s/o--If you're a Christian and don't consider Christmas as a religious holiday...

[OnTheBrink]

I didn't want to derail the other thread about pagans and Christmas, so I started a new one.

 

If you're a Christian, and don't think of Christmas as a religious holiday, how do you celebrate it, if at all?

 

I'm wrestling with this, because for years, I've had this nagging in my head about it. Since realizing that Jesus most likely wasn't born in December, and since the Bible doesn't ever discuss having an annual celebration over his birth, it's just bothered me a little. I still do the tree, and stockings, and cookies, and music, but to me, it's more of a cultural thing. Like 4th of July. I find Resurrection Day (easter) to be far more moving spiritually to me than Christmas.

 

So, what do you do?

[Jenn in Mo]

Years ago, Halloween was preached against from the pulpit. It seemed to be a movement, denouncing the pagan holiday. My husband and I opted not to celebrate it. Discussing it with a friend, she shared with me a video all about the pagan origins of Christmas. After much discussion and prayer, my husband and I came to the conclusion that the holiday is what you make it.

 

We know it is nearly impossible that Christmas day was anywhere near Christ's actual birthday. But we still celebrate Christmas. However, our emphasis is not on the birth of our Saviour, but on His coming again. We go through Advent and it is a precious, precious time for my family. We discuss prophecies of old and their fulfillment and we discuss prophecies yet to come. We celebrate that He came, but much more than that, we celebrate WHY He came.

 

We use an Advent wreath in the evenings and a Jesse Tree in the mornings to guide our studies and worship.

[Garga]

This is a mushy issue around here. We're very committed Christians, and sometimes the Christmas Issue can be confusing.

 

I agree with the previous poster. We celebrate it as a cultural holiday, like the 4th of July. We tell the kids that it's sort of to celebrate Jesus' birthday so they understand that part of it. But we all know that it's absolutely not really a religious holiday at all. I'm not sure that it ever was, but it certainly isn't now. (Somewhere between the pagan beginnings and 2009, it might have been more religious--I don't know. But it's all about the presents and cookies now.)

 

I don't boycott it as other Christians I've known do. I don't celebrate it in October as friends of mine do, but we also don't do Santa because that just feels wrong to me.

 

So, we do everything except Santa. We briefly acknowledge that part of it is supposed to be about Jesus' birth, but mostly we realize it's just a national holiday season. Some other countries celebrate as well--but not all of them (China doesn't, or muslim countries for example.)

 

We also celebrate Halloween, but we don't focus on the scary parts. We focus on the treats and costumes.

 

And we celebrate Easter, and that seems to be split 50/50 as a religious holiday and a national holiday. We dye eggs and do a basket, but also take special effort to remember Jesus' resurrection. However, we thank Jesus a good 5 times a week specifically for dying for our sins and being raised from the dead, so it's hard to get extra hyped up at Easter about it, because we're so focused on that all 52 weeks a year.

 

Ok, now I'm sounding preachy. My point is that most of these holidays are so separate from our religion. We live our religion daily, and the holidays are more cultural, and don't much impact how we live our lives as Christians. So, setting aside a special day to celebrate a certain event doesn't really have much meaning to us, personally, since we pray and worship daily.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Garga

[Hedgehogs4]

I didn't want to derail the other thread about pagans and Christmas, so I started a new one.

 

If you're a Christian, and don't think of Christmas as a religious holiday, how do you celebrate it, if at all?

 

I'm wrestling with this, because for years, I've had this nagging in my head about it. Since realizing that Jesus most likely wasn't born in December, and since the Bible doesn't ever discuss having an annual celebration over his birth, it's just bothered me a little. I still do the tree, and stockings, and cookies, and music, but to me, it's more of a cultural thing. Like 4th of July. I find Resurrection Day (easter) to be far more moving spiritually to me than Christmas.

 

So, what do you do?

