Saturday, December 09, 2006

Don't lose sight of Christmas.....Celebrate!



I have heard so much this Christmas season about the true meaning of Christmas and how the stores take away so much of it.
To me Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ.
But it is also being with friends and family, helping the less fortunate if I can, and enjoying all the lights, decorations and celebrations of the season.

This excerpt is borrowed from another blog (Jonathonscloset.blogspot.com) I read and I think it is something we should all think about:
For those who want to debate the origin of Christmas, here is the truth: The Christmas season is a combination of Christian (Roman Catholic) and Pagan winter celebrations. It incorporates Christian religious ceremonies (the event that fills us with so much joy and gladness that we celebrate it each year, with more attention than for any other event; it is the entrance of Jesus Christ into our world. It is the living proof that, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" -John 3:16) with the traditions of ancient winter festivals such as Yule (the winter solstice celebration of the Germanic pagans) and Saturnalia (the feast at which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn). What emerged after Constantine came into power were religions that had borrowed some rituals and incorporated holidays from each other’s cultures.

The real meaning of Christmas is being lost by groups on the left who think it is 100% pagan and groups on the right that believe it’s 100% religious. It is a weaving of both and therefore both need to be observed. If someone is so easily offended by a Nativity scene or a Star of David or even a Kwanzaa wreath, they should be ridiculed as ignorant and intolerant and be sent on their way!

Christmas is a time to find someone less fortunate than you and give a gift from your heart. It is a time to be with your family. It is a time to reconnect or repair friendships, to give your fellow man a smile and wish them Merry Christmas and if they get offended, they’ll get over it. The changes start with one person and snowball from there. Be that one person who breaks from the norm and remembers what the season is really all about. In the end, it doesn't really matter what you do to have a more spiritual holiday; only that you do something.

So, no matter how you decide to celebrate this Holiday Season; You will hear me say MERRY CHRISTMAS! I will accept any greeting you decide to give me. It comes down to the feeling in your heart and nothing else!

3 comments:

Jules said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS Julie....and may the New Year be everything that you wish it to be.

Webbies said...

Merry Christmas!! Thank you for sharing this post

Anonymous said...

Can I get an AMEN sister? Thanks for posting this Julie. I didn't know about the pagan side of the holiday so I actually learned something today. I'm with you, call it whatever you want but I'm calling it Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Pete Basso