The meaning of Christmas

[Boo]

[color=red]I have 2 questions.
What does christmas mean to you?
And what was the real spirit behind christmas?[/color]

[color=green]Christmas to me means the birth of Jesus at the highest and after that the comfiness. It's just such a cool sphere at home with christmas. With the candles, christmas tree, movies (and once in the 20 years even snow around here lol).[/color]

[color=red]Well i asked the second question, because it seems that a great part of the world population doesnt even know why christmas exists and all. So I was hoping to get some good answers to this one ^_^[/color]

[Zidargh]

[color=silver]Hmm that's a tricky one. What christmas means to me is where my family really try to get on and they do a good job of it, I get presents which is a bonus but I think it's how everyone's own perspectives and views on christmas are put into action in one household and noone debates which is better, so it is a very merry atmosphere.

The religious, Christian view of christmas is the day Christ and I think that's a very pleasant source to lead off to. But everyone has their own views on what the meaning was behind christmas, maybe just a day of rejoice. [/color]

[Guest cloricus]

Jesus wasn't born on the 25th of December, well there is a 1 in 356 chance, and the date that we have xmas on was converted from a pagan festival for political reasons early in the church.
Though star mapping believes Jesus' real birth day (if he lived at all) was in September some where because there would have been a bright star in the sky. It was brightest IIRC on the 16th of September which coincides with what the bible specifies happend in the sky.

As for what it means to me, simple, time with family.

[Ryu_Sakura]

from my knowlage the history of Christmas is it was started by pagans, (I think, thats what the History Channel said) then it became outlawed in europe, but they couldn't stop people from celebrating it. later on people came to the colonies and celebrated it, it became outlawed in victorian times (i think, not fully sure) but it soon came back in full force, the contry needed to comne together, and Christmas was the perfect excuse.

that should be a jist of it. (some of the facts may be wrong, DON NOT take full belief in my words, this is what i remeber the Christmas special on the History Channel said)

and they do not have full proof that he lived, but the have found a place where her may have been killed if he was alive.

and Christmas to me is a totally comercalized holiday, but was given a holy meaning, (dispite the unholy actions people did on that day) the holy meaning is: the birth of Christ.


*ps this is what I HEARD, and remember, please do not take full credit of what i heard, I have a terible memory and dislike the holiday seanson, so I never paid much attention. but if it's on the History Channel I'm watching it. i admit some info may be wrong feel free to correct me. and do NOT yell at me if you don't know about it and then you take my word, (which may be incorrect) then come back and blame me. becasue i warned you, so it's NOT my fault.

[AzureWolf]

Whoa... Ryu_Sakura, what's with the big disclaimer? Haha, no one is going to kill you! :)

I can't say I've ever seen a "Merry Christmas" that didn't involve presents, so I'm going to have to go with the Dexter's Lab answer and say it's all about the presents.

If you're a person who has truly enjoyed one Christmas without any material items, I MIGHT believe another meaning to define this hollow holiday.

[Moor_Child]

What christmas means to me? Well, I've never really been very religous (in fact you could call me atheist), so I'd say it's all about tradition. We do the whole go to the grandparents house, stay the night, and wake up in the morning to the presents under the tree. But this year my grandma's in the hospital so won't be doing that :(. But it's all good.

I have no idea idea what the real spirit behind christmas is.

[Pinball_Wizard]

Christmas: Te bigest single example of capotalism that this world has. Parent lie to their children because they beleive that the kiddies need Santa. They don't; It's the adults who need Santa. They need to believe that children are simple enough to require the existance of a fat man in red to be happy. This is hammered in by buisneses and the media.

But hey, It 'aint all bad? you get presents. (I'm currently waiting for my new stilts to arrive in Australia, they won't get here untill early january)

As for the jesues birthday thing? well, as cloricus said, Jesus wasen't born on the 25th of December. (yes, this statement does meen that I beleive Jesus existed. He was not the sun of god, he was simply a revolutionarey who helped to overthrow an oppresive regime.) Not only did the stelar event which 'fortold' his birth occur on a day that was not the 25th of December, it occured in a year that was not 1AD, jesus was born on 8BC. The people who wrote the bible 50 YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF CHRIST got it wrong (in those days, 50 years whas one-and-a-half lifetimes).

Anyway, I got a bit off topic there. I beleive that christmas is a sham, but it is also a bloody good excuse for presents.

[Dragon Warrior]

Jesus's b-day, word up :)

For the past few Christmases, that's a big thing I've thought about. It's also good to hang with family and friends so yeah.

Presents can be nice =D

[Baron Samedi]

What Christmas means to me... the anticipation of recieving, the nervousness of giving, the good atmosphere, the sociality. A lot of things.

I don't currently believe in any God, nor have I ever. However, here is the real deal on this stuff.

JC wasn't born on Christmas [this is my memory]. Lots of Christian celebrations are originally pagan. However, the Church was a new force and needed power. So they took the pagan traditions and altered them to suit their own views, which made the pagans feel more comfotable with it. Apparently lots of Christian things stem from pagan factors. I sadly can't recall any as of now, but I'll update you on that sometime.

[dd protector]

Christmas is a time to show compassion for your friends and loved ones. Presents can be cool but i don't really care about them. There not a big thing in my family.

Around christmas i just love to hang out with my friends and spend some time with my whole family under the roof.

I don't beleive in god and most of his pagan beleifs, but it is good to be able to share time with your loved ones.

