Season''s Greetings, etc

[Mara]

F&I I think you are right about the Christmas tree not originally being a Christian symbol...it may have eventually become entertwined with the idea of Christmas but originally I don't think they were Christian and I think neither was Santa Claus???

For me celebration is about what goes on mostly in our house. I can play Christmas carols til my little heart is content (or not!) and gaze at my Christmas tree. Stuff in the stores and all that is superfluous...I don't require a wreath on the store to shop there and I would view a tree in a shop the same as a menorah or other decorations. I create Christmas in my own home, because that is what we celebrate and what makes ME happy. My own home is what matters most. Amanda, can you do the same for what you celebrate in your own home so that you feel more connected?

I guess from my perspective, someone phrased it the best up above. "Christmas is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture." That is SO true. Changing the phrasing to happy holidays or this or that is not going to change that. And personally I almost feel like the more people who are not Christian draw attention to the fact that they may get offended or upset when people don't acknowledge them, the more dramatic it all becomes and even furthers the 'rift' that is already there between the religions and holidays. What is the % of people who celebrate Christmas in the US? Like 95%? So how can the stores and lives of people NOT be inundated with Christmas songs, decorations, ideas? It's just the way it is. Personally, I wouldn't bother to feel left out but rather acknowledge that there IS a minority of people who celebrate another type of holiday, and that's just fine...no big deal, but don't try to change the way the rest of the 95% or whatever, celebrates.

(By the way not speaking to you Amanda, just in general).

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 12/14/2005 2:30:07 PM
Author: Mara
F&I I think you are right about the Christmas tree not originally being a Christian symbol...it may have eventually become entertwined with the idea of Christmas but originally I don't think they were Christian and I think neither was Santa Claus???


For me celebration is about what goes on mostly in our house. I can play Christmas carols til my little heart is content (or not!) and gaze at my Christmas tree. Stuff in the stores and all that is superfluous...I don't require a wreath on the store to shop there and I would view a tree in a shop the same as a menorah or other decorations. I create Christmas in my own home, because that is what we celebrate and what makes ME happy. My own home is what matters most. Amanda, can you do the same for what you celebrate in your own home so that you feel more connected?


I guess from my perspective, someone phrased it the best up above. 'Christmas is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture.' That is SO true. Changing the phrasing to happy holidays or this or that is not going to change that. And personally I almost feel like the more people who are not Christian draw attention to the fact that they may get offended or upset when people don't acknowledge them, the more dramatic it all becomes and even furthers the 'rift' that is already there between the religions and holidays. What is the % of people who celebrate Christmas in the US? Like 95%? So how can the stores and lives of people NOT be inundated with Christmas songs, decorations, ideas? It's just the way it is. Personally, I wouldn't bother to feel left out but rather acknowledge that there IS a minority of people who celebrate another type of holiday, and that's just fine...no big deal, but don't try to change the way the rest of the 95% or whatever, celebrates.


(By the way not speaking to you Amanda, just in general).

my thoughts exactly..and i truly hope our local live nativty scene will allow baby jesus to be put back in the manger and the Holiday tree will be renamed to what it actually is

 

[MINE!!]

The Christmas tree actually came well before the 7th century. ACtually it is a remenent of Celtic belief in the sacredness of the oak tree and trees in general. When the Christain church tried to convert the Norweigen and celtic Populations, there were many compromises.. including adding the Virgin Mary because the Celt beleived that women and women gods were very powerful and were actually a symbol of fertility, and moving the "Christmas" season back to the 25th of December in order to coincide with the winter celebration of the Celts. This ''celebration'' included the decoration of sacred trees.. thus you have the Christmas tree.

So NO it is not a Christian symbol.. but people that don''t want others celebrating Christmas sure latch on to it out of ignorance.

 

[Lorelei]

Christmas trees became popular in England during Queen Victoria''s reign. Her Consort Prince Albert first insisted on a decorated spruce to bring back Christmas memories of his native Germany, therefore the Christmas Tree became a focal point of an English Christmas.

 

[pebbles]

I hope everyone has a happy and SAFE holiday season!

 

[monarch64]

I hope the schools remembered to ban candy canes from the classroom. I read that candy canes symbolize the cane Jesus used to herd his sheep.

