In the public shere: No. The commericalization and secularization of Christmas has distilled it of a lot of its religious intents and merits. Though, at a more personal level: In the family and in the community/church, I really do hope its observance and intents are more pure.
I meant, “Yes: As in no, it’s no longer about Christ.”
unfortunately, yes
Christ has been lost among all the gifts, santa, food and whatnotup until this year, i hardly even thought about Jesus during this time of the year, i almost forgot it was a religious holidaybut this year it means so much more to me, i would be willing to frop all traditions and stuff and jsut celebrate His birth
It’s about selling Christmas bullshit and playing those fucking annoying songs a month before the holidays and indocrinating us with all sorts of commercialization.
but then, Jesus seemed to be all about bombarding us with fucking annoying songs (have you heard Christian rock? sheezus) and indoctrinating us with commercialization (collection plate! tithe! and many others) so I can’t say as at least part of the spirit pervades!
depends on the family. in my family, no.
I can’t speak for the masses.
But for ME, Addy, it is. And to my family and friends here, too.
It means something different to each person.
it was never about christ to me, but then, i was raised to sneer at christmas. and most everything religious, really.
Well, it really isn’t anymore.. which is okay because Jesus wasn’t even born on December 25!
it’s about getting the most expensive gifts.
the only person who cares about christ at all on christmas is my great aunt. she’s a nun.
I don’t think it matters.
it never was. christ was born in spring.
I think for the most part, society is slowly but surely erasing Christ from Christmas. My little town still adorns the square with a very old nativity set…and so help me if someone ever complains about it….I will be the first to deck somebody’s hall!!
That would depend on if you’re Christian or not, I guess.
yes
Today, even for church goers, Christmas in the USA is about gifts and parties and decorations, not the Incarnation. Everybody, including Christians, has made it an almost totally secular holiday.
I think Christmas is still about Christ and always will be; it’s just that some people don’t recognize that anymore.
The meaning of a certain day doesn’t change just because people stop recognizing it.
Christmas wasn’t about Christ to begin with. It was just a holiday hijacking. Almost all “Christmas” traditions were originally pagan.
Christianity doesn’t have too much to do with Christ either. They’ve got a book with 66 chapters, and Jesus is in, what, four?
The public sector feels pressure to remove all religious symbols and terms. I get irritated with that, but I don’t look to Walmart or Target to reinforce my religious beliefs. It’s more important for churches and families to keep Christ in Christmas.
I didn’t get a chance to answer your last post, but I don’t think it’s hypocritical for non-religious people to take a day off on Dec. 25. It’s a legal national holiday. If there was a Buddha Day and I could take it off and still get paid, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I have it all wrong. I thought it was all about an overweight fucker in a red suit that shouts out degrating comments to women.
I’m afraid so… All a person can think about is—keeping your child from crying as you try to have their picture taken with Santa and trying to find that gift for that hard to please person etc. It is easy to forget the point behind everything.
Yes it has lost its meaning. But I hardly think it’s about getting.
All through this time we are encouraged to be kinder to others who have less then us, and to be thankful for our family and health.
I think people forget the origins of the holiday.
I think Advent isn’t about Christ at all. The whole “preparation” aspect of Christmas is completely commercialized, but Christmas itself, when all the businesses close and all you have is your family and friends… yeah, that’s when it becomes closer to the real thing.
People still go to church, Dan. They still have masses and services to recognize the true meaning of the holiday, not including the Fat Man in the red suit. =/
It’s just dwindling down now I hate what Christmas has become, frankly. Just another bullshit excuse for people to expect gifts from you. I always feel “blue” around this time of year. I am too old for this stuff.
Sad but unfortunately true. What a shame!
sadly, yes
its very upsetting
Overall, yes. And anyway, people who want to celebrate Jesus could and should (if that’s your religion) be doing that more frequently than once a year…
Australian Santa’s are not allowed to say “HO HO HO”, they could be sued for calling names. Hmmm.
Anyway, we try to insert the Christmas story every year and all the kids can do is be BORED, they hate it. It makes me sad.
it’s not about Christ any more. And I get tired of solid Christmas music from now until the afternoon of the 25th. It’s not all bad, but it’s kinda shoved down your throat.
Very well said Steff.
Amanda
Yes, Christmas is really more of a cultural holiday than a religious holiday, seeing as it’s celebrated throughout the nation by Christians and non-Christians alike.
I swear. It was the friday after Thanksgiving and the radio stations are already infiltrated with “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree,” “Santa Baby,” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
I think it depends on who’s celebrating it. In my family, it has always been a very religious holiday. They always try to keep the “Christ” in Christmas, Easter, and when my brother was born on Halloween my parents gave him the middle name of Martin because of Reformation Day.
Some people think it’s awkward for me to have grown up in such a religious household when I’m not religious in the least, but I love my family. Atheist, Christian, whatever, I still have a kickass family and I love holidays with them.
I don’t know how to answer this since I’m not a religious person.
Btw: Hi. I’ve been rather busy and the internet unfortunately has been neglected.
I make sure Christmas is always about Christ.
Depends on what you make of it.
Sadly, I think it really isn’t. It is about feeling happy for no good reason in the middle of a cold, grey month. It’s about eating too much because that is the only way Americans know to celebrate. It’s about getting together with family you hate and eating the fruitcakes the bring you that you hate because Christmas is about disfunctional family get togethers… at least that is what we see on television.
I hate the holidays… I know I already said that, but I’m very full of contempt this week, so I shall repeat.
In society, yes I agree. However, families may or may not agree. My family would.
