Christmas All Year Long!

[timt]

Christmas was a minor Holiday until the early 19th century when British tradesmen discovered that there was money to be made selling Christmas cards. Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol put the holiday on the map. If it wasn't for the money to be made, Christmas would still be a minor Holiday.

So I said to myself, Tim don't take the bait, don't take the bait. So, I won't - but I kind of did, didn't I?

 

[pappymac]

The title of this discussion should be changed to: Grinch and Scrooge club meeting. And remember, I'm watching you....

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Funny, I live in the Bible belt and have been taught as my parents and grandparents were taught, that Christmas had nothing to do with Christ. I am surrounded by Church of Christ, Church of God, Independent Baptist, Non-Denominational, and Pentecostal churches that tell us that Christmas is not Christian. Actually, I was taught that it could only be celebrated as a kid's holiday of Santa Claus. But, we have a couple of Baptist churches in town that throws a fit, when we say "Happy Holidays." Ha ha, funny how this minority of Christians doesn't understand the other churches around them.

 

[briarbuck]

I bet you're a ton of fun at parties.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Well, the twelve days of Christmas are technically the twelve days of Yule stretching from the Winter Solstice to the first of the New Year, and with Christmas stretching from Christmas day to Epiphany.

 

[pappymac]

Cosmic, funny thing is the tradition of Santa Claus dates actually dates back to Saint Nicholas, a Greek Bishop in the area of Myra - now Demra, Turkey. So, it actually does have its roots in Christianity.
Folanator - I stop trimming my beard in August each year so I can grown a proper Santa Claus beard. I don't normally wear any red shirts or sweaters until Thanksgiving. I started doing this for our 9 grandchildren, but I love the reaction from little kids when I'm out in public this time of the year. I have been in stores where kids are throwing fits and crying and they see me and immediately stop. Of course, they are usually younger than 6 or 7, but it still fun.
This year, I will start wearing red tomorrow. I've been hired to be Santa for a mall photographer.

 

[sablebrush52]

I always found it amusing that the early church picked its holidays around pagan festivities to prevent the "good" people from participating and marring their good reputations. :mrgreen:

This was a practical calculation. You weren't going to get any converts if you started taking away their few wretched Holidays. So goodbye Feast of Saturnalia and hello Christmas.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have been in stores where kids are throwing fits and crying and they see me and immediately stop.

They probably talk together and say things like, "It's him!" :rofl:

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Cosmic, funny thing is the tradition of Santa Claus dates actually dates back to Saint Nicholas, a Greek Bishop in the area of Myra - now Demra, Turkey. So, it actually does have its roots in Christianity.

I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't Christian at all, but that for many denominations, especially in the South, it is not a Holy holiday. Yes, yes, I know that the word, "holiday' derives from "holy day," but I don't think all holidays these days derive from worshipful events.
And, I have heard that Santa comes from many, many different sources, depending on what country you ask. My Grandfather was more of a stickler for not displaying any form of Christmas, but my grandmother loved the whole Santa Clause thing, and she would collect ceramic Santa Clauses, to my grandfather's dismay. She kept them out year round. And, for some reason we always got an apple from her for Christmas. I think it was something she grew up doing.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So goodbye Feast of Saturnalia and hello Christmas.

As long as there were food and gifts the converts were appeased.

 

[sablebrush52]

Cosmic, funny thing is the tradition of Santa Claus dates actually dates back to Saint Nicholas, a Greek Bishop in the area of Myra - now Demra, Turkey. So, it actually does have its roots in Christianity.

Yep. And the old fellow is quite the international polyglot, with elements added from Russian, Viking, Dutch, German, Celt, and other folkloric traditions.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

As to the economics of it... can we blame businesses? I mean, they have two months to go from being in the red, competing with online retailers and frugal customers, to getting in the black.

Sure, they hold a sale, but can we blame them when the majority of Americans rush out to stand for hours in the snow and rain to participate? Sure, sure, blame who you want, but I am rooting for the economy. Go retailers go!!! Having healthy B&Ms in my area only helps everyone.

Besides, I love Christmas music and all of the decorations. It makes me happy. Don't fight it... roll with it. Relax.

Life is easier that way.

 

[briarbuck]

I always remember the first Christmas commercial of the season I see, then I don't spend a penny in their store.
This year, it's Lowes.

 

[cortezattic]

In October I start smoking my Santa Claus meerschaum,

carved by Medet Kara, a Turk (and likely not a Christian).

Is that hypocrisy? Irony? Irrelevant? Irreverent?

...and btw, I'm listening to Christmas carols on the radio right now.

 

[pappymac]

The first Christmas ad I saw this year and remember was a Victoria Secret one. The wife and I are too old for me to go shopping there.
My question is where do you shop for kids since Toys R'Us has closed down?
Cosmic - My grandmother on my mother's side was a born again, die-hard member of the Pentacostal church but she would argue with the church members who didn't celebrate Christmas. They would say "Christmas" wasn't in the Bible. She would argue that "Christmas" was in line with the Bible's teaching about charity.

 

[saltedplug]

As the government is the reflection of the people so too is the flavor of Christmas celebration determined by those who are celebrating it, be it attemptedly fully thankful for the birth of the man-God/God-man (Meher Baba, God Speaks) or decidedly materialistic. The shops could not pander to our acquisivity did we not act from it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I am not Pentecostal, so I have no first hand idea what happens in there. But, it is my understanding that the Pentacostal churches around here all differ widely from one to the other. I don't walk too close to some of them, because of... snakes.

Try railing against a Church of Christ like that, ha ha. They actually look for reasons to cast people out. I'm joking, I'm joking, please don't kick me out.

 

[cortezattic]

The charity and gift giving thing probably has its roots in the gifts of the Magi, which is Biblical. The commercialism is a convenient way to implement a modern commemoration of that.

 

[timt]

Cortez, that meer is gorgeous and that's a great tradition you've got there. I may just have to get one of those myself.

 

[saltedplug]

The charity and gift giving thing probably has its roots in the gifts of the Magi, which is Biblical. The commercialism is a convenient way to implement a modern commemoration of that.

Modern Christmas commerciality cannot in any way, by its greedy magnitude, be compared to the gifts of the Magi. At best this is cynically euphemistic. Not that I disagree :worship: