christmas (tat) number two - pretending it is a religious festival

But for some of us it is no pretense :D I do express my spirituality, but I cannot tell you how, as it is top secret info. so, basically, you still want to TAT?? (toss a tree) I was hoping you'd changed your mind by now.

Hi jb. I will most certainly agree with you about the gross consumerism and commercialisation of Christmas. I'll agree with you that for many people the other things are also true. I'll agree with you that for most people Christmas is an excuse for indulgence and has nothing whatever to do with the Christian faith. On the other hand, I have to say that for me and my family and for hordes of people throughout the world, none of it applies. Christmas (though admittedly not the right day) is a time we set aside to celebrate in a special way the coming of our Saviour and it has significant spiritual meaning for us. There is no "dragging and grumbling" but we go to Church happily and willingly (without a hangover). Apart from the spiritual aspect, Christmas is a happy family time (without any falling out) as we enjoy as special time together.

we are christians and we celebrate that Jesus is the reason for the season. no santa, no shop til you drop (of course my kids do get presents but we dont go crazy!) happy holidays? no, we need to keep the Christ in Christmas!

hi blue bunny my son says it should be c alled santaClaumas as that is what most people think about the gift giving and all the rest of the hullabulu. I try to remember this is supposed to honor Christ and not Santa Claus amid all the celebrating and spending way too much. no problem for me in spending as i do not have much money anyway. a few cards to close friend and a gift for my son should about do it for me.When I was a kid we were happy with the few presents we got and going to church to celebrate Christs birthday, we did not expect huge expensive gifts nor did we give expensive gifts, what was given was given from the heart and we all knew it. Going to church all through the christmas season was a given I sang in Handels Messiah at our church every year til I was out of high school,it was a big part of our celebration in our small town. I miss that real holiday feeling. now everything is about outdoing each other with gifts then taking all of next year to pay it all back on the credit cards.

I think Christmas originally was a very touching and unassuming celebration. Over the years it has snowballed into a greed driven day of gluteny and consumerism. I think one upmanship has gone to an alltime high on this day. I am not a christian, I am an agnostic. To be honest I tend to agree with the folks who feel the birthday was actually in January.

Couldn't you have waited one more day to start the christmas rants, its not December until tomorrow and by the time it comes all the cosy christmas ones will have overtaken your rants. Let's ban it altogether I say, its a disgrace cutting all those trees down to put up with baubles and they don't even use the same old wood to make christmas cards you know, another waste of space, and have you seen the price of postage. I'm really glad we don't have christmas here. That's unless all the expats decide to cut down their olive bearing trees to stick baubles on.

We try for family peace and harmony. There is lots of love and laughter but we are a small group. We all pitch in and have a wonderful celebration of family.. Sorry rabbit, I don't do the You Tube thing as it takes up too much of my download allowance.

I'm "culturally Christian".. I decorate, buy the kids gifts, send cards, donate to all the usual charities. Don't know nothing bout getting spiritual...

People in all groups do what you've stated, not just Christians, and not just at Christmas. That having been said, it's true that we've gotten away from the true meaning of Christmas, and that this holiday has been ridiculously commercialized. For my part, yes, I do express my beliefs loudly and proudly during this season, and I'm sure that people of other faiths do as well. Look past the commercialism and you'll find that there are more people who live their faith charitably than there are those who do not.

I think in this time of crises people will start to think more close to soul. Because they have not enough money for lot of christmas presents. They will start to make christmas presents theirself. If someone lives so deep in consumer categories, maybe he will continue spend lot of time in supermarkets and so on.