Is Christmas a Christian (or Catholic) Holiday?

[GLASNOST]

... the Hellenistic Jews most likely chosen Jesus' birthday during the winter. That the winter solstice was considered as a sacred holy day to them.
.....

...... HELLENISTIC JEWS who considered the winter solstice
to be 'holy' is a new one on me. Let's ask Philo

The idea is cringeworthy! Some people will say anything to defend undefendable claptrap. I lived in Rhodesia in the mid-to-late 1970's and it used to baffle me how during Christmas the city of Salisbury would erect flat, phoney, plyboard fir trees in the park and spray them with fake snow. Keep in mind that Southern Africa is below the equator and December is mid-summer. In any case, I doubt very much that it snowed in Bethlem when Jesus was allegedly born to a virgin.

 

[irosie91]

... the Hellenistic Jews most likely chosen Jesus' birthday during the winter. That the winter solstice was considered as a sacred holy day to them.
.....

...... HELLENISTIC JEWS who considered the winter solstice
to be 'holy' is a new one on me. Let's ask Philo

The idea is cringeworthy! Some people will say anything to defend undefendable claptrap. I lived in Rhodesia in the mid-to-late 1970's and it used to baffle me how during Christmas the city of Salisbury would erect flat, phoney, plyboard fir trees in the park and spray them with fake snow. Keep in mind that Southern Africa is below the equator and December is mid-summer.

you have no heart-----they did it for the sake of Santa Claus----so he would feel comfortable when he shows
up on the sled. A large christmas tree has also been
erected in Jerusalem----for the sake of Jesus and his 12 apostles. Some kinds of fir trees do grow in Israel---I think --generally in the hills------ps----there ain't no
Rhodesia anymore ((???)))

 

[esalla]

I find this piece interesting and tellworthy, because nowadays many denie the christian roots of Christmas they just equal it with ancient pagan roots, and consumerism. They want to erase the Christ out of Christmas. Many just say "But Christmas is pagan not Christian."

Read Catholic Roots of Christmas


Catholic Roots of Christmas
December 19, 2020
Christmas honors the pivotal day which altered all of history. Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Christ Jesus. On this day, God Incarnate departed the hidden tabernacle of Mary’s womb into the blissful embrace of His mother’s arms. And she, in turn, presented this unblemished child, this Divine Gift, to all the world that we might adore Him as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

As with any child’s arrival, there are many preparations to be made before welcoming the new family member; an expecting family gathers bathing items, blankets, and a collection of cozy outfits. Faithful members of the Catholic Christian family prepare for Christ’s coming by observing the season of Advent.

Advent is a time of joyful anticipation in which the faithful prepare their hearts for the most special arrival of the Divine Infant. Formally introduced by the Council of Tours in 567 AD, the Advent season begins four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. This period provides a precursor to the special holy day when the Light of the World shines amidst the darkness, the Sign of Hope dispels all despair.

One Catholic tradition orienting believers toward Christ’s coming is the Nativity Scene. This practice harkens back to Medieval times when in 1223, St. Francis of Assisi directed a live nativity scene as a form of public remembrance honoring Christ’s birth. St. Francis wanted to bring the Gospels to life, assigning parts for Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and others so that in witnessing this reenactment, all people would learn the extraordinary story of God’s love for mankind. Often the nativity creche remains empty until Christmas Eve as a reminder that the faithful eagerly await the Christ child. And when the Divine Infant arrives, how much greater is the joy during the Christmas vigil when Baby Jesus joins the Holy Family and all humanity!

When the faithful prepare their hearts properly, the blessings of Christmas may be appreciated in full. “We Christians are called to safeguard and spread the joy of waiting,” Pope Francis declared in a Vatican address. Additionally, much as the faithful await Christ’s birth in remembrance of the first Christmas, the Catholic liturgical readings point the faithful toward awaiting Christ’s ultimate return upon Judgement Day.

According to Catholic tradition, the rejoicing of Christ’s coming lasts considerably longer than one great day. Rather, it stretches from the Christmas vigil Mass until the Feast of the Epiphany, sometimes called Three Kings’ Day.

Why did the Church choose to celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25? The most direct answer is that according to the Roman calendar, this day marked the winter solstice. Saint Augustine explained the significance of this day in remembering Christ’s coming, writing, “on the day which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase.”

The most excellent Catholic tradition of celebrating Christmas as a family is attending Holy Mass together. Even young adults who may have strayed from observing other tenets of their Catholic faith will often return to Mass with their families in order to observe the sacred Feast of the Nativity.

