Holidays with Christian Messages

[Lutheran021342]

I am curious what people here think of celebrating certain holidays/traditions. For example, Halloween has pagan roots and has a lot of symbolism that is not Christian approve. In the long past, the church tried to subvert the the pagan message with the celebration of All Saints and All Souls day. Do people here support the general cultural Halloween, the Christianizing of Halloween or the avoidance of Halloween in general.
Second one is giving presents from Santa at Christmas. This one has Christian roots in St. Nicholas, but it has come rather far from the original message.
The thought that got me on this train is how much of the symbolism attached to Easter is of pagan root for fertility.

 

[Studeclunker]

Easter, now there's the switch! Christmas (Saturnella) and Halloween (or all hallow's eve) are definately re-packaged pagan holidays. Easter on the other hand never was. Yet today, we see the paganization of the holiday. The greatest support of this is the business community. The broader the support for a popular holiday, the more money there is to be made. Thus by paganizing Easter, American business is able to market the holiday to non-christians. Gotta love how old Scratch works, don'cha?

 

[joyfulthanks]

A rather interesting (and balanced) discussion of the origin of the name Easter appears here: Does the Word Easter Have Pagan Origins? (Venerable Bede) ~ Canterbury Tales by Dr. Taylor Marshall

Honestly, i just wish we would call it Resurrection Day.

 

[joyfulthanks]

.

 

[DaRev]

We should call it Pascha like everyone else does.

 

[joyfulthanks]

We should call it Pascha like everyone else does.

You're right.

 

[Studeclunker]

I'll go along with that, Revrend. If only to separate it from the now paganized holiday celebrated by the unbelievers.