Celebrating all 12 December Holidays?

Question

I need a way to celebrate the 12 december holidays below:

Advent

Boxing Day

Christmas

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Festivus

Hanukkah

Kwanzaa

New Year

Saint Nicholas Day

Santa Lucia Day

Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere)

Our office is trying to have a diversify and have decorations for the holidays that honor all cultures

Answer 1

Okay - in order (although why all 12 I don't understand :))
Advent - this is the 4 weeks before christmas and is usually observed by lighting a candle each day within an 'advent wreath' which is a round candle holder with 5 candles, 3 purple, 1 pink and 1 white (the white goes in the center and is lit on Christmas Eve). The candles are lit one at a time on the four Sundays of Advent and the same one, two, three or four candles are lit each evening, usually before dinner. This is a Roman Catholic tradition that you can look up on line for more info.

Boxing Day - this is an English holiday that started in Victorian times. It was the day that the servants got their presents from their employers, usually in the boxes that the family had used for their own gifts the day before (hence the name). it is a bank/governmental holiday there and is a day when unwanted gifts are given to the needy. I don't know anything more about this holiday. To celebrate it if you are not in Britian, i suggest you refrain from going to any stores to exchange gifts and, instead, do something nice for someone who has less than you.

Christmas...whatever you normally do to celebrate this holiday, whether it be with a tree and gifts and decorations, a nice meal, etc.

Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe - this is a Mexican religious holiday. have a mexican meal and say a prayer for peace to "our lady of the americas". Again, a roman catholic tradition, feast day. the same is true of the feast of the Immaculate conception. This is simply a holy day of obligation and has no festivities associated with it. If you are catholic, you should attend mass on this day. it is a recognition in the belief of the sinlessness of mary the mother of jesus.

Festivus - not familar at all with this holiday

Guess I am out of room for the others...

Answer 2

Dear Believers,

It is vital to our salvation that we believe and preach God’s true and uncorrupted Gospel (Galatians 1:8).

The Bible is the word of God and there are no inconsistencies in its original Hebrew and Greek texts. All of its books and prophecies are in harmony. Men compiled the Books of the Bible but God wrote it (2 Timothy 3:16), and He has kept His word intact and uncorrupted. God’s word stands forever and will not fail to accomplish His purpose (Isaiah 40:8, 55:11; see also Matthew 24:35).

The Bible tells us that those who embrace heresies do not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). Heresies are doctrines and practices that are contrary to the Bible. They are also called "human traditions" or "doctrines of men". Both Peter and Paul predicted and warned that in the later times false teachers would rise within the Church and bring in damnable heresies and doctrines of devils and thereby bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1-3). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, for they transgressed the commandments of God by keeping their traditions. “in vain,” He said, "they worship me by keeping for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9).

The Roman Catholic Church says it never changes; yet, it invents new doctrines which are contrary to the Bible, and has practiced rites and ceremonies taken bodily from paganism. Some scholar has found that 75% of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Church are of pagan origin.

The Sign of the Cross, the use of wax candles, incense and holy water, praying to angels and deceased saints, the false doctrine of purgatory (established by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century) and praying for the dead are all rooted in paganism and were adopted into the R.C. Church centuries after the death of Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ clearly tells us that souls who have passed on go either to eternal paradise or to eternal torment (Matthew 25:46), so praying for the dead does not help them.

The Papacy is of pagan origin and the title of “pope” which means “father” is given to the bishop of Rome who is the leader of the worldwide R.C. Church. In Matthew 23:9, the Lord Jesus Christ warns that giving the title of “father” to human spiritual teachers is a sin because we are to look only to our Heavenly Father for ultimate truth and power.

Jesus did not appoint Peter to the headship of the apostles and forbade any such notion. (Read Luke 22:24-26; Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1st Corinthians 3:11). There is no mention in Scripture or history that Peter ever was in Rome, much less that he was pope there for 25 years; Clement, 3rd bishop of Rome, remarks that "there is no real 1st century evidence that Peter ever was in Rome."

The kissing of the Pope's feet was adopted in the 8th century. It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God forbids such practices. (Read Acts 10:25-26; Revelation 19:10; 22:9).

Canonization of dead saints was first established by Pope John XV in 993. Every believer and follower of Christ is called saint in the Bible. (Read Romans 1:7; 1st Colossians 1:2).
In the 11th century, Pope Hildebrand, Boniface VII was the first pope in centuries to rigorously enforce the Roman Church’s ancient policy of celibacy of the priesthood. Jesus imposed no such rule, nor did any of the apostles. On the contrary, St. Peter was a married man, and St. Paul says that bishops were to have wife and children. (Read 1st Timothy 3:2, 5, and 12; Matthew 8:14-15).

