What Is Wrong With Christmas Customs?

Which customs are you talking about?

Which customs are you talking about?

Edited

Well, for one thing, during the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus,” states the Encyclopedia Britannica. Why? Christians viewed birthday celebrations as a pagan custom, something to be avoided altogether. In fact, no mention of the date of Jesus’ birth can be found in the Bible.

Further, in the fourth century C.E., despite the stand taken by the early Christians against the custom of celebrating birthdays, the Catholic Church instituted Christmas. The church wanted to strengthen its position by removing one of the main obstacles in its way—the popularity of the pagan Roman religions and their winter solstice festivals. Each year, from December 17 through January 1, “most Romans feasted, gamed, reveled, paraded, and joined in other festivities as they paid homage to their deities,” says Christmas in America, by Penne L. Restad. And on December 25, the Romans celebrated the birth of the Invincible Sun. Instituting Christmas on that day, the church cajoled many Romans into celebrating the birth of Jesus instead of the birth of the sun. Romans “were still able to enjoy the trappings of these midwinter festivals,” says Santa Claus, a Biography, by Gerry Bowler. In reality, they “continued to mark the new days with old ways.”

Don't we see a problem here?

I'm not Christian, so I was thinking about the Christmas celebrations held in the US. I like the the lights, trees and the music. I also like the fact, that on one day of the year ( at least) many Americans are happy to be with their families and in their homes having a nice meal and friendly chats.

Guess, I'm just old -fashioned.

We have celebrated Christmss as a Christian tradition and where customs are different in different areas of the world and the traditions have changed over centeuries and this over about 2000 years -leave at that.
You just sound like a jehovas Witness being against birthdays.

Where is the edited edition?

There is no edited edition - it is all gone.

@Saab,

what we're discussing is what many scholars and respected authors have researched and reported. None of which are Jehovah's Witnesses. The approach they have taken involves letting people have access to information that is not readily known. None of which is speculative.

So please don't take this as an attack but as only a discussion of known and established fact about the customes involved and their origins. As always it is up to each individual to either accept or reject the evidence.

No, no problem. Yes, the early Christian church took up a lot of local customs to make the religion more popular, but that was centuries ago. There is no problem with having a religious Christmas and a secular Christmas at the same time. Heck, if you are a religious purist, the celebration doesn't even begin until Christmas day. All this revelry before December 25 is just Advent, but outside of church services, you don't see anyone celebrating the second day of Christmas on December 26th.

Oh yes you do! That's a big sale day in the US. Mad, mad rush to the Malls for the left-overs.

The second day of Christmas - the 26th is in some countries a holy day too.
It is also the day of Saint Stefan who according to the stories was the stableboy in Bethlehem.
That the early Christian Chruch took some customs might be - but look at most of the customs we do have have developed over the centuries and several are only from the 20th centrury.

I work with a Muslim guy whose 6 year old son, a couple of years ago, started badgering him and his wife to have Christmas celebrations. My colleague's father, the boy's grandfather, said it would be wrong and he shouldn't give in. "It's just a normal day to us!" he said. Notwithstanding, my colleague bought a Christmas tree and went ahead. On Christmas Eve there was a knock at the door, and when he opened it, there was grandfather in a Santa costume, fake beard and all, with a sack of gifts, looking a bit sheepish, with grandmother smiling broadly.

Thank you, for telling us, such a nice story.

There is also something else for us to consider. Since it is an established fact that the customes involved are of non Christian origin, and in some cases promote ideas that are known not to be true, what position would Jesus take? For example, at 1 Peter 2:21, 22 it says:

1 Peter 2:21 "In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. 22 He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth"

Here we are told that the example Christ set is one we should follow closely. Part of what is involved in following his example is related in verse 22 where it states that no deception, or falsehood, was found in his mouth. Since we know that Jesus would not support anything that was based on untruths and myths, what stand do you think he would take if he was on the earth now?

Again, this is only to stimulate an exchange of thought, this is not an attack directed toward anyone.

They do it every year now, and (don't tell anyone!) there is sherry when the little guy has gone to bed.

For all the small puppies, that kids receive as gifts at Christmas, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that 12/26 is a busy day at many a Vet's office for some of these puppies, who eat either too much food, or get into the candy boxes and get plain sick!

What always made me smile about old Christmas traditions since I'd learnt about it at school ...
In Germany, in the more Catholic regions, the "Christkind" (christ child) brings the presents at Christmas. That's done in the more Evangelical region by the "Weihnachtsmann" (Christmas man).
Originally, St. Nicolas brought the presents (on December 6), in some regions, presents were given on the day of the Massacre of the Innocents.
Luther chanced this to the "Heiliges Christkind", which came on December 25.


In the 19th century, the Christkind entered the Catholic parts of Germany, but presents were given on the 24th. (In a few Evangelical regions, the Christkind is still coming, but on the 25th)

All you are interested in is year 0 and year now. What is in between and what has become Christian traditions mixed very niceliy with modern december traditons in different countries you counld not care about.