So, Scrooge...

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Huh, I thought the Christmas tree tradition lay in the Paradise Trees of late medieval Germany where apples were hung on trees with little Adam and Eve figures under them. Guess my street mythology is a bit off target.

 

That may have something to do with it, but some of the Scandinavian Studies Professors I've had like to attribute such ornamentation with more pagan aspects of Europe (as Odin or Wotar hanging from the Yggdrasil was one of, if the not most important myth in Germanic religion focusing on that particular god as it establishes why he is so powerful and why he is so associated with magic). Every year in Uppsala they would hang bodies from a tree near the big temple there, pierced with a spear, a practice that has it's roots in the dark ages at least (8th century I believe, but at least by the 10th century). This particular account certainly accounts for the concept of "gifts hanging from a tree".

Edit: I should say that this was an idea put forth by a U of Minnesota professor and they are paid for their pulbications so I'm not sure if this is a controversial view or not.

 

I don't think that I'm going to look at Christmas trees in the same way again. This, however, is a far more interesting way of seeing them, though.

 

Ilmater's Suffering, maybe this was another case of Christians seizing an existing local tradition and transforming it for their purposes.

I must say I rarely put up a tree of my own these days because it's a lot of work and I live alone. I enjoy seeing those put up by others, though, and thinking back to bodies hanging on public trees many centuries ago doesn't really connect for me with the trees in people's homes.

 

I have mixed feelings about Christmas. Firstly it wasn't when Jesus was born. There is a bit of a debate over that but he was either born in the Spring or in the Fall not in the winter. However I do enjoy seeing the decorations others have put up.

 

Can't stand it and just want it over with ASAP.

 

I never knew that, but now I won't look at a Christmas tree the same way again...

Seriously, I'm somewhere between the first two options. I love the food, family, food, friends, food, presents, food, um, did I mention the food? Anything that gets people to think about Jesus Christ can't be a bad thing either. But I think that sometimes the Icons of Christmas, the Fat-Elf taskmaser as it was put in the poll, and the repetitive use of the same old songs is just a little over the top. I've heard that some stations start the Christmas music in November. And every year, people wonder why Easy Rock has to become "Gimme an <expleteve> Break Rock"?

Yes, do what you need to do to enjoy the season, but don't take it too seriously...

 

Well, like a surprising number of people I'm on the fence over this.

On one hand, the sentiment (secular or religious) behind Christmas is nice: "peace on earth" And the lights and ornamentation does a little something for me.

And even though some people are just putting on a 'kind facade for the holidays' at least they're pretending...


On the other hand? There seems to be an intensification of the 'rat race' mentality this time of year; people seem even more stressed than normal because they feel obligated to do all this extra stuff for Xmas; aside from getting bills paid, food on the table, children cared for, work done at the office (and at home), people have to get others presents, and have to decorate for the holidays, and have to...etc. etc.

All that culminates in a person pressured by intangible seasonal obligations who may well end up being less charitable/helpful/pleasant than usual...

And don't bring up 'Christmas Carols' unless you've stood through an eight-hour retail shift with a 'holiday mix' playing on the store Public Address system...

(On the plus side, not a single instance of "Little {stupid} Drummer Boy" where I work this year, but I've counted eight different covers of "Silver Bells" - guess they stack the deck differently each year... )

 

Correct, I think, on the erroneous belief that this is the historical birthday of Jesus. My understanding is that this was celebrated in the Roman world as the birthday of Mithras, who was born in a cave and worshiped by shepherds - ring a bell (so to speak)? And the church, as it did with many pagan annual celebrations, reworked it into the birthday of Jesus.

But it's an arbitrary choice anyway and this is as good a time as any.

Hmm, I am perilously close to babbling on a non babbling thread. Sorry.

 

Probably the worst time of year for me, simply from the fact that I have a now-10yr old son I haven't seen in a long time... don't get me wrong though, I still enjoy the time I have with my youngest... getting worried about that too though, I haven't seen him for over a month now...

Frickin Christmas, hate it

 

I like it.

 

I've reached the conclusion that for us Christians, it's important to remember the Saviour, and the humble circumstances in which the Lord sent him to us.

But it's also great for our sanity to get a good laugh at the commercialization of the holiday. Mind you the mall was not as bad as I thought it would be when I went this afternoon. But then again, at 6'2" and about 320 lbs, I can pretty much get where I want in a crowd...

 

'Tis the season to get stuffed. With christmas foods. Not much anything against christmas anymore, letting bygones be bygones. I do have the usual christmas flu, eighth year in a row, so that's a little sucky, but otherwise this year's christmas seems to be quite alright so far.

 

Heya! F***in shock-horror here, found out on Saturday when I was actually allowed to see my youngest, that his mum and her new man and all that are going away somewhere early on Boxing Day so I don;t get my son overnight! I'm "allowed" to see him for a few hours after lunch when she and her new fella are off at his parents! Anyone got a bear-pit handy?