 

The tradition of the church was to establish a church calendar, in which the whole concept of Christ's redemption of mankind would be observed: the incarnation, death, resurrection / ascension, and giving of the Holy Spirit. This was the way by which the early believers were taught the scriptures and the gospel. By the church calendar, we are in the second week of the new year, the first week of Advent being the new year. In fact, Advent was originally intended to prepare the hearts of the church for Christ's SECOND coming. The altar and vestments are purple, the color of reflection and repentance. If you consider Christmas as part of the whole church calendar and part of the whole Christian tradition, it cannot be seen as a random holiday poked into the wrong time of year. It was not intended to celebrate Jesus' birthday, but to acknowledge his birth as part of the plan of redemption. It is more important for Easter to fall at Passover time and for Pentecost to fall on Pentecost time, since we don't really know when Jesus was born, but we do know when he died.

 

The whole teachings of the faith become far more meaningful when the church calendar and the history of it are studied all together. This is the great crime of the Protestant tradition--that being the tossing of liturgy so as not to merely be reciting empty words in the name of tradition.

 

If you can, find a church that is liturgical and evangelical (Lutheran, Missouri Synod, or Anglican Church of North America aka ACNA, and ask the people why they love the liturgy so much. I definitely cannot see Christmas as anything but the incredible Christian holiday that it has always been and should be.

 

Fwiw, We do worship at an Anglican church, and my faith has never been more meaningful to me than when I returned to the liturgical tradition.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My brother who does not recognize Christmas at all as a Christian holiday - goes camping with his family in the snow every Christmas!

[Scarlett]

My brother who does not recognize Christmas at all as a Christian holiday - goes camping with his family in the snow every Christmas!

 

Jean this made me laugh for some reason. Is this tradition in recognition of the holiday? Or just days off school work where they've found time to do something as a family?

 

As you probably all know I do not celebrate Christmas AT ALL. The free time is free time though so....

 

I was telling my mom that I have fond memories of the time off school during TG and Christmas....we (family and other friends of same faith) would hang out together, play games, eat a lot of food. My best friend and I and our younger siblings would run around in the woods behind our house in the cold until we couldn't stand it a minute more then we would go in to drink hot cocoa. I had a sense of suspension from the rest of the world during those times...I really really enjoyed it. We lived in a small town....no shopping....everything was shut down for several days. So it was really a time to rest for us.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean this made me laugh for some reason. Is this tradition in recognition of the holiday? Or just days off school work where they've found time to do something as a family?

 

 

 

I think they leave town and their house to get away from all the "Christmas" around them. . . They made their own winter tradition.

[Scarlett]

I think they leave town and their house to get away from all the "Christmas" around them. . . They made their own winter tradition.

 

So it is really a family tradition---not any sort of way to celebrate Christmas?

 

I do agree that all families need their own traditions to be strong. We avoid Christmas because we think it displeases God. I see a lot of people on here saying they choose to continue with Christmas celebrations as a national holiday or family tradition. I think many people underestimate their ability to create their own traditions without it involving Christmas.

 

Edited to add--your brother's winter tradition is an excellent example.

[Heather in WI]

We celebrate it as a cultural & family holiday. We have a tree. We sing Christmas songs & hymns. We give presents and bake treats.

 

We don't, however, view it as a mandatory Christian holiday that must be celebrated officially by the Church and all church members. It is always correct to preach, study, and sing about the incarnation, no matter what the day or season.

[JustGin]

I didn't want to derail the other thread about pagans and Christmas, so I started a new one.

 

If you're a Christian, and don't think of Christmas as a religious holiday, how do you celebrate it, if at all?

 

I'm wrestling with this, because for years, I've had this nagging in my head about it. Since realizing that Jesus most likely wasn't born in December, and since the Bible doesn't ever discuss having an annual celebration over his birth, it's just bothered me a little. I still do the tree, and stockings, and cookies, and music, but to me, it's more of a cultural thing. Like 4th of July. I find Resurrection Day (easter) to be far more moving spiritually to me than Christmas.

 

So, what do you do?

 

In our family we consider Christmas special, but not sacred. I look at it this way: The facts about Jesus's birth, the ones which matter, are not related to when He was born, other than as a fulfillment of prophecy. Celebrate or not, to me it doesn't matter. In other words, my faith does not in any way hinge on it. Easter on the other hand, to me, is holy and should be honored (I don't mean this in a legalistic way) because as a Christian my entire faith is based on the atoning sacrifice of Christ including and especially, his bodily Resurrection. I Corinthians 12:14-19 explains this quite well. Without the Resurrection my faith is in vain.

