Why do we celebrate christmas?

[njm]

Christmas. Christ mass. A celebration of the birth of christ. I'm not a christian. Something happened 2012 years ago, I don't know what and until someone has given me a good reason, why should I celebrate the birthday of someone I don't even know existed? If you have christian beliefs then fair enough, celebrate what you believe in, just like all the other people across the world celebrating their chosen religions.

What bothers me, from what I see in my corner of the world, is most people aren't religious. Yet they still 'celebrate' christmas. By that I mean they don't consider that it's basically a birthday party for someone they don't even think about. Gate crashing?

It's all the fakery that surrounds it too. A pine tree in the living room? A chunky bloke dressed in red with children sitting on his knee? christmas crackers? What has all this got to do with Jesus Christ!?

You're all intelligent people here (I think...!?), we all know xmas is a big commercial money making exercise. But everyone buys into it. Why!? I just don't understand it. It frustrates the hell out of me. A lot of the traditions of christmas aren't even christmas related, they're just seasonal/winter things. Snow? at christmas!? Maybe that's because it's cold.

"yeh, but it's christmas though, it's traditional!"

Why!? What are you celebrating?

I'm back here again, Christmas day just around the corner, sat on the floor wrapping the embaressingly tedious presents I've bought out of guilt knowing the people they are for will have bought me presents equally tedious and of similar financial value. It's just what I've always wanted

Why doesn't anyone question it?

 

[Ptownkid]

Because there's nothing wrong with the non-religious aspects and spirit of the holiday. I enjoying decorating, giving, getting, and seeing family...pretty simple really.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Next you'll have us believe that Santa Claus isn't real?

Merry Christmas everybody....

JR

PS: Peace on Earth and good will toward man.

 

[simonsez]

is it bad?  :

Merry Christmas....

 

[zebra50]

>Something happened 2012 years ago

It is much older than that! Many religions have a holiday on or around the winter solstice. The tree, mistletoe, and the green man* are taken from older traditions.  (*Santa was not always in red and white).

We're really marking the fact that the Earth has turned the corner on its annual journey. The days will stop getting darker, getting a bit longer every day, and the sun will slowly make its return over the horizon so we can grow crops and feed ourselves for another year.

Seems worth celebrating to me!

 

[MagnetoSound]

Bang on, Stew.

 

[tv]

 

[ksor]

Argh ... a ghost !

 

[sodderboy]

Many people do question it, and some put up a Festivus pole.  Some celebrate Not-Christmas celebrations with the same fellowship and giving.  Some enjoy all the commercial secular trimmings, and others participate in their deeper religious traditions, and celebrate in real time rather than commemorate the past.  The Nativity isn't even on the 25th of December.  The "fat guy dressed in red" has deep tradition in the Orthodox Church as in Saint Nicolas of Myra who was celebrated at the beginning of the month.  His wonderworks are well documented.  His persona is inna Nordic stylee because he, Sinterklaas, was brought into US celebration by Northern European immigrants.  Ditto with the snow.  You Brits supply the figgy pudding and we're all good to go!

Lighten up and enjoy the spirit of giving.  I find that I prefer wrapping gifts on a table ;-)

Merry Christmas, and God bless us everyone.

Mike
 

 

[tv]

Come to the Dark Side, Children!

 

[okgb]

It's a huge multi month event upon which many businesses expect & rely upon for
a substantial part of their bottom line profit  , governments as well  , Hmmm maybe
shifts in religions are contributing to world wide economic problems ?
Also  , very good excuse to visit & socialize and possibly drink .

 

[gemini86]

"A pine tree in the living room?"

there's a really great Jim Gafagan bit that nails this perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJAxRVeKnTE

 

[3nity]

For me its far beyond gifts and spending .
It is about Jesus but you dont wanna hear about it so i dont go on talking about what i believe to be the true meaning of Christmass.
althugh i believe that we should celebrate Him all year around.

But for the traditional christmass times we used to, its a time to get together with family and friends... wich in these days we live are hard to see each other...or its hard to take time on any other time of the year and go buy something special for someone special.

Dont know if you get it.

 

[rob_gould]

Take and enjoy the bits you like, ignore the bits you don't is my take. I spent a long time being very anti- Christmas but I'm trying to tone that down a bit these days.

I have zero interest or belief in the religious aspect, and I find the wilful over consumption unnecessary and plain greedy.

But, as a good reason to see family and friends I don't catch up with enough, I couldn't care less about the reason for, or meaning of, the holiday. It's once a year where I know that people I don't see enough will congregate in my home town and we all get together.  That part I enjoy.

 

[iomegaman]

I'm a third generation preachers kid (all my forefathers were preachers) bought into the traditional Christian holiday matrix for most of my life...I am still a very devout follower of Christ (although lately I am moving towards a more culturally "hebrew" expression of that faith)...my journey is based on an experience I had by myself when I turned 6 years old and I have never doubted the existence of God or Jesus since then.

I completely understand and empathize with the op's frustration...most of what we have filtered into our culture has nothing to do with the "incarnation of God" and this is certainly the fault of western Christians among whom I must admit membership...so its my fault as well.

The questions I have started asking my friends and my family (which has gotten me some rather uncomfortable rejection reactions) is "Would the Jesus you claim from the Bible go to your church and do the things you are doing?" and the follow up question is "If you claim to be His follower then why aren't you following Him?" (since almost all of them answer the first question with a "no")

Personally there is no "Bible verse" that tells us to celebrate the birth of ANY king, let alone do it on the Winter Solstice as Constantine demanded...so frankly there is no "religious" mandate for Christians to do what they do, and it really gets bizarre when we start wanting to shove it in everyones face via nativity scenes and plays in public venues...

The Bible will define true religion as "Taking care of the widow and the fatherless and visiting those in dire need" ... unfortunately that does not pay the preachers salary or increase Wal-Marts profits so we have opted for other things rather than what Jesus himself commanded...

All that being said...(and humbly apologizing for being part of the tribe that does it)...I think if God exists...He's probably in a much better mood than we can imagine...given that He is "all-powerful" and what not...if He exists with all power He could have torched the planet long ago...and since He has not I assume He is in a pretty good mood and probably quite happy (although He can't be happy about everything)...

So if He exists...and is in a good mood...then He probably really enjoys seeing us enjoy one another...

The gifts and pressure and trappings of materialism (for the top 3% of us wealthy)...yeah thats no fun and I'm sure God has a much better idea...but its kind of obvious God is not demanding we listen...He seems content to let us live without the fun...our choice and all...

Sorry for the rant...Merry Happy Whatever you call it.

 

[okgb]

What's beJesus ?

 

[gemini86]

What's beJesus ?

One rank lower than Ajesus.

 

[thermionic]

 

[simonsez]

What's beJesus ?

Jesus is an alien from outer space, the son of our master creator...
He came to the world to pay our sin, save our soul from "prince of the world", another powerfull alien.

 

[njm]

Thanks for all your input people, some very interesting stuff here. I think new year is more special. There's hope for the new year. It's a chance to clear the air and do things differently, sort my life out and get organised! And quit smoking. Again....

If during the year I'm out shopping and see something that I think someone will like, I'll just buy it and give it to them when I see them. Why only do that at xmas? Do it all year round for the people you love. Why need a reason/appointment to see your favourite people? Just go and see them! Christmas always feeled forced, it annoys me. I guess it's just me being stubborn and prefering to do things my own way haha!

Happiest christmas memories? Worst christmas memories? Let's compare notes!