What is Christmas - really?

[Luther]

12 minutes ago, 1to3 said:

Having been born in he sixties in North America in a snow covered wintery climate  I was programmed by the ideals of my family = fathers side Catholic, mothers side more born again christian through my mothers father who found Christ Jesus in a dream that changed the course of his life and was a great testimony to me and for  my own life in finding a true and daily living relationship with my Lord and Savior Christ Jesus and His Word.

 Since early childhood I went to a private Catholic french schools, spoke English at home and where  German and Hungarian were also spoken.

So I got a lot of europeen traditions as well as north American traditions passed along,

But someh0ow Christmas as a young child always meant to me the story of how and why Christ Jesus came on earth. It was both a religious and festive occasion. I remember one year my father bought presents for us to go to the schriners hospital to give to some sick children. And of course we had also the exchange of presents given to one another as an act of also showing our love and care for one another after having partaken in a wonderfully prepared Christmas meal by my mother.  On Christmas eve from six year onwards, I had my job of vacuming and bringing out the nice christmas towels into the bathroom and helping my mother with the setting of the table and helping out with the preparation of the foods & deserts. Preparation time was also part of the fun and excitement of the occasion. We all chiped in,washng the dog, cleaning the fish tank,  had our baths, and made sure we were all nice and clean and dressed up in our nice chritmas outfits to celebrated His birthday coming to this world for the love of mankind .  My own family tried to make Christmas a very Christ Jesus family centered time . I have beautiful memories of these times. I remember my father bringing back a fresh cut fur tree and the beautiful pine scent given from the tree. The decoration of the tree with some lovely ornaments, some store bought and some hand made,  we had a beautiful  big light up singing angel placed in the front livingroom window for all passer bys to see and ,my favourite was the Noel crèche, with baby Christ Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the animals and three wise men bringing gifts. I remember playing with those figurenes imagining what it was like that day when Christ. We sometimes went to midnight mass, or my father would play on our sterio record player Charles Dickens " A Christmas Carol". Around that time they had some lovely t.v. christmas programms that I loved to watch, Frosty the snowman was one of my favorites.   We celabrated each sunday evening advent meal in the dining room with the center of the table, lighting one of the four advent candles We had this amazing centerpiece that had the whole native scene and with every candle lit, the smoke of the candle would propel the scene to move rotate around, so the native scene would be seen from every angle one was seated at the table.

 The days before Christmas, I remember my father bringing us Ogilvies to see the winter animal Christmas display and shopping for presents., visiting santa, seing the winter christmas parade down town.  Going taboganing , ice skating or skiing during these festive times before and after Dec.24.

when my father lay dying of terminal cancer, I was 12/13 years old ( it took him out in less than a year) I remembered asking my mother what will we do now at christmas time without daddy ? My father made Christmas time such a wonderful family time.

 

After my father passed away, my mother did continue with the same festive ways, the diner, the christmas decorations and the family gathering of exchange presents and also going to church, After my father died my mother began attending a pentecostal church and I followed her. My brother however, never entered any church after my father died and was so against any religious celebration for this time of the year and any other time for that matter. It was also the beginning of growing up in the late seventies early eighties without fatherly guidance, a mother who tried to keep the family Christ centerd and a brother that did not want to have anything to do with Christians values whatsoever.

After my fathers passing , there began also my own search and journey to find the Truth and meaning about life, about God and this world.  Such a long story.... But now praise God, today Christ Jesus is so very important in my life and my future after this life ...

The mixture of commercial and religious values we can't deny, have been in our societal programming and they have been commercially exploited to the max, making many (christian and non christian) weary of it all and very confused by the celebration itself..

I now live alone with a dog, two cats and five egg laying hens in a country setting where snow falls and it becomes very dark and cold at this time of the year, so yes I put out some cheery lights and  bring out some small christmas wreaths and have a small artificial christmas tree with lights that I have placed in my living space to just bring some cheer at this cold and dark time of the year. These cheer me up at this time of the year. I choose to make this time a time to celebrate our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus and if and when possible share the good news about Christ Jesus to those I communicate with mostly by phone or internet.

