i'm looking forward to christmas ;D,are you looking forward too?

Of course! Even without the presents it's something to look forward to, the sheer magical feeling of it is something that can truly touch us all.

As for the gifts though, Mario Kart DS and a new fliptop phone to replace my shabby Sony Ericsson T610? Now that's something to lose sleep over.

yeah, but i get too much gifts for christmas ^^;

Hee hee, I'm a bit guilty of that. I'm getting four games, the phone (Not sure what, I'm wanting a fliptop for the sake of protecting the screen though) and a Game Boy Micro as main presents, plus other DVD's.

COOOOOOOOOOOL!!! XD

I'm primarily looking forward to Christmas for two reasons:

1.  No school!  I'll get a well-needed 3-week vacation after Final Exams.

2.  I'm going to St. Louis to see relatives.  I'm praying that the weather is good, so my family can get there safely.  Last year, there was a terrible ice storm along the way, and we almost didn't make it in.

Overall, I enjoy being together with everybody more than I enjoy the presents.  Of course, I won't forget the true meaning of Christmas, either.  That is what brings us together in the first place.

1. have a good 3-week vacation! ^^

2. I do hope your family can get there safely.

I can think of too many reasons to look forward to Christmas  :P

There's no college during the Christmas holidays
There's going to be some great presents
There is going to be some great events
And more..

yep to all ^^

Ahh! Christmas break! ;D

yeah  ;D

I'm mostly looking forward to the break. Three weeks to play lemmings! [smiley=winktounge.gif]

good for you to play lemmings

heehee I spent most of thanksgiving break playing around with the genesis levels (see the challenge thread). I expect I'll be making levels over christmas break.

I don't understand people who like to know what they're getting in advance........

though this year is an exception. I know I'm getting money, because I need to save up to help my girlfriend come and visit me at Easter and for moving out and finding my own place next year, and that's a lot more important to me than acquiring new possessions at the moment.

thats cool  :), but is it really difficult to make a level(s)?

The element of suprise is always fun, but there's so much stuff that I want that I'd love to see most of it on the 25th.

I don't celebrate Christmas, but it's nice that you're all getting good things.

Congratulations about getting your own place next year, Ahribar!

I will only have two weeks of vacations. I only know one gift: A big book of dragons! ;D
I really don't know what could I receive! This is a surprise! And this is what I like! What an excitment! :)

you really like dragons, don't you?  :D

Well, congratulate me when the time comes  :P At the moment it's all vague... I've got to get the PhD place I want, and then find somewhere to live........

Of course Lomay! Of course! ^^

That depends on the level. Simple levels are very easy and take less than a day. Complex levels can take forever to make, and then backroute checking takes another forever... [smiley=winktounge.gif]

thats cool ^^

i understand now ^^

Me neither. Is it religious reasons or personal?

With me, it stared out religious since I was born into a religion that doesn't celebrate Christmas. Now that I'm an atheist, I don't celebrate it because it's too commerical (actually it's a bit more indepth but I won't go on unless pressed). So I don't buy presents. But at the same time, I'm not going to be a party pooper, so get buying me them presents :D

I like the whole sentiment of family's getting together, tho it would also be neat if that was just the way things were. But that's the way things are...

Yes, Christmas makes hypocrites out of a lot of people. It's supposed to encourage a joyful spirit and a desire to give, but often the joyful spirit is achieved through alcohol and people are more interested in what they can be given. It is also obviously much more commercial than it was ever intended to be, and people are more concerned about the obligation to exchange gifts than to celebrate Christ's birth.

Those are the personal reasons why I don't celebrate Christmas. The religious reason is because I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and there are many reasons why the Christmas festival isn't part of true Christianity. It's just an excuse for a public holiday with pseudo-religious undertones that few people care about.

Rofl!!!  :D

I felt there was something Jehovah's Witness about you! Dunno why... after fourteen years of being a Jehovah's Witness, I guess I have a sort of sixth sense.

I 'fell away' in around 1999 because I couldn't put up with have something different about me from other school kids, something I never had any control over because I was born into the Jehovah's Witness. I still believed in creationism though until around my 18th birthday. And now I'm atheist.

I have no grudge against the religion. They are a deeply moralistic people, and that's something that's stayed with me and will be with me 'til I die I think. I don't like their apocalyptic ideas however, because (IMO) it makes a lot of JWs rather complacent about the big environmental issues.

On top of some of the reasons I stated, Christmas is something I'll probably never celebrate because I've just never celebrated and it would seem odd if I did.

Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment!  8-)

I'm sorry to hear about your experiences. Being different can sometimes be difficult, and even more so, I'd imagine, if you don't even agree with the reasons why.

the poll has now closed.

I'm not exactly Christian, but I still celebrate Christmas because I enjoy it. Decorating the tree, meeting up with family I don't normally see, the class party at school, Christmas break...  :D

Go Christmas!

Dunno what I'm getting, but probably Mario Kart DS (like everyone else  :P)
I'll also be getting a lot of money, so I can go buy whatever I don't get.

But more importantly, I enjoy sitting by a window, watching the snow fall on Christmas Eve while listening to techno remixes of Xmas songs. XD

mario kart DS is a good game but i'm not buying it, because i might too much people from around the world asking to play with me  :P

sorry, forgot to put the word game in ^^;

what's the book called, is it like an encyclopedia or a book with a plot about dragons? i read some good books centered around dragons recently.

Erm, and that's a bad thing?