It depends on who you are asking. Christians say it is ALL about Christ. Others, it’s about whatever they want to think it’s for. Me, it’s all about God becoming man to live a sinless life to become a sacrifice and take the punishment of our sin on Himself, because we couldn’t. Weither Christ was born on dec 25th or some other date is a mute point. It’s simply recognizing God’s love for His creation to actually become a part of it to save it from damnation. If atheists and the like chose to, as the say Spit in God’s face, it’s their right, but then it’s also God’s right to sentence them to hell. I dn’t feel like saying anything else about it, just sadens me. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas coming up
for some people, it is. but for most, it only involves santa claus, pine trees, and presents.
No… I think it all depends on what you make of it. I glory in the things heavenly father has given me at Christmas… My family especially.
It is for me…
Meh. I think our nation as a whole has become more secular.
Yes. It’s become a very commercial holiday, in general.
Mostly, yes… but Christians aren’t about Christ, either. I still don’t think it has any place in the public sphere. Private firms or individuals can do what they like.
BTW, several people are confused about what constitutes the “public sector”. Walmart is NOT “public sector”. The USPS, public parks, police, lawmakers, judges, public school employees, etc. constitute “public sector”.
yeah, Christmas is not about Christ anymore.
as for me, YES. it’s all about celebrating together happily for no apparent reason.
No, and it shouldn’t be, seeing as how, a: Jesus wasn’t born in December, and b: Christmas is nothing but a ripoff of pagan holidays.
It’s funny. I came to Christ at age 21 (eleven years ago) and at age 24 I had the Charlie Brown experience (this is even before I ever really thought about what Christmas is about or even really paid attention to that Charlie Brown episode). I was depressed around Christmas time. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It seemed that Christmas had lost it’s luster. It’s appeal. Before it was all about the presents, but as I was older and a Christian those material items didn’t seem to matter as much. Then it hit me that the true meaning of Christmas was not the presents, santa, the tree and snow, but about Christ. It was so simple, but yet so profound. I forgot about the child in the manger. I didn’t forget about “Him” but what the celebration is about.
When it is purely a material and experiential matter (pretty presents and pretty lights) we forget about the true present (His salvation) and the True Light (which is Christ).
though i agree with IssyMae and say, “It is for me.”
For most – yes.
It’s all relative. Just like whether Halloween is about Satan or Easter about Jesus, Christmas is what you make. It’s all so individual.
so shit, sherlock
Unfortunately, for most people, it’s not. The minority of people still associate it with Christ… I’m one of them
This year more than ever I think that Christmas is a load of crap. Years upon years of sickening commercialism has turned this Catholic girl into a Grinch.
Yes and no. Depends on who you ask.
It also depends on how you want to take it. Many people still hold to their beliefs of Christ and take Christmas in that aspect very seriously.
To some if may have lost its meaning…to others the meaning is still there.
More like, who still holds their beliefs in Christ on Christmas? I mean, those that claim to be Christian. All of them will say they do…but do they really?
But then again…what do I know…I don’t celebrate Christmas for Jesus. I celebrate if for the love of my family, friends, sharing…etc.
That’s a pretty subjective question. It totally depends on who you’re asking. Of course for some people it’s still about Christ. And for lots of others it’s not. Each person has to make their own decisions about how committed they are to their beliefs, and how committed they are to being a consumeristic whore. Cause really, I don’t think you can spend every single moment leading up to the day blowing money you don’t have out your wazoo, and then come the day spend about 5 minutes before a meal saying some empty cliche prayer, and say you’re honoring Christ. Sorry, but that just doesn’t cut it.
I don’t think Christmas is really about Christ for many people. I think that even among those that attend church, it’s less about Christ and more about getting gifts. I don’t know about anywhere else, but in this country, I think Christmas has gone from being a Christian holiday to being an American holiday. A day that is celebrated not by a religious following, but by all Americans of all faiths.
Very little in our culture (and sadly the Xanga culture included) has anything to do with the One who taught us to love our neighbors and to turn the other cheek.
…..well, Christmas is all about making money. I refuse to take part of it. So, no gift to you since that annoying TV ad you got there.
Even if it were about Christ, it is still barely religious. Its a birthday party. A religious birthday party.
It depends on each person… But as a society, I’d say Santa and commercialization has replaced a lot of the Christian aspects of Christmas.
Christmas, with the gifts, decorations, and food have lost sight of Christ in Christmas. I am guilty of it. Most are guilty of it. It’s just become a day for people to fet things, a lot of times when they don’t need anything.
get*
For most people yes. However, my family still fiercly defends the Christ part of Christmas.
Nowhere in the Bible does God, Jesus, or the apostles establish a holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. While important, the most important thing the old testement pointed forward to and the new testement back to is Jesus sacrificial death for our sins, and His resurrection. Most protestant scholars agree that Jesus was almost certainly not born on December 25, because the shepherds would not have been in the fields at night in the winter.
So why did the church start to celebrate Christmas, and why on December 25th?
December 25 was chosen, like so many christian holiday’s were assigned, to take the place of a pagan. This holiday,, called variously the Birthday of The Sun, The Birth of Tamuz, etc., occurs on December 25because it is the first day after the winter solstice that the naked eye can discern that the sun is getting higher in the sky and the days longer again. Thus, like much of the middle age church, Christmas is actually associated with sun worship, much like Sunday actually started out as an effort by Rome to unite the christian worshipers and the pagan sun worshipers that dominated the empire in the time of Constantine.
