Anyone else hate Christmas/Holidays...?

13

Replies

  • raevynn
    raevynn Posts: 666 Member
    As a Pagan, I find "Christmas" to be a very hypocritical shopping frenzy and feel-good-about-how-religious-you-are fest for people who claim to be followers of "the one true g-d". Dang religion stole our holiday, our tree, our decorations, and our feasting.

    Yechh.

    We do spend some time with family, we quietly celebrate Yule on its night & day (Wednesday & Thursday this year), and we get a gift for each of our grandkids.

    I'm more of a fan of "Festivus", anyway... at least my family had a very long tradition of the "airing of grievances"... lots of emotional scars gathered over the years.
  • packerfan1
    packerfan1 Posts: 93 Member
    People, the reason we celebrate Christmas is because JESUS was born on this day. How could you possibly hate it?
    I know that many of us don't get along with their families but still it's a happy season.
    Spend it with the ones you love the most.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    i dont believe in religion
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
    i dont like what it has become, material possessions do not define love and they certainly do not make a person :)
  • Football_N_Guns
    Football_N_Guns Posts: 297 Member
    Yep, however, alcohol makes everything better.
  • abbbigayl
    abbbigayl Posts: 75 Member
    I love the holidays! I don't care if I get gifts and I'm not really into shopping but I really do enjoy this time of year when everything slows down and I get to catch up with my friends and family.
  • JoshGouvisis
    JoshGouvisis Posts: 98 Member
    I quit celebrating holidays about 5 years ago. Nowhere in the bible does it tell us to celebrate Jesus birth. His death yes but not his birth. Also, if a person researches all holidays origin, they will find that they are all a crock. I do fun stuff with my kids on holiday breaks but I make sure it has nothing to do with any National holiday.

    You are right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found that out too last year. I thank God for revealing His mystery to me. All of the traditions we've been brought up on are indeed pagan. God wanted us to follow His FEASTS as listed in Leviticus 23. Scriptures are there to back this up, too. Jeremiah 10:1-4, Matthew 6:33, etc. Thanks for posting...the truth!


    Actually Christmas ( The birth of Christ) is stated in the bible for worship.

    Matthew 2:1-2

    "1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

    So biblically, it is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Without Jesus ever coming to be born, how could he die and resurrect?
    In comparison:When a couple has a new born child, they celebrate in joy of their child. After all, Jesus GAVE his life, for all sin.

    To celebrate, does not mean party, or anything close! Per dictionary.com:

    cel·e·brate   /ˈsɛləˌbreɪt/ Show Spelled [sel-uh-breyt] Show IPA verb, -brat·ed, -brat·ing.
    verb (used with object)

    1. to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities: to celebrate Christmas; to celebrate the success of a new play.

    2. to make known publicly; proclaim: The newspaper celebrated the end of the war in red headlines.

    3. to praise widely or to present to widespread and favorable public notice, as through newspapers or novels: a novel celebrating the joys of marriage; the countryside celebrated in the novels of Hardy.

    4. to perform with appropriate rites and ceremonies; solemnize: to celebrate a marriage


    and to Worship is defined as:


    wor·ship   /ˈwɜrʃɪp/ Show Spelled [wur-ship] Show IPA noun, verb, -shiped, -ship·ing or ( especially British ) -shipped, -ship·ping.
    noun
    1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.

    2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.

    3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.

    4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.

    5. ( initial capital letter ) British . a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually preceded by Your, His, or Her ).

    Both are similar in relation to each other.


    Compared to the birth of Christ, the wise men came and celebrated, (although not mentioned exactly to "celebrate" the birth of Christ), because they knew he had come. They also bring gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. They gave openly to Jesus as a tithe in comparison, but again the bible does not say the wise men gave a "tithe" but "presented".

    Matthew 2:11
    "And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh"

    They didnt offer, they gave. Christmas is celebrated in giving. Even as the bible again says:

    Luke 6:38

    "38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

    Others related in scripture to the same extent would be:

    Luke 11:9

    9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

    Colossians 3:12-13

    12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

    Matthew 6:14

    14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


    Me personally, i think too many people now days try to weave their own understanding of what the word of God says, instead of asking their pastor what it means. I know myself, i dont understand everything perfectly, and especially some scripture. thats why i ask my pastor.
  • AuntSissy152
    AuntSissy152 Posts: 27 Member
    Ho! Ho! Ho!
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    Christmas is what you make it. Sure it's commercialized, and full of fluff out in the big world .. THAT part, I could do without. THAT's not what I choose to make MY Christmas about.

