Just so everyone knows, I have a CHRISTMAS TREE in my living room (not a holiday tree), my kids are getting CHRISTMAS PRESENTS (not holiday gifts) and we will eat CHRISTMAS DINNER (not a holiday meal), and I will attend a CHRISTMAS PARTY (not a holiday party). I will also very cheerfully wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS! (not.. happy holidays). By the way, if you want to have a Happy Hanukkah, by all means do, I respect that. If you want to have a Blessed Kwanzaa, I also respect that. I want to have a Merry Christmas, so I ask YOU to respect that! Re-post if you agree!, I respect your choice, please respect mine.

Well then it would seem that Jesus is the reason for your portion of the season, and not all of it?

Yes, all of it Cat. What part of "Jesus is the reason for the season" don't you understand?

The CHRISTMAS TREE in my living room,my kids are getting CHRISTMAS PRESENTS,attending a CHRISTMAS PARTY.If Jesus is the reason for the season then whats up with that stuff?I mean if Jesus is the reason for the season.

Gregg, with respect, this is a holiday season for me too. However, Jesus is not the reason for *my* holiday season, and so I will gladly accept "Happy Holidays" from anyone who is unsure of my religious affiliation and does not wish to offend me. If you said Merry Christmas to me, because that is your holiday and you wish to share it with me, I would say "the same to you" because I don't believe in making anyone uncomfortable with sharing something they enjoy.

I am willing to accept a public, city-funded, Christmas tree or nativity scene, as long as all other religions of any significant population (>4% say) in the area are also accorded a holiday icon that is related to them - as a matter of the separation of church and state.

I am perfectly willing to read about how Jesus is the reason for *your* season, as long as you state it as *your* season, and not *the* season, and you make allowance and room for my beliefs to be equally as welcome wherever our paths may cross, by leaving room for them at the beginning of your discussion, and not as a tag on the end.

And so - Merry Christmas to you, and a Happy Chanukah as well, and ring in the New Year too.

P.S. Bring on the Latkes. I actually know someone who has a Latke Party (or 3) every year. Can't wait.

Foe me, the season is about family, rather than religion. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure many christmas traditions have their origins in pagan ritual, which the missionaries integrated into their own culture (Easter certainly does, such as the easter bunny as a symbol of fertility). As for christmas trees, what to pines that grow in the mountains have to do with a baby born in the desert? Must be an interesting story behind that... then of course there's father chrstmas (or santa claus), who was apparantly invented by Coca Cola.

Interestingly, I recently browsed through an article in the paper that said the Christmas in Australia almost never was... apparantly many politicians in the early days suggested that the country was so devoid of any of the traditions associated with the holiday (pine trees, snow etc) that it was pointless to continue with it. Seems like an odd idea now doesn't it?

As far as the name goes, I can't see any reason why you can't call it whatever you wish... merry annual giftgiving day, everyone!

i would like to add.... yea what she said LOL

mindmelt, CHRISTmas, Just trying to keep Christ in Christmas, after all it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Sorry if I have offended anyone here. However you and everyone else celebrates this Holiday season I wish you Peace, joy and happiness in all that you do.

Merry Christmas to all.

Ehhhh.. too much strife in the world, methinks.


Here's to.. safe and happy holidays.

However you (and yours) choose to celebrate them. :o)

Gregg - accepted. 8•)

Dave - to you as well.

Les - Down BOY! Leave those baked goods alone!

Merry Christmas...

Happy Chanukkah...

Happy Kwanza...

Happy New Year...

Happy Holidays...

Joyus Scrooge "Bah Humbug" Season...

Now, did we leave anything out?

Festivus! The holiday for the rest of us! Although I'll be celebrating Christmas, but happy everything to everyone. Go ahead, argue with "be happy". ;-)

Happy Winter Solstice! Blessed be!

oh goody the days get looonnnngggger... hehehe

Les, put the gingerbread house down. You have to share.

(Empty space with crickets chirping) "Les.......Les?"

You know, I don't think that gingerbread house is gonna make it back this season 8-P

"Whaaaa?..", he mumbled.. somewhat gingerly.

... ...

(*reads posts above*)

"Happy? Happy?!?!"

"What if I don't wanna be happy?!?!", he stated somewhat bah humbuggily and rhetorically.