In fact, Constantines’e famous edict never refers to Jesus, but calls on all people in the empire to rest from labor on the “venerable day of the sun”, which is the first day of the week, which was dedicated to sun worship. This is at variance with the law of God, aka the Ten Commandments, which calls for rest on the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath. Many Christians don’t seem to worry too much about this, even though Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments”, and that Jesus said that “not one jot nor one tittle would in no wise pass from the law” until heaven and earth are passed away. Well, heaven and earth are still here. Hmmmmm. Why do so many Christians think that the law has been changed?
I hate to say it, but has a lot of Christianity lost Christ? After all, what do sun rise services (which were done in Babylon for Tamuz and Egypt for Ra), easter bunnies, and easter eggs have to do with Jesus? The problem is not limited to Christmas time, which God has never enjoined us to celebrate to begin with.
for christians it is, but for the majority of people it’s just a stress-filled time of year-more time off work but also more gifts to buy, more parties to plan, more things to do.
Clearly, the media has made Christmas all about consumerism. I’m not even sure if half the kids in any given school would know the origins of Christmas.
CHRISTMAS IS ALWAYS ABOUT PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHOW ME THE MUR!!!!!!!!! (because frankincense is weird and gold is old-fashioned.)
It never was, or at least was never supposed to be. Christ wasn’t
even born in the winter. It was just another move by Christians back
then to take over something that wasn’t attached to God.
Jabezprayer said it all in a nutshell.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not very religious. I’m still technically Christian, since that’s what my parents are, but I don’t go to church. I don’t pray. And that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God. Some people do things differently.
And I still celebrate Christmas!
Depends on the person. I’m one of those that keeps the Christ in Christmas. It’s just… how much do we allow stores and advertizing and pesky kids dictate what Christmas means to us. Otherwise, it’s the winter gift and guilt fest.
You can easily let it become as materialistic as the shops want you to think it is. Or…you can choose to take the time to remember it daily as a way to build up to the big day. One good way is to read one of the many books out there every night. We used to read a chapter a night as an advent thing and we would light candles to help us remember. You could choose to decorate one thing each day or bake a different batch of cookies for the 12 days of Christmas. It is up to you how you choose to remember Christ’s birth. There are no rules about it. It is just a time set aside to remember. Just like Thanksgiving is a time set aside to be thankful. Use the time wisely.
Whether you choose to bring the true meaning into your household or not, the fact that this is a time for family should be something everyone can agree on. There is nothing wrong with getting some friends and family together to have a good meal. Watch “Scrooge” on Christmas Eve like I do. It always adjusts my thinking.
To answer the question – NO
It hasn’t been about Christ for a long time. Jesus would be the last thing I would think about when opening a gift.
Actually, scratch that. I wouldn’t think about jesus at all.
Christmas will always be about Christ. Even if no one acknowledges it. Without the birth of Jesus Christ, not only would there be no Christmas, but no church, no Christianity, and much of history would be forever changed and we as a human species would be doomed.
People ignore the truth. But that doesn’t make the truth any less real or absolute.
In a day and age where very few things are absolute any more, it is a beautiful thing to know the absolute truth of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Depends… it is somewhat, but the commercialism is definitely the highlight.
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happy birthday, Dan!
“Without the birth of Jesus Christ, not only would there be no Christmas, but no church, no Christianity, and much of history would be forever changed and we as a human species would be doomed.”
We as a human species would be doomed? Sweetheart, that’s pushing it. I think we’d do just fine, even without the Christmas hippie.
It depends on how you approach it. There are still many people who celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas, and that is a good thing. For the most part, though, I feel that as a whole, the main point of Christmas is to sell, sell, sell…..or to buy, buy, buy. It’s all about money now.
Yes, because there are a lot of people who focus on how expensive of a gift they will recieve, how much money one has spent on gifts, how many gifts will they rake in this Christmas. Instead they need to focus more on the true meaning of this Christmas season means. Its a shame to see how each year gets worse than the last.
It’s not Jesus’s real birthday anyway, so why’s it matter? besides, I’ve always thought it was more about being nice to people than it was about the J man anyway.
To the majority of the secular world Christmas has never been about Christ, and never will. To those who chose to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, CHristmas will always be about Christ. It IS sad to me that it seems like Christmas USED to be about a time of giving and being with family and now it’s all about the getting and the spending.
It was never about Christ with me. However, I feel that I have a sincere holiday spirit. And anyone who is secular and celebrates can agree. Christmas is a time to spend with the ones you love and just vask in the love of your home. I cannot begin to tell you all how much I enjoy Christmas just for the joy I get out of seeing my 5 year old niece open a gift or visit Santa. I love laying next to a lit up tree with my sister. Its just the feeling. I do not need Christ to celebrate a holiday.
P.S Christmas is not Jesus’s birthday.
She is right christmas is now so commercialized that christ is no longer there and then there is the aclu the us government etc……
Christmas never was about Christ for me
Varies from person to person.
Charles Dickens saw to that a long time ago.
Its all about Him…for ME. The rest doesnt matter
Christmas never really did. What does Saturnalia have to do with Christianity? Its just a family holiday.
I don’t mean Saturnalia is a family holiday, just saying Christmas now is a family holiday.
Yeah… I do attend church on Christmas but i feel that every year up until the actual day (or even on the actual day) my concerns are overwhelming about getting people presents.
Well who is more popular? Santa or baby jesus? And there is your answer.
Generally speaking, no, it’s lost most of the ties to Jesus Christ as I’m sure if you ask most kids who the “mascot of Christmas” is, they’d say Santa, and not Jesus Christ. It’s very much a Hallmark Holiday.