 

That being said, I think there is certainly precedence in the Bible and in Jewish history and tradition to celebrate or commemorate events that aren't specifically commanded, and the Apostle Paul talks about not having division or being judgmental about what we each choose to celebrate. So my family celebrates Jesus' birthday at the traditional time and we don't give a fig if the actual birth was in spring or fall or whatever.

We also don't care where our traditions came from, what matters to us is what they mean to us now. So I guess that's the long answer to a shorter question. Yes we celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but not because we are religious about it. It's just one expression of our faith. :)

 

Blessings

[OnTheBrink]

In our family we consider Christmas special, but not sacred. I look at it this way: The facts about Jesus's birth, the ones which matter, are not related to when He was born, other than as a fulfillment of prophecy. Celebrate or not, to me it doesn't matter. In other words, my faith does not in any way hinge on it. Easter on the other hand, to me, is holy and should be honored (I don't mean this in a legalistic way) because as a Christian my entire faith is based on the atoning sacrifice of Christ including and especially, his bodily Resurrection. I Corinthians 12:14-19 explains this quite well. Without the Resurrection my faith is in vain.

 

That being said, I think there is certainly precedence in the Bible and in Jewish history and tradition to celebrate or commemorate events that aren't specifically commanded, and the Apostle Paul talks about not having division or being judgmental about what we each choose to celebrate. So my family celebrates Jesus' birthday at the traditional time and we don't give a fig if the actual birth was in spring or fall or whatever.

We also don't care where our traditions came from, what matters to us is what they mean to us now. So I guess that's the long answer to a shorter question. Yes we celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but not because we are religious about it. It's just one expression of our faith. :)

 

Blessings

 

Oh, I like how you said that! :001_smile:

[Guest janainaz]

What you said is exactly how I feel about the Christmas holiday. I just celebrate love - as cheeseball as that sounds, to me it's a special time to focus on my kids and make memories. The Bible says not to consider one day above the rest, we are supposed to live in the moment - not looking forward or backward. I'm not sure what Christ would think about this holiday season that we celebrate in his name.

 

We go to the Glory of Christmas in CA almost every year. I still love the Christmas story about the birth of Christ. I've gone to candlelight service with my parents at their church and it is very meaningful to me, to be there with my family. I just have a hard time with the whole pagan origin of Christmas, the reason of why we celebrate it in December and some of the things that are done in the name of Christ - ONLY once a year. A big deal is made of out remembering those less fortunate in December, "giving them a Christmas" and then what happens the rest of the year? There is such an over-emphasis of the Christmas season. I think Christ would have us care all year with the same enthusiasm and not feel some warm and tingly specialness in the month of December or on December 25th.

 

So, all in all, I make memories, I remember the birth of Christ, I have a great time with my family, but every day of my life is supposed to be focused on love and the heart of Christ and what he came here to do - to show us the way.

[*********]

This is a mushy issue around here. We're very committed Christians, and sometimes the Christmas Issue can be confusing.

 

I agree with the previous poster. We celebrate it as a cultural holiday, like the 4th of July. We tell the kids that it's sort of to celebrate Jesus' birthday so they understand that part of it. But we all know that it's absolutely not really a religious holiday at all. I'm not sure that it ever was, but it certainly isn't now. (Somewhere between the pagan beginnings and 2009, it might have been more religious--I don't know. But it's all about the presents and cookies now.)

 

I don't boycott it as other Christians I've known do. I don't celebrate it in October as friends of mine do, but we also don't do Santa because that just feels wrong to me.

 

So, we do everything except Santa. We briefly acknowledge that part of it is supposed to be about Jesus' birth, but mostly we realize it's just a national holiday season. Some other countries celebrate as well--but not all of them (China doesn't, or muslim countries for example.)