I don't go to any church, because there is no bible believing church in my area, so I basically listen to bible believing ministries on line and sometimes in live feed. Also I have christian radio that is wonderful still to have and find on the radio.

Because I am so alone in a remote country setting, someone suggested that I go to any church even a catholic church. But with all that I know now of the RCC, and also many other so called churches, I cannot sincerely join any assembly that I know do not preach or teach the truth of Gods Word, and go contrary to Gods Word and are so very diluted with wordly and esoteric philosophies.

I still have a handful of family friends, former clients that are Catholic and of divers beliefs and I always take this time with them to either send them a card , make a phone call, wish them kind greetings and if possible talk to them about Christ Jesus and His Word.

 

So what is Christmas really?

 

Its all the responses you are getting from people with different points of view, from there own life experience, from where they live and come from, to their present living conditions and current belief system, that prayerfully are Christ centered not only now at this time of the year but always.

 

In Christ Jesus Always;

1to3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, Christmas time is a life long experience. I thank you for sharing your story. 

[Luther]

35 minutes ago, kwikphilly said:

I'm not sure what impression you're getting from folks that a Filled with Joy about expressing thst Joy in decorations? There's not  day thst goes by thst I'm not looking to Christ,my ALL in ALL 365.... December is simply the opportunity to decorate the lawn,the outside of my Condo and hopefully others might see Jesus....? IF Holy Spirit Opens the Eyes of their hardened hearts

I'm not saying you're being a bah humbug but no,Holy Spirit is Moving & Working through me personally each day of my life...so I'm not sure of who exactly your asking the question but that is my answer....and I don't think you're abrasive ,I'm just not sure of who you're addressing in this thread

With love in Christ,Kwik

You don't have to do anything more or anything less in December than you would any other day,but some of us take this opportunity when at other times it's not so simple

I'm assuming you're from Philly? I live right over the Walt Whitman down in Vineland 

Edited December 9, 2024 by Luther
Correct a word

[Luther]

On 12/6/2024 at 10:31 AM, other one said:

When Israel was going into the promise land, God told them not to worship him the way the pagans did, and that is exactly what we have done concerning Christmas.   Even some of our Easter/Passover things are of pagan origin.

We can cover it up all we want, but it's there, glaringly in one's face if one bothers to look.

It is a strange time of the year for me knowing everything you just said is true. I always have to make sure all is " merry and bright", but there will always be that dark history that perpetuates and lives on through the customs of the people, denying the original reason for the season, and exact day, December 25th, the re- incarnation of Nimrod. It was believed that he came back to life every DECEMBER 25th because the people cut trees out of the forest and decorated them with silver balls, and I'm not going to get specific about that. 

So that custom lived on until Constantine had the brilliant idea of getting his parishioners involved, replacing the names of pagan gods cwith Biblical names and whatever else to appease these " Christians". I'm sure you know all of this even better than me. And it really wasn't that long ago in the context of history that this took place. And I hold  the Catholic Church responsible for continuing with this pagan tradition. 

 

[other one]

41 minutes ago, Luther said:

It is a strange time of the year for me knowing everything you just said is true. I always have to make sure all is " merry and bright", but there will always be that dark history that perpetuates and lives on through the customs of the people, denying the original reason for the season, and exact day, December 25th, the re- incarnation of Nimrod.

I do celebrate Jesus Birth, just not with pagan stuff.   I also have personal Christmas so to speak in September.    I try to do Easter without bunnies.   It's not really the day that bothers me as much as what we do.   My church does all the green and trees and stuff, but we don't have a manger scene....   And it grieves my spirit all month.

[Luther]

36 minutes ago, other one said:

I do celebrate Jesus Birth, just not with pagan stuff.   I also have personal Christmas so to speak in September.    I try to do Easter without bunnies.   It's not really the day that bothers me as much as what we do.   My church does all the green and trees and stuff, but we don't have a manger scene....   And it grieves my spirit all month.

