Milk bottle tops are decorated in holly leaves, TV adverts ring out Christmas jingles months before hand. And half the people celebrating this huge festival don't even believe in Jesus, God and Christianity. Christmas now revolves around presents, Christmas trees and Father Christmas. Has the meaning of Christmas been lost? Christmas is all about spending money, wrapping presents and writing cards. The stress is relieved when the day finally comes and we can all sit glumly around the table our stomachs full of turkey and cake and realise what an anticlimax it's all been. Does the meaning of Christmas really mean anything anymore? Please share your views...
2007-12-06 00:56:43 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
I think it's up to each of us to remind ourselves of the true meaning of Christmas. It's up to us to make a big deal of the birth of Jesus. If we take it back, one at a time, then the true meaning will slowly catch on. If parents placed more emphasis on Advent and the preparation for Christ's birth, I think that would really resonate with children. I'm a dance teacher with 180+ students, and I wish with all my heart more of them were excited for Jesus's birthday, instead of what is going to be under the tree. Sigh. I'll start with my own kids someday...
2007-12-06 01:08:31 · answer #1 · answered by superkate54 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Did Christmas ever really have a meaning?
The early Christians never celebrated the birth of Christ - Easter was the most important celebration (as it still is in many orthodox countries).
It wasn't until the 4th century that the church decided to celebrate Christ's birthday and then picked an arbitrary date of December 25th to try to replace the pagan celebrations of Yule and Saturnalia.
If you look through history, Christmas was always just an excuse for a glorious p*ss-up to brighten up the middle of winter and all we are doing is perpetuating this in our modern age.
Easter is the important celebration for me - this is the time when the true mystery of Christianity is remembered.
2007-12-06 01:08:50 · answer #2 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The meaning of Christmas has not been lost: it has changed. Whether or not the modern version of Christmas is an improvement or not is subjective. You hear this sort of question often with Christmas, yet no one ever seems to lament that the meaning of Halloween has been lost (it was once a Celtic harvest festival and had nothing to do with ghosts, witches and black cats).
As for Christmas, it changes constantly. The date itself is unlikely to be Jesus Christ's birthday: biblical scholars believe he was born around March or April. The early Christian church simply said it was in order to convert an existing pagan festival to a Christian one. Some of our Christmas traditions, such as Yule logs and Christmas trees, came from Pagan cultures.
When people think of "old Christmas," the one whose meaning has been lost, they think of a snowy, Charles Dickens-esque scene with warm fires, horse-drawn carriages, roast goose, etc. It seems that the mass marketers and advertisers of the world have decided that the best Christmas ever was in London around 1880 or so, and continue to put such images on cards, advertisements, etc.
And if that's the sort of Christmas you like to picture, then yes, it has been lost. There are no more horse-drawn carriages, carolers would be shot in certain neighborhoods, and the Ebeneezer Scrooges of the world are worse than ever. But you have to ask yourself if that world ever really existed, also: I'm personally not certain it did.
My advice is this: Christmas has a long history, all the way from its Roman origins to the Shrek Christmas Special. Pick and choose the parts you like, and celebrate them. The "meaning" of Christmas has changed so many times that once more won't hurt.
2007-12-06 01:24:25 · answer #3 · answered by chris m 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
this question have been given me thinking appropriate to the action picture "The Santa Clause 3" the place jack frost turns into santa and makes the north pole an entertainment park. even with the indisputable fact that this would possibly in no way ensue, it brings up the subject that christmas IS in fact too commercialized. i've got faith that every person is getting ignorant to the real which skill of christmas by means of commercialization of the season and no, christmas isn't a made up trip that's the occasion of the beginning of christ and the numerous miracles that got here approximately on that night. so which you should respond to your question, i consider you that Christmas has develop into too commercialized and that folk ought to renounce and spot that. the fee of the present isn't what's needed, its the theory is going at the back of it. you may desire to deliver taking part in cards and make cookies and if human beings whinge, tell them what you think of and that the present of being with family members and making, giving, and recieving significant, domicile made presents could desire to be sufficient. lol theres my 2 cents...
2016-10-10 09:33:36 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately you are right CHRISTmas is a celebration of presents and commerce and has lost its true meaning. The world seems to be full of Scrooge's. Everybody wants, but no one GIVES. Greed and Ignorance runs rampant in this day and age. CHRISTmas is about giving caring and celebrating the true messiah and prophet of GOD.
It seems the politics of some churches have ruined the true meaning of being a Christian. GOD help us all and allow us to find the light in Jesus Christ.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
2007-12-06 01:07:16 · answer #5 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right, Christmas was not intended for people to break their budgets making it into a big grabfest. I am having a quiet Christmas, going to church on Christmas Eve and staying home with my two grown sons. We will relax and have a few presents and a nice dinner, maybe watch some movies. People stress too much. I had a customer say "Oh, Christmas is just around the corner", she had a panicked look on her face................this was before Halloween!!
2007-12-06 01:04:03 · answer #6 · answered by Maria b 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas has been lost in the eyes of most. Yet not in our family. We go through advent 4 weeks in advance of Christmas and actually make sacrifices during this time. Christmas for us only starts on Christmas Eve.
2007-12-06 01:00:35 · answer #7 · answered by S C 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I get sick of people replacing CHRISTmas with X-mas. That makes me think that they're crossing out Jesus. Even the people that are saying Holiday instead of Christmas because Christmas isn't politically correct. If they take a look back the word HOLIDAY is dirived from the word HOLY DAY. So no matter how you look at it, it all has to do with Jesus in more ways than one.
2007-12-06 01:15:28 · answer #8 · answered by Salena 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I agree with Brian 777... instead of worrying about gifts and trees, why not just set up your manger and angels? Visit the homeless, the aged, the orphans. tell the story and give small gifts away, instead of buying for yourself. serve dinners at the soup kitchen each week, instead of one time a year. The story of the child being born a king is the heart of Christmas. find the king in each person you meet.
2007-12-06 01:05:17 · answer #9 · answered by Princess Picalilly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...don't confuse secular preparations for Christmas season with the actual celebration of Christmas.
2007-12-06 01:04:25 · answer #10 · answered by Jonny B 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