To people of religion, especially Christians, it still holds values and is celebrated as a way to worship their God and such.
sometimes it just feels like the true meaning of christmas is lost in translation. I almost feel sold on the idea that christmas is just a season for sharing and nothing to do with religion..the birth of christ etc…
You have to choose to make it about Christ.
yep. Kind of like St. Patrick’s day is no longer about being Irish!
It depends on who you ask. If you go into a Church and ask what Christmas is about, people will say Jesus’ birth. If you go into a mall, people may say it’s about Santa, gifts, and family. To me, it’s about getting together with the peoplee I love most to celebrate our faith in Jesus and, of course, to celebrate His birth.
Christmas is about what you make of it, not was society does. If you yourself choose to acknowledge Christ, it has meaning. If not, it doesn’t.
sadly…
It never was about Christ.
People DO forget the origins of the holiday. They also forget that most of today’s ‘practices’ for the recognition of Christ had pagan origins.
I don’t think it is about religion anymore. Nope. Not at all.
To me personally Christmas is about love, the love that God has for all of his children. To celebrate that love, my family gathers together and spends Christmas Eve and Christmas day together doing things that we don’t often get to do seeing as how we are spread out in four different states. But it is all to celebrate the love of God in giving us his son for our salvation. This is one of the few areas that I still get religious about, despite my mother thinking I am a total heathen.
We’ve made it not about Christ anymore.
But at the church I go to, we really focus on Christ at Christmas. Without the birth of the Savior, wow, where would we all be?! Personally, I try to look past the media/propaganda stuff and focus on my Savior.
nope. Jesus got lost in the commercializing.
Some years i find myself more focused on Christ and others more focused on family or gifts. Its hard sometimes.
Daniel (doubledb)
Well it depends on who is celebrating it. Many people celebrate it religiously, many people not.
There would be no CHRISTmas without CHRIST….
How can CHRISTmas not be about Christ? It’s the reason you are celebrating! Unfortunately people are too much into the commercial side of the holiday now a days but anyone who forgets what we’re celebrating really needs to re-evaluate their life.
It is what you make it. If you want the day to center around Christ, then you put the focus on Christ. I have many friends that only give each other 3 gifts (to represent the 3 gifts the wisemen gave to Jesus). They give thanks and remember the true meaning, that Jesus came to the world to show God’s love. They have a wonderful time with family and friends.
You are not responsible for what everyone else does with Christmas, only what you do with it.
Christmas was never about Christians anyway, it’s a holiday that was taken from the Pagan’s long ago in attempt to rid the world of Paganism forever.
Dude, it’s a fucking book. You Christians are worse than Trekkies.
It is what you make of Christmas yourself that counts !
We’ve discussed this issue in school. No, it’s not about Jesus anymore. It’s beginning to be too commercialized. I mean, they had Christmas commercials right after Halloween. They didn’t even wait for Thanksgiving to be over because “it’s not a big money-maker”. All anyone cares about anymore is shopping for those perfect Christmas gifts. It seems like nobody cares about the little baby Jesus anymore, the true meaning of Christmas.
It should be and to some people it is but no. All it is now is an exuse to stuff your face with food,get presents, and take days off of work and school.
In some households it is still about Christ, but in the majority of the nation it is commericalized. I dare say that it might be possible to find some people on the street that have no idea that it’s supposed to be about Christ.
Right! Those who think it is are deluded. Look around you. Ask yourself, “What would Jesus buy?” “How far in debt would Jesus be willing to go?” And, “What does all this expensive excess have to do with his birth anyway?” I have a strong feeling that Jesus, if he were alive today, would tell us our money would be better spent caring for the homeless, the widows, and the poor.
Has a lot more to do with consumerism than anything else these days. Of course, most aspects of Christianity are pretty big markets…
You know, Christians are a powerful lobby. If they all pulled back from spending money and gift giving at Christmas, and instead focused on charity, worship and prayer, the economic impact would be felt around the world. And, it would draw people’s attention to their love and charity, instead of petty bickering and a stupid protest about someone saying Happy Holidays.
even though it’s not Christ’s real birthday- to many it still is their time of celebration for his birth- we could change it but it’s simply not that convienient. but to the secular world, Christ is replaced with Santa and so to them there is that disconnect.
In my family, Christmas is about Christ.
Depends on who you ask. To some people christmas is religious. To others, it goes against everything they believe in. And then theres the general public where its just a commercial time of the year that everyone needs as a break from the busy (and for a lot of people out there) meaningless days they spend.
And although its all about the commercialism now, it still is a family time.
Regardless about how people act . . . it will always be about Him. Just because people begin to ignore the truth doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
I dont think Christmas is juxt about Christ, its about being with your family and love ones
Sadly to many people, that’s true
Will…..erm…technically although not many people know it but Jesus was actually born somewhere in October. But yeah…its not really about him anymore. But I have to say the reason that Jesus came to earth still rings during Christmas Day which is love. Despite the commercialization, I have to say that love is still in the air. Don’t know bout you guys but I do get a fuzzy feeling during this season
not about christ at all fo rmost folks but then it all depends on who you talking to.
It never was really. It was set up by the church to get people over the cold and dark of winter, and to mask pagan sun worship. I think it good that we have a special day to honor Christ, but I really don’t believe it was December 25. I like the Christmas season though:).
it sure seems that way… anymore… Christmas is so commercialized and all about the money… and look how early it all starts now!!??!?!??! People need to step back from all the bright paper, shiny lights, and pretty boxes and remember what the true reason for the season is…
Comments (136)
Sadly yeah
In the public shere: No. The commericalization and secularization of Christmas has distilled it of a lot of its religious intents and merits. Though, at a more personal level: In the family and in the community/church, I really do hope its observance and intents are more pure.
