Christmas Gifts

31gH9N.9. · Jan 8, 2018

This might be a stupid question, but I don't really know anyone personally who feels the way I do about Christmas. This year was the first year I decided not to celebrate it. When I told my family this, they were disappointed but they got over it. My mom asked me if she could still get me a present. I said ok because I felt like it would be a nice thing to let my mom do. ( I think she honestly just really likes giving gifts on Christmas and birthdays.) When I had decided not to celbrate, I felt like I just had sort of mixed feelings about the holiday and felt that it was pagan in it's origin so I felt that I couldn't be a part of it. By the time she had ended up giving me her gifts I had changed my mind and definately did NOT want gifts for Christmas becasue I didn't want ANYTHING to do with it. But it's too late now, she got me a $100 homedepot gift card and some other random stuff. My grandma also bought me a pretty expensive worm bin

.
Is there anything from the bible that might help my decision in this? Should I give my mom back the card and ask her to return it or use it herself? I don't know if returning the worm bin will really work. I just don't want to support this pagan holiday, but I also don't want to do something disrespectful. Next year I'll just make sure they all know no to get me anything.

CherubRam · Jan 8, 2018

Originally Christmas was not celebrated by Christians, it has only became a celebration recently. Christmas was introduced by the Catholics.

I also informed people that I no longer celebrate certain holidays. It did not go well at first, but later people respected my wishes. I do go for holiday meals and get togethers. I only accept gifts if not on those holidays. I would prefer that they would not get me anything.

Not accepting a gift can hurt peoples feelings.

31gH9N.9. · Jan 8, 2018

CherubRam said:
Originally Christmas was not celebrated by Christians, it has only became a celebration recently. Christmas was introduced by the Catholics.

I also informed people that I no longer celebrate certain holidays. It did not go well at first, but later people respected my wishes. I do go for holiday meals and get togethers. I only accept gifts if not on those holidays. I would prefer that they would not get me anything.

Not accepting a gift can hurt peoples feelings.

I've heard that celebrating Christmas was illegal in New England back in colonial days.

I wish I would have just told them I didn't want gifts. I'll have to make a point of it next year. As I was reading your post my mom from visiting her sister and brought a present from her to me...

Most of the stuff my mom gave me I gave to a homeless man because it was snacks and chocolate. I do feel like rejecting a gift would hurt people's feelings... but I know that can't always effect decisions we make. So far what I've done is open the gifts, say thank you. and just not put them to use.

CherubRam · Jan 8, 2018

31gH9N.9. said:
I've heard that celebrating Christmas was illegal in New England back in colonial days.

I wish I would have just told them I didn't want gifts. I'll have to make a point of it next year. As I was reading your post my mom from visiting her sister and brought a present from her to me...

Most of the stuff my mom gave me I gave to a homeless man because it was snacks and chocolate. I do feel like rejecting a gift would hurt people's feelings... but I know that can't always effect decisions we make. So far what I've done is open the gifts, say thank you. and just not put them to use.

I have done the same thing myself. If I were you I would mention the gift giving long before the next occasion. I have said that if anyone want to give me a gift, they my do so well before or after the fact.

Open Heart · Jan 9, 2018

I am heartily in favor of celebrating Christ Mass, also known as the Feast of the Nativity, a holy day established by the church in 336 AD. I think that the many traditions, both sacred and secular, increase the awe and mystery and love of the holiday. Gift giving in particular is a rich metaphor for God giving us his son: the best Christmas present ever.

I have to confess that I truly don't understand why anyone would say "Bah! Humbug!" to Christmas. But I'm sure people have their own reasons.

The question is, should they allow their non-participation in Christmas to spoil the holy day for those that do participate? I think that would be very selfish. That's my two cents worth.

CherubRam · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
I am heartily in favor of celebrating Christ Mass, also known as the Feast of the Nativity, a holy day established by the church in 336 AD. I think that the many traditions, both sacred and secular, increase the awe and mystery and love of the holiday. Gift giving in particular is a rich metaphor for God giving us his son: the best Christmas present ever.

I have to confess that I truly don't understand why anyone would say "Bah! Humbug!" to Christmas. But I'm sure people have their own reasons.

The question is, should they allow their non-participation in Christmas to spoil the holy day for those that do participate? I think that would be very selfish. That's my two cents worth.

Yahshua was most likely born in the middle of September. December 25 has nothing to do with Christ birth. Puritans banned Christmas.

HARK! · Jan 9, 2018

I wouldn't give the gifts back. You already agreed to accept them, and then followed through. It has taken me time to find the conviction to act on what I've learned, time and time again. You're learning; and you're growing. It might take time to adjust. It might take time for those around you to adjust too.

HARK! · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
I have to confess that I truly don't understand why anyone would say "Bah! Humbug!" to Christmas.

(CLV) Jer 10:2
Thus says Yahweh: The way of the nations, do not learn, And by the signs of the heavens, do not be dismayed, Though the nations are being dismayed by them.
(CLV) Jer 10:3
Indeed concerning the statutes of the peoples, it all is vanity, For one cuts it down, a tree from the wildwood, The work of an artificer's hands with an adz;
(CLV) Jer 10:4

Open Heart · Jan 9, 2018

CherubRam said:
Yahshua was most likely born in the middle of September. December 25 has nothing to do with Christ birth. Puritans banned Christmas.

People debate when Yeshua was born -- some say September, others say December, or other dates. The truth is that we don't know, and it doesn't matter. The point of Christmas is that it sets aside one day a year to especially remember his incarnation.