[Kent]

Family time of course...

Then generousity.

The spirits of being light hearted and good will towards all people.

My bias- god. ;) :D later.

[Zanshin]

Hmmm, I'm so assinine that I don't even know any more.

[Semjaza]

I suggest people actually read up on the origin of Christmas before blathering things out. There's like four explanations just in this thread alone. "I remember hearing this on TV... kind of" isn't really a great thing to fall back on lol.

In any case, Christmas means little to me. It's no different than any other holiday. We see family, we eat a bunch of food and we try to have a good time. I don't celebrate the religious angle at all.

[Vicky]

[SIZE=1][B]Christmas to me is the to CELEBRATE the birth of Jesus. I don't celebrate his birthday, it's celebrating his birth, meaning it doesn't have to be on the same day.

That's what it means to me... It also means meeting my family again after Christmas. Heh...[/SIZE][/B]

[BabyGirl]

[color=deeppink]After not attending church for a few years, I actually attended a [i]Catholic[/i] church service for Christmas Eve. The whole ordeal made me feel oddly out of place, seeing as how I knew none of the reply chant/songs, nor did I even like being there. Being in church personally annoys me...but that's just me.

To make a point, Christmas means family time. I'm sure Jesus was a way cool person and his birth is important, but the whole religious/church process is too formal and totally not for me. I just like being home for the holidays and seeing everyone I love.[/color]

[Dagger]

Although I'm a member of a church-going family, I can't claim to be particularly religious. I enjoy setting up our decorative nativity scene because I have a certain sentimental attachment to its little figurines. I attend our church's candlelight service on Christmas Eve because I like singing carols; I don't really pay attention to their lyrics. I personally think of Christmas as a celebration of both filial love and materialism (which isn't nearly so bad as everyone makes it out to be ^_~).

Whatever Christmas truly means, I know that I'll always love to get [i]and[/i] give presents.

~Dagger~

[Fall]

To be honest, Christmas doesn't spark the slightest bit of excitement in me what-so-ever. It seems as if everyone I know around me is all hypo over this particular time of year, and here I am struggling to see what all the hype is about. Sure, we get presents, usually what we ask for and what we want. I mean, come on, it's normal to be hyped over that... I get hypo all the time. Though at Christmas, I aint got that hyponess in me. :smoke:

And to add to that... I have a some-what deformed view on what the real meaning of Christmas time is. The birth of Jeses... that's about it. But now, with all the stories, news, technology, crap like that, I've kind of mixed myself up with all this... :drunk:

I can see and know why Christmas time is a happy time for everyone... well no I don't, but to keep going- It seems like it brings out the inside hype of everyone... but it doesn't happen to me. I see Christmas time as a toy-filled, decorations-filled, party-filled, time. And don't get me wrong... I like it all. I just don't see it as a time where I can give everything up and go out present giving and hanging up little glow balls.

[Maully]

[color=green]What is the true meaning o f Christmas? I'm actually glad this thread is here. It just shows that the holiday means so many different things to everyone.

To me, Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones. I miss my family and I am glad to get to see them. It also means a lot of food. My family grazes all day.

Presensts are cool, but I actually prefer to give than get. I love to see faces of people when I give them things. It's really gratifying when they llike what you've given them.

Now, on to the meat of the questtion. I am not a particularly religious person, but I believe that Christmas is to celebrate Jesus' birth. It doesn't matter to me that he wasn't born on that day. It is a day that the church has decided to set aside for it, seeing as it would probably be hard to pinpoint the date at this time. I love to go to Midnight Mass. It's one of two times a year I go to Church, I think the service is really beautiful and joyful. There is not much Christianity left to Christmas in the public eye, it is something you keep for yourself, if you so desire. If Jesus isn't your thing, then someone will probably give you presents anyway. [/color]

[Lady Asphyxia]

[size=1]To me Christmas isn't about the birth of Christ -- although it is to my sister, who is religious. It's about family, and about traditions we've followed our entire lives. I can remember back to when I was a little girl, and I did exactly the same thing I do now.

Christmas has lost it's mystery, sure, but it's still something I love to do, because I can pretend that I am a little girl again, and since when is that a bad thing?

When I was little, my mother made my stocking. I still use the stocking for all my Christmas presents, because it's attached to so many memories. We still use the same decorations, too.

Something else that is a big part of Christmas to me is Santa. While I know he doesn't exist, he brings out the best of so many people. He makes the children believe in things when in this day and age, logic is prized. And he brings the adults together in a big loving conspiracy. One parent will encourage someone else's child to believe in Santa, and in turn, when the child grows up, they do the same thing. In my opinion, that sort of network is one of the greatest things that I've ever seen, and it's all been brought about by Christmas.[/size]

[wrist cutter]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Lady Asphyxia [/i]
[B]He makes the children believe in things when in this day and age, logic is prized.[/B][/QUOTE]

Maybe because so few people ever use it.

[Fatty_McGee]

1. What Christmas means to me.

I think that Christmas, is not ALL about giving...Well..James said that when you give someone recieves, so i guess it is 50/50 on giving and recieving. I don't know, but I just think Christmas is great.

2. The real spirit behind Christmas:

You should always put others in front of you, and when you dont' feel like giving someone something, put yourself in their shoes. It is never good to be greedy on Christmas. Selfishness is always a big no no too. Make sure and make yourself the last on your priority list on Christmas, feeding others before you feed yourself.