I meant, “Yes: As in no, it’s no longer about Christ.”
unfortunately, yes
Christ has been lost among all the gifts, santa, food and whatnotup until this year, i hardly even thought about Jesus during this time of the year, i almost forgot it was a religious holidaybut this year it means so much more to me, i would be willing to frop all traditions and stuff and jsut celebrate His birth
It’s about selling Christmas bullshit and playing those fucking annoying songs a month before the holidays and indocrinating us with all sorts of commercialization.
but then, Jesus seemed to be all about bombarding us with fucking annoying songs (have you heard Christian rock? sheezus) and indoctrinating us with commercialization (collection plate! tithe! and many others) so I can’t say as at least part of the spirit pervades!
depends on the family. in my family, no.
I can’t speak for the masses.
But for ME, Addy, it is. And to my family and friends here, too.
It means something different to each person.
it was never about christ to me, but then, i was raised to sneer at christmas. and most everything religious, really.
Well, it really isn’t anymore.. which is okay because Jesus wasn’t even born on December 25!
it’s about getting the most expensive gifts.
the only person who cares about christ at all on christmas is my great aunt. she’s a nun.
I don’t think it matters.
it never was. christ was born in spring.
I think for the most part, society is slowly but surely erasing Christ from Christmas. My little town still adorns the square with a very old nativity set…and so help me if someone ever complains about it….I will be the first to deck somebody’s hall!!
That would depend on if you’re Christian or not, I guess.
yes
Today, even for church goers, Christmas in the USA is about gifts and parties and decorations, not the Incarnation. Everybody, including Christians, has made it an almost totally secular holiday.
I think Christmas is still about Christ and always will be; it’s just that some people don’t recognize that anymore.
The meaning of a certain day doesn’t change just because people stop recognizing it.
Christmas wasn’t about Christ to begin with. It was just a holiday hijacking. Almost all “Christmas” traditions were originally pagan.
Christianity doesn’t have too much to do with Christ either. They’ve got a book with 66 chapters, and Jesus is in, what, four?
The public sector feels pressure to remove all religious symbols and terms. I get irritated with that, but I don’t look to Walmart or Target to reinforce my religious beliefs. It’s more important for churches and families to keep Christ in Christmas.
I didn’t get a chance to answer your last post, but I don’t think it’s hypocritical for non-religious people to take a day off on Dec. 25. It’s a legal national holiday. If there was a Buddha Day and I could take it off and still get paid, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I have it all wrong. I thought it was all about an overweight fucker in a red suit that shouts out degrating comments to women.
I’m afraid so… All a person can think about is—keeping your child from crying as you try to have their picture taken with Santa and trying to find that gift for that hard to please person etc. It is easy to forget the point behind everything.
Yes it has lost its meaning. But I hardly think it’s about getting.
All through this time we are encouraged to be kinder to others who have less then us, and to be thankful for our family and health.
I think people forget the origins of the holiday.
I think Advent isn’t about Christ at all. The whole “preparation” aspect of Christmas is completely commercialized, but Christmas itself, when all the businesses close and all you have is your family and friends… yeah, that’s when it becomes closer to the real thing.
People still go to church, Dan. They still have masses and services to recognize the true meaning of the holiday, not including the Fat Man in the red suit. =/
It’s just dwindling down now I hate what Christmas has become, frankly. Just another bullshit excuse for people to expect gifts from you. I always feel “blue” around this time of year. I am too old for this stuff.
Sad but unfortunately true. What a shame!
sadly, yes
its very upsetting
Overall, yes. And anyway, people who want to celebrate Jesus could and should (if that’s your religion) be doing that more frequently than once a year…
Australian Santa’s are not allowed to say “HO HO HO”, they could be sued for calling names. Hmmm.
Anyway, we try to insert the Christmas story every year and all the kids can do is be BORED, they hate it. It makes me sad.
it’s not about Christ any more. And I get tired of solid Christmas music from now until the afternoon of the 25th. It’s not all bad, but it’s kinda shoved down your throat.
Very well said Steff.
Amanda
Yes, Christmas is really more of a cultural holiday than a religious holiday, seeing as it’s celebrated throughout the nation by Christians and non-Christians alike.
I swear. It was the friday after Thanksgiving and the radio stations are already infiltrated with “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree,” “Santa Baby,” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
I think it depends on who’s celebrating it. In my family, it has always been a very religious holiday. They always try to keep the “Christ” in Christmas, Easter, and when my brother was born on Halloween my parents gave him the middle name of Martin because of Reformation Day.
Some people think it’s awkward for me to have grown up in such a religious household when I’m not religious in the least, but I love my family. Atheist, Christian, whatever, I still have a kickass family and I love holidays with them.
I don’t know how to answer this since I’m not a religious person.
Btw: Hi. I’ve been rather busy and the internet unfortunately has been neglected.
I make sure Christmas is always about Christ.
Depends on what you make of it.
Sadly, I think it really isn’t. It is about feeling happy for no good reason in the middle of a cold, grey month. It’s about eating too much because that is the only way Americans know to celebrate. It’s about getting together with family you hate and eating the fruitcakes the bring you that you hate because Christmas is about disfunctional family get togethers… at least that is what we see on television.
I hate the holidays… I know I already said that, but I’m very full of contempt this week, so I shall repeat.
In society, yes I agree. However, families may or may not agree. My family would.
