Do you have a problem with the secularization of Christmas?

[Disney1fan2002]

I am not naive and I know that Christ was not born on 12/25. I also know that the Christians took over a pagan holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. That being said, does anyone have a problem with the secular/commercial evolution of the holy day?

I have a BIG issue with it. I don't want to know from Christmas until I have had a time to prayerfully prepare during advent. I do not want the Christmas hymns until 12/20 at the earliest. I want Christmas to last until the Epiphany. I don't want to hear about what everyone wants for Christmas and the BIG gift. I want gifts that come from the heart--not from some list that make the retailers eyes light up.

Is anyone with me? Anyone at all?

I do have a problem with the commercialization of Christmas. I am not that Religious, so I do not light the Advent candles, and my tree does not stay up until the Epiphany. But I am WITH you on the me, me, me. Christmas has always been about GIVING. It bothers me when I come here, and read how upset someone is because they got an appliance, not a peice of jewelry. Some of the posts last year really burned me. I shook my head, and wonder what they were taught about Christmas.

 

[palmtreegirl]

No problem with it.

 

[pearlieq]

Nope, no problem with it really. Everyone can keep Christmas as they see fit.

I see it as a season that encourages goodwill, peace, hope, and renewal and I'm happy anyone would want to celebrate it.

 

[TDC Nala]

Not really.

I do think the stuff comes out too early, though. After Thanksgiving is okay. I remember when the marketing started right after Thanksgiving. But now, it's right after HALLOWEEN. That's too blasted early.

And I will probably throw something at the TV when the Lexus ads start, so I'm hoping to get a new TV.

 

[Mandabella]

Do you (all of you reading this I mean) think this is a bad thing? My family are Jewish and we've always 'recognised' Christmas. This means we get together with family for xmas dinner and exchange xmas presents . Don't ask me to start explaining why though....that's just how I've been brought up!

I honestly could care less if non-Christians celebrate the secular version of Christmas.

It surprised me at first that atheists would celebrate it, but if they are focusing on the secular aspects then it makes sense...right?

Christmas is what you make of it....you can make it as secular as you want or as religious as you want or you can totally ignore it altogether.

 

[Rella Bella]

Do you (all of you reading this I mean) think this is a bad thing? My family are Jewish and we've always 'recognised' Christmas. This means we get together with family for xmas dinner and exchange xmas presents . Don't ask me to start explaining why though....that's just how I've been brought up!

No Florida, we don't see it as a bad thing... at least this Christian doesn't. It is cultural, and why shouldn't you enjoy the culture. Besides the celebration of Dec 25th started long before the Church started using it to celebrate Jesus birth.

We Christians practice the religious part of Christmas in many different ways... but the American culture celebrates in a more general way. It's an individual matter. Interestingly, what you describe as your Christmas tradition was very similar to mine growing up... we never went to Church on Christmas... not even if it fell on a Sunday.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

For us, Christmas is a time for the family to be together, for the exchange of gifts, the sharing of hospitality with friends and preparing ourselves for the challenges of the coming year.

Same here.
My neighbors are Muslim but celebrate the secular version of Christmas.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I really don't have a problem with it, although some of the "waaa waaa I didn't get a present" posts on these boards around any holiday can drive me nuts or make me sad.

Or every once in awhile somebody will make a post like "Please Help! Our Christmas will be absolutely ruined and my daughter will need years of therapy if I cannot find _____________________ for Santa to bring to her. We might as well not even HAVE Christmas unless I can find one."

and I think at that point I just want to say:

"Hey -- dose of reality coming right up!"

 

[castleview]

I don't have a problem with it...of course, I'm one of those people that would probably fall into the "overkill" category. It's just such a nice time of the year that I want it to last!

Having said that, there are still plenty of religious "decorations" around the house and I love it when I get a Christmas card featuring Jesus and not one that's politically correct. When my kids (they are all under six) get older, I'm sure I will simplify.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I am not naive and I know that Christ was not born on 12/25. I also know that the Christians took over a pagan holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ.

I actually believed this piece of trivia until about two years ago when I read an excellent article in Bible Review magazine on this very issue.

Apparently there is no evidence in early Christian writings to suggest that the celebration of Christ's birth was scheduled on Dec. 25 to quash the Roman celebration of Saturnalia.

The celebration of Jesus' birth on Dec. 25 has more to do with the early Christian beliefs of when Christ died. The early belief was the date of Christ's death was the anniversary of his conception and this date was established as March 25. Add 9 months and you get December 25.

And then:

I also get really tired of people putting me down and telling me I am crazy to keep a tree up past Dec 26 and that Christmas is over so I should let it go! Well, if y'all wouldn't mess with the real meaning with Christmas (and the 12 days there of) then you all wouldn't be tearing everything down when the season has just begun!

There certainly is some irony in the fact that those who understand the true meaning behind Christ's-Mass are just beginning their celebrations of His birth when the consumer society in which we live is finishing it. No Advent bushes around here -- just a Christmas tree in its due season.

