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Crash Test Dummy
Warnings : 3
Ministerial
Joined: 25 Sep 2005
Posts: 4911
Location: London(ish)
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Authorities said Thursday they were dropping Santa at official holiday celebrations as part of a campaign to promote the island nation's adoption of Europe's common currency, the euro. Taking his place will be Europa, a character in Greek mythology.
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Not about much these days but still keep track of whats going on. Came accross this article and it annoyed me.
Cant believe that Cyprus is so focused on being 'Euro-fied' that they are willing to give up Christmas. I am not to get started on the fact that they government couldn't even sell-out for something Cypriot. Instead they decided to latch onto Greece and their mythology.
Besides the hairy women, fat men and ridiculously long surnames what is wrong with being Cypriot. Instead the island has to become a nothing state in the European Union like some kind of tag-along little brother of Greece.
Καλά Χριστούγεννα
Giorgio |
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stavrizatz
Mukhtar/is
Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 924
Location: Australia / Lefkosia
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| I am not quit sure what the problem is with trading santa which we adopted by the British during the time of the colonisation of Cyprus and not substitute it with europa which seems more authentic to Cyprus! |
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Crash Test Dummy
Warnings : 3
Ministerial
Joined: 25 Sep 2005
Posts: 4911
Location: London(ish)
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Christmas as children know it is about santa, in the commercial sense.
no need to change it for some jumped-up greek mythological character.
have a man riding a Mouflon if you want to change it |
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stavrizatz
Mukhtar/is
Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Posts: 924
Location: Australia / Lefkosia
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| Ok mouflon perhaps is a better idea that europa, but in any case santa is took over something else... it is not like santa is part of our culture that we are leaving behind |
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city
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Aug 2005
Posts: 3370
Location: Larnaca area
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pg
Deputy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 1485
Location: Cyprus
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There are many funny angles to this...
To start with, 'Greek' is not 'Greece' - I would say the Greek mythology belong, at least, to all the Greek speaking world..., which is not equal to Greece.
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"The euro is not just for grown-ups and I wanted it to be something special, to have something different for this Christmas specifically for kids to teach them that Europe derives from ancient Greek mythology," said Koundourou who led the children's awareness campaign.
"It's our mythology ... We have roots in Europe that go much deeper than our accession to the European Union three years ago." |
The things is that the European values that constitute the EU is a mainly central European construction made at a time when the Greek speaking world were not really part of it - it was 'protected' by all those ideas by the Byzantine, Ottoman and Orthodox Church rule. For sure these central Europeans were greatly inspired by the ancient Greek world (not the mythology).
So now, if we want to pass through some European values to the kids - as we teach them about the Euro currency - should we base that on some bull? I am sure that our civil servants intention was just to 'go Greek'.
Add to that that Santa Claus is actually of Greek/Turkish background...
Where is the Church? Should it not complain when the government deserts a saint for some hedonist worship?... or is it OK as long as it enforces the Greek soul?[/url] |
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moonskin
Mukhtar/is
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 515
Location: Freiburg, Germany
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| pg wrote: |
| Santa Claus is actually of Greek/Turkish background... |
Are you  tonight pg? |
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cypezokyli
Ministerial
Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 2344
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| moonskin wrote: |
| pg wrote: |
| Santa Claus is actually of Greek/Turkish background... |
Are you tonight pg? |
i think he refers to our santa claus.
he is saint vasilios and he was a bishop in turkey (even though in 330 ad there was no turkey!) . suppossed to be a bishop helping the people , giving presents etc
in the process he adopted to globalisation and marketing. many characteristics of the coca cola santa claus and of saint nicholas were mixed with saint vasilis making a new figure .... so.... even though in greek he is still called ai-vasilis , he is dressed in red, riding a rudolf , bringing presents and coming .... from finland(?)...
i think there is a similar story with the german santa-claus (or nikolaus) |
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moonskin
Mukhtar/is
Joined: 29 Aug 2005
Posts: 515
Location: Freiburg, Germany
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| cypezokyli wrote: |
| he was a bishop in turkey (even though in 330 ad there was no turkey!) |
And this was exactly the point, the only relevance that can be established between the two is that, where he lived is today's Antalya. Saying that he is of Turkish background is kinda  |
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Crash Test Dummy
Warnings : 3
Ministerial
Joined: 25 Sep 2005
Posts: 4911
Location: London(ish)
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| pg wrote: |
Add to that that Santa Claus is actually of Greek/Turkish background... |
You sound like that guy from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. |
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repulsewarrior
Deputy
Joined: 06 Jan 2006
Posts: 1742
Location: Canada
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| i still believe in santa claus |
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pg
Deputy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006
Posts: 1485
Location: Cyprus
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| Be a bit generous in Christmas times... |
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Dream_Merchant
Warnings : 1
Senior Villager
Joined: 19 Jun 2006
Posts: 422
Location: Limassol
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| Quote: |
| A foam-suited Europa — riding a winged bull — will make her debut at the Finance Ministry next month to hand out presents |
| Revelation 17:3-4 wrote: |
3Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.
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city
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Aug 2005
Posts: 3370
Location: Larnaca area
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| cypezokyli wrote: |
| ...i think there is a similar story with the german santa-claus (or nikolaus) |
erm, I have no idea where he is coming from 
The linked entry in Wikipedia shows how many various stories and myth there are.
All I know is that he is dressed the way he nowadays is (red/white) because of an old Coca Cola advert. they were the ones giving him this outfit. (unless this is an urban legend ) |
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