    In THIS household .. it's about family and sharing. We are a close family (Myself, my husband, our kids and their partners .. and whooo hooo! .. and baby grand daughter) as it is, and we share our time often, not just at Christmas. But, because we don't visit with our extended families as often as we'd like, this is a time when we make an effort to ALL get together.

    Our brothers and sisters (on both my side and my hubby's side) who have families of their own and now that we all have grandchildren, when we all get together it is exhausting, but I absolutely LOVE it. I'm thinking we are going to have to rent a hall to get everyone in the same room for dinner one of these years. It's tradition to share a meal as a family ... no matter how many members there is.

    It all reminds me of my Mom, who has been gone but not forgotten for over 25 yrs now. SHE loved when family came converged in her living room. It was NEVER about presents and gifts .. it wasn't about spending money .. it was about spending time. I like to think, I am passing THAT sentiment onto my own kids and they will pass it on to theirs.

    We are not a wealthy family, by any means. We work hard for our money. We don't buy gifts .. just to buy gifts. It's not as shallow, cold and calculated as that. We buy gifts which are given from the heart. I buy things that my family might need and will enjoy .. things that they might not purchase themselves and we also dig a little deeper to give to charity at Christmas .. because typically, Christmas comes during a time of the year when temperatures plummet and need is great.

    Yup! I love this time of year.
  • JoshGouvisis
    JoshGouvisis Posts: 98 Member
    I quit celebrating holidays about 5 years ago. Nowhere in the bible does it tell us to celebrate Jesus birth. His death yes but not his birth. Also, if a person researches all holidays origin, they will find that they are all a crock. I do fun stuff with my kids on holiday breaks but I make sure it has nothing to do with any National holiday.

    You are right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found that out too last year. I thank God for revealing His mystery to me. All of the traditions we've been brought up on are indeed pagan. God wanted us to follow His FEASTS as listed in Leviticus 23. Scriptures are there to back this up, too. Jeremiah 10:1-4, Matthew 6:33, etc. Thanks for posting...the truth!


    Natasha,

    In repsonse to the scriptures you mentioned

    Jeremiah 10:2-4

    “ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
    Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
    For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
    3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
    For one cuts a tree from the forest,
    The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
    4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
    They fasten it with nails and hammers
    So that it will not topple.


    What this is explaining it craftsmanship of wooden idols. As you know, or may not, Egyptians formed wooden idols plating the with gold or silver like this scripture says. Egyptians would cut down trees to carve statues of animals etc, and plate them with metals to worship.


    if you read a little further down you will see in Jeremiah 10:8-10

    8 But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish;
    A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
    9 Silver is beaten into plates;
    It is brought from Tarshish,
    And gold from Uphaz,
    The work of the craftsman
    And of the hands of the metalsmith;
    Blue and purple are their clothing;
    They are all the work of skillful men.
    10 But the LORD is the true God;

    Describing a wooden carved idol plated with metal. See Exodus 20:1-5

    1 And God spoke all these words, saying:
    2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
    3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
    4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

    The first 2 commandments lay it out pretty clearly!



    Matthew 6:33 is my favorite scripture! Its actually what got me saved :smile:

    33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

    This is being said for us to not make idols before us, but to put God first in all, and nothing before him. In return God will provide all that is asked in HIS name.
  • I don't love it, but this year my daughter and I decided to make cookies and cinnamon rolls for the local police and fire departments. She is only 8 months old, but I want to start teaching her that Christmas is not about getting gifts, but giving to those that support and serve the community. This is going to be our new tradition.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I'm sure he didn't Resurrect on same Sunday we always celebrate Easter, it's ok to celebrate things even if they weren't in the bible. We read the birth of Jesus and we celebrate it as a family on Christmas because to us it's important. It's important to remember the birth of a savior. We celebrate Easter to celebrate the gift he gave us, Salvation. So for that is why we celebrate. It doesn't have to be written in the bible. It's not in the bible to celebrate birthday's at all, but we do it. Thanksgiving for Canada or America is not in the bible, but we celebrate it. The meaning is real, the meaning is there, that is why I celebrate Christmas. I don't believe the reason for the season is getting gifts, it's about giving. For me it goes hand and hand with God giving us Jesus. To each their own, but that's why I celebrate it. It doesn't have to be in the bible.
    Thank you for proving my point about people and religions that make up their own rules as they go along and do exactly what the bible does not tell them to. This is exactly what I was saying!! Thank you!!!