Christmas is a rare time when the Mass readings differ according to the order in which the Mass is offered. There are four distinct Christmas Masses. The Vigil Mass is offered at the start of Christmas Eve. The Mass of the angels is a popular celebration, offered at midnight. The Dawn Mass is called the Mass of the Shepherds; it is offered early morning. Finally, on Christmas Day, the priest offers the Mass of the Divine Word.

The Christmas octave is punctuated with a feast that originally honored Christ’s circumcision. In present times, the Catholic Church commemorates the first day of the year as the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. This holy day respects Mary’s unique human privilege of forming Christ physically and spiritually before releasing Him into the world to fulfill His divine salvific work.

The end of the Christmas season points toward this extraordinary mission for which God entered the world. According to Catholic tradition, the Magi, called the Three Kings, spent 12 days following a star. The brilliant star led them to Bethlehem, where Jesus had just been born. The Wise Men—Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar—presented three symbolic gifts to the Holy Family for their newborn son. The kings presented to the Divine Child gold to honor His kingship, frankincense to honor His priesthood, and myrrh to honor His humanity.

Many families around the world present gifts to one another either in celebration of Christmas Day or in commemoration of the Three Kings. The faithful fulfill the Christmas spirit when offering their own hearts to the Divine Messiah who humbled Himself to enter the world as a small child.

Article written by Myriah C. Boudreaux for Christian Catholic Media

Myriah C. Boudreaux graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a BA in Psychology. Soon after, she left her native Southern California home to marry a FUS alumnus, start a family, settle in Bayou Country with her Cajun husband, and begin a career homeschooling their ever-growing family. With seven children ranging from ages 21 – 2, her practical understanding of Heavenly Father's patience, love, and mercy is continually expanding.

Christmas is the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, one 365 of all people are born on Christmas

 

[GLASNOST]

... the Hellenistic Jews most likely chosen Jesus' birthday during the winter. That the winter solstice was considered as a sacred holy day to them.
.....

...... HELLENISTIC JEWS who considered the winter solstice
to be 'holy' is a new one on me. Let's ask Philo

The idea is cringeworthy! Some people will say anything to defend undefendable claptrap. I lived in Rhodesia in the mid-to-late 1970's and it used to baffle me how during Christmas the city of Salisbury would erect flat, phoney, plyboard fir trees in the park and spray them with fake snow. Keep in mind that Southern Africa is below the equator and December is mid-summer.

you have no heart-----they did it for the sake of Santa Claus----so he would feel comfortable when he shows
up on the sled. A large christmas tree has also been
erected in Jerusalem----for the sake of Jesus and his 12 apostles. Some kinds of fir trees do grow in Israel---I think --generally in the hills------ps----there ain't no
Rhodesia anymore ((???)))

Nope, there ain't no Rhodesia no more. First, it was Southern Rhodesia then just Rhodesia and now Zimbabwe.

Ps. I do have a heart but it was with the Africans who never saw snow or a fir tree and must have thought we "whities" were crazy because Jesus probably never saw snow either.

 

[GLASNOST]

..... one 365 of all people are born on Christmas

I don't think that is true.

 

[esalla]

..... one 365 of all people are born on Christmas

I don't think that is true.

Close enough

 

[GLASNOST]

..... one 365 of all people are born on Christmas

I don't think that is true.

Close enough

Yeah, I guess so.

 

[Polishprince]

Not at all. Christmas is a tremendously important holiday for Christians, but in actuality, it extends far further than that.

Christmas is the day that all people of every faith can celebrate the birth of Jesus H. Christ.

 

[Aletheia4u]

I find this piece interesting and tellworthy, because nowadays many denie the christian roots of Christmas they just equal it with ancient pagan roots, and consumerism. They want to erase the Christ out of Christmas. Many just say "But Christmas is pagan not Christian."

Read Catholic Roots of Christmas


Catholic Roots of Christmas
December 19, 2020
Christmas honors the pivotal day which altered all of history. Christians around the world celebrate Christmas as the birthday of Christ Jesus. On this day, God Incarnate departed the hidden tabernacle of Mary’s womb into the blissful embrace of His mother’s arms. And she, in turn, presented this unblemished child, this Divine Gift, to all the world that we might adore Him as “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

As with any child’s arrival, there are many preparations to be made before welcoming the new family member; an expecting family gathers bathing items, blankets, and a collection of cozy outfits. Faithful members of the Catholic Christian family prepare for Christ’s coming by observing the season of Advent.

Advent is a time of joyful anticipation in which the faithful prepare their hearts for the most special arrival of the Divine Infant. Formally introduced by the Council of Tours in 567 AD, the Advent season begins four Sundays prior to Christmas Day. This period provides a precursor to the special holy day when the Light of the World shines amidst the darkness, the Sign of Hope dispels all despair.

