Yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah.

Everyone celebrates something in their own way.

BTW - Christ's last supper was a seder.

Or it is the fact that the day in the calendar is called Christmas. People can have it off and exchange gifts or even just have it off. That's all the reason one needs to think Christmas is merry.

Personally I can't care less about spirits, origins or whatnot. There's no winning with some religious people. If you say "Happy Holidays!" it is offensive. If you say "Merry Christmas!" it is offensive as well.

Maybe they should change the name in the calendar. Then only the approved crowed in selected parishes could celebrate it the way it is intended to, with all the spiritualism that's needed and can be approved by a priest.

You know what? Afs is right. There is no winning this debate, which could go on forever. I stated my opinion.

Whatever everyone celebrates, I hope that they have a happy and healthy one, surrounded by those they love.

Hey Fred, how's Wilma?

Wow, this is a lively thread

Now, even though i believe in God i don't look on Christmas as a solely religious holiday. I have kids and so to me Christmas is the most special time of all,to be able to spend time with them and other family members is great(remember we do not have Thanksgiving).

Also my job requires me to work over Christmas sometimes,so when i do get the time off (as i have this year)it makes it even better!

As for the cinema argument?

Everything in the UK shuts down at on Christmas Day. You are lucky to find a pub open

But i am sure if cinemas did open people would go.

Just out of curiosity though. In the US are cinemas open on Thanksgiving?

Everyone knows I'm a practicing Catholic, with a healthy respect for other religions, especially Judaism, so I'm not even going to get into this loaded debate, except to say, If you're an Atheist, that's your business. Just don't pick Christmas week to start an argument here, because it's just not right.

Coincidentally, THE GODFATHER PART III opened on Christmas Day, 1990. I was 31 years old at the time, hardly a kid, yet I had to see it that day (as I'm sure so did many other board members).

I picked up my brother, who was still living with our parents at the time, two of our friends, and we went to the 12 noon showing up at the Hawthorne Multiplex in Westchester County.

We all got to my parents house at about 3:30. Everyone was festive, happy, a little drunk, and they didn't even miss us. Except for the movie itself, it was a great Christmas.

I am not quite getting this thread.

Everyone is entitled to celebrate Christmas any way he or she wants. In the USA it is both a secular and a religious holiday.

For many years when our kids were too old to believe in Santa, we would have a big dinner and arty on the 24th, go to midnight mass, and then come home and open presents. Then we'd slep in on Christmas day and do something that afternoon....usuallly involving going to see a movie.

So I guess we combined both the religious and secular aspects of it.

Saying an athiest cannot commemorate Christmas in some way is like saying a white person should not take off of work on MLK Day.

Another reason that Christmas Day has become almost afterthought (in my family), is that Christmas Eve has always been the more sacred night for us. The Italian tradition, the fish, Midnight Mass, etc...

As DT points out, by Christmas afternoon, we really just want to veg out a little bit.

The holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving, can be the loneliest time of the year for people without families, homes, etc. Suicide rates go up during the holiday season.
That's why, for some, going to a movie and having a dinner out on Xmas can be close to a life-saver.

This year has provided me with a profound insight about some of this angst that comes with the hoidays. For economic reasons I had to cut back significantly on gift giving, and instead of running out and buying "stuff" for people, I bought things like goats and chickens for third world countries, and put it in the name of the person to whom I was giving the gift. It made me feel good, and it was good to my wallet. We get way too consumed with "stuff" and I think that adoration of materialism is so in conflict with the true apirit of the season, it is bound to depress.

My husband and I decided long ago that we really didn't need more stuff. We have a nice house, plenty of food, and our needs are more than sufficiently met, which leaves us better off than a lot of people in this world.

We decided a few years ago to give each other the gift of time. We take a night or two and go off together. We stay someplace close to home, like Manhattan or Atlantic City, but it's a nice way to recharge and talk TO each other instead of AT each other as we run from one thing to another.

Very very true.

While you're eating your massive meals and giving each other products etc, there are people suffering. So Instead of bickering about the right and wrong reasons for celebrating Christmas, remember how lucky you are!

As often happens, discussions of religion and politics can produce division instead of bringing people together.

I think that during the holiday season, people should open their homes and hearts to those around them. It is only through education and exposure to other cultures and beliefs that such divisiveness can be conquered.

I still can't stand the idea that Christmas, a very holy day in the Christian religion, has become a secular holiday. It shouldn't be. However, that doesn't mean that people shouldn't share.

Amen to that.

At least Wal-Mart learned their lesson and abandoned their "Happy Holidays" campaign from last year, in favor of the more traditional "Merry Christmas."

Good God! I actually agree with Bill O'Reilly about something. Quick, get me some aspirin.

Has Hell froze over PB?

I dunno, Miggie. I'm afraid if I take a nap, I'll wake up listening to banjo music, with a hankering for hillybilly food.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............

Hmmmmmmm PB you do that eerily well.

I thought he did #2 even better

Thate would be after he squealed like a pig.

I recieved this today.

*Twas the month before Christmas**

When all through our land,**Not a Christian was praying**Nor taking a stand.**See the PC Police had taken away,**The reason for Christmas - no one could say.**The children were told by their schools not to sing,**About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.**It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say** December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.**Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit**Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!**CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod**Something was changing, something quite odd! **Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa**In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.**As Targets were hanging their trees upside down** At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.**At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears**You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.**Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty**Are words that were used to intimidate me.**Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen**On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !**At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter**To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.**And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith** Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace**The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded**The reason for the season, stopped before it started.**So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'**Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.**Choose your words carefully, choose what you say**Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS

What is the significance of two asterisks ** throughout that post?

I am guessing to indicate a space

like

this

Well, the Senate, nor anyone else, can take away your faith. That's the nice thing about faith. It's yours and it's personal. You can't legislate faith. What the government CAN do is enforce the Constitution and separate Church and State.

I'm teaching the minimester and, as I have done for many semesters, next week I will show to my class a scene from a movie that I treasure: The Bells of St. Mary's. The scene is where Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman watch the grade school kids rehearse their Christmas play about the birth of Jesus. It is in B&W and is one of the most precious scenes in cinema. That scene captures what Christmas is and should be about.

I remember that scene, though I am not really a fan of that movie.

O Come All Ye Faithful,
Joyful and Triumphant.

Amen to that.

I'm agnostic, but I guess I celebrate. But, I think it's mainly just because my family celebrates. I don't really embrace or celebrate the meaning of Christmas nearly as much as the idea... Which I guess would be to just be a decent person and treat everyone as such, but I think that's something we should all practice everyday.

I think, in the end, it's an excuse to get a kick out of my gigantic and dysfunctional hilarious family.