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What does Christmas mean to you? For me, it is a wondrous time of year. True it has been commercialized far too much, but there still is something in the air. It could be that this is the time we celebrate the birth of our Lord and it could be the fond memories of family. All I can say is I love this season. With that, Merry Christmas to all.
A happy holiday and family …since I get a rare opportunity to share my Christmas this year with my mother and my daughter at the same time … definitely family. Lots of warm memories about it.
Shalom
I like the idea of giving to people who truly need it rather than stressing out buying junk for people who really don't need it and will either just regift it or let it collect dust. I put this idea into practice one year at work. Instead of buying pointless gifts for all my coworkers, I donated to a charity in each person's honor. The charity mailed a little certificate to each person saying that I had made a donation in his/her honor. Some people thought it was cool, some people were pissed that they didn't get a gift, and some people just thought it was too weird and didn't know what to make of it. Now I'm back to buying pointless junk for them.
It is clear that the end of December is significant to many people of many different religions. It is great. We can all take the time to enjoy it, exchange presents, reunite families, and inspire our natural altruistic feelings.
Christmas is the best known holiday for Christians as expected. But it is also a holiday or holy day (Winter Solstice) for many Secularists, Atheists, Humanists, and Agnostics (SAHA), Wiccans, Other Pagans, Hindus, Druids (and all of the old Indo-european religions that preceded Christianity.
Seas-ghrian aig Geamhradh Shona (Happy Winter Solstice)! Dagda the creator loved the world that he created his son, Lugh the Sun God, with a human woman, to bring light and drive out the darkness. And the Creator of the Celtic world also had a grandson. His son Lugh, the Light Bringer, had a son by the beautiful Dectire. That son would be Cúchulainn (Culann mac an Gabhann) the greatest of ancient Irish heroes.
The story bears some resemblance to Christian Mythology as one can see. Lugh (also spelled Lug) is the Sun God, bringer of light, and of genius. He is the king of the Otherworld, called Tír Na nÓg (Heaven.)
We have a Trinity of Aed Álainn (Father of the Gods), Lug/Lugh Sun God and son of God, and Danu/Brigit (Mother Earth goddess).
Gaelic speaking Christians have the Nollaig (Nativity) and Merry Christmas is Nollaig Shona.
I wish everyone a Happy Winter Solstice applying whatever your faith calls it.
For me the most precious moment of the season is the look in a child's eyes as it gazes in wonderment at the store Santa. There are a lot of Christians who are opposed to the stories of Santa Claus and the Reindeer; I am not one of them. Oh I know that there isn't a Santa or flying reindeer, I haven’t gone senile yet.
Think for a minute what these stories teach children. They learn about believing, about being good, about responsibility, they learn that no matter how hard they try someone will always know what they have done. For a family that has a strong Christmas bond there is the strongest sense of family. I found this on the Internet:
That night, Christmas night, I had the most scrumpilicious dinner ever with my family and all my friends. And my dad finally asked, “Chrissie, did you really deliver all those presents to all those kids?”
“Yes, but I also told them Christmas isn’t about getting presents. Christmas is about something much, much bigger than presents. Christmas is about believing!”
I have to ask believing what? And in whom? believing that we all just somehow came into this world to live a life full of all sorts of pains sicknesses hurts and bad things that do happen no matter who we are? Or believing that we are created by a holy creator God that gave His Son so that whosoever believes in Christ would be saved.
So whom do you tell your children of and why? So believe in what and in whom and why?
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Edited by Host 3, original post was made Fri 14 Dec 2007 01:41 PM PST. Edited to be in appliance with the rules.
Marty Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the most important days if not the most important to me. This holiday season is all wrapped up in being thankful for many things even the Forefathers that came to this land to be free from the ruler King s of the England land. Too many Americans forget that the Pilgrims brought with them the Bible. The time of the year is also a time for the Feast of the Jewish that also goes into and could be coincide with our Christmas. I may not be all wise and all knowledgeable about much in this life yet when I have said I have never doubted that God is was and forever will be the same yesterday today and tomorrow. I never have believed in a Santa clause or an Easter bunny. I never have denied my children to believe in such nor would I take this from my grandchildren. Have a very bright and Merry Christmas and even a better happy New Years.
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Edited by Host 3, original post was made Thu 13 Dec 2007 11:23 AM PST. Edited to be in appliance with the rules.
