Christmas fallacies with which we all grew up
Christmas has always been synonymous of celebration for everybody, spending time with your near and dear ones, decorating the home inside and out, melodious carols and of course the shopping spree. We have all grown up listening to the Christmas story and the story has been recited repeatedly every year that the actual episode have somehow got submerged in layers of misconceptions. So we try to clear some of these myths.
Jesus was born on December 25
This is very difficult to digest that Jesus was not born on December 25. But the Bible does not specify what time of year he was born. Hence December 25 is merely the anniversary that has been chosen to celebrate the incarnation of Christ and not the
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The mention of any kings visiting Jesus is not in the Bible. However Bible does state that wise men came presented three costly gifts to the child—gold, frankincense and myrrh. We really don’t know exactly how many came, and when exactly they came to see Jesus.
Forbidden Christmas tree
All the claims stating that cutting down and decorating of trees are forbidden are false. Bible neither commands nor prohibits Christmas tree. Moreover, there has always been debate on the use of artificial or a real tree. But both come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. On one hand the real trees help in maintaining the ecological balance while reusing the faux trees time and again make it also an eco-friendly option. Artificial topiaries can be recycled into a wreath or some other exciting home decorating items by simply wearing the creative
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The story states to become more aware about one’s family members and friends since the tendency of suicidal thoughts increases during this season. However the studies conducted on the same tell a whole new story that the suicide rate is more during the spring months, rather than during Christmas. This can be probably be linked with the fact that springtime deepens the void and sense of helplessness in already depressed people. Christmas has always been the symbol of happiness, love, hope, fulfillment and enjoying with family and friends. All the celebration serves as a source of diversion and breaks the vicious cycle of their suicidal thoughts and these people experience a sense of security when they are around with their friends and
... Religious Customs, History, Legends, and Symbols from around the World; Supplemented by a Bibliography and Lists of Christmas Web Sites and Associations. Detroit, Mich: Omnigraphics, 2003. Print.
Christmas has consumed itself. At its conception, it was a fine idea, and I imagine that at one point its execution worked very much as it was intended to. These days, however, its meaning has been perverted; its true purpose ignored and replaced with a purpose imagined by those who merely go through the motions, without actually knowing why they do so.
Of all religious holidays that have been adopted by secularists, one of the most popular would be Christmas, originally meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. With the exact date of Jesus' birth unknown during ancient times, Christmas was initially assigned to January 6th, but was changed to December 25th under the influence of the winter solstice (Nothaft 903). Peculiarly however, is the universal celebration of Christmas al...
It is not known exactly when Jesus was born, but according to the Christian calender, his birth year was circa 4 B.C. Christmas, the day of Christ’s birth, is celebrated by Christians on December 25, but the actual day and month of his birth are unknown. Rachel Zurer, a followe...
“A wiffin’, sniffin’ gift, especially for you! It’s from Secret santa, bet you can't guess who!... It’s a woman!” Can you imagine a woman saying this? This holiday season at Macy’s Department store in New York City they hired 5 women to play the role of santa. The reason why the women were hired was because there were not enough men to play the role of Santa . Adults got VERY mad when they found out that Santa was being played by a woman. They said that they would never shop there again. i believe that Santa should not be played by a woman.
Carols, snow, mistletoe, cookies and milk. These are all synonymous with the Christmas season. However, for many, the true staple of Christmas is Santa Claus. Every child has felt the joy of Christmas Eve, spending time with family, leaving treats out for Santa, tossing and turning in their beds in anticipation for old St. Nick’s arrival. Although what Santa does is well known, his origins are slightly less familiar to most. The man we identify with Christmas has developed over a long time and has encountered many changes. “The original St. Nicholas is for the most part a shadowy figure, lost in historical mists and religious myths. (Myers 318).
The Bible provides no guidelines that explain how Christmas should be observed, nor does it even suggest that it should be considered a religious holiday. Because of the lack of biblical instructions, Christmas rituals have been shaped by the religious and popular traditions of each culture that celebrates the holiday.
