Another reason to shop downtown for the holidays

**Rocko** · November-15-10, 03:54 PM

From The Detroit News, "The Home Newspaper":

November 15. 2010 12:32PM
Compuware to open holiday boutique in downtown Detroit

Melissa Burden / The Detroit News

Detroit— A new shopping destination that will be sell holiday items just five Fridays before Christmas is scheduled to open at 11 a.m. this Friday in Compuware Corp.'s new art gallery at 99 Monroe Street, between Farmer and Randolph.

Gifted: A Holiday Boutique will feature items such as clothing, design work, fine arts and books from downtown and Midtown stores, including City Bird; DSE@Grand; Motor City Sewing: Rags: Re:View Contemporary; Leopold's Books; Bureau of Urban Living; and Wheelhouse Detroit.

The store also will feature special events focusing on things such as dog training, crepes, massage and bike maintenance. Customers can get presents gift wrapped, too.

mburden@detnews.com

I'm also looking forward to patronizing the Detroit Historical Society giftshop and Pure Detroit for my holiday shopping needs over the next several weeks!

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20101115/...#ixzz15O1v876M

**French777** · November-16-10, 07:58 AM

I saw them putting up decorations in the windows yesterday. Looks good!

**Danny** · November-16-10, 08:02 AM

There's haven't been and Christmas shopping in Dowtown Detroit since Hudson's left. I haven't been Christmas shopping in Dowtown Detroit since 1982.

**daddeeo** · November-16-10, 03:58 PM

Watch where you park your car.

Blarf · November-16-10, 04:07 PM

This Holiday Boutique is proof that downtown Detroit is BUMPING. This is a momentous occasion for the city. People from around the world are going to come here now. We are officially back on the map guys!

**marcwigle** · November-16-10, 04:09 PM

Holdiay boutique? God forbid they call it a "Christmas Boutique"... they have no problem with me spending my Christmas money in their store though.

Bearinabox · November-16-10, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

Holdiay boutique? God forbid they call it a "Christmas Boutique"... they have no problem with me spending my Christmas money in their store though.

God forbid you just shut up and enjoy the holiday instead of going out of your way to turn it into an argument.

**RYANGUARD** · November-16-10, 06:15 PM

Perhaps the Holiday Boutique will become the Bronners of Detroit and bring the kind of shopping that downtown Detroit needs.Along with a couple of large department stores.....

**Gistok** · November-16-10, 07:25 PM

I guess "Holiday Boutique" is encompassing enough that they can expand their inventory to also sell Kwaanza and Jewish items... nothing wrong with that!

**gnome** · November-16-10, 08:41 PM

Green is the reason for the season.

DetroitDad · November-16-10, 10:13 PM

So will the boutique be open more than three or five hours a day in the morning to early afternoon during the week only, like it was last year? Or will I be stuck not being able to actually shop in the CBD after work... again?

Last year this place was pretty much just for Compuware employees.

**marcwigle** · November-16-10, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

God forbid you just shut up and enjoy the holiday instead of going out of your way to turn it into an argument.

And what "holiday" is that? Oh right... Christmas.

**Carey** · November-17-10, 08:51 AM

DetroitDad: This is the store's first year. It's a whole new concept, and much different than the lame decorations store of last year. Holiday Boutique will carry stuff from all the hot stores downtown and Midtown. But it's open only on Fridays.

**bailey** · November-17-10, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

And what "holiday" is that? Oh right... Christmas.

Which was, as you well know, originally celebrated as the Winter Solstice. In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.

In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.

No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th?

IT'S COMPLETELY ARBITRARY....In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans [[who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

So, calling the Christmas season, the "Holidays" is actually the correct way to refer to it if one is honest about it's long and varied traditions and origins.

But by all means, don't let the facts get in the way of your indignation.

**Johnlodge** · November-17-10, 10:08 AM

What a bunch of windbags.

**marcwigle** · November-17-10, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

So, calling the Christmas season, the "Holidays" is actually the correct way to refer to it if one is honest about it's long and varied traditions and origins.

But by all means, don't let the facts get in the way of your indignation.

All that and you still don't get it. LOL

**Gistok** · November-19-10, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

All that and you still don't get it. LOL

Well marcwigle... if this "nomenclature" gets you worked up.... go check out the Campust Martius Tree Lighting thread.... no mention of CHRISTMAS in that announcement either....

DetroitPole · November-20-10, 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

Holdiay boutique? God forbid they call it a "Christmas Boutique"... they have no problem with me spending my Christmas money in their store though.

Funny thing, my friend works at the Holiday Boutique, and she is a practicing Jew. Maybe her holiday doesn't count because it isn't the right one in your book? Because hers takes place in this holiday season as well. What is your answer to that?

DetroitDad · November-20-10, 02:20 AM

Bailey,

Thank you for that! You sparked my interest!

Originally Posted by bailey

Which was, as you well know, originally celebrated as the Winter Solstice. In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.

In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.

No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th?

IT'S COMPLETELY ARBITRARY....In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans [[who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.

So, calling the Christmas season, the "Holidays" is actually the correct way to refer to it if one is honest about it's long and varied traditions and origins.

But by all means, don't let the facts get in the way of your indignation.

**Meddle** · November-20-10, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by marcwigle

And what "holiday" is that? Oh right... Christmas.

Actually, there are several at that time of year. At least three faiths and one more or less ethnic. So using the term 'Holiday" addresses them all instead of just one.

Originally Posted by Danny

There's haven't been and Christmas shopping in Dowtown Detroit since Hudson's left.

Seems like ole Danny's been dippin' into the Holiday Nog a bit early.