How are you striving to avoid the commercialization of Christmas—focusing on Jesus and living out faith in Him instead?
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EcKg on December 7, 2009 at 11:48 pm
The true meaning of Christmas is centred on the miracles and hope God brings to us.It is undeniable that some traditions of Christmas are wonderful but we have to see whether it is legal in the eye of God or not.Our life must be centred on Jesus Himself and not vain tradition and culture of the man.
ve9cbc on December 8, 2009 at 4:29 am
I see Christmas as a time of rebirth, not only for Jesus Christ, but also for myself. The birth of Jesus means that a person can be also reborn, at any time of their life. All they have to do is turn their will and their life, over to the care and direction of God, as they understand Him. Once that is done, life will have new meaning.
Being newly baptised myself, this Christmas has a whole new meaning. Not only have I committted myself to Jesus Christ, I have chosen a new path of life. Every time I now walk pass a Nativity scene, I tear up and give thanks to God for His precious gift to us. Thank you Jesus Christ, for dying for our sins. You, and God, are true gentlemen.
jennifer benson schuldt on December 8, 2009 at 8:38 am
This year I made an advent calendar for my three-year-old son. Each day we talk about one character from the REAL story of Christmas. I want my kids to know that all the holiday hoopla is not what Christmas is about. Christmas is really a world-wide birthday party for Jesus!
lyndygayle on December 8, 2009 at 2:34 pm
As my sons grew up, we always talked about the real meaning of Christmas and read the story out of the bible. We picked a local family to help and they got involved in shopping for food and presents. We wrapped the parent’s presents and included paper to allow the parents to wrap the children’s gifts. We delivered the bounty with a card “Merry Christmas from Jesus and left it on their porch, car or at church. They boys were so proud of themselves and glowed whenever they saw the child playing with a toy or wearing a clothing item they picked out. They understood they were giving Jesus birthday presents by doing this… Merry Christmas !
skunk on December 9, 2009 at 10:27 pm
We as Christians should not celebrate christmas. It is a pagan holiday. But because of the traditions of man and peer pressure we do it. I don’t believe it is pleasing to God. It was never celebrated by any of the disciples and neither was birthdays. Read your new testament
Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.
Jessanangel on December 11, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Well, I’m able to do more this year than I’ve been able to in recent years, and instead of just giving to those who’ve given to me, I’m trying to give more of the fruit of the Spirit to all I encounter, for it is because Christ came that we even received the Holy Spirit.
Daveen on December 12, 2009 at 11:27 am
This year our small church is bringing ornaments from their own family collection to hang on the tree in the back of our worship room. Yesterday I made some ornaments to represent my family. One is a crocheted angel, one is a red yarn tassel and one is a crossstitch cross. (I do not decorate a tree anymore. I have a small ceramic tree with lights that a dear friend made for me.) Over the years, I have had many beautifully decorated trees, but this year having a church-family decorated tree will help remind us that God gave us Christmas when he gave His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It is important to remind ourselves and our loved one who this season is really about – Jesus. We need to beware of being caught up in the commercialization that abounds in our cities today.
mtshawaii on December 12, 2009 at 2:30 pm
We celebrate Christmas in a variety of ways. An Advent calendar, exchange gifts, Christmas cards, parties and caroling and more.
So in answer to your question, in fact, we participate quite heartily in the commercial process.
But it’s what is in our heart through this process that matters to us. And that is the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
What bothers me most is the watering down of the Christmas celebration in the media and the marketplace. Instead of “Merry Christmas,” people say “Happy Holidays” to lump together everything from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and whatever else is in there, for fear of offending someone with the word “Christmas.”
Time and time again, I’ve heard that people are NOT offended by Christmas. Practicing Jews have said they are not offended by it. The only reason Christmas would be offensive to anyone is that the birth of the Savior of the world somehow stirs up conviction in those who don’t believe. It’s offensive because deep down inside, they know it’s true.
Obviously, I disagree with Skunk’s view on celebrating Christmas. From what I understand, the Christmas celebrations of old were intended to replace pagan rituals during the solstice. The time and celebrations have been redeemed by Jesus Christ Himself!
Merry Christmas!
learning2serv on December 13, 2009 at 11:32 am
Originally I was rather opposed to an “open celebration” of Christmas – trees, excessive gifts, and so on – much like Skunk. Skunk, I can appreciate your research and I concur.
Mtshawaii, it is only this year that I was given the understanding that if Christ could (and did) redeem someone like me, who was a sinner, before I knew him, in times past when I had no strength (Rom 5:6), and that He is Lord of the Sabbath and that the Sabbath (a day) is made for the man and not the other way around (Mark 2:27-28), then surely the Lord of All Creation, Heaven and Earth, could and would redeem a day! (1John 3:8, Eph 5:15-16) But how?
It is true: the day has portions of its origin in pagan customs. And such were some of us. When should we celebrate Jesus? Saturday? Sunday? Easter? Christmas? How about Today? (Heb 3:7, 13) Perhaps every day would be good. (Luke 9:23).
It’s good not to shame our brother or sister if we feel he is weak. Also by not doing so, we may find that God has given him or her a nugget of wisdom that we ourselves lacked.
There are many good and beautiful things to meditate upon at all times. We create and purchase things of beauty because our Father has done the same – He created us, and purchased us with the life of Jesus. We should focus on these things (Phil 4:8).
Because of the labor of many Christians over hundreds of years, Christmas is still a respectable time to share the goodness of Christ! Yes, there are many problems that have hedged us about, but if we approach these issues with wisdom (Pro 11:30), not lamenting legal and moral ground lost, but celebrating the victory that the Birth of Christ heralds, then we are witnesses to the morning star that has risen in our own hearts! (2Peter 1:19)
Perhaps these seem to be mere justifications. I pray they strike a deeper chord. But let us who are risen from the water with Him who is Risen from the Grave remember these admonishments of our beloved Paul:
“He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” (Rom 14:6)
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Rom 14:10)
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. … Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. (Rom 14:13-19)
And may His Peace be upon all of us this day, this season, this year, in this life and the life to come.