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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU in thinking penguins should be banned...

190 replies

Mysterian · 22/12/2023 21:00

...from Christmas related things. Santa lives at the North Pole and penguins at the South Pole. They are NOT Christmassy and yet they get their little beaky faces plastered on cards and T-shirts and wrapping paper.

Sticking Santa hats on random animals does not make them a symbol of Christmas.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
Qwerty556 · 23/12/2023 07:00

I think you will find that Jesus was born in the Middle East. No connection with either pole.

Mademetoxic · 23/12/2023 07:05

2mummies1baby · 23/12/2023 06:42

I'm so glad I'm not the only one petty enough to be annoyed by this! Although slight correction- penguins live in various places in the Southern hemisphere, not only the South Pole.

And Father Christmas is real is he? 😅

MammaWeasel · 23/12/2023 07:09

Bravo for a most diverting and informative thread!

Dibbydoos · 23/12/2023 07:23

@Mysterian Thank you for getting loads of penguin clips!!!

So, Christmas is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Ergo, unless it's nativity, nothing is about Christmas!

The reality is commercialisation has changed this and of course, St Nic is the real background to Santa cos he was all about the spirit of giving. But St Nic didn't live in the North Pole, did he? No, cos Santa is make-believe.

This year, my Christmas T-shirt is Joey's (Friends) penguin, and my jumper is a snowman.

Embrace commercialisation, Santa, elves, penguin, reindeer and flamingos or stick with nativity. Either way have a fab Christmas!

yepmeagain · 23/12/2023 07:27

Yeah, well IMHO (and going by my Christmas cards) you're a darn sight more likely to see a penguin in a Santa hat than three wise men...

IcouldbutIdontwantto · 23/12/2023 07:37

Why don't polar bears eat penguins?
They can't get the wrappers off
😆😆😆😆

I'll get my coat.

transcendingxmas · 23/12/2023 07:39

Ihaterhymingrabbit · 22/12/2023 21:09

I thought it was going to be about the chocolate biscuits and I was thinking do they even sell Penguins anymore?

Show quote history

Me too.

readymealeater · 23/12/2023 07:44

Yeah, it's:

  1. The religious Christmas, though Jesus was not born on 25 December (autumn some historians think) and there is nothing whatsoever in the bible encouraging us to celebrate his birth anyway. It's the resurrection that's important.
  2. Yuletide, the Northern European celebration about the sun returning, solstice, days slowing getting longer again and passing of the shortest day.
  3. Commercial Santa Christmas - spend, spend, spend, presents, too much of everything, movies, Santa experiences, lists of wants.

But penguins? Not sure where they fit in unless they are the biscuit Penguins, in which case I have a handy place to put them 😂

DarcyProudman · 23/12/2023 07:44

Gregory’s Girl! Bella bellaaaa! Love that film!! So funny 😀

we could have a whole thread of GG quotes..

2mummies1baby · 23/12/2023 07:48

Mademetoxic · 23/12/2023 07:05

And Father Christmas is real is he? 😅

Show quote history

That statement I take no issue with!

Beargrumps22 · 23/12/2023 07:51

most of Christmas doesn't make sense come to that what about gonks are they not from Sweden or that area?

readymealeater · 23/12/2023 07:53

.

AIBU in thinking penguins should be banned...
GerundTheBehemoth · 23/12/2023 08:22

I'm wearing Christmassy running tights today which feature the following animals in Santa hats/Christmas jumpers:

  • Llamas
  • Deer (they are not reindeer though)
  • Crocodiles
  • Sloths
  • Unicorns
  • Flamingos

No penguins!

Original poster
Mysterian · 23/12/2023 08:33

Lllllamas are unacceptable, as are crocodiles, unicorns and flamingos. Deer may be due to the artist getting confused about species so pass due to the benefit of the doubt. Sloths are also fine as there may have been one in the stable at the back somewhere unnoticed at the time.

OP posts:
Pipistrellus · 23/12/2023 08:37

Ihaterhymingrabbit · 22/12/2023 21:09

I thought it was going to be about the chocolate biscuits and I was thinking do they even sell Penguins anymore?

Show quote history

Antisocial single serve biscuits with excessive plastic packaging. Biscuits are for sharing!

StBrides · 23/12/2023 08:47

user701 · 22/12/2023 21:04

Do the polo bears eat all the after dinner mints?

Polar bears eat polos. Everyone knows this.

And I have a llama Christmas decoration.

AutumnNymph · 23/12/2023 08:47

IcouldbutIdontwantto · 23/12/2023 07:37

Why don't polar bears eat penguins?
They can't get the wrappers off
😆😆😆😆

I'll get my coat.

Happy Penguin GIF by Pudgy Penguins

Lol

Spirallingdownwards · 23/12/2023 08:49

If we are being picky what has Santa got to do with Christmas? I didn't see him in the nativity.

StBrides · 23/12/2023 08:50

Spirallingdownwards · 23/12/2023 08:49

If we are being picky what has Santa got to do with Christmas? I didn't see him in the nativity.

He was one of the wise men. Duh

Spirallingdownwards · 23/12/2023 08:53

StBrides · 23/12/2023 08:50

He was one of the wise men. Duh

Show quote history

The other two were penguins! 😉

ErrolTheDragon · 23/12/2023 08:58

Tombero · 23/12/2023 06:08

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-55416365

What’s not to love about penguins any time of the year.

Having seen the gifs upthread, I'm wondering if that's really a hug or if the next moment the little guy on the right gets pushed off the rock.Grin

StBrides · 23/12/2023 09:00

Spirallingdownwards · 23/12/2023 08:53

The other two were penguins! 😉

Show quote history

Yup. You should see my nativity set - it even had a sloth hanging from the rafters

ErrolTheDragon · 23/12/2023 09:03

Qwerty556 · 23/12/2023 07:00

I think you will find that Jesus was born in the Middle East. No connection with either pole.

And not snowy - forecast today for Bethlehem is 29°C. As a kid I used to be a bit baffled by 'In the bleak midwinter, frosty winds made moan' ...

JanetandRita · 23/12/2023 09:04

Yes me too! I'm so disappointed

JanetandRita · 23/12/2023 09:05

TheTecknician · 22/12/2023 21:02

I thought this was going to be a thread about bollards. It would have been at one time.

Yes me too! I'm so disappointed

(quote didn't work first time)