In the 13th century, the adoration of the wafer (Host) was decreed by Pope Honorius. So the Roman Church worships a God made by human hands. This is plain idolatry and absolutely contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. (Read John 4:24).

The Creed of Pope Pius IV was imposed as the official creed 1560 years after Christ and the apostles. True Christians retain the Holy Scriptures as their creed – which is 1500 years older than the creed of Roman Catholics. (Read Galatians 1:8).

In the year 1870 after Christ, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of PAPAL INFALLIBILITY. This is a blasphemy and the sign of the apostasy and of the Antichrist predicted by St. Paul. (Read 2nd Thessalonians 2:2-12; Revelation 17:1-9; 13:5-8, 18). Many Bible scholars see the number of the beast (Rev. 13:18), 666 in the Roman letters of the Pope's title: "VICARIVS FILII DEI."

In the 19th century, the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX. The Bible states that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners. Mary herself had need of a Saviour. (Read Romans 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Luke 1:30, 46, 47).

In the year 1950 Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Revelation chapter 12 speaks of a woman who is described as being clothed with the sun, having the moon under her feet, and wearing a crown of 12 stars. Examination of the scriptures will show that this woman is not Mary but actually the nation of Israel. The 12 stars refer to the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 37:9-11).Since the Lord Jesus Christ came from Israel it can be said that Israel birthed Him (Revelation 12:5). To escape the Antichrist (who Satan will use to try to destroy Israel) at Mid-Tribulation when he sets up the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27), the woman (Israel) will flee into the wilderness (Matthew 24:15-18; Mark 13:14-21) where she will be nourished for the rest of the Tribulation – a period of 3 and 1/2 years or 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6, 14). The woman on the beast in Revelation 17 is also another personification and she represents the diabolic One World Religion that will be established during the Tribulation.

Centuries ago, titles used for Isis (the pagan deity of darkness, witchcraft and chaos) by her devotees such as “Mother of God”, “Queen of Heaven” and “Ocean Star” were given to Mary, and Isis and Horus temples were converted to Mary and Jesus temples.

“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:18-19).

The Queen of Heaven is mentioned four times in Jeremiah 44 and this chapter tells us that God’s wrath and punishment fell on the Israelites because they were worshipping the Queen of Heaven as well as other gods.

“Queen of Heaven”, “Ocean Star”, “Mother of God” and “Star of the Sea” are titles given to the demon Isis by her devotees. “Mediatrix of All Graces”, “Queen of Peace” and “Queen of the Rosary” are also false titles for Mary and if you call her by these titles you will upset her and provoke God.

As for the entity who appeared to the visionaries in Medjugorje, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Aparecida and Fatima and claimed to be a protector and mediator between persons and God, and requested Feast Days to be held in her honour and the daily chanting of the Rosary, it could have never been Mary the humble and blessed servant of God who birthed our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:14 warns us that evil spirits can appear as benevolent beings.

The Rosary was introduced by Peter the Hermit, in the year 1090. This has been copied from Hindus and Mohammedans. The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ (Matthew 6:5-13). Also, Mary is not the mediator between people and God. The Lord Jesus Christ the second person of the Holy Trinity is the true mediator between human beings and God.

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5).

The following verses show that the Lord Jesus Christ does the will of God and not the will of Mary.

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46-50).

In the above verses we see that although Mary wanted to see Jesus, He didn't go to her right away but continued preaching. It is plain to see that the Lord Jesus Christ does the will of God and not the will of Mary. Also, Lord Jesus who is the second person of the Godhead (the Holy Trinity) points out that He has several mothers, sisters and brothers. Lord Jesus is related to all those who do the will of God. So, are you part of God’s family or are you incurring God’s wrath through false beliefs and sinful practices?

With Love,
Servant of Christ


REDEMPTION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

Because mankind is incapable of meeting God’s standard of perfection necessary to abide in God’s presence (Romans 3:19-20,23), God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the total debt for the believer’s sins and mercifully credits to his account Christ’s righteousness (Romans 3:21-28,5:1-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). Jesus’ gracious act of atonement was complete and covers all sin (Colossians 2:13-14; 1 John 1:9). Salvation is not based on good deeds but according to the mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5). Believers are justified by faith; it is a gift by God’s grace (Romans 4:3-8; Ephesians 2:8-9). A true, living faith will result in a desire to live a holy, loving life of good works (Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 5:6; James 2:14-26), but failure to be absolutely successful at righteous living does not negate the believer’s justified status.

https://victoryinjesuschrist.wordpress.com/