Do you have a Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas tree, an Easter basket? Do you do these things for their alleged religious meaning, because it's family tradition or society expects it of you? Personaly, holidays sent me off into a deep depression in the past and once I began to study and learn more about them, I stopped participating all together. I feel free and have more money in the bank as a result.
2007-09-28 13:24:14 · 11 answers · asked by ♥ terry g ♥ 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's so sad to see people "celebrating" something that doesn't have any meaning for them. Doing something because someone else expects you to do it is a hollow existence and a quick route to the bottle or the Valium! Be real, folks - I dare you. Do things because they are meaningful to YOU, not because someone else is telling you to. I love the freedom and personal connection to Nature that Neo-Paganism brings to my life, and I enjoy celebrating seasons and cycles because I feel them inside me. But if you're some flavor of Christian, or Muslim or Jewish or Hindu, when you're standing in Mass or temple or whatever, listen to your heart and soul and be incredibly honest with yourself about how you feel. I remember as a kid going to Christmas mass once a year with my dad, and feeling so totally bathed in guilt that I felt like it was an actual coating on my skin. But that's not how my dad felt (or maybe it was and he liked it), and it meant so much to him to have his family there, that I went and didn't ruin things just to see him smile. Sometimes being spiritual is just being joyful seeing the spirituality in others! ;) But I think it's equally sad to see people worship money and power more than people and relationships. I think having a connection to Divinity is a deep glow that people need, and without it, people become cold and hard and can't find good reasons to celebrate anything. I think every day should be a celebration! Isn't it great to be alive? Hugs all!
2007-09-28 16:43:03 · answer #1 · answered by Brigid's Priestess MorningSt 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yup I celebrate them all. One beause I am pagan and two because they are fun. That being said they don't HAVE to be commercial.
I love the music, food, family, lights, tree, songs, and the fact that we all at the very least TRY to be nice to eachother once a year. Good eggnog with spiced rum doesn't hurt either
Easter was always cheap at my house growing up. It wasn't about the money, it was about the egg hunt! And we have egg wars. (It was how mom conned us into cracking the eggs for deviled eggs) and it was about the family getting together and the big ham dinner.
Nothing about my holidays are commercial. Probably because we were stone military broke growing up, so there was no room for that nonsense. But I have carried it over to my kids because it's what I remember. Now I add in my religios elements and it makes it all the better.
2007-09-28 13:29:16 · answer #2 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I do. Thanksgiving has a lot of meaning to me because my family on my Fathers side chose to become Americans! They came to this country through Ellis Island in 1912 and they PROUDLY took the oath of Citizenship. Christmas no matter what the Pagans will tell you is the day we celebrate the birth of Christ henceforth Christ-mas. At Easter we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead, again no mater what the Pagans will tell you. It is just a coincidence that they have holidays that are close to ours like with the Jewish holiday of Passover.
2007-09-28 13:45:57 · answer #3 · answered by Pamela V 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes, I do, and I think that you have to be a complete party pooper to not have anything to do with any holidays. Holidays can be a whole lotta fun, if you just give holidays a chance and maybe have some good experiences with others who like holidays. Just try being around people during the holidays - you don't have to spend any money - maybe you'll have a change of heart and mind and be no less free or impoverished either.
2007-09-28 13:54:22 · answer #4 · answered by endpov 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Same here. I felt uncomfortable every x-mas and easter. I also studied the origins of it and after finding out how they came about, decided not to participate; I felt a certain freedom when I stopped..
2007-09-28 19:09:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
To be honest, holidays have no real meaning to me anymore. I still get together with family on ones like Thanksgiving, but to me it is just another day to spend with family. Everyday is special to me, I don't need holidays.
2007-09-28 13:30:10 · answer #6 · answered by BlueManticore 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well actually Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are holidays specific to my religion... they just go by Mabon, Yule, and Eostara.
2007-09-28 13:37:24 · answer #7 · answered by xx. 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I once took part in them due to their current religious significance. I never got depressed by them but i didn't like to see how corrupted they had become. This does not however keep me from being generous throughout the year though. I think I still have the same amount of money left.
2007-09-28 23:48:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
They are man made traditions and one of the things that bothers me is the suffering of homeless people at those times, and people who have lost loved ones, etc:
Spiritually speaking, the only thing Jesus asked us to do was keep the "passover" in remembrance of Him~that brings peace and healing and joy~
I'm not a Jew and I'm not a Catholic, I am God's child
2007-09-28 13:32:52 · answer #9 · answered by sego lily 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i dont care for holidays but my gf does.so i just go along with her and i always get my family some presents.its nice to get them stuff now and then but i do go along with getting christmas presents at least.i usually find a good deal thats why.
2007-09-28 13:28:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