Christmas and Easter? Pagan?

[Redefine_Me]

Oh goodie - a thread about Christmas in August Can I put my decorations up now???

Back to seriousness..... in our home, we celebrate both the secular and the Christian aspects of Christmas and Easter. Well, the girls are a bit old for Easter egg hunts now, but we eat enough Peeps to have them coming out our ears. What I have tried to always do is to make a distinction between the secular aspect (Christmas trees, snowmen, candy canes, reindeer, etc) and the Christian aspect - that this is a special time we set aside to remember and praise the story of Christ's birth.

We also celebrate other secular holidays - 4th of July, yes - Halloween (putting on my flame-retardant suit), we'd even celebrate Arbor Day if it was a reason to break out the ice cream maker and bring family together.

But at Christmas, we really strive to set aside special, devoted time at home to gather and celebrate the birth of Christ. I think it is difficult to have a holiday (especially Christmas - that now spans for a solid month!) that is wrapped in Christian context and secular context. Families have to find the balance that works for them.

[sweetycakes]

It seems that every year there is a thread put up about Christmas and/or Easter originally being a pagan holiday... And I guess I am posting this thread to say, Come on you guys... Christians, why do we allowed ourselves to be decieved by those of the world? Possibly, i don't know, we celebrate these days on the same day as a pagan holiday, but you know? That isnt' why we celebrate Christmas and Easter.. those are about the death, burial, adn ressurection of our Lord Jesus Christ.... These days were set up long before the pagan ones were... God had it planned long before the world set up these pagan holidays, so instead of debating about whether or not it is a pagan holiday, why don't we focus on that it is about Christ? That it is about the many wonderful things he has done, and use it to spread the gospel... Christmas is often a time when people are a little more open about Jesus Christ... Why don't we spend this spreading spreading what Christ has done.. using the days and holidays that we celebrate to bring glory and honor to Christ...

I don't know.. just something I've been thinking about

~Crystal

I love Christmas....in the extreme!

I'll be the first one to admit that I start getting into the 'Christmas Spirit' from the time shops start selling Christmas goods, and they are advertised on TV. When it turns midnight on Christmas day, I am devastated.

I know that many of the Christmas customs spring from pagan festivals. I avoid anything to do with Santa Claus, if at all possible.....since 'he' is just not relevent to the Christmas celebrations as I understand them.

We have a Christmas tree, mainly for our Connor....plus, I enjoy the coloured lights and stuff myself.

As I have said before, I see nothing wrong with taking over such pagan festivals and dates, and using them to proclaim Jesus and what He has done for us.....just as I would see no problem in taking over a Satanist church or mormon temple, and using it for the glory of God.

Christmas is, at least, the one time of the year when people are given the message of Christ, and the Christmas story. People's minds are drawn to Him at that time. Nothing wrong with that, I don't think.....goodwill to all men, etc.

Happy Christmas, everybody

[ted]

I look at it like this: If Christmas and Easter originally were pagan holidays, but are now celebrated for Jesus, then we can claim victory.

How can anything claimed for Christ in a true spirit be a bad thing? I think Mardi Gras should be claimed next. Clear out the debauchery, the sex, the drinking, etc and parade the Cross down Bourbon St instead, and we can claim yet another day!

t.

[RedeemedByHim]

I look at it like this: If Christmas and Easter originally were pagan holidays, but are now celebrated for Jesus, then we can claim victory.

How can anything claimed for Christ in a true spirit be a bad thing? I think Mardi Gras should be claimed next. Clear out the debauchery, the sex, the drinking, etc and parade the Cross down Bourbon St instead, and we can claim yet another day!

t.

I love Christmas time!!!

[ladypeartree]

Bah humbug

[sweetycakes]

Bah humbug

LadyP...........what has gotten into you?

Maybe you should desist from indulging in your 'fairy' cakes for a while........just until things clear up, you understand....

[ladypeartree]

you know it is boxing day when you get adverts for easter eggs on tv....

you can tell it is summer when the tv shows nothing but adverts for "must have greediness" ready for Christmas

and now here at worthy ..in the middle of AUGUST

[sweetycakes]

you know it is boxing day when you get adverts for easter eggs on tv....

you can tell it is summer when the tv shows nothing but adverts for "must have greediness" ready for Christmas

and now here at worthy ..in the middle of AUGUST

Merry Christmas, Scrooge...LadyP

[Scarletprayers]

its to early for this.....................gonna just ignore it from now on.

[ted]

its to early for this.....................gonna just ignore it from now on.

Well, if we can get it over with early, maybe we can enjoy the Christmas holiday when it comes....

t.