Are we seeing the demise of Christmas?

Bluebelle you reminded me of the annual Christmas party my Jewish law firm put on for us in the 1970s in Washington DC.

Lots of food and festive decorations (both for Christmas and Hanukkah) were laid on at a venue. We got our Christmas bonuses AND gifts, too. The highlight was when the senior partner danced down the 20 foot white banquet table (after we ate) whilst we all sang Hava Nagila and clapped and cheered! I can still see this so clearly in my mind!

Another celebration was in Maine where my friend was hosting an Afghan family who had escaped the Russian invasion in the 80s. We celebrated our Christmas but with their traditional Eid foods, and sat on the floor and ate these gorgeous treats that her guests cooked with us helping. Then we sang Christmas Carols, and taught them some, too!

Yorkshiregal .how about hospitality staff who work every holiday so families dont have to cook their own meals or sleep in their own beds ,or the transport workers who ferry folk about in buses and cabs .People work to live,even at christmas ,when I was little my dad worked on Christmas day ,it was normmal here in Scotland and it wasn't a public holiday until well into the 20th century.I'm quite sure there are people who would volunteer to work at christmas to get away from the nonsense that surrounds it

no difference from when I was young ministers and priests still visit schools for assemblies ,there are still nativity plays ,my youngest GD will be an angel in hers tomorrow and there are christmas trees all over the place and local churches have nativity scenes up iin their grounds and on their roofs.Local immiigrant families (muslim,hindu ,sikh ) all contribute to local christmas charities and would appear to have no issuues with the "christian" festival.I too havve nnever heard anyone say Happy Holiday ,its and Americanism ,iisn;t it ,due to a large Jewish population that they dont want to offend

Dont let media gossip divide the world and cause fear and anger, all Muslims and other religions that I meet enjoy the holiday whilst not seeing it as religious, they are more than happy to celebrate with us without a religious meaning for them
The best Christmas I ever had was hosting a weekend for mature university students my partner at the time was a Muslim from Iran who had lived in UK for a very long time and we had a Chinese lady who was non religious and a vegetarian I had a wonderful Ethiopian man and a Hindu Indian from Malaysian I produced a variety of food that suited everyone we all walked on our beach wrapped up warm went to the local park and had sing songs and tales of their countries around the fire It has stayed in my mind as the nicest most exciting Christmas I ve ever had
No need at all to pass on fear and religious dislike at this time of year or any other time it doesn't take many rumours to get people going

Bit of back tracking there yorkshiregal!. . Schools don't always do the traditional Jesus, Mary and the crib type nativity but it is still celebrating the Christmas story; for example, my children's primary school put on a play one year which was about a time traveller going back through time, through the Victorian Xmas etc until he came to the time of the birth of Christ. A lovely play and one which gave opportunities for lots of roles other than extra angels and donkeys!

Thank you for the links, Grannya. I hope that by reading them some of the daft rumours will be put to rest.

Excellent links, grannyactivist! There are very few Muslims in this small town, but I was talking to one of them today and he said he is looking forward to Sunday and Monday when his hardware shop will be closed and he can enjoy a (well-deserved) rest. We were in his shop buying tinsel, by the way, and had to move crackers and Christmas lights to get it unhooked from the stand!

Our local Rotary Club runs an annual carol service, and this year's one on Sunday was packed out as usual, including many people whom I know never go to church normally except for weddings and funerals, but they were all singing away cheerfully, and it was a good time for all. All the local schools contributed carols as well.

No, we are not seeing the demise of Christmas.
Last year, amongst others, I had a muslim family and a Malaysian agnostic at my Christmas lunch table. I receive cards from people of all faiths and none - some Christians who believe that Christmas, as currently celebrated, is the antithesis of what the Christian faith is about don't send me Christmas cards, whilst some atheist friends do.
I really think that Jesus, at this time of year as at any other, will be looking for people who believe in his message to be acting it out as peacemakers and through acts of kindness, generosity and love.
Read below what the Muslim Council of Britain has to say about Christmas:
www.mcb.org.uk/keep-calm-christmas/
and again, read below a Muslim commentator's view:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/nov/29/cancel-christmas-muslims-traditions-islamic

Yes, I do celebrate Christmas, and I have a wreath with flashing fairy lights. My question if I could put it another way was meant to mean..... is Christmas, as we know it, on its way out.

It was not meant to be offensive, or provoke anyone. I am not making things up either as some seem to think I am. How rude. I have been to children's 'Christmas play' only to find it had nothing to do with Christmas at all. It was something completely different. Some play a teacher had put together.

I know some emergency services need to work over Christmas, in fact I have decorated a ward myself at Christmas and served Christmas dinner (Red Cross), I was really talking about shops and shop assistants. I do not think there is a need for shops to be open at all. I am sure shop assistants would appreciate that so they could be at home with their families.

There is no talk about banning Christmas. It is celebrated as it always was. As for working over Christmas, as has already been mentioned, many people have always done this due to the nature of their job. In fact this year, because she changed jobs, my daughter doesn't have to work either Christmas or New Year for the first time ever since she started work. I am surprised that the urban myth that we fear offending other religions is still being perpetuated. Where are you hearing this talk yorkshiregel? I hope you are challenging it as it is bollocks.
?Merry Christmas and God bless us every one. ?

