Do you Christians resent pagans stealing Christmas?

Question

These days it seems that all the original meanings of Christmas are becoming more paganized:

i.e

-Evergreen tree
-baubles
-'yule' log
-brewed beverages/mlled wines
-family gathering around light and warmth (Midwinter Solstice)
-The druidic hanging of boughs of ivy, mistletoe, etc
-Turkey feast (replaced the traditional boar's head once turkey was introduced from the Americas)


etc etc.

Don't Christians feel like all these new atheist and pagan additions steal the true meaning of Christmas?


As someone with more pagan/agnostic inclinations than Christian, I personally feel that Yuletide has been hijacked by both Christianity and commercialism, but as Christians, surely you must feel like all the above 'pagan' yuletide things are getting in the way of what you say that the Christmas period is about?

Alleninthehills. Why call pagan's 'filthy'? You sound like the KKK talking about blacks, or the Muslim extremists talking about you.

Bigotry is not 'good' for everyone, regardless of your own beliefs.

Answer 1

LOL - many people didn't read your entire question. i did. it was very well put!

people like alleninthehills are scary. these are the type who turn into terrorists when given the chance.

as a pagan, it doesn't bother me that christians share our holidays, although what i do find ironic is that they demonize halloween for being pagan, but still observe christmas etc!!!

Answer 2

Pagans stealing Christmas?

It was the other way around.
They knew that the had no chance in the world coming up with their own traditions so they had to borrow and steal the ones that they have to this day.

The evergreen, yule log, ivy, mistletoe, and many other PAGAN traditions have pagan roots not christian.

As for the "true meaning of Christmas" what exactly is that?
The birth of Christ? No that is false also. If Christ was born he was born in the springtime not winter.

As a Pagan I have no qualms about sharing my holidays but what I would love is for people to realize that they are my holidays also.

Answer 3

You have to be joking, right?

Christmas has always been a pagan holiday that Christianity stole. All those symbols you talk about already existed when the church decided to celebrate Christ's birth on the 25th of December. Jesus was never born in December. He was born when the sheep were giving birth, which was the reason that the shepherds were abiding their flocks by night. The church decided to celebrate his birth in December to convert an existing pagan holiday into a Christian holiday. The holiday was not called Christmas, of course, when it was pagan, but it existed for thousands of years before it was Christianized. It's the celebration of the winter solstice and all those symbols were Christianized originally.

So, who cares of the pagans and the other non-Christians are beginning to understand the original meanings? To Christians, it doesn't matter how non-believers celebrate the holidays. Celebrate what ever you want. We Christians will continue, however, to celebrate Christmas as Christ's birth day.

Answer 4

You need to know you history the Christians stole Christmas from the Pagan's. along with Easter and Halloween. When you you lot going to accept that Paganism was around before Christianity was every thought of.

Answer 5

You have it the wrong way round. Paganism existed before Christianity; Christianity has hijacked the original Pagan festivals.

Answer 6

Yeah, I already knew about the pagan origins of Christmas, and many of the traditions associated with it. I actually don't participate in any of it except for gathering with family (when possible; I've spent three Christmases away from them now) and giving gifts.

I AM, however, upset at the commercialization of Christmas, but I suppose it was inevitable.

Answer 7

Me being Eclectic, I have no problem with people borrowing ideas, beliefs, and traditions from other religions so long as credit is given where it is due. It is when people instead steal these things and claim it was theirs first or it is only theirs that gets on my nerves. It bugs me that people ignorantly can't see or egotistically won't admit that all religions are connected.

Answer 8

Pagans didn't steal it. It was originally a Pagan celebration.

Answer 9

LMAO, Pagans came first, check out this cool book below.

Answer 10

I don't like the fact that it makes christians that are uneducated think christmas is just trees, music, food, and presents. Unless you actually go to church than you won't know the real meaning unless someone has told you. I never knew until I went to church what the real meaning of christmas was.