I would say besides the obvious that this is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus that it is family. Even people who fight a lot are friendly on Christmas.
A time when your fellow humans go absolutely crazy for Black Friday specials.
It is so commercial now…
To me it is a time to celebrate the return of the sun and the hope of Spring! It is a time to enjoy family and friends, and especially grandchildren!
Happy Sol Invictus!
Here's what Christmas means to me; it's not the long trips to the mall or spending all that money. I do like to give special gifts to special people, but that's a minor part of the holiday. We will go for long drives at night just to look at the lights. Decorating the tree brings back so many memories. The best part is seeing family, some from across the country. And then there is the great food. For me all of this stuff makes the holiday.
Suzanne dear I'm sorry that your post had to be altered and that it took me this long to answer you. I believe in the Lord with all my heart and have taught my children to believe in Him. In my post I gave you the answer, I wrote: Think for a minute what these stories teach children. They learn about believing, about being good, about responsibility, they learn that no matter how hard they try someone will always know what they have done. For a family that has a strong Christmas bond there is the strongest sense of family. Having a believing heart means that we are open to God's direction and might just receive Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. That was what I was talking about.
One question for you dear, have you looked at the rules?
All of these posts are touching and I'll add my great joy, seeing the faces of the kids Christmas morning as the open their gifts. I too want to say Merry Christmas to all.
Jessica; Not all families have Pleasant and congenial Christmas dinners or times. YET THANK OUR LORD THY GOD THESE are REALLY ALOT FEWER then the ONES that are HAPPY and enjoyable. This then KNOWING THAT GOD IS REAL and PESENT I the LIVES OF men and woman HE HAS CALLED MANKIND ALWAYS GIVES me HOPE for the YEARS AHEAD..
THIS NEXT YEAR that we face is REALLY DIFFERENT and all AMERICANS need to be AWARE THAT the YEAR 2008 IS A TURNING POINT IN HISTORY AND TIME for THIS GENERATION OF MANKIND. TRUTH is I do not believe MANY AMERICANS UNDERSTAND much of the TURNING we are IN ACCORDING TO The WORD OF GOD That has already been written. WHY??? because MANY READ the GOSPEL yet FEW REALLY GRASP HIS TRUTH THAT is there to be had BY US ALL.. I DO HOWEVER REST IN the TRUTH AND FACT and FAITH THAT I HAVE believed IN THE WRITTEN WORD OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR even unto this day KNOWING ALL TO WELL THAT GOD REALLY is the SAME YESTERDAY TODAY And HE will still be the same TOMORROW whether I AWAKEN TO A NEW MORNING HERE OR ANOTHER MORNING IN HIS HEAVENLY THRONE . I need not question GODS TRUTH nor DO I NEED TO QUESTION GOD for all the answers I would ever need want and have is within HIS BOOK this is what SEPERATES the CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST and THE CROSS OF CALVARY FROM ALL OTHERS. IT CAN GET NO MORE TRUER then THIS.. IMMANUEL DOES MEAN GOD with us. THE BAPTISM OF WATER and the baptism of the Spirit are a TRUTH. AND I wonder really do wonder How many understand John 3; 5-8 OR Deteronomy. OR at all the Book of Revelation. If you decide to look up these scriptures consider what the LORD HATH HAD written about Flesh is Flesh and Spirit is Spirit. and Ephesians 4;5:6:7: tells us and gives us information . ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, and ONE BAPTISM. How do you get ONE BAPTISM by accepting TWO. OR DO WE CHOOSE TO HAVE one? IF THUS SAYETH the LORD ONE . FOR LORD FAITH AND BAPTISM . how is it many people have two.. or in reality do they just have one.. I already know the answers to what I have given you as questions here REMINDING that GOD IS always the one that has given man a CHOICE> REmemeber IT is HE NOT I that wrote the BOOKs (HAD THEM written) MALACHI 3;16:
A while back we started the article titled, What Jesus means to you? Last week I posted the question What does Christmas mean to you? An hour ago we return from Holy Communion and I think the two questions are answered in the peace of heart that comes with a personal relationship with Jesus. Everyone faces trials and tribulations in life, and with Jesus in my life there has been guidance and the knowledge that everything would work out. So, let me say to you all I hope you have the joy of Christmas and a bright, wonderful New Year.