Open Heart · Jan 9, 2018

HARK! said:
Thus says Yahweh: The way of the nations, do not learn, And by the signs of the heavens, do not be dismayed, Though the nations are being dismayed by them.

And what does that have to do with Christ Mass? We are not celebrating the birth of the sun, that should go without saying. The few older traditions we have grafted in (holly, pine tree) are of no consequence. Remember that holly and pine trees belong to God: it's good that we took them away from paganism.

Heber Book List · Jan 9, 2018

Whatever you do, do not give back to your mother what she gave you. Of course, she may ask you what what you spent the money on!!!

I would strongly suggest that you spend the money on yourself, this time round, and keep the bin, then let your family know that next year you do not want presents for Christmas, and keep to that decision.

Scripture says that you must honour your parents - so do just that this year because, as a Christian, you gave your word and agreed to accept the gifts; true believers may not go back on their word.

I think G_d would be more concerned that you broke his Law about honouring your parents, than whether you took part in Christmas, to any great extent, or not.

HARK! · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
The few older traditions we have grafted in (holly, pine tree) are of no consequence. Remember that holly and pine trees belong to God: it's good that we took them away from paganism.

Deuteronomy 12:4

4 “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods

Open Heart · Jan 9, 2018

HARK! said:
Deuteronomy 12:4

4 “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods

We're not. We're worshiping God the way Christians do: in Church, and in the spreading of good will and gift giving among family and friends. Nothing pagan about that.

Heber Book List · Jan 9, 2018

HARK! said:
Deuteronomy 12:4

4 “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods

2 Kings 5:18 G_d understands these things when our heart is totally for him, and we do not abuse his leniency.

31gH9N.9. · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
We're not. We're worshiping God the way Christians do: in Church, and in the spreading of good will and gift giving among family and friends. Nothing pagan about that.

I honestly believe that a lot of Christians are very sincere in their celebration of Christmas and truly believe it's a great time of year to celebrate. I also think that being humbug to everyone about it is not a good idea. But from what I understand it is too connected with paganism and has taken pagan ideas and Christianized them, and like the passages say that have already been quoted, Christians shouldn't have a part in it. I don't think we should go around condemning nonbelievers for it because it might be the only time of the year they give any thought to the idea of a savior.

31gH9N.9. · Jan 9, 2018

31gH9N.9. · Jan 9, 2018

Heber Book List said:
Whatever you do, do not give back to your mother what she gave you. Of course, she may ask you what what you spent the money on!!!

I would strongly suggest that you spend the money on yourself, this time round, and keep the bin, then let your family know that next year you do not want presents for Christmas, and keep to that decision.

Scripture says that you must honour your parents - so do just that this year because, as a Christian, you gave your word and agreed to accept the gifts; true believers may not go back on their word.

I think G_d would be more concerned that you broke his Law about honouring your parents, than whether you took part in Christmas, to any great extent, or not.

This is the way I think I'm going to go. In the past I've definitely made decisions out of a zealous attitude that actually wasn't the way that G_d would've had me handle it. I really don't want to act so hasty again.

HARK! · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
We're not. We're worshiping God the way Christians do: in Church, and in the spreading of good will and gift giving among family and friends. Nothing pagan about that.

"Nimrod started the great organized worldly apostasy from God that has
dominated this world until now. Nimrod married his own mother, whose name
was Semiramis. After Nimrod's death, his so-called mother-wife, Semiramis,
propagated the evil doctrine of the survival of Nimrod as a spirit being. She
claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump,
which symbolized the springing forth unto new life of the dead Nimrod. On each
anniversary of his birth, she claimed, Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and
leave gifts upon it. December 25th, was the birthday of Nimrod. This is the real
origin of the Christmas tree."
-The Plain Truth About Christmas by David J. Stewart

"Traditionally, a yule log was burned in the fireplace on Christmas Eve and
during the night as the log's embers died, there appeared in the room, as if by
magic, a Christmas tree surrounded by gifts. The yule log represented the sun
god Nimrod and the Christmas tree represented himself resurrected as his own
son Tammuz."
--After Armageddon -Chapter 4 Where do we get our ideas? by John A.
Sarkett

HARK! · Jan 9, 2018

Open Heart said:
in Church

6. Church comes from the Anglo-Saxon root word "circe," and stems from the Greek name of the goddess "Circe," the daughter of "Helios," the Roman Sun-god adopted from Greek mythology. Linked to this goddess in Celtic pagan worship is the name "Kirce." From her name comes the word "kirch" which pertained to the building dedicated to pagan Celtic worship and rituals. The Greek word "kuriakon" was used for the building or "house of Kurios (Lord)."

* Kahal or Kehelat are the proper Hebrew words pertaining to a public place of assembly or congregational place worship dedicated to Yahweh. Ekklesia is the Greek word used in the Brit Chadasha/New Testament for the assembly of the "called out ones," but is never used in reference to a building, only denoting the people who have assembled.

Sun-day worship terms, from pagan origin

Open Heart · Jan 9, 2018

HARK! said:
Church comes from the Anglo-Saxon root word "circe," and stems from the Greek name of the goddess "Circe,"

Etymology of church is not as you say:

church

Origin

Old English cir(i)ce, cyr(i)ce, related to Dutch kerk and German Kirche, based on medieval Greek kurikon, from Greek kuriakon (dōma ) ‘Lord's (house),’ from kurios ‘master or lord.’

Christmas Gifts

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