How do/don't you celebrate Xmas

[Desert Snake]

Do you celebrate Xmas with all the trappings like trees and other decorations that are considered by many to be 'pagan'? Do you not celebrate at all since it is at a time of year that is at the solstice and could have pagan connotations?

Just curious.

 

[dawny0826]

Do you celebrate Xmas with all the trappings like trees and other decorations that are considered by many to be 'pagan'? Do you not celebrate at all since it is at a time of year that is at the solstice and could have pagan connotations?

Just curious.

I celebrate with the trappings of the season, but, begrudgingly. I dislike the holidays as much as I dislike raking leaves. I'd rather leave my body for a short time and invite someone else in to deal with it. The holidays are counter productive, in my opinion. I abhore the obligation of spending money on frivolity, when I should be saving it.

I believe in philanthropy, kindness and simple living year-round and I'm marrying an amazing person who is better at living this, than I am.

I don't lack appreciation for the magic that does exist this time of year. I just wish that people could be satisfied with less materialism and more satisfied with simple, sweet pleasures - like spending time with famiily without the trappings of "stuff" and reflecting on good deeds and ways to improve, come the new year, without dissapointment if people can't "produce" materialism.

With all this said, I do love Christmas music and I've raved about eggnog milk shakes in another thread.

From a religious perspective, the birth of Christ doesn't hold a candle to the resurrection of Christ. That's just my opinion...

 

[Desert Snake]

yes, but, quite begrudgingly. I dislike the holidays as much as i dislike raking leaves. I'd rather leave my body for a short time and invite someone else in to deal with it. The holidays are counter productive, in my opinion. I abhore the obligation of spending money on frivolity, when i should be saving it.

I believe in philanthropy, kindness and simple living year-round and i'm marrying an amazing person who is better at living this, than i am.

I don't lack appreciation for the magic that does exist this time of year. I just wish that people could be satisfied with less materialism and more satisfied with simple, sweet pleasures - like spending time with famiily without the trappings of "stuff" and reflecting on good deeds and ways to improve, come the new year, without dissapointment if people can't "produce" materialism.

With all this said, i do love christmas music and i've raved about eggnog milk shakes in another thread.

From a religious perspective, the birth of christ doesn't hold a candle to the resurrection of christ. That's just my opinion...

^+1........Yep. I do enjoy the food, decorations of Christmas though. Speaking of eggnog, I agree, good stuff.

 

[Shiranui117]

Trees, lights, presents, feasting, you name it, my family and I do it. I try to say I'm above getting presents and am fine just celebrating the Incarnation of Christ, but oh, the presents... I'm not too fond of the idea of egg nog though, so I usually skip out on that. I absolutely DETEST every song that mentions Santa, Rudolph, sleigh bells and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, though, and when I'm driving, I avoid Christmas stations. When someone else in the family's driving, I plug into my iPod. But when we're talking "Holy Night" or "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," I like those, especially when traditionally rendered.

I also go to church on Christmas Eve (the schedule my family's had since before I was born basically negates any chance of going to church Christmas morning ) to celebrate the reason for the season, and try to bring a few people along. And if I can find some good, traditional Orthodox recipes for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year, I might try those. But my immediate family's tradition of getting Cinnabons for Christmas morning is very difficult to top...

 

[BSM1]

I have just gotten all the decorations out of the attic. I am still covered with sweat and insulation. I celebrate that annual job being finished.

 

[Desert Snake]

I absolutely DETEST every song that mentions Santa, Rudolph, sleigh bells and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, though, and when I'm driving, I avoid Christmas stations.
I agree. Absolutely. Yikes.

I also go to church on Christmas Eve (the schedule my family's had since before I was born basically negates any chance of going to church Christmas morning ) to celebrate the reason for the season, and try to bring a few people along. And if I can find some good, traditional Orthodox recipes for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day this year, I might try those. But my immediate family's tradition of getting Cinnabons for Christmas morning is very difficult to top...

Very nice!

 

[tumbleweed41]

MOD POST

This thread is in the Christianity DIR

Only members who identify as Christian may post answers.

All others are limited to respectful questions.
​

 

[Tranquil Servant]

As I mentioned in another thread, Holiday means Holy- day and I personally don't celebrate Christmas. I don't recall the Bible mentioning anything about celebrating this day.

 

[heksesang]

I celebrate it as I always have, with a Christmas tree, good food, presents, family and friends. Don't care if it used to be or still is a pagan holiday, others can celebrate for their reasons, I celebrate for mine.
God cares about why and not what you do - if you worship pagan gods on December 25 he'll find you just as silly as if you worship them on October 6, while you can basically worship him any day of the year and it wouldn't be silly at all.

 

[ChristineES]

I only really enjoy Christmas when my family is around. When I was stationed overseas, the only part I really enjoyed was packing up the gifts I bought for the family. We put up a tree- I think a decorated tree is lovely- we put up a few knick-knacks, like a Santa holding up a candle, a small nativity scene, a singing Alvin (singing the Chipmunk song) and others. I love Christmas music, so I watch choirs and singers on TV (my husband last night found Mariah Carey singing O Holy Night and Take 6 sing Hark! The Herald Angel's sing) I watch Christmas music specials on PBS and religious ones on the religious channels. And I always cook a big dinner.

 

[Me Myself]

I put tree with mother, sing some christmass songs (and somexmas songs ) contemplate nativities and pray in appreciation to Jesus for his protection, support and love.

 

[Me Myself]

How did I forget?! Plan on what to give my friends and family for presents.