I think that's a good idea to give attention to the actual season of Christ's birth. September seems to be the most accurate time. Easter....what about the end of the passover each year ( since it varies ever year)?

[kwikphilly]

10 hours ago, Luther said:

I'm assuming you're from Philly? I live right over the Walt Whitman down in Vineland 

I'm not but close - I was raised in NYC but was in PA alot for equestrian events- breeder friends lived in " Bethlehem" & " Nazareth "- isn't that something? Lol

My Dad's name was Philip,I'm the horse nut- his little Philly....

The name Philip means " horse lover" - Dad wasn't horse crazy but crazy about me (& I him)

[kwikphilly]

6 hours ago, other one said:

I do celebrate Jesus Birth, just not with pagan stuff.   I also have personal Christmas so to speak in September.    I try to do Easter without bunnies.   It's not really the day that bothers me as much as what we do.   My church does all the green and trees and stuff, but we don't have a manger scene....   And it grieves my spirit all month.

That would bother me too- a friend stopped by yesterday and was shocked to visit someone's church that had a huge lighted tree outside- tons if decorations and no nativity- that really unusual for this area ( nearby)-it's disturbing

[Neighbor]

12 hours ago, missmuffet said:

What is the difference?

catholic is universal, encompassing all 

Roman Catholic is not, it is exclusionary limited.

[Neighbor]

12 hours ago, Luther said:

Is this how the Holy Spirit works in our lives? Really? 

Yes! I am not always in the Spirit knowing not whether out of the body or not. I am under the Spirit's awakening and enlightenment to be aware of what my Lord Jesus will have of me daily (if I ask); but certainly there are high emotion moments as well as  deep concentration  quiet times too. And yes some slacker periods as well. Perhaps those are needed rest periods.

Occasionally  the Holy Spirit leads me into  what I think of as a paralyzing near depressing times of repeating visions. Then the Spirit releases me into action to be taken.

As I have shared so many times here as to bore even myself I have been turned about by the Holy Spirit in a rather confrontational way. I have been held down almost in a depressive state  with, visions then led to up and move no less than three times some 2800 miles. All to do a little supportive task at a church with the gift of helps so that some ministry may function better.

It is a high energy period of time for sure! Then there is a more reserved quiet time of  reflection. To me it is like  riding the back seat of an old  family station wagon, facing backwards, never seeing where we are going , but always getting to look out  back and see "wow look where we have just been".

So yes that is the way the Holy  Spirit works, on me and within me.

Merry Christmas, be blessed of God and a blessing to God too.

[Neighbor]

2 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

That would bother me too- a friend stopped by yesterday and was shocked to visit someone's church that had a huge lighted tree outside- tons if decorations and no nativity- that really unusual for this area ( nearby)-it's disturbing

Hi, Disturbing how so?

Nativity scenes are a distortion of the Christmas story are they not? One can call them a compression of events over a two year period of time I suppose. But wisemen bearing gifts coming to an animal feed trough to see a newborn babe-.

If a tree is inviting, reminiscent of a time when family gathered sang (worship) made decorations together, even lighting candles,  reading of the birth of Christ Jesus, might that not welcome strangers in to church  in hope of some fellowship as well as lesson and worship too?

Personally I do not get offended at what someone finds joyous to them.  There are more than enough "Debbie Downer" things that people, male and female, inject as their sense of righteousness in order to reject what is joyous to others.

Seems to me Christians can put more rules and restrictions on one another than Jesus ever did. Personally I don't see God as being a trickster, one to say "ah gotcha" you didn't know the origin of a similar pagan rite, you lose three merit points at the Bema Judgement.

BUT BUT BUT never do an Easter Egg hunt, for psst that is a fertility ritual.  And never even say Easter.  There's way too many rules of man, seemingly mostly to choke the joy out of celebrating and worshiping in joy our Lord's awesome ministry and sacrifice made for us.

Merry Christmas to one and all, may all freely  enjoy it.