    Is there something wrong with that?
  • Very well said
  • NOT a fan of Christmas!!! For one thanks to the retail stores christmas starts in freakin October now. Ok, 3 months of any holiday is too much. Everyone is stressed and broke and complaining about shopping and cooking and wrapping and traffic and going to 4 different family members' houses in one day so no one gets butt hurt they're left out. My husband spending 2 Christmas holidays in Iraq, ya that sealed the deal is disliking Christmas for this chick! Lol!
  • JoshGouvisis
    JoshGouvisis Posts: 98 Member
    To end, the Christmas tree was actually used as Trinity is. A tree has 3 points that are its shape. The top point, and bottom left & right end corners. This represents the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). In spiritual comparison if you think about it, or how i do at least.Gifts are placed under the tree, because they are under God. Pledge Of Alligiance "One nation under God". If the tree represents the Trinity (3 points) is comparable to how the wise men presented gifts to Jesus. They GAVE gifts to Jesus, just as we give gifts to others. They are placed under the tree, to be given to others.
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
    This year it doesn't really feel like Christmas. Probably because my family is 1200 miles away, but it snuck up on me. I also never realized until this season how freaking over-commercialized this season is. It makes me sick to think about how many people are so materialistic, all they think about is buy buy buy and they don't care who they (literally!) trample over to get what there spoiled brats of children want. Do I buy gifts? Yes. But I don't see a commercial and go running down to Target or wherever to get the latest bull**** technology that our lazy *kitten* don't need. I bought my fiance a cheap pair of headphones for Christmas. Less than 30 bucks. But he loves them. Know why? Because they're something he "needs" (really wants, but would be useful) and they're Boba Fett. He LOVES Star Wars. As a matter of fact, everyone we did buy gifts for this year LOVE their gifts, even though they were all super cheap. On some level I DO feel pressure to buy this time of year even though I know my family would not give a flaming crap if I didn't buy them anything. However, I do like to see my family happy, and they don't like having things bought for them, so this time of year gives me an excuse to buy them something they'd love without them objecting to it. Plus, I'm not Christian by any means. I don't believe in any one God. Yes, I realize Christmas is a (man-made) Christian holiday, but stop being a whiny little baby because people say xmas sometimes. For one, when you get down to it, it still means the same thing. For another, I'm tired of seeing on Facebook "Merry CHRISTmas! If you're offended, I don't care." Well, stop being offended because someone ELSE is offended. :grumble:

    /rant
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
    double post
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
    People, the reason we celebrate Christmas is because JESUS was born on this day. How could you possibly hate it?
    I know that many of us don't get along with their families but still it's a happy season.
    Spend it with the ones you love the most.

    1. Scientists have found he was more likely born around August.
    2. Not everyone does believe in Jesus.
    3. Since when are trees and a big fat dude in a red suit related to Jesus in any way?
    4. Christmas is actually more Pagan than anything.

    I'm not trying to attack you, I'm just trying to make a counter-point to your point. I apologize if I have offended you, however. Since you seem to like this time of year, you have a Merry Christmas! :smile:
  • Edithrenee
    Edithrenee Posts: 546 Member
    To end, the Christmas tree was actually used as Trinity is. A tree has 3 points that are its shape. The top point, and bottom left & right end corners. This represents the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). In spiritual comparison if you think about it, or how i do at least.Gifts are placed under the tree, because they are under God. Pledge Of Alligiance "One nation under God". If the tree represents the Trinity (3 points) is comparable to how the wise men presented gifts to Jesus. They GAVE gifts to Jesus, just as we give gifts to others. They are placed under the tree, to be given to others.
    wow i did not know this !! thanks!
  • Edithrenee
    Edithrenee Posts: 546 Member
    I quit celebrating holidays about 5 years ago. Nowhere in the bible does it tell us to celebrate Jesus birth. His death yes but not his birth. Also, if a person researches all holidays origin, they will find that they are all a crock. I do fun stuff with my kids on holiday breaks but I make sure it has nothing to do with any National holiday.

