Hanukkah Is not the Jewish Christmas

Hi @Yoko.52, Christmas and Hanukkah are similar in some ways. For instance, we've got a tree, they've got a bush. We get presents, but they get more (8 days worth). And both are celebrations of miraculous events (though I believe we have more than just a smidge of one-upmanship concerning the nature and kind of miracle that we celebrate ).

Thanks for putting the Hanukkah link up for all of us to see!

Shalom!/God bless you! (Numbers 6:24-26)

--David

When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, we never heard of Chanukah on TV or in my city.

It only started being treated as a Jewish Holiday in response to Christmas in the 70's. Even Jews were amazed that the secular world was making a big deal out of a minor Jewish observance.

Eventually, it became a Jewish like Christmas, only better.

They allow Menorahs on town parks and such, but heaven forbid if anything Christian is allowed.

Don't misunderstand, I'm happy that Chanukah is observed. It's just the anti-Christian attitudes by the secular media and governments I dislike.

Neither holiday is appropriate for Christians to celebrate.

Having said that, Hanukkah was never that big a deal to Jews until the Victorians turned German style Christmas into a big deal and it spread to the US which blew both days completely out of proportion.

Redwingfan9 said:

Neither holiday is appropriate for Christians to celebrate.

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Is there anything in the Bible that says we should not celebrate the birth of our Messiah?

I know angels did not sing or announce it, so maybe singing Angels We Have Heard on High and Hark the Herald Angels Sing is inappropriate. So is singing We Three Kings of Orient Are because they had no links to royalty. But what is bad about songs like Go Tell It on the Mountain and Hallelujah or song verses such as my signature? What is bad about symbolizing the fact Jesus is the Light of the world by putting strings of lights on houses and buildings? What matters is why you do it - to celebrate the birth of Jesus, not just make everything look pretty and repeat traditional stores for one month.

ChristianForCats said:

Is there anything in the Bible that says we should not celebrate the birth of our Messiah?

I know angels did not sing or announce it, so maybe singing Angels We Have Heard on High and Hark the Herald Angels Sing is inappropriate. So is singing We Three Kings of Orient Are because they had no links to royalty. But what is bad about songs like Go Tell It on the Mountain and Hallelujah or song verses such as my signature? What is bad about symbolizing the fact Jesus is the Light of the world by putting strings of lights on houses and buildings? What matters is why you do it - to celebrate the birth of Jesus, not just make everything look pretty and repeat traditional stores for one month.

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There is absolutely nothing in scripture that permits us to add a holy day of any sort, much less for the birth of Christ. Jesus didn't celebrate his birth, neither did the Apostles or the early church. We are not permitted to add or take away from Biblical worship.

Beyond all that, there is a reason why the world loves Xmas and that should give all Christians cause to question the day.

Yoko.52 said:

Man do you you always have to criticize. You do realize Jesus celebrated that holiday...he was a jew, and the holiday was on par with thanksgiving...unlike passover which was a major holiday.

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Hanukkah points to the coming messiah, which is why Christians don't celebrate. The messiah is no longer a future event, his redemptive work is completed. As for the Jews, my father is Jewish and he and the older people in his family (he's in his mid 70s) always said that Hanukkah wasn't a big deal until Jews moved out of their ethnic neighborhoods and felt the need to keep up with Christians in December. Yom Kippur and Passover were always bigger holy days.

ChristianForCats said:

Is there anything in the Bible that says we should not celebrate the birth of our Messiah?

I know angels did not sing or announce it, so maybe singing Angels We Have Heard on High and Hark the Herald Angels Sing is inappropriate. So is singing We Three Kings of Orient Are because they had no links to royalty. But what is bad about songs like Go Tell It on the Mountain and Hallelujah or song verses such as my signature? What is bad about symbolizing the fact Jesus is the Light of the world by putting strings of lights on houses and buildings? What matters is why you do it - to celebrate the birth of Jesus, not just make everything look pretty and repeat traditional stores for one month.

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Au contraire mon amie , the birth of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, was the reason for the biggest celebration in the universe since the Creation itself .. e.g. Job 38:4-7 (take special note of v7). The whole of the host of heaven was in attendance at the party as were the Shepherds, the Magi (Jews AND Gentiles) and others who all came to celebrate His birth, worship Him, and even give Him gifts.

And so we celebrate His birth today

God bless you!

--David

Redwingfan9 said:

There is absolutely nothing in scripture that permits us to add a holy day of any sort, much less for the birth of Christ. Jesus didn't celebrate his birth, neither did the Apostles or the early church. We are not permitted to add or take away from Biblical worship.

Beyond all that, there is a reason why the world loves Xmas and that should give all Christians cause to question the day.

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But observing the birth of Christ, the early Christians did in fact do

I have no problem in respecting the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah.

However, for Christians, the birth of our Savior is of great importance and the reason for the season

JimR-OCDS said:

But observing the birth of Christ, the early Christians did in fact do

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The first recorded celebration wasn't until the 4th century. Early Christians did not celebrate a special holy day for Jesus birth. They celebrated the whole of Jesus life on the Lord's Day every Sunday.

Yoko.52 said:

You know what, I sincerely doubt Jesus is upset that people celebrate the day of his birth. If he was upset about anything, it would be how Christmas has turned into a money making machine by the majority of businesses.

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I agree. He would have no reason to be mad at anyone for celebrating his birth. The problem is people do not stop there. What if someone only decorated with Christian symbols and imagery, sang/listened to the Biblical Christmas songs, and read stories about the birth of Jesus?

Redwingfan9 said:

The first recorded celebration wasn't until the 4th century. Early Christians did not celebrate a special holy day for Jesus birth. They celebrated the whole of Jesus life on the Lord's Day every Sunday.

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That was the recorded celebration. However, Christians were observing it at different times throughout the Church.

The Catholic Church finally determined a date. In fact, the Church once claimed that they had the Roman Census Record of the Holy Family. However, it was never proven.

JimR-OCDS said:

That was the recorded celebration. However, Christians were observing it at different times throughout the Church.

The Catholic Church finally determined a date. In fact, the Church once claimed that they had the Roman Census Record of the Holy Family. However, it was never proven.

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We know early Christians were not celebrating it because if they were it would be in scripture. Furthermore, we know that early Christians took God's commandments seriously when it came to worship. They heeded the savior's commands to do all that he commanded.

Redwingfan9 said:

We know early Christians were not celebrating it because if they were it would be in scripture. Furthermore, we know that early Christians took God's commandments seriously when it came to worship. They heeded the savior's commands to do all that he commanded.

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Scripture doesn't contain everything the early Christians did. Heck, even St John wrote in his gospel that there was much more that took place but too much to be written about.

However, the Church didn't rely on Scripture Alone, but on Tradition.

"Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours." 2 Thessalonians 2:15

Also:

"First, one must not simply assume that the early Christians only began to celebrate Christmas in the 4th century. Until the Edict of Milan was published in 313, Catholics were persecuted and met in catacombs. Hence, there was no public festivity. But they celebrated Christmas among themselves before that Edict, as hymns and prayers of the first Christians confirm (2)." Christmas Was Never a Pagan Holiday by Marian T. Horvat

Hanukkah Is not the Jewish Christmas​

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Of course not.

But that is no reason not to wish "Happy Hanukkah!" to everybody who celebrates these days!

JimR-OCDS said:

I have no problem in respecting the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah.

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Neither have I!