Do You Celebrate Christmas?

Absolutely!

Delightful and informative contribution. Thank you so much.

I am a Christian and I don't celebrate Christmas, it has nothing to do with Jesus. Christmas was started when the catholic church supposedly Christianized some pagans that worshiped the sun god during the winter solstice, that is when the sun is farthest away from earth, which happened to be Dec.25th. The pagans didn't want to lose there day of worshiping their sun god and the catholics didn't want to lose their converts so the pagans got their day of Dec. 25th and the catholics reworded it by saying they were not worshiping the sun god but the SON OF GOD. It was known as Christs Mass and the protestants changed it to Christmas. The bible teaches that the scriptures are inspired by God and guide the Christian into ALL good works, if Christmas was a good work it would be mentioned in the scriptures also if God wanted you to know His Sons true birthday it would also be in the scriptures. The very verse that says that the shepherds were watching their flock at night proves that it was not in the winter but during the spring or summer months.

Since I am a 100 % disabled veteran, I only celebrate it if I have the money. I have a step son from my first marriage, and he was only one year old when we got married. He is 19 now, but I try my best to get him something for Christmas, even if it means I have to do without the basic essentials.

I have so many questions about the Jewish traditions. I have a hard time separating the culture/ethnicity from the religion--I don't understand it so well, but I would like to. Like why do we see it written Hannukhah and Chanukah? Just one question. Meanwhile, I think it is so great that the holiday seasons can bring us together with the people in our lives who we are about--who get it. I know that sounds like a platitude or some lame phrase perhaps-- but really, that IS what our celebrations are. Celebrations are for the living among us. Thanks be for a reason to gather together and celebrate each other and life--for whatever it brings... Thanks so much.

People spell Chanukah many different ways, and I don't know why except that some have trouble pronouncing the "ch" in the germanic form.

I too had many questions about the Jewish traditions and found a few really good sites that were quite explicit regarding the Jewish holidays and traditions on line.

My Jewish "Aunt" and "Uncle" were frequently at our house but were never quite as forthcoming as I would have liked when I asked them questions. I always assumed that it was because I wasn't part of their "community" proper.

Regardless, I learned a lot from my aunt and uncle as well as their daughters, and I will always be greatful for that.

Read Matthew 2:1-12 - it talks about the wise men opening their treasures of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and presenting them to the Christ child. It doesn't actually say that they brought gifts with them - I wonder how the gifts got there? Is it assumed that they brought them? Don't know.

Hi desertkid. You did your homework. I looked at a respectable translation from the Blue Letter Bible and the word 'presented' was used. I stand corrected. I don't know where I derived my information from on this note??? Thanks, Dave

Isn't the whole idea of gift giving from a biblical/Christian standpoint about the gift of the savior to the world? And isn't the exchange - our love and gratitude for this? The gifts we exchange each year with those we love is meant as a metaphor, I believe, for that ultimate gift giving of the first Christmas--at least from the viewpoint of christianity.

Hi desertkid!
What a wonderful answer!
When I was a very little girl we always had a house full of people, realted or not, to the point that there was no room to walk through the rooms to get to the kitchen! What a good feeling that memory gives me!
We always did a lot with the church, the Girl Scouts, Faith Lutheran Jr./Sr. High School, our daughter's school and the Interfaith Hospitality Network (feeding and housing homeless folks) all year round, but it was all very special when it was the Christmas season.

So many wonderful practices of love come from this time of celebration. It is true that in the receipt of generosity, (which we often experience in religious celebration)we are moved to be generous ourselves. Thank you for sharing this. God bless you and yours.

Sending blessings for your holidays and celebration.!

Thanks very much for your blessings amore01.

Our daughter is coming home on Christmas Eve with her boyfriend. We are SO excited!!