    You are right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I found that out too last year. I thank God for revealing His mystery to me. All of the traditions we've been brought up on are indeed pagan. God wanted us to follow His FEASTS as listed in Leviticus 23. Scriptures are there to back this up, too. Jeremiah 10:1-4, Matthew 6:33, etc. Thanks for posting...the truth!


    Actually Christmas ( The birth of Christ) is stated in the bible for worship.

    Matthew 2:1-2

    "1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

    So biblically, it is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Without Jesus ever coming to be born, how could he die and resurrect?
    In comparison:When a couple has a new born child, they celebrate in joy of their child. After all, Jesus GAVE his life, for all sin.

    To celebrate, does not mean party, or anything close! Per dictionary.com:

    cel·e·brate   /ˈsɛləˌbreɪt/ Show Spelled [sel-uh-breyt] Show IPA verb, -brat·ed, -brat·ing.
    verb (used with object)

    1. to observe (a day) or commemorate (an event) with ceremonies or festivities: to celebrate Christmas; to celebrate the success of a new play.

    2. to make known publicly; proclaim: The newspaper celebrated the end of the war in red headlines.

    3. to praise widely or to present to widespread and favorable public notice, as through newspapers or novels: a novel celebrating the joys of marriage; the countryside celebrated in the novels of Hardy.

    4. to perform with appropriate rites and ceremonies; solemnize: to celebrate a marriage


    and to Worship is defined as:


    wor·ship   /ˈwɜrʃɪp/ Show Spelled [wur-ship] Show IPA noun, verb, -shiped, -ship·ing or ( especially British ) -shipped, -ship·ping.
    noun
    1. reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.

    2. formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.

    3. adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.

    4. the object of adoring reverence or regard.

    5. ( initial capital letter ) British . a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually preceded by Your, His, or Her ).

    Both are similar in relation to each other.


    Compared to the birth of Christ, the wise men came and celebrated, (although not mentioned exactly to "celebrate" the birth of Christ), because they knew he had come. They also bring gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. They gave openly to Jesus as a tithe in comparison, but again the bible does not say the wise men gave a "tithe" but "presented".

    Matthew 2:11
    "And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh"

    They didnt offer, they gave. Christmas is celebrated in giving. Even as the bible again says:

    Luke 6:38

    "38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

    Others related in scripture to the same extent would be:

    Luke 11:9

    9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

    Colossians 3:12-13

    12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

    Matthew 6:14

    14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.


    Me personally, i think too many people now days try to weave their own understanding of what the word of God says, instead of asking their pastor what it means. I know myself, i dont understand everything perfectly, and especially some scripture. thats why i ask my pastor.

    I love this thanks for this!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,422 Member
    It is against Myfitnesspal rules to discuss RELIGION in the forums.



    Let it go.

    This thread is now doomed.


    __________________________________
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    To end, the Christmas tree was actually used as Trinity is. A tree has 3 points that are its shape. The top point, and bottom left & right end corners. This represents the trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). In spiritual comparison if you think about it, or how i do at least.Gifts are placed under the tree, because they are under God. Pledge Of Alligiance "One nation under God". If the tree represents the Trinity (3 points) is comparable to how the wise men presented gifts to Jesus. They GAVE gifts to Jesus, just as we give gifts to others. They are placed under the tree, to be given to others.

    How does the Pledge of Allegiance relate to Christmas?
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    It is against Myfitnesspal rules to discuss RELIGION in the forums.



    Let it go.

    This thread is now doomed.

    __________________________________

    Too right. This started as merely a thread about hating the holidays - even if you celebrate the holiday for religious reasons there was no reason to bring it into the thread and get it deleted.