Yorkshiregel a silly and ill informed post methinks, designed to provoke. This nonsense about banned nativities, banned trees and 'Happy Holidays' is Daily Express inspired malicious nonsense. We deserve better discussions. Have a lovely Christmas, go to Church on Christmas Eve if you wish, and enjoy the holiday, thankful that you will not have to unblock a toilet/deliver a baby/drive a taxi/deal with a tragedy.

Once my dad was away with a Christmas coach trip, too, when I was older.
Christmas started when my mother arrived arrived home from the hospital at 6.30 on Christmas morning.

djen I remember the nurses in their traditional uniforms and capes walking round the corridors on Christmas Eve, carrying lanterns and singing Christmas carols.
DD had just been born and it was lovely, still brings a tear to my eye thinking about it.

I can't imagine what town you live in Yorkshiregirl but here everything is as normal if not more so Nativity plays are still held we have a town Christmas tree the local vicar played Father Christmas all the churches have nativity scenes
I ve never heard anyone say Happy Holiday

As a poster previously said I think this is a anti non Christian thread simply looking to provoke

As for working at Christmas I hope you don't get ill as with your strict no work rules you won't get a bus or taxi to the hospital the doctors and nurses even the cleaners and cooks will be at home with their feet up no pharmacy to honour your prescription and no hospitatily at hotels or restaurants no cooks no one to meet and greet no duty dentist if your raging with toothache for two days ohhh yes I hope you re not going to watch Tv or listen to the radio no emergency services don't let your house catch fire or get burgled because there ll be no police on duty and so on and so on ......poor shop workers eh

Just had an email from MYsociety, wishing Joy, Peace and Transparency. I like that greeting.

Granny23, six years ago our toilet got blocked on Christmas Day. We were very grateful for the plumber who came out that day to unblock it. My mother was a nurse, and nurses used to enjoy working on Christmas Eve, going round the wards singing carols.

I have been to four concerts this year, to support the youngest granddaughter, all of them mentioning the nativity, one in the CofE church, the other three in schools.
I think because of all the problems in the world, people are taking refuge in traditional festivities more this year.

I take your point granny23 and would like to add to your list my 16 yr-old DGD who has volunteered to take on a shift on Christmas day in 'her' home for the elderly so that those with family responsibilities can have the time off.

its hard to celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus because we now know he wasn't born then and most of what happened, the shepherds and the 3 kings were on other dates.

A large part of the New Testament was written years afterwards so when we enjoy Christmas as a religious event it is just an acknowledgement of Jesus' birth.
I really think the winter solstice is the reason for Christmas holidays when the farm hands had less work to do and could go home for a few days.
The rest is pure commercialism and I don't celebrate Christmas any more. We meet up as a family and the children get presents, because in Germany the shops are closed for 3 days and everyone has time to visit.
I can't see the end of Christmas as a fixed calendar date, too many people make their living from it

This turned up on one of my Christmas playlists

Not sure how it got there but it made us smile.

I always wonder why the 'No work on Christmas Day' brigade only talk about Shop workers. My Dad, a power supply controller, always worked a shift on Christmas Day, I was sometimes 'on call' for Women's Aid, my DH and FIL were 'on-call' being Undertakers as well as joiners and DH played with his band at a Dinner Dance every evening for a fortnight over Christmas/New Year I was very grateful to the plumber who turned out one Christmas morning when we woke to frozen pipes and to the Pakistanis who kept their shop open as usual for essential supplies - in that case bottled water.

Not to mention Road & Rail workers, essential services of all sorts and carers - how would we manage if they all had 3 days off?

There was definitely a nativity theme at one of my DGS's school. "What are you doing in the Christmas play? - I am a shepherd and I pull the baby Jesus out by his feet!" That's the way to do it!

I'd be quite happy for schools to 'ignore' christianity and all other religions. Christmas to the vast majority is a time to get together with family and/or friends (if lucky enough to have either) during the blackest and bleakest part of the year.

I disagree about the Nativity plays in school. I went to three this year and the core of each performance was about the birth of the baby Jesus.

True - there were some off topic pieces - but mostly that's to let as many children as possible take part. I'm Christian although not a church goer particularly and each of my grandchildren as they reach an age able to understand get to hear the story of the Nativity . I see no reason to rely on school doing that necessarily.

I think the true meaning is alive and well

For many people Christmas is still about celebrating the birth of Christ. Carol services are still traditional as are Nativity plays in schools. Of course it is more commercialised but I don't have any problem with that. Where would we be without the dear CocaCola inspired Santa or Victoria-inspired trees? Every year I think how mad it is to bring a tree into your house but I still love it. In the middle of winter all the bright lights and decorations are very cheering. Even without the religious aspect it is a time for loved ones to get together for the few hours that are within most people's tolerance.

I always stress Christmas with a capital C. We have Muslim friends who get a Christmas card. They can send me an Ede one if they wish.