that there was a lot more to be desired…I would totally enjoy being spoiled materially…not realizing that I was missing out on being spoiled with love.

My parents would put up a tree around a week after Thanksgiving. The usual cussing and moaning would take place over the tangled lights, etc. We would then all decorate the tree, but if we did not decorate it to my mom’s standards, it would have to be re-done.

There was always a nativity set under the tree. Apparently it was quite expensive, b/c whenever we would touch it or get near it, we would be yelled at.

We would always get to pick a present from under the tree on Christmas eve to open. Of course, pics were taken of how exhuberant and happy we are…posed though they were.

After opening the present, we would go to one set of Grandparents’ house where we would have a huge meal and then we would open presents from all the aunts and uncles. There was no name drawing or anything like that. Each family would purchase gifts for ALL of their neices and nephews; as well as for the other adults. It was insane. It took hours to open gifts. And there was lots of resentment since at different times, certain ones did not have the money to purchase all those gifts. As I got older, I did not appreciate the gifts at all b/c it felt as if I was opening something that was obligatory. And it was, making me almost embarassed to open gifts

We would go home around midnight on Christmas eve and go right to bed. The reason we would go home so late was b/c Santa had come and my parents wanted to make sure that we went right to bed and didn’t go into the living room to check things out.

The next morning we would get up and would find a stocking; as well as a few wrapped presents and a few “big” items that were not wrapped. These gifts were all left by Santa. My dad got irritated at having to put all the toys together…as would anyone with that mountain of toys

Then, after perusing all that Santa brought, we would unwrap the rest of the presents under the tree…the ones “from” siblings; and parents

Later that day, we would go to the other Grandparents’ home and eat another large meal and open more gifts from the aunts and uncles and grandparents. Same thing: All aunts and uncles purchased a gift for ALL the children, as well as for each other and grandparents.

Once the holidays were over, I would pile all my stuff next to my bed where it would sit for several days as I looked over my “loot.” We would also go and visit the grandparents occasionally over the next couple weeks in order to eat up all the left overs.

Around the time school was to start up again, all my “precious loot” would be put away in closets and drawers, along with all my old stuff. I would always take care of my stuff, but it didn’t mean squat when my parents never gave me the time of day unless they were angry; and when I didn’t see aunts and uncles who had purchased gifts for me any other time of the year….

Oh, I forgot…sorry I ranted….I guess you wanted the religious aspect. LOL

We went to church on Christmas morning or the Sunday closest to it. There was usually a play that the kids did

Oh, well, I celebrate all the Christian holidays; but differently as an adult than I did as a kid

As a kid, we celebrated Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and bdays.

As an adult, I acknowledge all of those holidays in some way, but I don’t celebrate them in a traditional sort of sense.

I don’t understand why you are reluctant to source your information from the websites set up by the people following those different religions? That is very much from “the horse’s mouth”.

If it’s a paper for a degree, you will have to accredit your sources and unfortunately, help.com is not likely to count!

Good luck though.

Well, I’m a Christian. I have stopped celebrating Halloween. I felt like a hypocrite to celebrate that holiday…and I know, I know…many ppl say it’s all “innocent…” But I do believe that there are ppl who worship Satan, just as there are ppl who worship God; (or neither). And I think that those who worship Satan completely enjoy that holiday. So I quit celebrating it.

Christmas is not all about Christ anymore, anyway, Nooneknow…it’s more commercialized now and it’s more about a “national tradition….”

Btw, what is the diff between agnostic and atheist? I have asked this before, but I cannot remember….

nooneknow wrote:
mums, don’t worry, this is initial stuff to base my real research on. It helps to have a frame. I’ve done this with at least 5 other degrees and it’s always worked.

Can I just ask..

Being from UK, does the definition of a degree differ in US? I notice from your profile you say you have 19.. so I presume that a US “degree” must be the equivalent of our GCSE?

Wow, I’m impressed, Nooneknow…what is your Ph.D in? What do you teach?

I am working on my MAT right now…three classes plus comps away…and I’m thinking about going on for my Ph.D., but I’m not so sure…..????

For a minute there I thought I was talking to that famous student of Kalamazoo…the one with the Guinness World Record for degrees?

But he has a wife, not a girlfriend and has already got a degree in theology :)

Anyways… will let you get back to your paper.

nooneknow wrote:
Mums, I don’t know, I can just tell you I have 5 associates, 8 BA’s, 4 masters and 2 PhD’s I graduated High School when I was 11 so I’ve had a lot of time to work on it

YIKES!! :)

Congratulations on that…you are phenomenal :)

Aw, yeah. I bet that must be difficult. However, even the dumbest of the dumb have no social skills….and the “mediocre” ppl may or may not have social skills….so, don’t fret too much over it. You will learn.

In addition, social skills are sometimes not refined until someone is past their “immature” 20’s…sometimes it takes a lifetime! :)

But, I do feel sorry for you…it seems like you must have not had much of a childhood/teenage years/young adulthood…all of those “rites of passages” are important to developing a good, well rounded personality; someone who is able to deal with many things that life may throw at them…