    I also despise this time of year. Christmas carols and decorations are now in stores after Halloween. People get nuts focusing on all the materialistic aspects. People are ruder than usual when you go out to a grocery store or any retail place starting a few weeks before the holiday because they stress themselves out. And while I applaud those who do try to focus more on the giving back aspect of the holiday, I hope that someday these sentiments are part of everyday life (for everyone, I know there are many people who do volunteer, etc, throughout the year), rather than something that is only discussed once a year.
  • ShadowSoldier23
    ShadowSoldier23 Posts: 321 Member
    People, the reason we celebrate Christmas is because JESUS was born on this day. How could you possibly hate it?
    I know that many of us don't get along with their families but still it's a happy season.
    Spend it with the ones you love the most.
    Please do your research. Jesus was not born on this day. I thought everybody knew this!
    Although no one knows the exact date of Christ's birth, there is evidence that he was not born in the winter: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night" (Lk.2:8). This never could have occurred in the month of December in Palestine. The shepherds usually brought their flocks from the mountainsides and fields and corralled them no later than the middle of October to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed. The Song of Solomon 2:11 and Ezra.10:9, 13 show that winter was a rainy season during which shepherds could not have remained in open fields at night:

    Astronomers believe that he was born in summertime, probably in July. Also, I really have respect for you as a person of faith (which I am not) because most do not know this or the fact that the holiday stems from Pagan origins. Most people aren't educated enough to know this or do the research. Thats why I really hate when people say keep christ in christmas. I understand the need to feel as though it is a holiday celebrating their faith, but come one...Hanukkah is more original. lol.
  • ShadowSoldier23
    ShadowSoldier23 Posts: 321 Member
    At the same time I love seeing my little boy's excitement about Christmas. For a long time I lost it. I was the Grinch. Then I had my son and it's like experiencing Christmas through new eyes.

    I see the xmas lights for the first time...instead of my eyes just glazing over.

    I wake up with anticipation and can't wait till he opens his presents when before he was born, I hated having to buy people things out of obligation.

    I agree with this point. My boyfriend and I both agree that when we eventually have kids we will do a moderate xmas day for them. Kids have pure hearts that aren't corrupted by greed (unless of course you raise them that way) and it is wonderful to see the joy they get from even the smallest gift.

    Adding a little something- I heard someone say that each year during the holidays the kids would go through their toys they didn't want and take them needy kids or childrens hospitals. Although I have never been a religious person, I was raised to help others in need (no need for religion to be a good person). When we were kids my godmother couldn't afford gifts for her kids so when I was about 8 I was using my xmas money to buy them gifts. I want my kids to be the same way. I want to take them to homeless shelters and such and show them what I was raised to believe, that not everyone, no matter how impoverished you might be, someone out there is probably worse. Although this is something that should be done all year round.
  • yogavegan
    yogavegan Posts: 116 Member
    i dont celebrate any holidays really, and this time of year is the most depressing for me. there is so much pressure and stress and expectations, and i dont buy into any of it... and the whole 'family' thing is another ball of confusion... i am the black sheep outcast of the family, and they keep trying to mold me into who they want me to be... i am almost 40 years old...

    so anyway... i just grin and bear it and do a lot of yoga through the new year....
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
    Give your kids frankincense and myrrh and see what happens. :laugh:
  • mem50
    mem50 Posts: 1,384 Member
    I don't hate Christmas but dislike the gotta buy this and gotta buy that and If I don't get this I'll just DIE attitude. I don't put up a tree, I don't put up lights, I don't have the whole family over for dinner, I don't do gifts. I celebrate in my own way with my husband and we're ok with that.

    Except this year I have to deal with the MIL. Look out pine rest, here I come!!!!!
  • fionat29
    fionat29 Posts: 717 Member
    Yes!!!!!!!!!!! I hate Christmas!!!!!!!!!!! I hate having to be nice to family that I hate the rest of the time. I hate having to cook food that I wouldn't normally eat because of the calories. I hate feeling like I have to drink alcohol because everyone else is. I hate all the work involved (for me) because I have to cater for 2 aging mothers. I hate having to buy gifts that probably won't be appreciated and I hate spending money I haven't got on said gifts.
    I am the original Mrs Scrooge!!
  • fionat29
    fionat29 Posts: 717 Member
    Yes!!!!!!!!!!! I hate Christmas!!!!!!!!!!! I hate having to be nice to family that I hate the rest of the time. I hate having to cook food that I wouldn't normally eat because of the calories. I hate feeling like I have to drink alcohol because everyone else is. I hate all the work involved (for me) because I have to cater for 2 aging mothers. I hate having to buy gifts that probably won't be appreciated and I hate spending money I haven't got on said gifts.
    I am the original Mrs Scrooge!!
This discussion has been closed.