christmas was changed back in the roman days to coincide with a pagan holiday as to avoid persecution. christmas itself is a christian holiday and has nothing to do with that old pagan holiday (other than the reason it is on dec 25th and not in the late spring time)


over the years christmas has lost its meaning in a lot of ways, today it is an overcommericalized holiday and is celebrated a number of different ways, some religoius, others not.

 

I agree with you on that. Xmas has become a hallmark holiday. Before it was about family and being thankful for what you have. (Good health, family, friends) Now it's road raged people fighting over items, parking, and long lines.

Some might consider it a time to put all our differences aside for one day and have a moment without all the drama that consumes our every day lives. (I'd like to think so) Others might speak of an old guy with a red suit that gives you toys for being a good boy/girl and a lump of coal if you've been bad.

Christmas is what you make of it. So do what makes you happy.

 

but you all know where the word santa is derived from right?? Santa/Santo is spanish for Saint,

and the word Claus/Klaus, is actually derived from the spanish name Nicholas...which is why he is sometimes referred to as St. Nick

 

its COMPLETELY commercial now! who said there was a christmas tree in jerusalem? who started that ****?

 

true..but they claim of the STAR of Bethlehem, which we often place on top of the tree...

i believe the tree symbolizes Jesus' manger when he was born, the star being on top, or the mark on where Jesus was born...just like the christmas tree, we place the star on top, to symbolize that i guess the spirit of christmas/jesus is present in our homes.
the star was what the three Kings, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar followed to reach Jesus. And when they got there, they offered their gifts of gold, myrrh, and incense(not sure about this one).

Just like us now, our families i guess go to the house where the "star" is, like grandpa's christmas tree, with our gifts, put them under the tree, then we offer them to one another, just like what the three kings did when they offered their gifts to jesus.

 

exact date is unkown but it is believed to be sometime in the late spring/early summer