Any one else mad we've lost sight of the real Christmas?

[slapheadsrock]

There are people really hung up already on the trimmings for christmas dinner. Why?
The lights are on already in our town centre. Why?

I'm so fed up that christmas starts earlier and earlier. And do any of the people out there stuffing their faces and houses with things give a second thought to why they are celebrating christmas?

Perhaps this thread will make you think twice this year about what you are really taking part in.

If you are not Jewish, do you celebrate Hannukah?
So why celebrate christmas if you don't believe in Jesus?

Feel better now. Thanks for reading.

Am making some jokey cards this year, kind of a piss take so no religious/pagan connotations for me!

it's a pagan festival...what's your point?

B/c some people don't see it as pressure, slaphead.

DH and I LOVE to cook and prepare food. We find it an enriching experience and enjoy doing it.

So we like to plan our Chrimbo dinner well in advance and think about how much we'll all enjoy our meal.

Couldn't wait till the Xmas edition of Good Food came out so we could get some fresh ideas.

What do you have you on your christmas cards? Just Mary and Jesus?

christmas is about yourself and getting presents

lol

Well of course it's a pagan festival. Fair enough. I've been called worse .

I love Christmas - what's not to like? Presents, food, parties - fab!! Of course people who aren't Christan celebrate it - it's a lovely family festival. For those who are Christian, they can remember the "true meaning" and everyone else can have an excuse to have a big party and show everyone they love a good time. Of course I feel sorry for people who are alone or sad, but the world would be a pretty miserable place if we didn't have festivals like this - whatever the origins.

Sorry - I should add, and those who are pagan can celebrate the "true meaning" as well!

WWB, the henge shop at Avebury does sell cards of Avebury in the snow. Trying to remember if the national trust shop has any too.

I have a photo of Avebury in the snow and I was thinking of having it made into Christmas cards but decided the snow isn't deep enough

Please look at the thread I started here !

I love Christmas, hate the fact it starts in September and hate the fact that there is so much pressure in the build up to it but frankly Christmas as a winter festival is a good enough excuse for me... I cannot imagine winter without it. January and February are dire and I think Nov & Dec would be the same without Christmas. People take what they like from it.

expat that was a response to the original post!!!

We celebrate Christmas as true Christians. We do not have a tree as that is a Pagan symbol and reminds us too much of the fact that our beloved Christ was nailed to a tree. Cards are commercial, we prefer to pass our greetings on in person. Presents encourage capitalism, so our children will be getting our spiritual gifts of love, devotion, patience, honesty, wisdom, etc. We will pass each of these onto them by laying our hands on them in turn. We do not have a big meal as we feel this is gluttony, which is a sin. We shall have a simple supper much like the one Joseph and Mary would have had. But most of the day will be spent in Church kneeling on wooden benches singing our praises to God Almighty - Hallelujah!

What more could you want from Christmas?

You've been slurping the alter wine again Rhuby haven't you

That's the problem with Christians and indeed anyone who adheres to an organised religeon. They all think they're right and everyone else is wrong.

I celebrate the pagan festival with a little bit of Jesus thrown in. I'm not a Christian, but I believe Jesus existed and had some pretty sound ideas.

The difference is I don't judge anyone else for doing Christmas 'wrongly'.

You religeous types need to learn a bit of tolerance, then perhaps the world would be a more peaceful place.

Now let the death threats roll in.

Rhubarb, thats interesting about the Christmas tree. our local church in the UK keeps the Christmas tree, and makes a cross out of it for Easter. So they have brought the tree into the Christian faith, and don't feel bad about having it at Christmas.

I celebrate Christmas in the same way as I celebrate another pagan festival, Halloween. That is, as fun, and a chance to enjoy ourselves. I don't believe in any pagan religious aspects to either of them. But at Christmas, I also celebrate the birth of Christ. The actions in themselves (going to church, yule log, christmas tree, presents, dinner etc) have no significance. It is how we see them that is significant, surely. And for me, the deeper spiritual meaning lies in the Christian part of the celebration, not the pagan part.

meant to say "that's an interesting point about the Christmas tree"
I mean,why so many churches embrace this pagan symbol.

I think Rhubarb may be jesting, somewhat.

Yes, aloha. I did wonder. But I'm not sure if the OP is.

Me? Jest? Never!

I would like to pull a cracker and drink a glass of port in honour of Spidermamas post, as I agree with her.

That's Rhubarb already slurping the mulled wine singing 'O, Tannenbaum'.

I've had a sniff or two of altar wine and believe me, it isn't worth it! Plus these days they tend to get alcohol free wine to stop the priests guzzling it just before Mass!