It depends on who you are asking. Christians say it is ALL about Christ. Others, it’s about whatever they want to think it’s for. Me, it’s all about God becoming man to live a sinless life to become a sacrifice and take the punishment of our sin on Himself, because we couldn’t. Weither Christ was born on dec 25th or some other date is a mute point. It’s simply recognizing God’s love for His creation to actually become a part of it to save it from damnation. If atheists and the like chose to, as the say Spit in God’s face, it’s their right, but then it’s also God’s right to sentence them to hell. I dn’t feel like saying anything else about it, just sadens me. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas coming up
for some people, it is. but for most, it only involves santa claus, pine trees, and presents.
No… I think it all depends on what you make of it. I glory in the things heavenly father has given me at Christmas… My family especially.
It is for me…
Meh. I think our nation as a whole has become more secular.
Yes. It’s become a very commercial holiday, in general.
Mostly, yes… but Christians aren’t about Christ, either.
I still don’t think it has any place in the public sphere. Private firms or individuals can do what they like.
BTW, several people are confused about what constitutes the “public sector”. Walmart is NOT “public sector”. The USPS, public parks, police, lawmakers, judges, public school employees, etc. constitute “public sector”.
yeah, Christmas is not about Christ anymore.
as for me, YES.
it’s all about celebrating together happily for no apparent reason.
No, and it shouldn’t be, seeing as how, a: Jesus wasn’t born in December, and b: Christmas is nothing but a ripoff of pagan holidays.
It’s funny. I came to Christ at age 21 (eleven years ago) and at age 24 I had the Charlie Brown experience (this is even before I ever really thought about what Christmas is about or even really paid attention to that Charlie Brown episode). I was depressed around Christmas time. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It seemed that Christmas had lost it’s luster. It’s appeal. Before it was all about the presents, but as I was older and a Christian those material items didn’t seem to matter as much. Then it hit me that the true meaning of Christmas was not the presents, santa, the tree and snow, but about Christ. It was so simple, but yet so profound. I forgot about the child in the manger. I didn’t forget about “Him” but what the celebration is about.
When it is purely a material and experiential matter (pretty presents and pretty lights) we forget about the true present (His salvation) and the True Light (which is Christ).
though i agree with IssyMae and say, “It is for me.”
For most – yes.
It’s all relative. Just like whether Halloween is about Satan or Easter about Jesus, Christmas is what you make. It’s all so individual.
so shit, sherlock
Unfortunately, for most people, it’s not. The minority of people still associate it with Christ… I’m one of them
This year more than ever I think that Christmas is a load of crap. Years upon years of sickening commercialism has turned this Catholic girl into a Grinch.
Yes and no.
Depends on who you ask.
It also depends on how you want to take it. Many people still hold to their beliefs of Christ and take Christmas in that aspect very seriously.
To some if may have lost its meaning…to others the meaning is still there.
More like, who still holds their beliefs in Christ on Christmas? I mean, those that claim to be Christian. All of them will say they do…but do they really?
But then again…what do I know…I don’t celebrate Christmas for Jesus. I celebrate if for the love of my family, friends, sharing…etc.
That’s a pretty subjective question. It totally depends on who you’re asking. Of course for some people it’s still about Christ. And for lots of others it’s not. Each person has to make their own decisions about how committed they are to their beliefs, and how committed they are to being a consumeristic whore. Cause really, I don’t think you can spend every single moment leading up to the day blowing money you don’t have out your wazoo, and then come the day spend about 5 minutes before a meal saying some empty cliche prayer, and say you’re honoring Christ. Sorry, but that just doesn’t cut it.
I don’t think Christmas is really about Christ for many people. I think that even among those that attend church, it’s less about Christ and more about getting gifts. I don’t know about anywhere else, but in this country, I think Christmas has gone from being a Christian holiday to being an American holiday. A day that is celebrated not by a religious following, but by all Americans of all faiths.
Very little in our culture (and sadly the Xanga culture included) has anything to do with the One who taught us to love our neighbors and to turn the other cheek.
…..well, Christmas is all about making money. I refuse to take part of it. So, no gift to you since that annoying TV ad you got there.
Even if it were about Christ, it is still barely religious. Its a birthday party. A religious birthday party.
It depends on each person… But as a society, I’d say Santa and commercialization has replaced a lot of the Christian aspects of Christmas.
Christmas, with the gifts, decorations, and food have lost sight of Christ in Christmas. I am guilty of it. Most are guilty of it. It’s just become a day for people to fet things, a lot of times when they don’t need anything.
get*
For most people yes. However, my family still fiercly defends the Christ part of Christmas.
Nowhere in the Bible does God, Jesus, or the apostles establish a holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. While important, the most important thing the old testement pointed forward to and the new testement back to is Jesus sacrificial death for our sins, and His resurrection. Most protestant scholars agree that Jesus was almost certainly not born on December 25, because the shepherds would not have been in the fields at night in the winter.
So why did the church start to celebrate Christmas, and why on December 25th?
December 25 was chosen, like so many christian holiday’s were assigned, to take the place of a pagan. This holiday,, called variously the Birthday of The Sun, The Birth of Tamuz, etc., occurs on December 25because it is the first day after the winter solstice that the naked eye can discern that the sun is getting higher in the sky and the days longer again. Thus, like much of the middle age church, Christmas is actually associated with sun worship, much like Sunday actually started out as an effort by Rome to unite the christian worshipers and the pagan sun worshipers that dominated the empire in the time of Constantine.