One Catholic tradition orienting believers toward Christ’s coming is the Nativity Scene. This practice harkens back to Medieval times when in 1223, St. Francis of Assisi directed a live nativity scene as a form of public remembrance honoring Christ’s birth. St. Francis wanted to bring the Gospels to life, assigning parts for Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and others so that in witnessing this reenactment, all people would learn the extraordinary story of God’s love for mankind. Often the nativity creche remains empty until Christmas Eve as a reminder that the faithful eagerly await the Christ child. And when the Divine Infant arrives, how much greater is the joy during the Christmas vigil when Baby Jesus joins the Holy Family and all humanity!

When the faithful prepare their hearts properly, the blessings of Christmas may be appreciated in full. “We Christians are called to safeguard and spread the joy of waiting,” Pope Francis declared in a Vatican address. Additionally, much as the faithful await Christ’s birth in remembrance of the first Christmas, the Catholic liturgical readings point the faithful toward awaiting Christ’s ultimate return upon Judgement Day.

According to Catholic tradition, the rejoicing of Christ’s coming lasts considerably longer than one great day. Rather, it stretches from the Christmas vigil Mass until the Feast of the Epiphany, sometimes called Three Kings’ Day.

Why did the Church choose to celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25? The most direct answer is that according to the Roman calendar, this day marked the winter solstice. Saint Augustine explained the significance of this day in remembering Christ’s coming, writing, “on the day which is the shortest in our earthly reckoning and from which subsequent days begin to increase in length. He, therefore, who bent low and lifted us up chose the shortest day, yet the one whence light begins to increase.”

The most excellent Catholic tradition of celebrating Christmas as a family is attending Holy Mass together. Even young adults who may have strayed from observing other tenets of their Catholic faith will often return to Mass with their families in order to observe the sacred Feast of the Nativity.

Christmas is a rare time when the Mass readings differ according to the order in which the Mass is offered. There are four distinct Christmas Masses. The Vigil Mass is offered at the start of Christmas Eve. The Mass of the angels is a popular celebration, offered at midnight. The Dawn Mass is called the Mass of the Shepherds; it is offered early morning. Finally, on Christmas Day, the priest offers the Mass of the Divine Word.

The Christmas octave is punctuated with a feast that originally honored Christ’s circumcision. In present times, the Catholic Church commemorates the first day of the year as the Feast of Mary, Mother of God. This holy day respects Mary’s unique human privilege of forming Christ physically and spiritually before releasing Him into the world to fulfill His divine salvific work.

The end of the Christmas season points toward this extraordinary mission for which God entered the world. According to Catholic tradition, the Magi, called the Three Kings, spent 12 days following a star. The brilliant star led them to Bethlehem, where Jesus had just been born. The Wise Men—Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar—presented three symbolic gifts to the Holy Family for their newborn son. The kings presented to the Divine Child gold to honor His kingship, frankincense to honor His priesthood, and myrrh to honor His humanity.

Many families around the world present gifts to one another either in celebration of Christmas Day or in commemoration of the Three Kings. The faithful fulfill the Christmas spirit when offering their own hearts to the Divine Messiah who humbled Himself to enter the world as a small child.

Article written by Myriah C. Boudreaux for Christian Catholic Media

Myriah C. Boudreaux graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a BA in Psychology. Soon after, she left her native Southern California home to marry a FUS alumnus, start a family, settle in Bayou Country with her Cajun husband, and begin a career homeschooling their ever-growing family. With seven children ranging from ages 21 – 2, her practical understanding of Heavenly Father's patience, love, and mercy is continually expanding.

The Day of the First fruit is Jesus birthday and His rebirthday. He was born on that day and was resurrected 35 years later on the very same day.
But the Hellenistic Jews most likely chosen Jesus' birthday during the winter. That the winter solstice was considered as a sacred holy day to them.
But as long as it is done in Jesus name, it have been cleansed. Like when He told Peter to eat unclean creatures that the Greeks ate, that was forbidden by the Jews to eat. And Jesus told Peter, "whatever He cleansed, you eat".
And so as long as Christmas is done in His name, that it is okay to celebrate it. And as it says. do not go around judging others, trying to make them do what we cannot do.
And God said only worship or adorned Him. He didn't said how to adorned Him.
Some worships their children and praises their report card on the internet. But I don't think that there is a rule book for how to worship members in your family.



