you can't have it both ways! Options

[*kryogenix*]

is it fair that non-christians celebrate christmas with presents and christmas trees? i can't stand it when people openly say how they hate religion and christianity, then come christmas time, they brag about their christmas presents. that goes for easter too. people openly reject jesus christ's resurrection but they celebrate easter. and to add insult to injury, they completely change the meaning by having egghunts and bunnies.

-edit- uh yeah. you can't have it both ways! either become a christian and partake in our holidays, or stay an atheist/agnostic and don't celebrate our holidays, and don't change our holidays either!

[sadolakced acid]

christmas in american does not belong to christians.

christmas mass belongs to christians. christmas belongs to everyone.

Christmas started as a harvest/ winter solstice festival, and was adopted by christian leaders in an effort to make christianity more appealing. however, the old pagan festivals remained, making it rather unchristian.

as time went on, people added customs, etc. to christmas. for example the christmas tree was a german ( i think) tradition what was brought over by immigrants.

however, by now christmas has become something else. christmas is a time to help people, a time for caring and giving, a time for family. this is what christmas in america is about. it's about having fun making gingerbread houses with your parents (i still remeber it from 1st grade... one of my favorite memories), it's about giving money to charitys, it's about giving gifts to give them. getting gifts doesn't hurt either. it's about trimming the tree with your family, and having a day totally devoted to family. that's what christmas in america is about.

now, catholic christmas does not involve that. it involves going to christmas mass, and that's all that it includes.

why should not americans celebrate christmas in america, which has changed it's meaning? (many times)

the meaning of christmas does not remain. it was not started to overshadow pagan festivals, it was to give pagans a reasurance that the church would not prohibit thier festivals if they converted, therefore making christanity more appealing as pagans could keep thier festivals.