For the sake of having the freedom to state my opinion, I''m with the Happy Holidays crowd. I also understand why a worldwide company like Wal-Mart would not want to risk offending people either in the US or overseas with the assumption that everyone else in the world celebrates Christmas.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 12/14/2005 12:53:33 PM
Author: fire&ice
I say Happy Holidays

I am not that brave. I only say, "You, too". I always put $1.00 into the Salvation Army bucket when I enter a store where someone is collecting for it, and I also always thank the person for being out there collecting. Yesterday the bellringer wished me a, "Merry Christmas" which was quite appropriate for a Christian organization to say. My "you, too" felt good .

Deb

 

[ammayernyc]

Not being Christian and not knowing the history of the Christmas Tree, I just googled it and came up with a website that stated it was from the 7th Century and had Christian roots. Unfortunately, I didn''t have time to go through the thousands of sites that were brought up.

Sorry if I posted misinformation. Thanks for the education.

And I may be incorrect, but it seems that this whole PC argument about a holiday tree instead of a Christmas Tree (or even a Chanukkah Bush) and Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas is not to deny Christians their celebratory date or spirt, but to include those that don''t celebrate it.

 

[lmurden]

Wow this is such a hot topic! I honestly thought is was only an issue with the a small group of people. I think it got out of control when a Christian right group fought back. Being a secular Christian Happy Holiday or Merry Christmas is fine with me.

 

[DonaBella]

Date: 12/14/2005 2:30:07 PM
Author: Mara
F&I I think you are right about the Christmas tree not originally being a Christian symbol...it may have eventually become entertwined with the idea of Christmas but originally I don''t think they were Christian and I think neither was Santa Claus???

For me celebration is about what goes on mostly in our house. I can play Christmas carols til my little heart is content (or not!) and gaze at my Christmas tree. Stuff in the stores and all that is superfluous...I don''t require a wreath on the store to shop there and I would view a tree in a shop the same as a menorah or other decorations. I create Christmas in my own home, because that is what we celebrate and what makes ME happy. My own home is what matters most. Amanda, can you do the same for what you celebrate in your own home so that you feel more connected?

I guess from my perspective, someone phrased it the best up above. ''Christmas is inextricably woven into the fabric of American culture.'' That is SO true. Changing the phrasing to happy holidays or this or that is not going to change that. And personally I almost feel like the more people who are not Christian draw attention to the fact that they may get offended or upset when people don''t acknowledge them, the more dramatic it all becomes and even furthers the ''rift'' that is already there between the religions and holidays. What is the % of people who celebrate Christmas in the US? Like 95%? So how can the stores and lives of people NOT be inundated with Christmas songs, decorations, ideas? It''s just the way it is. Personally, I wouldn''t bother to feel left out but rather acknowledge that there IS a minority of people who celebrate another type of holiday, and that''s just fine...no big deal, but don''t try to change the way the rest of the 95% or whatever, celebrates.

(By the way not speaking to you Amanda, just in general).

I could not agree more with you...This time of year seems to bring out so much discussion in people about faith, religion and all issues pertaining to that. I have always and will always wish people " Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays" usually in the same breathe. For those who do not consider themselves Christian, that is fine and no ill will is intended. It is a cordial form of acknowledgement at this particular time of year. I have several friends who are of the Jewish faith and also those who have no particular religious affiliation. We all say "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays" to each other. No one is miffed or insulted, but rather, included.

Especially with sending out cards to business associates, my husband and I are specifically aware to say "Happy Holidays" and also "Seasons greetings" to them. It IS Christmas time, though, and even those who do not consider themselves Christian as has been mentioned already do some sort of celebrating. It is not said anywhere that one has to be religious of any sort to celebrate. I consider myself a Christian but I am not a rigid religious individual. I am probably more spiritual than anything else...Christmas is Christmas to me because of Christ''s birth. I value and cherish family and dear friends...It is so much more than gifts under the tree. It''s about how rich I already am and appreciating it...

Don''t get me wrong. Gifts are totally my favorite, but if I have to choose, I would rather give an amazing gift to someone I cherish than receive a gift myself. In essence, I get my gift from making those I love happy...That''s hard to to put on bow on or wrap in a box...

 

[valeria101]

Just have one story about this. ... it doesn''t take different religions to get into trouble.

Somehow the PS Christmas chrysis passed me by, until I got to celebrate Christmas among a very ''intellectual'' group in Britain. There was this drastically updated, 20 minute service followed by a weird lecture about some obscure postmodern moralistic story. No old fashioned carols or anything, of course. It felt... like Holidays with the ET.

In the end, I got to exchange polite greetings with a fellow participant only to be told on top of it all: "last year we invited an orthodox priest to hold the Christmas Mass and it was very weird. You guys are savage!". Yes, thank you

Perhaps it wasn''t much, but surely memorable.