 

<snip>

 

setting aside a special day to celebrate a certain event doesn't really have much meaning to us, personally, since we pray and worship daily.

 

Yeah, this is pretty much our family, too. And for reference, we are very conservative, homechurching Christians.

 

Christmas, and holidays in general, are tricky for us. I would rather do NO gifts. But we do; for the sake of extended family. We don't do a tree. We string lights up around the living room, because they look pretty. We have gifts and stockings for the kids. Pretty much we try to play it down the middle, if that makes sense. Which it doesn't. :D I've explained to the little boys as much as I can that some people celebrate Christmas as Jesus' birthday, but we don't know when Jesus was born, so we don't do that.

 

I'm in the 'I'd rather not have holidays at all' camp, so maybe I'm no help. All the days are the same to me, you know?

Edited December 11, 2009 by bethanyniez
typo

[WishboneDawn]

Fwiw, We do worship at an Anglican church, and my faith has never been more meaningful to me than when I returned to the liturgical tradition.

 

My (Anglican) minister would LOVE you! :D One of his greatest gripes is how liturgy has come to mean so little in so many churches.

[sheryl]

I didn't want to derail the other thread about pagans and Christmas, so I started a new one.

 

If you're a Christian, and don't think of Christmas as a religious holiday, how do you celebrate it, if at all?

 

I'm wrestling with this, because for years, I've had this nagging in my head about it. Since realizing that Jesus most likely wasn't born in December, and since the Bible doesn't ever discuss having an annual celebration over his birth, it's just bothered me a little. I still do the tree, and stockings, and cookies, and music, but to me, it's more of a cultural thing. Like 4th of July. I find Resurrection Day (easter) to be far more moving spiritually to me than Christmas.

 

So, what do you do?

 

 

:iagree: with ya! That's me too. It wasn't until recently that I realized "Christmas" is not in the Bible. Jesus' birth is of course.....we all know that as believers, but not celebrating His birthday with a special day. With that said, we are Gentiles and still do hang stockings, decorate the tree, music and everything you've mentioned.

 

Same with Easter.....there is the Resurrection, but it's not celebrated in the Bible.

 

Instead, Hanukkah is celebrated started this evening and Passover in the spring.

 

We are going to a Messianic Jewish congregation tonight to watch an Hanukkah play. I've gone to this congregation as a visitor several times with my daughter.

 

Good thread. Be blessed in Christ! Sheryl <><

[KrissiK]

I've been mulling this idea over in my mind a little this year. Often I'd like to celebrate Christmas just as a cultural holiday and not try to mesh Jesus with Santa Claus. I really don't like Christmas all that much anyhow. I don't think the idea of no holidays is Biblical, as God did institute many holidays for the Jewish people, but... I'm not Jewish, so I won't celebrate the Jewish holidays. So, basically, that leaves Easter as a religious holiday that doesn't get too overblown. I think Thanksgiving is a great holiday for Christians (well, everyone, but I think this thread is speaking specifically to Christians) because the central theme is thankfulness. It can't go off the tracks too much.

[Ellie]

I've wondered this myself. If the people of Jewish decent that are Christians celebrate those feasts and festivals, are the Gentiles supposed to celebrate them too? To me, Christmas is pagan in its origins, so I don't really know if it is okay for Christians to celebrate. Seems a little odd to me. Do pagans still celebrate Christmas? I asked on the other thread (pagans and atheist Christmas thread) but I'm not sure if I should have. Are we (Gentile Christians) supposed to celebrate anything? :confused:

No, we are not required to follow Jewish law. Christian Jews are not required to, either. They may do so, but they are not required.

 

Although there may have been pagan celebrations in December, that does not mean that the Christian celebration of the birth of the Messiah is pagan. Christmas was not one of the Church's earliest holy days, but that is irrelevant. New Advent discusses Christmas. It's heavy reading. :-)

[Heather in WI]

Where do all of you who are Christians that don't celebrate Christmas (the way most Christians do) go to church? Sheryl just mentioned a Messianic Jewish congregation, what about everyone else?

 

We're Reformed Baptist.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My brother and his family who don't celebrate Christmas are Plymouth Brethren.