Bikers play Santa again (Sun 19 Dec 2010)

**BMWST?** · 14th December 2010, 20:22

Originally Posted by Mom

Hey just a question young Fatty

How many MP's to date, have even bothered to respond to our wonderful correspondance. I am thinking it lean year for oranges and a really great one for the coal. Lucky we have a BIG bag eh?

a random thought here..with the events that have occurred at the Pike River Mine perhaps coal may have other connotations???

**Fatt Max** · 14th December 2010, 21:01

Originally Posted by BMWST?

a random thought here..with the events that have occurred at the Pike River Mine perhaps coal may have other connotations???

Mate, I hear what you are saying but it is obvious to anyone with a decent brain in their head that this in no way is connected with that unfortunate tragedy and there is certainly no publicity being used off the back of what happened there.

If anyone thinks for one minute that this ride is connected for publicity, exposure or any other reason with Pike River then, well, in my humble opinion, they are sad and sick.

I am not saying you are one of those people mate but lets be sensible about this.

The event is a fun event and a chance for bikers to get together, have some fun and do some good.

Come along mate, last year was great, this year should be no different.....qand this year they have made me promise to keep my clothes on so it's all good...

**Reckless** · 14th December 2010, 21:02

Right this should be a good event have you all got your toys for the heart kids!!
Fueled up and ready to go!

**Fatt Max** · 14th December 2010, 21:12

Toy being sorted tomorrow,

Gas will be in the tank and my belly no doubt (having a curry Saturday nite)

Rocking and rolling

**chasio** · 15th December 2010, 06:32

You can bloody well ride TEC this time then, FM!

**Maha** · 15th December 2010, 06:34

Originally Posted by BMWST?

a random thought here..with the events that have occurred at the Pike River Mine perhaps coal may have other connotations???

Candyfloss just doesn't have the same effect...

As ride organiser, this as a Toy run for Heart Kids, hence the title of the thread and emphasis on Heart Kids and Toys.
The orange and coal bit is seperated from from the Toy Run so there will no connotations of any sort.

**Luckylegs** · 15th December 2010, 07:49

Originally Posted by Fatt Max

...it is obvious to anyone with a decent brain in their head that this in no way is connected with that unfortunate tragedy and there is certainly no publicity being used off the back of what happened there.

Originally Posted by Maha

Candyfloss just doesn't have the same effect...

As ride organiser, this as a Toy run for Heart Kids, hence the title of the thread and emphasis on Heart Kds and Toys.
The orange and coal bit is seperated from from the Toy Run so there will no connotations of any sort.

But, but, but!!!

If this event gets reported (like I seem to recall it did last year) and appears on the national news, how will this look to those people affected by the pike river goings on, be it directly or indirectly (cos their sensitive wee souls).

Doesnt this run the risk of alienting whole communities (who may be a little sensitive) who decide that bikers are just thoughtless and insensitive.

**Mom** · 15th December 2010, 08:33

Originally Posted by Luckylegs

Doesnt this run the risk of alienting whole communities (who may be a little sensitive) who decide that bikers are just thoughtless and insensitive.

Shirley you jest? How on earth it can be construed that a bunch of motorcyclists who have written letters to MP's and not even received a response, let alone an answer decide to deliver a lump of coal to them, are somehow disrespecting the lives lost at the Pike River Mine.

Here is the origin of the Coal and Oranges - thanks to MadDuck.

Originally Posted by MadDuck

If we are going to use symbolisms of Christmas in our ACC Campaign maybe we should understand the origins?

I had never heard of the coal and orange story and neither had most of the people I work with so I went googling.

The Coal:

It began with the legend of La Befana. Two of the Wise Men stopped at the home of La Befana to ask for directions on the night of Jesus' birth. They invited her to join them in going to see baby Jesus, but she refused. A while later, one of the shepherds asked for directions, and again invited La Befana to join him, but again she refused. Looking up into the sky, La Befana saw the bright star, and thought that she should go to find the stable. She gathered toys to give to baby Jesus. (The toys belonged to her own little one who had died.) Unfortunately, La Befana was unable to find the stable.
Tradition says that even today, she continues to try to find baby Jesus. Every January 5th and the morning of January 6th (the feast of the Epiphany) La Befana tries to find the Christ child. Throughout her journey, she leaves toys along the way to the good children and she leaves coal for the naughty children. In Italy, there is a rock candy called Carbone Dolce" which looks like coal, and it is often slipped into stockings as a joke.

The Orange:

Saint Nicholas was passing through when he heard the villagers talking about the girls. St. Nicholas wanted to help, but knew that the old man wouldn`t accept charity. He decided to help in secret. He waited until it was night and crept through the chimney.
He had three bags of gold coins with him, one for each girl. As he was looking for a place to keep those three bags, he noticed stockings of the three girls that were hung over the mantelpiece for drying. He put one bag in each stocking and off he went. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and were of course, overjoyed. The girls were able to get married and live happily ever after.
This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

**Luckylegs** · 15th December 2010, 09:11

Originally Posted by Mom

Shirley you jest? How on earth it can be construed that a bunch of motorcyclists who have written letters to MP's and not even received a response, let alone an answer decide to deliver a lump of coal to them, are somehow disrespecting the lives lost at the Pike River Mine.

Here is the origin of the Coal and Oranges - thanks to MadDuck.

I jest not! Misconstrue (generally aided by crap journalism) is just what Mr and Mrs Joe Average generally do. FWIW, Im just playing devils advocate, and asking the question.

You guys are better at this stuff than me. If you guys dont think its an issue then its probably not an issue.

**Maha** · 15th December 2010, 15:46

Geez Rodders, thank god the citrus growers have had a bumper year....

This ride is primarily about the kids, anything political as far as I am concerned, is a side issue.
Bit like a garnish for the main course.

**caseye** · 15th December 2010, 16:36

television reported this event last year as a good thing.No hassles if we get the same channel and we have more riders it might be treated as a continuation of last years event, in which case no other connotation could be taken.
Yes there is a chance of things being missconstrued, but if it is it'll be on purpose and by the reporting media, not MAg-NZ.
Sometimes life deals a shit hand, got to get on with it though and for us the Oranges and The Coal has become an annual event.Issues might change and that will mean that different MP's may get Coal one year and an Orange the next.
The Heart Kids are our main priority luckylegs, we've got broad shoulders,if we're crapped on from a great height about our coal deliveries, well??? we'll do it again next year and hey who knows maybe someone will remeber why they got coal last year, it will all have been worth it then.