Acts 15:8
God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

I had a friend way back in high school named Althea. ---she came up with silly stuff like this ^^^^^ too.
She attended a special educational program which
provided sophist literature crediting the Greek scholars of old with just about every philosophical and scientific
accomplishment known to mankind and even posthumously decided that they were believers in the
articles of the Greek Orthodox Church----longtime BC. all rejected the concept of polytheism---but
HELLENISTIC JEWS who considered the winter solstice
to be 'holy' is a new one on me. Let's ask Philo

Mithra: The Pagan Christ

by Acharya S/D.M. Murdock (The following article is adapted from a chapter in Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled, as well as excerpts from other articles, such as "The Origins of Christianity" and "The ZEITGEIST Sourcebook.") "Both Mithras and Christ were

stellarhousepublishing.com

.


Of course, we put our own Jewish twist on this auspicious night. We recited the appropriate brachot over the different fruits and nuts — my mother always made sure there was a variety so we could recite the various blessings over food from trees, food from the ground, as well as treats and grains. In addition to reciting poetry, someone — usually a grandparent — would recite a few verses of Psalms, and we wished for one another’s safety. As a minority in an Islamic country, we usually took caution with how we behaved and acted in public. But putting our own Jewish twist to this holiday was widely practiced in the privacy of our own homes.

I’m now a mom of three here in the U.S., and we’ve continued to celebrate Shab-e-yalda as a way to keep our kids in touch with the childhood customs of my husband and I grew up with.

The Persian Jewish Way to Celebrate the Winter Solstice – Kveller

The winter solstice has been commemorated in special ways throughout the world since time immemorial. In China, for example, the ancient holiday of Dong Zhi — which has roots in the Chinese concept of yin and yang — marks the end of the harvest season with large meals and family gatherings. In...

www.kveller.com

Babylonian Captivity | Definition, History, & Significance

Babylonian Captivity, the forced detention of Jews in Babylonia following the latter’s conquest of the kingdom of Judah in 598/7 and 587/6 BCE. The captivity ended in 538 BCE, when the Persian conqueror of Babylonia, Cyrus the Great, gave Jews permission to return to Palestine.

www.britannica.com

 

[GLASNOST]

Christmas is the day that all people of every faith can celebrate the birth of Jesus H. Christ.

Ramadan is a month that all people of every faith can celebrate in honour of Muhammad.

 

[Blues Man]

Christmas is a pagan holiday that was co opted by Christians.

 

[irosie91]

Divali is the BEST

 

[Penelope]

Not at all. Christmas is a tremendously important holiday for Christians, but in actuality, it extends far further than that.

Christmas is the day that all people of every faith can celebrate the birth of Jesus H. Christ.

What does the H stand for?

 

[Penelope]

Christmas is the day that all people of every faith can celebrate the birth of Jesus H. Christ.

Ramadan is a month that all people of every faith can celebrate in honour of Muhammad.

I can't stand the bug on you signature, I think its my computer glass, why do you have it?

 

[bodecea]

Let's remember that it was the Puritans who, in England and in New England, made celebrating Christmas illegal because they recognized it to be pagan/popish. Christians were forbidden to celebrate Christmas for quite a while.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Noel is more of a German tradition that was adopted by many cultures... Christmas Trees to Santa Claus are based on German traditions that Christianity uses to celebrate the birth of their Messiah...

 

[irosie91]

Not at all. Christmas is a tremendously important holiday for Christians, but in actuality, it extends far further than that.

Christmas is the day that all people of every faith can celebrate the birth of Jesus H. Christ.

What does the H stand for?

Penny dear, you already know what the addition of
the 5th letter of the hebrew alphabet (he') to a name
signifies. You are a scholar of religion----maybe
Mr Strong can help you

 

[GLASNOST]

I can't stand the bug on you signature ...

Not very many people can.

.... why do you have it?

It came over on the ark. The Lord works in strange ways and who are we to question His creation?

 

[GLASNOST]

What does the H stand for?

Henry.

--maybe Mr Strong can help you

Very clever.

 

[Aletheia4u]

Israelites main commodity was the sheep. The majority were shepherds and that is why the Angel visited the shepherds in the field, announcing Jesus' birth. And Jesus had always told stories that only a shepherd and farmer will know. it is because Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. And God always compared Himself as the shepherd because He accepted Abel's offering as a way to pardon sin. And Jesus was the Lamb from God who takes away the sin of many.
And so Jesus have to had been born during the lambing season.



Genesis 22:13
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.




So Constantine decided to turn this pagan holiday to Christmas to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. However, the exact date of the birth of Jesus is not really known and has been a topic for debate for many years.


Emperor Constantine came up with Christmas..