In fact, Constantines’e famous edict never refers to Jesus, but calls on all people in the empire to rest from labor on the “venerable day of the sun”, which is the first day of the week, which was dedicated to sun worship. This is at variance with the law of God, aka the Ten Commandments, which calls for rest on the 7th day of the week, the Sabbath. Many Christians don’t seem to worry too much about this, even though Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments”, and that Jesus said that “not one jot nor one tittle would in no wise pass from the law” until heaven and earth are passed away. Well, heaven and earth are still here. Hmmmmm. Why do so many Christians think that the law has been changed?
I hate to say it, but has a lot of Christianity lost Christ? After all, what do sun rise services (which were done in Babylon for Tamuz and Egypt for Ra), easter bunnies, and easter eggs have to do with Jesus? The problem is not limited to Christmas time, which God has never enjoined us to celebrate to begin with.
for christians it is, but for the majority of people it’s just a stress-filled time of year-more time off work but also more gifts to buy, more parties to plan, more things to do.
Clearly, the media has made Christmas all about consumerism. I’m not even sure if half the kids in any given school would know the origins of Christmas.
CHRISTMAS IS ALWAYS ABOUT PRESENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHOW ME THE MUR!!!!!!!!! (because frankincense is weird and gold is old-fashioned.)
It never was, or at least was never supposed to be. Christ wasn’t
even born in the winter. It was just another move by Christians back
then to take over something that wasn’t attached to God.
Jabezprayer said it all in a nutshell.
I don’t know about you, but I’m not very religious. I’m still technically Christian, since that’s what my parents are, but I don’t go to church. I don’t pray. And that doesn’t mean I don’t believe in God. Some people do things differently.
And I still celebrate Christmas!
Depends on the person. I’m one of those that keeps the Christ in Christmas. It’s just… how much do we allow stores and advertizing and pesky kids dictate what Christmas means to us. Otherwise, it’s the winter gift and guilt fest.
You can easily let it become as materialistic as the shops want you to think it is. Or…you can choose to take the time to remember it daily as a way to build up to the big day. One good way is to read one of the many books out there every night. We used to read a chapter a night as an advent thing and we would light candles to help us remember. You could choose to decorate one thing each day or bake a different batch of cookies for the 12 days of Christmas. It is up to you how you choose to remember Christ’s birth. There are no rules about it. It is just a time set aside to remember. Just like Thanksgiving is a time set aside to be thankful. Use the time wisely.
Whether you choose to bring the true meaning into your household or not, the fact that this is a time for family should be something everyone can agree on. There is nothing wrong with getting some friends and family together to have a good meal. Watch “Scrooge” on Christmas Eve like I do. It always adjusts my thinking.
To answer the question – NO
It hasn’t been about Christ for a long time. Jesus would be the last thing I would think about when opening a gift.
Actually, scratch that. I wouldn’t think about jesus at all.
Christmas will always be about Christ. Even if no one acknowledges it. Without the birth of Jesus Christ, not only would there be no Christmas, but no church, no Christianity, and much of history would be forever changed and we as a human species would be doomed.
People ignore the truth. But that doesn’t make the truth any less real or absolute.
In a day and age where very few things are absolute any more, it is a beautiful thing to know the absolute truth of the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Depends… it is somewhat, but the commercialism is definitely the highlight.
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happy birthday, Dan!
“Without the birth of Jesus Christ, not only would there be no Christmas, but no church, no Christianity, and much of history would be forever changed and we as a human species would be doomed.”
We as a human species would be doomed? Sweetheart, that’s pushing it. I think we’d do just fine, even without the Christmas hippie.
It depends on how you approach it. There are still many people who celebrate Christ’s birth at Christmas, and that is a good thing. For the most part, though, I feel that as a whole, the main point of Christmas is to sell, sell, sell…..or to buy, buy, buy. It’s all about money now.
Yes, because there are a lot of people who focus on how expensive of a gift they will recieve, how much money one has spent on gifts, how many gifts will they rake in this Christmas. Instead they need to focus more on the true meaning of this Christmas season means. Its a shame to see how each year gets worse than the last.
It’s not Jesus’s real birthday anyway, so why’s it matter? besides, I’ve always thought it was more about being nice to people than it was about the J man anyway.
To the majority of the secular world Christmas has never been about Christ, and never will. To those who chose to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world, CHristmas will always be about Christ. It IS sad to me that it seems like Christmas USED to be about a time of giving and being with family and now it’s all about the getting and the spending.
It was never about Christ with me. However, I feel that I have a sincere holiday spirit. And anyone who is secular and celebrates can agree. Christmas is a time to spend with the ones you love and just vask in the love of your home. I cannot begin to tell you all how much I enjoy Christmas just for the joy I get out of seeing my 5 year old niece open a gift or visit Santa. I love laying next to a lit up tree with my sister. Its just the feeling. I do not need Christ to celebrate a holiday.
P.S Christmas is not Jesus’s birthday.
She is right christmas is now so commercialized that christ is no longer there and then there is the aclu the us government etc……
Christmas never was about Christ for me
Varies from person to person.
Charles Dickens saw to that a long time ago.
Its all about Him…for ME. The rest doesnt matter
Christmas never really did. What does Saturnalia have to do with Christianity? Its just a family holiday.
I don’t mean Saturnalia is a family holiday, just saying Christmas now is a family holiday.
Yeah… I do attend church on Christmas but i feel that every year up until the actual day (or even on the actual day) my concerns are overwhelming about getting people presents.
Well who is more popular? Santa or baby jesus? And there is your answer.
Generally speaking, no, it’s lost most of the ties to Jesus Christ as I’m sure if you ask most kids who the “mascot of Christmas” is, they’d say Santa, and not Jesus Christ. It’s very much a Hallmark Holiday.