I´ll spend some time with dad too (it´s weird to have the split christmas since they are divorced u_u )

I will also be having a Christmas dinner way ahead of time with a handful of friends

 

[JayJayDee]

As I mentioned in another thread, Holiday means Holy- day and I personally don't celebrate Christmas. I don't recall the Bible mentioning anything about celebrating this day.

Well said,

If you are a Christian and you ignore the Bible's counsel to "separate" from things that have been adopted from paganism, who can you blame if you find out on judgment day that your choices have unwanted consequences?

Justifications come thick and fast when people want to continue to do something they know deep down, is wrong. It's human nature.....but that doesn't mean God will excuse it. Ignorance is one thing....but ignorance by choice is something else again. (James 4:17)

Research the origins of this celebration and ask how God feels about it?

See how those who are not emotionally tied up with it, view the celebration and its origins. Look at what historians have to say about it where it comes from.

Origin of Christmas | The history of Christmas and how it began

[youtube]lT-Mms2t1hA[/youtube]
Christmas is a Pagan Celebration - The History of Christmas - YouTube

Can we ignore Paul's words at 2 Cor 6:14-18 with impunity? :sad:

 

[Brinne]

I find that Christmas isn't necessarily a celebration of Jesus's birth of December 25th (considering there is significant evidence stating he was born in summer) but rather a celebration of his birth in general, his life, and his teachings.

The fact that it's not in the Bible isn't necessarily a reason why somebody shouldn't celebrate it. Other religions have holidays that aren't in their holy scriptures yet they are celebrated. It is true Christmas was originally a pagan festival named Yule, the celebration of the winter solstice, though even so what better a time to celebrate God? You can truly see the magic of the universe throughout the Winter and Summer solstices (as in our gravitational path is juuust right so that we neither fry nor freeze.)

Though as the saying goes "To each his own."

 

[Pegg]

i dont celebrate it for the reason that the early church did not celebrate it. If they did, then i would.

 

[starlite]

I do not celebrate Christmas because Jesus said we should commemorate his death, not his birth. The book Sacred Origins of Profound Things states: “For two centuries after Christ’s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born.”

It was not until several hundred years after Jesus lived on the earth that people began to commemorate his birth on December 25. Even if Jesus’ disciples had known the exact date of his birth, they would not have celebrated it. Why? Because, as The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

 

[Desert Snake]

I do not celebrate Christmas because Jesus said we should commemorate his death, not his birth. The book Sacred Origins of Profound Things states: “For two centuries after Christ’s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born.”

It was not until several hundred years after Jesus lived on the earth that people began to commemorate his birth on December 25. Even if Jesus’ disciples had known the exact date of his birth, they would not have celebrated it. Why? Because, as The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

Are you around people who do celebrate Christmas during the season? If so, how do they react to your not participating/

 

[heksesang]

Because, as The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

But does that mean that early Christians didn't even celebrate their own birthdays?

 

[Shiranui117]

But does that mean that early Christians didn't even celebrate their own birthdays?

I think this is the case. Many Orthodox, and even some Catholics, celebrate their "name day" instead; for example, if your name is Patrick , from St. Patrick of Ireland, then your name day would be on March 17th, as that is St. Patrick's feast day. If you attend church on your name day, you can expect everyone to tell you, "Happy name day!" as well as hugs from the older women, perhaps even some kisses on the cheek! Since your name day is also a feast day in honor of the Saint, you would be excused from fasting on that day, IIRC.

I think in many traditionally Orthodox countries, one's name day is still a bigger celebration than one's birth. Also consider that there were no birth certificates for rural peasants in the early centuries AD, and perhaps not everyone had immediate access to a calendar as today, so it wasn't always known exactly when everyone was born.

 

[starlite]

But does that mean that early Christians didn't even celebrate their own birthdays?

It's true...they didn't[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]
The Hebrews kept records of the year one was born, as the Bible’s genealogical and chronological data reveal. (Nu 1:2, 3; Jos 14:10; 2Ch 31:16, 17) The ages of Levites, priests, and kings were not left to guesswork. (Nu 4:3; 8:23-25; 2Ki 11:21; 15:2; 18:2) This was also true in the case of Jesus.—Lu 2:21, 22, 42; 3:23.[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]According to the Scriptures, the day the baby was born was usually one of rejoicing and thanksgiving on the part of the parents, and rightly so, for “look! Sons are an inheritance from Jehovah; the fruitage of the belly is a reward.” The Bible makes direct reference to only two birthday celebrations, those of Pharaoh of Egypt (18th century B.C.E.) and Herod Antipas (1st century C.E.). These two accounts are similar in that both occasions were marked with great feasting and granting of favors; both are remembered for executions, the hanging of Pharaoh’s chief baker in the first instance, the beheading of John the Baptizer in the latter.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]With the introduction of Christianity the viewpoint toward birthday celebrations did not change. Jesus inaugurated a binding Memorial, not of his birth, but of his death, saying: [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Lu 22:19)[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] If early Christians did not celebrate the birthday of their Savior, why would they celebrate their own day of birth? Historian Augustus Neander writes: “The notion of a [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]birthday[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]festival[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period.” ([/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]The[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]History[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]of[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]the[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Christian[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Religion[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]and[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Church,[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]During[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]the[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Three[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]First[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Centuries,[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] translated by H. J. Rose, 1848, p. 190) [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Clearly, then, the festive celebration of birthdays does not find its origin in either the Hebrew or the Greek Scriptures. Additionally, M’Clintock and Strong’s [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Cyclopaedia[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif] (1882, Vol. I, p. 817) says the Jews “regarded birthday celebrations as parts of idolatrous worship . . . [/FONT]