The Bible is God's complete and final revelation to man, and it tells us everything we need to know for our spiritual lives (see II Timothy 3:16). We don't have to go outside the Bible for anything. God's Word tells us how we're to worship, how we're to give money for the support of the Lord's work, how to evangelize the lost, how to observe the Lord's Supper, and everything else pertaining to the Christian life. But not once in the Bible does God tell us to celebrate Christmas! We're told to remember the Lord's death, but nowhere are we told to celebrate His birth.
There are approximately 196 countries in the world and almost every single one of them celebrates Christmas differently. Christmas in Mexico (Navidad) is a million times different than the Christmas that we know and celebrate in the U.S. In Mexico there are lots of events that happen before January 6th, which is Epiphany day (The day of the Three Wise Men) also known as “El Dia de los Reyes”. I am will be explaining every all of the events that take place during Christmas (Navidad) all the way up to January 6th.
According to William Muir Auld’s book Christmas Traditions, the Christmas tree found its way into the hearts and homes of Christian people with their thoughts and sentiment. Auld writes, “On the night in which Christ was born, all the trees in the forest, despite snow and ice, bloomed and bore fruit” (Auld 138). This story was first told by a geographer of the tenth century named Georg Jacob. This story was as highly believed as the birth of Christ. Christmas trees can be dated back through writing, specifically songs and are associated with the Church, specifically to post-Reformation times. The trees, which decorate homes worldwide, are linked to a spiritual tradition practiced by a variety of religious groups. (The Fir Tree, page 241 in
Every Christians today knows the story of Jesus birth. The story of how Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for a censes declared by the Roman Empire. While not being able to find an inn to stay in and Mary getting ready to give birth, they stow away in the cave where the animals were kept. While there Mary gave birth to a son and called him Jesus. While Jesus was in a manger a heavenly host of angles came down and also Shepard’s from the field came and rejoiced the savior was born. This is where the typical nativity scene comes from. Unless you have a Doctorate and teach a History of the New testament class and go into fine detail about the story, then story this is what people hear. Well this is for History of the New Testament so the fine details are what we are looking for. Most people do not realize that the story they tell every Christmas is actually a combination of two stories. The birth story is told in the Gospels of Luke and the Gospels of Mathew but each tell a very different version of what actually happened and that is what leads to people questioning the accuracy of the bible today.
Many people in American society assume that the main purpose of Christmas is the supposed coming of Santa Claus. Their assumption however is far from the truth. The origins of Christmas, which literally means "Christ mass," actually lie in Christianity-not in the fat man with a stomach that jiggles like a bowl full of jelly. Centuries ago, Christians developed a tradition of celebrating Jesus Christ's birthday. Although Christians were unsure of the exact date of Christ's birth, they officially declared December 25th as the day they would celebrate it. The holiday began simply as a day in which families would spend quality time together, reflecting on Jesus' life, giving thanks to God for sending his "one and only son."
Although it was never celebrated in biblical times, Christmas is celebrated in local churches here in Visalia, California in praise of the fact that God loved us so much; he sent his one and only son to earth. He was wholey god and wholey man. Whereas we have succumbed to the temptations of this earth, Jesus was able to overcome all temptations and live a sinless life. He was then crucified as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. One cannot understand why we celebrate the birth of Christ without seeing the other end of his life. He was crucified for our sins and resurrected.
People set time aside to prepare, by repenting their sins or doing something cheerful, like opening one window of an Advent Calendar every morning and reading the spiritual message inside, to guide them throughout the day. Christmas cards, a fairly recent custom, are sent to others wishing a happy Christmas. Christmas Day,December 25th ,is the second most important festival of the liturgical year. People can do many things to commemorate Jesus' birth, like Carol singing or the cultural tradition of decorating a
The Christmas tree a decorative adornment families embrace it represents Christs time of birth. But in reality it is a pagan symbol the world worships. " For customs of the people are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with a chisel. " They adorn it with silver and gold: they fasten it with a hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scare crow in a melon patch their idols can not walk.