Let me know your friend code when/if you get it Ksoft, we can't go wrong with a few matches :)

ok then ^^;

Really? Tell me more about these books! [smiley=laugh.gif]

My book is a French book (but exists in english because it is translated) called: "L'encyplodédie des dragons" and the second book that adds to the first one is "Petit manuel de dragonologie".

Anyway, it's all around the term "dragonology".

EDIT: There is is: Link. The book's called: "Dragonology : The Complete Book of Dragons" and the next one: Link is called: "Dragonology Handbook : A Practical Course in Dragons". Strange, the handbook isn't similar to the French version (well, the cover)!

Oh! I even seen that there's a calendar. Sweeeet! But I don't know if it exists in French. I wish! ::)

French versions here: Complete Book and Handbook

Or maybe it isn't the same book for the handbook... I don't think!

Snow falls on Christmas Eve? Since when?

I have those, books, Dragonslover, but they're the English ones. They rule.

Chmera: Sweet, sweet, sweet! ;D

Ah, christmas. Haha! If I get presents, I'll get them one day earlier because in Germany we celebrate on christmas eve. ^^ Anyway I don't really care about the presents. And so I have no wishes. (It's always interesting to see what the others thought what MIGHT interest me. Last year it was a bunch of tools. xD But it was usefull.) And I also don't care about christmas. On christmas is a much murdered, looted and raped as on every other day in the year. And with every present I buy I support the fact that the rich people are getting more fat und the poor peaple are starving. (Reminds me of the story 'the little girl and the matches'.) So I don't buy presents. And as I don't want someone to buy me prsents I have no bad feeling about this. I always wonder about the people with the urge to buy ANYTHING just to to give it away.

Btw, amazing how many religions are present here. (I'm not sure what I might be called. Especially because I change my mind with every new fact I learn.)

@DL: Is there still something you can actually LEARN about dragons? xD

;D No, these books are just for fun. I can imagine everything I want on them and no books will TEACH me about them! This is just for fun, for the imagination! Also, there are good drawings inside!

Some books, however, are about the dragons in legends and myths and there I learn the stories from all around the world. This is different!

About the presents, this isn't the contain that is important, but the action. If you like someone, the present is kinda a proof that you like him and that you think about him often. It doesn't require to be very expensive. Unfortunately, this isn't the same thinking for all the people.

It's the whole satisfaction of it, and to show someone you care. The feeling I had when my cousin was opening up his wrapped SNES (courtesy of me, of course) was one that can't be experienced anywhere else. Of course, I understand your views, but that's the reason I and many others give.

Yep. In fact I always find it easier to buy things for other people than to buy something for myself. I never know what I want; I can make do with the basics.

Try something next christmas: Put all of your family's member names into a bowl. Then, each member must pick up a name and must buy a gift for him/her. An family's exchange of gifts. Don't forget to specify a cash limit like 20$ or 30$. In my family, I did that some years and it's so nice! You never know who picked you! ;)

That's what my family does every year!  The only trouble is, everybody asks for gift cards, so we end up with more gift cards than anything else.  But it's still fun just to have everybody together.  Another rule we add is that only people over the age of 18 have to buy gifts.  The kids receive a gift from each set of aunts and uncles.

I'm a little upset because I thought the kids' rule went until age 16, but now it's suddenly changed to 18.  Two of my cousins turned 16 this year, and I was looking forward to them being in the exchange.  But now I have to wait two more years.  I won't let it bother me too much, though.  I don't want a little thing like that to ruin my Christmas.

Hey guys, did you notice?

ONLY 5 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!! :D

YAY!!!!!  :D :D :D :D :D

Yep, can't wait :). I'm no longer getting a mobile phone (I was going to get a Panasonic VS6, but the VS7 is just around the corner in the new year, so I decided to wait), but I've got Mario kart DS and a Game Boy Micro to look forward to!

My whole family gets together just after Christmas too (Usually boxing day, but it's the day after this year), and that's the time we exchange presents. Can't wait to see my cousin's face when he unwraps a boxed SNES Lemmings!

CHRISTMAS IS TOMORROW!
TOMORROW!
TOOOOOOMMMMMOOOORRRROOOOOOWWWW!!!!! :D

Sorry, I'm so excited! :P

It is tomorrow, but in my family, we're celebrating it tonight until tomorrow early in the morning, then we sleep and are celebrating all the day! Do you? :)

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Ah, I can't wait! All of my presents are down there too(Well, I'll get a few when we go to visit the rest of the family), there's a huge box that's entitled for me to open...

Gah! Must...Resist...!

Christmas will be brilliant  :)

WOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Just found a twin-pack of chocolate Hobnobs. This is gonna be the best Christmas ever!

It's sort of a tradition to have each person open one present on christmas eve. Naturally I chose the one full of rubik's cube-ish puzzles, which is why I've been gone... ;D

They're sitting on my desk right now. All solved of course. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

We're having a very different routine from our normal Christmas this year. Instead of opening presents first thing, I've rushed to the computer to chat with my girlfriend -- she's in Australia so this is the only time of day we're both awake. Then I'm going to work straight after breakfast, three-hour shift, come back for dinner, and we'll be opening presents together in the evening. So I can't tell you what I've got yet.......

Merry Christmas!

I've been playing Mario Kart DS online all day, and I honestly cannot get enough of it. My other presents are great too!

Hope all yours were good :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL LEMMINGS FANS! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=party.gif]

YYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Merry Christmas to everyone from my rubik's cube!

Ace! And... that's one tricky Rubik's cube.

The tiles look awesome!

Bah, I bet the stickers were swapped! :P

I would NEVER do that! Stickers have a tendency to wear out quickly, I wouldn't want to speed that up.