christianity

I'm beginning to come round to your POV, Granny23! A couple of friends have mentioned their December schedules today and I am that almost every day they have something lined up.

Though they're down south, not here in Scotland!

Good post Jayh

Oh how I would love a bit of excess! ? But I can't keep up so I only go to a few Christmas things. I love all the buzz and activities connected with Christmas. It is a big deal in our small family and we have a good time. No one is forced to go to anything, spend more than they they feel is decent, buy sofas or join in any of the merriment if they don't like it. The commercialism is easily ignored. Celebrate or not in a way you feel is appropriate. There is no need to judge your choices as being better or worse than anyone else.
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Very civilised Suedomin - I salute you. Rural beats town/city everyday.

You must be a lot more popular than we are! I've got two lunches (one with expats we know from abroad and one with my book group) to go to and that's all we have to attend. Though we don't belong to any organisations so I guess that's why. Our grandchildren all live a long way away so nothing for us to go to there.

I have been to my village Christmas Tree festival this afternoon. It cost me £3 for entry, which included tea/coffee and endless cakes, if you so choose. Last of the big time spenders!

I just ignore all the advertising etc as does everyone I know. Most people are too smart to get sucked in.

SueDomin personally, we too will have our usual family Christmas and a quiet New Year. However, we have invitations to umpteen Christmas events, every organisation from sports, pensioner's and social clubs to the WI and day centre, now has a night out, party, pantomime visit, disco, booze up in the run up to Christmas. Being retired, we do not have any works or staff events to consider. We will not be attending any of these, giving DH's health as an 'excuse'. Each of these events costs a small fortune for tickets,food/drink not to mention party clothes, hairdos, raffle prizes/tickets and taxis. We will however be attending 4 events at our DGC's schools and helping out with catering at 2 other Children's parties.

For working parents with young children it can be a nightmare arranging childminders and transport for their own and their children's events but nonetheless all those I know in their 20/30/40s will be putting on their glad rags and partying the nights away 'be there or be square' I suppose. This is the 'excess' I refer to and I haven't even started on the relentless advertising, the 'need' for new furniture/carpets/redecorating, houses decorated inside and out, enough food to withstand a siege, etc. etc.

Enough is enough.

The OTT stuff, Granny23. We celebrate Christmas much as we did when we go at married in the 70's. My children won't let me change anything! Presents are a bit bigger now, but we're fortunate to be better off than we were then so I like to treat my family.

It's all very sedate round here, normal family Christmases, I'd say. Though we are rural, maybe it's different in towns/cities.

Thank you absent , just what i was describing

Maybe we need a thread called "Trivia exchange" Everyone knows some bits of totally irrelevant stuff that never see the light of day, and that a lot of other people would love to hear.

I love it when someone socks some knowledge to us like that, elegran.

Thank you, SueDonim and Elegran - I have learned something new!

SuedonimWhich description of Christmas/New Year are you disputing? The 60 year old 'how it was' or the current shopping/partying/decorating OTT bonanza?

The X is not X for a cross, but X as the greek letter chi, the first letter of Christos or Χρίστος.

A bit of trivia - the reason a fish was an early Christian symbol is because the letters of the Greek word for fish - ichthus or ΙΧΘΥΣ, is an acronym comprised of the first letter of five Greek words: Iesous Xristos Theou Yios Sotare which means Jesus, Christ, Son of, God, Savior.

Iesous (Iasoos) is Jesus. The first letter is ‘iota’, Ιησους.
Xristos (Christos) is Christ. The first letter is ‘chi’, Χριστóς.
Theou (Theou) is God. The first letter is ‘theta’, Θεοῦ.
Yios (Huios) is Son. The first letter is ‘upsilon’, Υἱός.
Sotare (Sotare) is Savior. The first letter is sigma’, Σωτήρ.

Xmas is a very old term, deriving from the Greek alphabet. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Xmas

I think what Anniebach was describing when she mentioned a Christian revival if there were another [major] war is a phenomenon known as storm conversion. When times are life-threatening or very bad, people may turn to prayer in desperation.

Granny23 I don't know about Latin or South America, but I am pretty sure that I have received traditional-style Christmas cards from cousins in South Africa. Here in New Zealand, where it is hot and sunny in December and Christmas Day is close to the Summer Solstice, celebrations are very familiar to immigrant Brits – a Santa parade for the children, cards with snow, robins holly and stockings hanging on the mantelpiece above a blazing fire, sparkling stuff on Christmas trees, lights and decorations in the main streets and so on. Turkey and ham are the popular choices for Christmas lunch, but are usually served cold, a sensible choice if the temperature is around 28°C. A barbecue in the evening is also a popular option.

Before anyone bites off my head for suggesting that Christmas here is a purely commercial exercise, I would add that, of course, there are carol services and Christmas Day services and masses. There are also well-supported nationwide collections of food and toys (new and second-hand) for families and other people in need.

No, they don't actually say it, but you certainly see it written a lot!

Can't imagine who first thought of substituting an X for Christ...

I have never heard anyone extending a greeting - have an enjoyable exmas

Last year I overheard someone looking at a crib scene in a garden centre and saying 'What's that got to do with Christmas?'

These days Christmas is often referred to as Xmas. Could have several meanings.

Crumbs, Granny23 I don't know where you live in Scotland but Christmas is nothing like that in the area of Scotland I live in!

Developing countries will keep the Christianity and Christmas flags flying even if it dies in the UK. Christianity is big business there.

Is it so wronggto just enjoy it for the pretty lights, the shopping, the mince pies, the Christmas cake, the giving, and the receiving, perhaps without overthinking it? For most people celebrating Christmas, loves comes into the equation somewhere. Can't be bad.

No problem thatbag, I accept the name of this holiday has great sentimental meanings to all.

I have Hindu friends with whom I exchange cards and many atheist friends plus a few pagans .

Indeed so, pen. And it illustrates why people are perfectly within their rights to object when Christians state that Christmas (see above for definitions) and Easter are religious holidays. They aren't for most people.

OK, I understand what you were saying now, ab. I agree that the word Christmas means Christ's Mass.

What I was saying is that the midwinter celebration that is usually called Christmas, but sometimes Yuletide, sometimes Holidays, sometimes Winterval (ugh!), does not just mean that so non-christians can talk about it and celebrate it just as well as christians.

And they do. Even my Muslim friends are happy to receive a card with the Season's Greetings.

Easter however is a clear adoption of the word Oestre. But Christians still manage to do what is dictated by the church despite the name being that of a pagan goddess!