I told him I wasn’t going to celebrate Christmas, specifically that I wasn’t going to have a Christmas tree in the house. He asked why, my answer was that I was in mourning and I wasn’t celebrating anything for one year. Besides I said I’m an atheist why would I celebrate the birth of a person I don’t believe in. I told him Christmas is very much commercialized and no one is celebrating for the true meaning and people don’t have Christian values anymore. I know I was going to be asked the same questions from other people and I usually try to be ready for questions from people who may think it unusual for not wanting to celebrate Christmas, a holiday that half the world is probably celebrating in December.
So I got on my favorite answer guru Google and asked the burning questions I wanted answers for. I wanted to know why and when Christmas was celebrated, where did it start, who invented Santa cause, who thought of the Christmas tree and the stockings hung by the chimney? Not that anyone remembers why December 25 is celebrated but most people think that is the day Jesus was borne. Not so, even religious scholars don’t know exactly when he was born. Maybe in March? It was mentioned somewhere, so it was decided that December 25 is a good day because it coincided with an important pagan holiday and the newly converted Christians wouldn’t complain too much. But many Christians around the world celebrate Epiphany on January 6 and it’s also called Three Kings Day and the day of Jesus’ baptism.
The Man Behind the Story of Father Christmas/Santa Claus. St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century in a place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey). He was a very rich man because his parents died when he was young and left him a lot of money. He is said to bring gifts to the homes of well-behaved ("good" or "nice") children on Christmas Eve. This European Santa or Father Winter used to be a tall and slender fella but then at the beginning of the 1930s, as the growing Coca-Cola company was looking for ways to increase sales of their product during winter they turned to a talented commercial illustrator named Haddon Sundblom, who created a series of memorable drawings that associated the figure of a larger than life, red-and-white garbed Santa Claus with Coca-Cola and the slogan “The Pause That Refreshes”.
(Google)
Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. (History)
What does Christmas tree symbolize? In 2004, Pope John Paul called the Christmas tree a symbol of Christ. This very ancient custom, he said, exalts the value of life, as in winter what is evergreen becomes a sign of undying life, and it reminds Christians of the "tree of life" of Genesis 2:9, an image of Christ, the supreme gift of God to humanity.
One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Wise Men: Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh. whychristmas.com
As you can see Christmas is a mashup of religion, folklore and tradition handed down from generation to generation and it has become what it is today. A season of spending large amounts of money to have a Christmas tree, to have decorations, to buy gifts not only for our nice children but for the whole extended family, the kid's teachers, the mailman, the pool man, the gardener and possibly your doctor. I get a headache just thinking about it. Christmas season that starts right after Thanksgiving is the best money making holiday for retail business owners.
I did celebrate and enjoyed Christmas when I was a child living with my parents, but I remember it as a time of family gatherings, good food, music and dance and yes one toy for each child. As an adult and when my children were little I tried to have a proper Christmas like everyone else around me. Whenever money was plentiful even though it would be hectic but I didn’t feel much stress, but in tougher times trying to have a proper holiday with all the trimmings was stressful and panic inducing.
Now when I see my grandchildren delight in everything that Christmas brings them I am very happy. They love to have a Christmas tree, they love getting gifts from Santa and their parents and grandparents so seeing their happiness and excitement gives me immense pleasure.
He thought for some time and then he said "Just enjoy the season for what it is and don't overanalyze it, to enjoy the river you don’t need to know where it originated from and where it may end up just look at it and enjoy the scenery".
So I’m going to do just that and enjoy Christmas regardless of all the above mentioned.
Merry Christmas everyone I hope Santa brings you everything you asked.
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