However, I have come to realize that we are becoming the minority more and more each year. Just like a voice crying out in the wilderness.

On a blustery All Saints' Sunday here in southern Ontario, I remain.

 

[DarkSideMoon]

i have no problem with giving gifts, and christmas trees, and carols. i have a problem with christmas being santa claus day, or gift giving day.

 

[tiki23]

I love the Christmas season. I am not a religious person, but I do believe in God and Christ, and our family makes that part of our celebrations. I leave our tree and decorations up to the Epiphany so that I actually have time to enjoy them. It's so-o busy for me before the actual holiday.

Everyone in our family enjoys giving and receiving gifts and spending time with our friends and loved ones; sometimes it's the only time of the year we all make time to do so, which is sad in a way. So to all of those that celebrate only the secular side, I hope you all get to spend much time with those you love!

But given this topic, I will say something that has bothered me for years but that I've never spoken about much. I hope no one takes it as bashing because I really see it as a matter of fairness. When my children were in elementary school at their annual Winter Programs they sang the Dreidel Song, a Kwanza song, a Native American blessing song and more songs from other religions and countries. But they were not allowed to sing any songs that had a Christian theme. No "Silent Night" or "Little Town of Bethleham." While it was always cute hearing them sing "Up On The Rooftops" or "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" I always felt it wasn't fair that Christianity could not be represented. It hasn't damaged their physche, or mine, nor do I feel it's a political rallying cry; it just bothered me.

And that's my $.02

Now how many shopping days is it until Christmas?

 

[DarkSideMoon]

Now how many shopping days is it until Christmas?

idk but i do know its just 29 days total to Christmas. also, am i the only one who HATES the term x-mas?

 

[chrissyk]

I'm not bothered by the secularization of Christmas as I'm not a Christian, but I am bothered by seeing Christmas stuff in the stores in early Oct.! Also, I'm bothered by the big retail push to sell, sell, sell at this time of year. Every year it starts earlier, too. I worry that consumers are being used to prop up the economy in the short run (excessive holiday spending), only to have this behavior come back to bite them hard in the long run (via interest charges on credit spending). Every year, retailers seem to be pushing harder and harder at the holidays. I'm not a big shopper and I never go to the mall and all of this still bothers me.

 

[Shugardrawers]

This may sound really odd coming from an avowed athiest but I do agree with you somewhat! Christmas is a christian holiday yes. While it was originally a pagan holiday, it has come to symbolize the birth of christ. Some of us choose to celebrate the season as a time of peace and love and family. Whether it's celebrated at a christian holiday or as secular time is unimportant. What sickens me is the ridiculous over commercialization. There is so much pressure to send expensive cards, buy gifts for everyone you'v ever even made eye contact with and consume enough food to feed a third world country. It's buy buy buy. I hate that.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

While it was always cute hearing them sing "Up On The Rooftops" or "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" I always felt it wasn't fair that Christianity could not be represented. It hasn't damaged their physche, or mine, nor do I feel it's a political rallying cry; it just bothered me.

We've experienced the same thing in Canada. Recently the Christmas tree in front of the city hall in Toronto was renamed a Holiday Tree in an attempt to be sensitive to other religions and cultures. The weirdest thing is that these attempts to be sensitive to other religions and cultures are often lead by rather well-meaning Christians and are not pushed upon Christians by the other religions and cultures who know exactly what Christmas is all about and don't mind that Christians might put up a tree and sing some songs.

About the same time I read a lovely newspaper article about one of the hardest working volunteers with the Toronto Santa Claus parade -- she is Muslim and was rather adamant that Christmas should be a celebration of Christ's birth.

 

[froglady]

I think that television has had a MAJOR impact on the Christmas "frenzy."

Prior to TV, most people celebrated, more or less, the way their neighbors did. The children might look in the Sears catalogue, or go to see Santa at the department store and look at toys then, but other than that (and seeing what their friends already had) they weren't exposed to toys the way our children are. Once toys started being hawked on TV, kids started getting greedy.

Families also started seeing "staged" Christmas specials, which made them think that other families really DID have a "Norman Rockwell" type Christmas, so that's what they wanted, too. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time, money, and planning to come close to pulling it off, so you have to start earlier and earlier.

Because people are starting to buy so early, if you DO want to wait, everything is gone, or picked over.

I think this true of all events, including weddings, birthdays, etc. EVERYTHING has become a major productioon, not just Christmas. The expectations are just so much higher than they were 50 years ago.

 

[nativetxn]

I think there are 48 days until Christmas so that would mean there are 47 more shopping days until the special day

 

[DarkSideMoon]

wow, i am not doing great today, i believe it is 48 days till Christmas, nativetxn, i did my math way off

 

[Mandabella]

am i the only one who HATES the term x-mas?

It doesn't bother me since the X comes from the Greek word meaning Christ.