Since we have such a diverse group I'm wondering if all of the non-Christians celebrate Christmas or not.
Some people think Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, others see it as a holiday with no religious meaning. I'm looking for everyone's vote and discussion.

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those who understand binary
and those who don't............

Sic Semper Tyrannis

I don't understand how anybody other than Christians can even celebrate Christmas!

The very name and history indicate that it is a celebration of Christ's birth, not a cheap, commercialized second birthday for greedy children. Presents are great, but they are given in honour of Christ, to celebrate His birthday.

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Henry K.

"Let me introduce you to the next President...of the United States: Joe Biden!" -~-Barack Obama

Planning on getting shot?

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I give occasional historical presentations at a social club that I belong to. One of those presentations was on the history of Hanukah. Hanukah is a Jewish holiday with roots in the Jewish war against Hellenistic Syria in 167 BCE. Hence, it celebrates certain events in a war to maintain Jewish separatism and uniqueness. However, most Jews today live in largely ostensibly Christian countries. As Hanukah and Christmas are both December holidays, the way in which Hanukah has been celebrated has been somewhat influenced by the way the Christmas holiday is celebrated. While there is no Hanukah bush, the practice of Christmas gift-giving did give rise to the practice of giving gelt-money to young children at Hanukah. So, the lesson to be learned there is that there is the issue of cultural assimilation.

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Theodore Lamar Heiks
BA, History/Political Science, Western State College, 1984
MBA, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, City University, 1993

This is the point of my thread. Some people celebrate because of the true meaning, then there are others who use the holiday for other purposes. I'm curious how each of us see's this.

__________________
There are 10 types of people,
those who understand binary
and those who don't............

Sic Semper Tyrannis

Most of the Christmas traditions we have now are derived from pagan holidays adjusted to help secular groups convert to christianity. The tree, the day, the presents so really anyone 'could' celebrate Christmas.

Regardless, I celebrate the birth of Christ on that particular day.

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Yet even the presumed date is likely incorrect. One of my old history professors pointed out that the bit about the shepherds keeping their flocks out in the hills by night likely argues for a March birthday for Jesus. But December 25 was the official date chosen because Christianity as the new Roman religion wanted to place their major feast day in direct competition with Saturnalia, the major feast day of the old Roman religion. Indeed, Christianity succeeded largely by incorporating elements of the old religions from which they hoped to draw converts. Hence, the Germanic yule logs, etc. Note: Yule logs (actually spelled Jule logs) were gathered in the Germanic month of Jule, which is July.

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Theodore Lamar Heiks
BA, History/Political Science, Western State College, 1984
MBA, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, City University, 1993

Question for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere: How common are Christmas in July celebrations down there?

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Theodore Lamar Heiks
BA, History/Political Science, Western State College, 1984
MBA, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, City University, 1993

It has alway been my least favorite time of the year even when I was a Christian. I have never been a fan of Christmas. I hate the music for one thing. Christmas is not my favorite holiday, though I'll certainly take the time off work. I ain't stupid.

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I celebrate Yule, which is very much like christmas, minus the jesus, so I guess that's a Yes.