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Why I don't celebrate Christmas....
- Dec 5, 2008 at 7:18 PM
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- Comments (14) Total Views (292) Everyone can see this journal post.
...and yes I am a Christian.
Well it's kinda long, but I will make it as short as possible :-)
Going back to how Christmas actually started and why it is on Dec 25th. Dec 25th is actually the birthday of the sun god (a pagan god). Constantine wanted to celebrate the son gods birthday, but knew the Christians would never go for it. So he decided to make it a celebration of Christ's birthday and made a way for it to all work together and make it look like a Christian holiday, when it was truly a pagan holiday. All the rituals: the Christmas tree, Wreaths, etc all actually stemmed from pagan rituals. The Old Testament (In Jeremiah 10:2 - 4) tells not to put up a tree.
2 Thus says the LORD:
“ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
Christs birthday is actually the second week of Sept. I think if it were celebrated around that time - we would participate, although we wouldn't do a tree. History tells that he was born as a certain (I cannot think of the name right now) wheat type plant sprouted. It happens in September according to our calendar (which was changed by romans).
Anyway - that is the jest of it. There is a lot more to tell about it, but this is the quick version, LOL.
People tell me that it is just a time (Dec. 25) set aside to celebrate Christs birth. But once we realized WHY that day was chosen - we decided not to celebrate it.
Due to the pagan roots - we also don't celebrate Halloween or Easter.
We don't tell people that they shouldn't celebrate. Honestly we would rather have people celebrate it for the reason they are. However, our convictions won't let us do it. Does that make sense? I have lost friends over this and I have been told that we are horrible parents because we don't let our children participate in Santa and all at our house. (They do at my MIL's house (not Santa) - and we are ok with it).
This was actually a decision my husband made and I will support him in it. I grew up with my dad believing the way my husband does, but my dad NEVER explained his beliefs to me until I was grown and married. It made it hard to tell people that we don't do Christmas when I didn't understand it myself. So I told my husband he is to be honest with the kids so they always know why we believe how we do. If, when they grow up, they want to celebrate Christmas and do the Santa thing - I will support them in it. It will be their decision.
The hardest part growing up not believing in Santa was having to "pretend" that I did for the sake of the other children. So I know those challenges my kids will face. I have talked to my oldest and she understands. I told her that when someone asks "What is Santa bringing you for Christmas"? She can just say "Barbies" or something else that she wants. Her birthday is Dec 29th, so she will be getting gifts, just not Christmas gifts from us.
We do participate in some of the family traditions of Christmas. Every year - Tims Aunt hosts Christmas for his dad's side. The children (over 30 of them) drew names at Thanksgiving, so we buy for the children that were picked for our kids to buy for. And the adults play "Dirty Santa". On Christmas morning - my MIL will fix brunch. We eat and open gifts. The inlaws do buy for the kids and we buy a few gifts for them. My dad still doesn't celebrate Christmas. My mom and her husband hosts Christmas at sometime around it. We only buy for the kids under 18. Tim and I don't buy for each other. We don't put up a tree. The only "Christmasy" thing that I have in my house are all the Christmas cards I receive. I do send out Christmas cards - although I usually don't send religious ones - I usually try to find funny ones. I haven't sent any out this year or last year - just too busy :-(.
So there is my explanation. Feel free to ask more if you want. You can disagree if you choose. That is fine. I am not posting this to start a debate, but explain my personal thoughts. I am not saying anyone is wrong for celebrating or not. This is just my story. Thanks for reading!
Have a great day and a Merry Christmas.
Rachael
Comments:
Just to clarify - I don't think bad of anyone who celebrates. I hope that message is clear. Honestly we would rather have people celebrate it for the reason they are. I don't think the government should take it out of everything, and I don't think we should change the names (Holiday tree, Winter Break, etc. It's a CHRISTMAS tree)
Christmas brings out the greatest journals ! For me and this time of year, I just love decorating my house, getting together with family, baking care packages for neighbors, friends and family and lastly for some really funny holiday movies like Elf and A Christmas Story...
Have yourself a Merry !!!
You are right that is your personal decision. I also have heard that Jesus was born in September as well. I also know of people that only allow or get their children 3 GIFTS at Christmas. The reason is , is because the 3 Wise Men brought and gave 3 gifts to Jesus. I think that is a great Idea. That way you are keeping it on the right Level ,You know. I personally thought about doing this with my kids, but treyton was already 2 , I think when I heard about this only giving 3 gifts. Anyway, i don't think you are crazy or anti-chistmas in anyway. Your just doing as you believe is right. Thanks for sharing you story! You and your family have a nice Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Blessings to YOU!
Thanks! Christmas has gotten way too commercialized. I don't like that people will go into debt to buy things they can't afford. My husband and I live 100% debt free (we don't even have a car payment OR a mortgage). It just saddens me the risks that are taken this time of year (financially speaking). It's all about who gives the best gift, which I think defeats the whole reason most people celebrate Christmas. But again - that is just my opinion and honestly none of my business on how people purchase gifts. :-)
I have to say that your post enlightened me. I was not aware of the pagan origination of Christmas. I agree too, that it's gotten way too commercialized. For the past two years, we have had very simplistic, Christ-oriented Christmases. This year, we may not even put up a tree but instead make our nativity set front & center. We are giving each of our girls three gifts, like the wise men brought for Jesus, reading from the Bible on Christmas Eve, etc etc. I do not like how Christmas has turned into a competition...who has the best decorated tree/house and who buys the best gifts. It's time to get back to the true, Christian meaning of Christmas...even if it is celebrated at the wrong time of year.
I did this post to verbalize our personal beliefs. Thanks for all that responded in being nice.
I also want to say - Do your own research. When it comes to anything Biblical or Religious - don't take any persons word for it. Study for yourself. Take what they've said and use it as a study guide. My husbands approach is kind of like a devils advocate in a sense. He takes what someone has said and tries to disprove it - that's how he studies and able to get down to what he feels is the truth. That's why he does it that way - to find his own truth not really to disprove anyone. Make sense. So take what I have said and study and research for yourself. Thanks for reading. Any more comments?
I know you are presybterian Rach, so that is my question. I grew up presybyterian, here, in the south, and Christmas, as I still celebrate, is in the church. We even had Christmas trees in the sanctuary at the two churches I went to growing up here. Of course now I am catholic, and that opens up a whole other can of worms for some people. Just curious, if your church does not celebrate Christmas or is it just your family in your particular church? I hope that makes sense! I still luv ya gal, even though we are VERY different in our religious views, our grandkids will certainly have a broad up-bringing :-)
No - it's just our family. Our views have nothing to do with the church. I grew up church of Christ and they usually won't put trees up, but most members will celebrate a form of Christmas. I didn't start going to my present church until 2002.
This will be the first year our family won't be celebrating Christmas (for the same reasons you list). It was hard telling our family but I've got to say that this has been THE MOST peaceful, freeing, season we've ever had! I'd prayed that if God truly saw this holiday as a day that didn't honor Him that he would fill our hearts with joy and our house with peace!
You might like the website, FFOZ.ORG Their book "Restoration" changed the way my husband and I understood the Bible and it gave us the conviction that you really can't mix holiness with unholiness.
Thanks for being bold enough to post this!
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I agree with your facts. I give God his praise and glory everyday. Some people have a peaceful and giving spirit everyday -not just for Christmas. Not everyone is bad that celebrate Christmas. Christmas has a different meaning for different people. To each its own. I personally see Christmas for a great holday sale! and wonderful food LOL
- aprilhunt83
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