Anybody else feel this way about Christmas?

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

Heck! If it doesn't work for you, then celebrate in April. Wouldn't bother me. Just don't be throwing snowballs at me if I carol at your door. Ok?

Well, I don't chuck the Jehovah's Witnesses off the porch when they come to visit, so why should I be getting after you? Both of y'all think you're doing me a favor, so why should I act otherwise?

Reminds me, though, of a Christmas Eve back in the mid-80s. Blizzard out of nowhere totally shut down all traffic in Salt Lake City and some of the electricity. I was out in my hot tub, enjoying the stillness, the silence (obvious links to the solstice when you think about it), the darkness. I heard that crunching on snow that you only get at low temperatures -- a lot of it, a good-sized group of people, I could tell. They stopped on the street, a little beyond my driveway and between my house and the Perkins on the other side. And then, acapella of course, and wonderfully sung, one the old carols that I love. Then crunching of snow and then silence.

That's the only time in my adult life that I've felt anything approaching the "spirit of Christmas."

But it was profound and I'll never forget it.

[jadams_4040]

That last couple of years, as my son has gotten old enough to start asking for things for Christmas, I've only been able to think about how much I'm starting to dislike the current practice of celebrating Christmas. My wife and I have talked about having my son fill out a Christmas list, but not for things he wants. Rather, we would help him right down names of his friends and family and list what he wants to give to each of them for Christmas.

We've already decided (he's 3 now) that we weren't going to get him to believe in Santa. We want to get his focus on others and not himself, as this season seems to do for everyone. I just think that the most important holiday of the year, the celebration of the birth of Christ, has become too "mammon-ized". (Obviously he's aware of Santa and knows he's related to Christmas, but we'll help him understand who he is from an historical perspective.)

I actually felt strongly about boycotting the entire holiday when I read about that poor Wal-mart employee that was killed because of what Christmas has become. It's absolutely disgusting to me what people do these days because of Christmas. It makes me angry, you know? We're teaching my son (kids) that Christmas is about others, and Birthdays are about him. I think that will be a nice contrast and as long as we're consistent, everything will be alright.

Me and my entire family go around every year on this issue; i "know" that americans have basicly destroyed everything x-mas is supposed to be, I.E;; if we dont spend more money than the jonses down the street, then we are not good. everything is money,money,money; its very frusterating to me to see my family not understand what x-mas really is about. {i think its time to add this into our family daily prayer}.

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

Not to be mean but Easter is a pagan festival dressed up in Christianity also.

True enough. Bad choice of name, for sure. Passover was probably linked to the vernal equinox for the usual reasons (the escape from Egypt looks pretty bogus), but that was when and why Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. And despite Christianity's attempt to obscure it, the passover was when Jesus was crucified (some historical problems there, too). So, call it the "Crucifixion" instead of "Easter" and I can't see any objection.

Real Men Wear Beards.- Lev 21:5

Tell me about it. Believed this from age 7.

[Captain_Curmudgeon]

one of the many reasons I am a Latter Day Saint and not a Christian we are taught to respect and seek out the good wherever it may be.... If something brings us closer to Christ and increases our potential then it is worthy of our respect and usage.

-Charley

Isn't this just the Thirteenth Article of Faith?

(Just going to note parenthetically that this is how many Mormons come to naturism.)