... ...

"It's alllll.. a matter of choice, as I see it", he added while looking through the wrong end of his Pretty Pony telescope.

^Les...go count your stores, ya old Scrooger! End-of-year inventory's coming up fast! 8-P

The wish I seem to like these days is 'Have a Holy Christmas'... which gets much more of a reaction whether the person upon whom I bestow this wish is contre/pour! ... and to my logic, it is much more in tune with Christ being in season! :o)

Have a Holy Christmas!  everyone!

Sentimental commercialism?

The account given in Luke is primarily historical, I'd think. Nowhere in the Scriptures are we commanded, or even instructed to commemorate His nativity. We are certainly, in Christ's own words, to do so of His death and resurrection. Maybe it's easier to deal with a cute, little baby than a risen Lord who requires all of your life?

"The Nativity of Jesus in Christian theology concerns the Incarnation of Jesus in human form, free of sin and acting in obedience to and in fulfillment of the divine will of God, thereby undoing the damage caused by the fall of the first man, Adam, and opening the opportunity for salvation. Early debates about the theology of the Nativity resulted in early schisms in the Church by the 5th century. The main religious celebration among members of the Catholic Church and other Christian groups is the Church service on Christmas Eve or on the morning of Christmas Day. During the forty days leading up to Christmas, the Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast, while the majority of Christian congregations (including the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, many Mainline churches, and Baptists) begin observing the liturgical season of Advent four Sundays before Christmas - both are seen as times of spiritual cleansing, recollection and renewal to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus." (Courtesy of wikipedia.org.)

"Advent (from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming") is a season observed in many Western Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas." (Courtesy of wikipedia.org.)


Question..

Are 'we' making a distinction here based on what is interpreted, or.. not appearing in the Bible, as opposed to that of practice?

Answer..

"Should a Christian Celebrate Christmas?

There is no Biblical warrant, precedent, nor precept for remembrance of the day of Christ's birth as a day of special religious celebration. This is not to say that we shouldn't remember Christ's birth and its significance, but for religious commemorations or celebrations, we must have Biblical command or precedent! The fact of the matter is this - the early church did not celebrate Christ's birth, but such celebration only came into the church with the "Christianization" of pagan rites as Catholicism was made the state religion by Constantine in the fourth century A.D. Since the Word of God does not support the tradition of Christmas, a Christian's conscience ought not and must not be bound."

The angels celebrated, the shepherds celebrated, the wise men celebrated. That's precedent enough for me.

You are all forgetting the important thing, which is that I get pressies.

The 25th December was originally a pagan celebration following the Roman Festiva of Saturnalia from the 17th to the 24th of December. Gifts were given on the 23rd and 24th. On the 25th December they would celebrate "The Birth of The Unconquerable Sun."
The Catholic Church chose the date to celebrate the birth of Christ to 'keep in good' with the pagans they were trying to convert.
There would not have been any shepherds "watching their flocks by night" at that time of year.
Bringing trees, mistletoe and ivy into the house is a throwback to pagan rites.
Boxing Day was not originally a day for opening presents (Christmas boxes) but the day the churches opened their alms boxes and distributed the contents to the poor.

If it is remembered that Holidays means Holy Days then Happy Holidays should not be offensive (?)

For myself, I will always have a Christmas Tree (who ever heard of a Holiday Tree?) Christmas Cake, and in most cases (unless I am aware of the person's beliefs) I will continue to say Merry Christmas. If I know the greeting for other religions I will use it, if not Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings fits.
At the same time I shall decorate my house with greenery in the pagan tradition.

It is interesting that in the predominantly non-Christian Japan and China "Merry Christmas" is widely used to celebrate the time of year . . . . and did you know "Happy Holiday" is possibly a translation of the Hebrew Hag Sameach greeting.


I (personally) do not think it matters - the message now associated with the season - peace and goodwill to all is the important part. A time for families and friends to be together, a time to forget old grudges and to remember and support those not as fortunate as ourselves. A time to cross the boundaries of belief, culture and location to celebrate LIFE.

The 'Holiday season" is a time to give - gifts, your time, a smile, your love - and tolerance :)



"Meri Kirihimete!"
"Seasons greetings"
and A Happy New Year to all

LE




Edit: I love prezzies :)

Romans 1