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Original poster

Catholics not giving Christmas presents

48 replies

pottered · 27/06/2017 10:25

Interested to find that a very religious Catholic friend of mine doesn't give his children Christmas presents. Does anyone do similar and is there a theological basis for this? I couldn't grill my friend as my jaw had dropped and it would've been rude but I'm wondering.

I do think Christmas has become too commercial but surely children get presents because presents were brought to the baby Jesus by the wise men? I can understand why adults perhaps shouldn't get presents.

OP posts:
Teatowelfairy · 27/06/2017 10:30

It's not a Catholic thing.
I'm Catholic and I, along with every Catholic I know, always celebrate Christmas complete with Christmas gifts.

Florriesma · 27/06/2017 10:32

Im catholic, and i unerstand re the commercialism but ive never heard of this before. I thougth we gave presents to celebrate the tradition of the 3 wise men? Which is why in some parts of RC traditionalists the present giving was done on 6th January. Although that seems to be a dying tradition. (Not for orthodoxs though)

I have known people from other christian faiths not go a bundle on presents at christmas but thats as far as it goes.

Original poster
pottered · 27/06/2017 10:53

i'm a (mostly lapsed) RC and i'd never heard of catholics not giving presents either that's why I thought I'd canvass a wider section of religious people. I am not sure I can say but I am concerned that this is the sort of thing their kids may look back on with no fondness.

OP posts:
Sanscollier · 27/06/2017 10:54

We're Catholic and have never heard of this!

ElspethFlashman · 27/06/2017 10:57

Nah, he's just got his own axe to grind about presents. Nothing to do with religion.

Clalpolly · 27/06/2017 11:10

RC . Never heard of this and know some very devout and old school RCs . Sounds like some sort of Amish -esque deliberate attempt to "other" themselves and claim it is for religious reasons.

MsPassepartout · 27/06/2017 11:17

I was raised a Catholic, and Christmas presents were normal in my family and other Catholic families I knew.

Whatever his issue with Christmas presents is, it's not about Catholicism.

MrsCK · 27/06/2017 11:25

I'm not RC but I am "very Christian" as some would describe me.

For every Christian I know, the heart of the religion is love, and for me, giving gifts is a huge part of that :)

Original poster
pottered · 27/06/2017 11:28

thanks - i thought it was odd - i can't understand not buying your children at least one nice gift to celebrate the love for the baby Jesus etc but wondered if I'm missing something. He stressed the children got lots of presents other times of the year but it just doesn't make sense to me that a devout RC would take a strong stance against any gifts for their small DC. I guess it'll be his walk to walk.

OP posts:
Clalpolly · 27/06/2017 11:37

I have this attitude towards my cat. She gets toys and gifts all year round she doesn't need "presents " at Christmas. But she's a cat.

Bloodybridget · 27/06/2017 18:30

So I guess the children get presents from other people? Do they have a mother?

NC4now · 27/06/2017 18:31

RC here too and yes to presents. Even the wise men brought presents.

NC4now · 27/06/2017 18:33

Does he celebrate Christmas then? Nice dinner, Midnight mass etc? Or is is just like the average Sunday?

Original poster
pottered · 27/06/2017 18:39

both the mum and the dad we're friends with are strict RC - they're just having their 3rd baby in 5 years and they don't believe in contraception. Re the larger family - they're estranged from both sets of grandparents - but for good reasons I can understand in both cases. I don't believe their kids get any presents on Christmas day as I understood it, I'm thinking if they receive any they are put aside for a non-specific occasion. Strange eh? I can't fathom it.

OP posts:
mintich · 27/06/2017 18:39

Even our priest gives our gifts at Christmas!

Bloodybridget · 27/06/2017 18:47

Very strange indeed! I feel rather sorry for the children, with all the school conversations about "what did you get?".

TheVanguardSix · 27/06/2017 18:51

They are probably Opus Dei, or Cult Catholics as I call them.

isittheholidaysyet · 27/06/2017 18:52

Never heard of that. Been catholic all my life.

(Though some countries have different traditions. 6th (?) December St Nicholas day is the present day in some countries. Celebrating Christmas on 24th December is also common in some places and eastern churches may give presents on 6th Jan feast of epiphany (3 Kings day) instead of 25th dec)

Clalpolly · 27/06/2017 19:49

Opus Dei [shudders].

notaslimceagirl · 27/06/2017 19:52

Is opus dei a real thing? I thought it was made up for that De Vinci code film.

TheVanguardSix · 27/06/2017 20:00

No it's real. It's rather sect like.

Clalpolly · 27/06/2017 20:04

It's a real thing. They scare the bejeezus out of me. I once got trapped on a house with one. As long as we didn't talk about religion she was really nice. But her house was full of all sorts of weird stuff. And I'm RC - statues of BVM in every classroom with eyes that follow you around.

Original poster
pottered · 27/06/2017 20:06

I think if they celebrated it on another day, he'd just have said, we celebrate it in x day because of y tradition, he clearly stated they did not believe in gift giving at Christmas - which was why I was scrabbling to find a Catholic basis for that. I shall look into Opus Dei!

OP posts:
Eggplantsundays · 27/06/2017 20:08

Opus Dei are v active in my parish. They give presents, and the ones I know drink like fishes too. No surplices either.

notaslimceagirl · 27/06/2017 20:11

Maybe my Granny was Opus Dei. She had loads of BVM stuff. Can Irish people be Opus Dei too?