To people of religion, especially Christians, it still holds values and is celebrated as a way to worship their God and such.
sometimes it just feels like the true meaning of christmas is lost in translation. I almost feel sold on the idea that christmas is just a season for sharing and nothing to do with religion..the birth of christ etc…
You have to choose to make it about Christ.
yep. Kind of like St. Patrick’s day is no longer about being Irish!
It depends on who you ask. If you go into a Church and ask what Christmas is about, people will say Jesus’ birth. If you go into a mall, people may say it’s about Santa, gifts, and family. To me, it’s about getting together with the peoplee I love most to celebrate our faith in Jesus and, of course, to celebrate His birth.
Christmas is about what you make of it, not was society does. If you yourself choose to acknowledge Christ, it has meaning. If not, it doesn’t.
sadly…
It never was about Christ.
People DO forget the origins of the holiday. They also forget that most of today’s ‘practices’ for the recognition of Christ had pagan origins.
I don’t think it is about religion anymore. Nope. Not at all.
To me personally Christmas is about love, the love that God has for all of his children. To celebrate that love, my family gathers together and spends Christmas Eve and Christmas day together doing things that we don’t often get to do seeing as how we are spread out in four different states. But it is all to celebrate the love of God in giving us his son for our salvation. This is one of the few areas that I still get religious about, despite my mother thinking I am a total heathen.
We’ve made it not about Christ anymore.
But at the church I go to, we really focus on Christ at Christmas. Without the birth of the Savior, wow, where would we all be?! Personally, I try to look past the media/propaganda stuff and focus on my Savior.
nope. Jesus got lost in the commercializing.
Some years i find myself more focused on Christ and others more focused on family or gifts. Its hard sometimes.
Daniel (doubledb)
Well it depends on who is celebrating it. Many people celebrate it religiously, many people not.
There would be no CHRISTmas without CHRIST….
How can CHRISTmas not be about Christ? It’s the reason you are celebrating! Unfortunately people are too much into the commercial side of the holiday now a days but anyone who forgets what we’re celebrating really needs to re-evaluate their life.
It is what you make it. If you want the day to center around Christ, then you put the focus on Christ. I have many friends that only give each other 3 gifts (to represent the 3 gifts the wisemen gave to Jesus). They give thanks and remember the true meaning, that Jesus came to the world to show God’s love. They have a wonderful time with family and friends.
You are not responsible for what everyone else does with Christmas, only what you do with it.
Christmas was never about Christians anyway, it’s a holiday that was taken from the Pagan’s long ago in attempt to rid the world of Paganism forever.
Dude, it’s a fucking book. You Christians are worse than Trekkies.
It is what you make of Christmas yourself that counts !
We’ve discussed this issue in school. No, it’s not about Jesus anymore. It’s beginning to be too commercialized. I mean, they had Christmas commercials right after Halloween. They didn’t even wait for Thanksgiving to be over because “it’s not a big money-maker”. All anyone cares about anymore is shopping for those perfect Christmas gifts. It seems like nobody cares about the little baby Jesus anymore, the true meaning of Christmas.
It should be and to some people it is but no. All it is now is an exuse to stuff your face with food,get presents, and take days off of work and school.
In some households it is still about Christ, but in the majority of the nation it is commericalized. I dare say that it might be possible to find some people on the street that have no idea that it’s supposed to be about Christ.
Right! Those who think it is are deluded. Look around you. Ask yourself, “What would Jesus buy?” “How far in debt would Jesus be willing to go?” And, “What does all this expensive excess have to do with his birth anyway?” I have a strong feeling that Jesus, if he were alive today, would tell us our money would be better spent caring for the homeless, the widows, and the poor.
Has a lot more to do with consumerism than anything else these days. Of course, most aspects of Christianity are pretty big markets…
You know, Christians are a powerful lobby. If they all pulled back from spending money and gift giving at Christmas, and instead focused on charity, worship and prayer, the economic impact would be felt around the world. And, it would draw people’s attention to their love and charity, instead of petty bickering and a stupid protest about someone saying Happy Holidays.
even though it’s not Christ’s real birthday- to many it still is their time of celebration for his birth- we could change it but it’s simply not that convienient. but to the secular world, Christ is replaced with Santa and so to them there is that disconnect.
In my family, Christmas is about Christ.
Depends on who you ask. To some people christmas is religious. To others, it goes against everything they believe in. And then theres the general public where its just a commercial time of the year that everyone needs as a break from the busy (and for a lot of people out there) meaningless days they spend.
And although its all about the commercialism now, it still is a family time.
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Regardless about how people act . . . it will always be about Him.
Just because people begin to ignore the truth doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
I dont think Christmas is juxt about Christ, its about being with your family and love ones
Sadly to many people, that’s true
Will…..erm…technically although not many people know it but Jesus was actually born somewhere in October. But yeah…its not really about him anymore. But I have to say the reason that Jesus came to earth still rings during Christmas Day which is love. Despite the commercialization, I have to say that love is still in the air. Don’t know bout you guys but I do get a fuzzy feeling during this season
not about christ at all fo rmost folks but then it all depends on who you talking to.
It never was really. It was set up by the church to get people over the cold and dark of winter, and to mask pagan sun worship. I think it good that we have a special day to honor Christ, but I really don’t believe it was December 25. I like the Christmas season though:).
it sure seems that way… anymore… Christmas is so commercialized and all about the money… and look how early it all starts now!!??!?!??! People need to step back from all the bright paper, shiny lights, and pretty boxes and remember what the true reason for the season is…