December Dilemma

[Valid Name]

Greetings!

Hey, I like this forum! There are people here who probably have the same issues I do!

What do you do when you are wished a Merry Christmas? I usually say thanks so that I don't have to explain anything, but I almost feel bad for doing that. What do you folks do when or if that happens?

Peace,
Valid Name

 

[Henaynei]

Personally, I genuinely thank them (for their kind and warm regards). At least that is the attitude with which I say "Thank you." And I wish them a Merry Christmas back. Just as I would if they kept Kwanza or some such. It is *their* holiday, why should I not wish them enjoyment of it?

I do have a demure Khanukah decoration on my desk - those sensitive, or interested, or knowledgeable will either ask me about Khanukah or wish me Happy Khanukah. I even occasionally get Khanukah cards.

I don't give cards but I do participate in the gift exchange, modestly and humbly. This year my "Secret Santa" (their label by office tradition) gave me a very lovely 5 inch crystal prisim with internal etching of the Temple Menorah, it is extremely lovely. I am giving my person a meal for her and her husband at a local Amish Restaurant, going and getting them and bringing them home. The woman is one of our most dedicated volunteers, is well over 80, her husband over 90 and they never get out anymore because of age and distance.

You see I try to find a gift that is not "Christmas" but is personal.

This approach has earned me many opportunities to talk about Khanukah and MJism on a personal 1 on 1 level with people who come into my office and I have been invited to share Khanukah with 8 classes of students in my school both this year and last.

 

[BenTsion]

Valid Name,
Shalom!
Wish them Merry Christmas back! If you want to have a chance to witness to your friends regarding your beliefs, you have to be diplomatic. Even the apostles did that sometimes (remember Rav. Sha'ul). That doesn't mean you share their beliefs.

My dad's family is Christian and they esteem Christmas a lot. Unless I want to engage in a completely unnecessary fight and push all my family members away from me, I HAVE TO attend their Xmas celebrations. That doesn't mean it has religious significance for me. I consider it just a social event.

Keep in mind that G-d wants us to be loving!

In Messiah,
Ben Tsion

 

[Talmidah]

What do you do when you are wished a Merry Christmas? I usually say thanks so that I don't have to explain anything, but I almost feel bad for doing that. What do you folks do when or if that happens?

I do tell them "Thank you", warmly and with a smile. Sometimes, depending upon who it is and where I'm at, I will say happily "And Happy Channukah to you". The person will sometimes ask about that and I get a chance to tell them what Channukah means and what it commemorates.

Today was the gift exchange for my department at work. I participated, took in a nice gift for my person, in generic type holiday paper and had a nice lunch. My children, who attended with me, received gifts from one lady and a Channukah card with gift certificate from another.

I also attend family gathering on December 25th. We don't take gifts although my children receive some from their grandparents. My family all knows that we do not celebrate Christmas at home and that we are not there for the Christmas event...we are there to spend a day with family. And there are really no religious overtones since most everyone in my family is very anti-any kind of religion.

 

[simchat_torah]

I tell them they are in danger of the fires of hell... that usually warms them up to me.

Then after that, I challenge them to a dual of the mind with a game of chess.

Afterwords, the monkeys and I sing and dance.

That's pretty much how I handle the situation.


---------------------------------------------
In all seriousness, I still have to say that I'm tied to Xmas. Much of our family only gets together 1 time a year, yep... Mithra's birthday. My wife and I typically will gather with family, but we don't partake in the Xmas celebration. Of course we smile, and often the discussion of our heresy comes up. We are branded and outcast from much of our family, but eh... we don't condemn them. I suppose they feel guilty enough from our observance that we don't need to speak.

They insist on still buying us gifts, etc... we still aren't sure how to go about that yet. I'm hoping to have a handle on that before we have kids.

(which reminds me, I'll be posting my thoughts soon in the channukah thread)

I think I've rambled enough now.

-Some big dumb Jew.

 

[iitb]

I tell them they are in danger of the fires of hell... that usually warms them up to me.

Then after that, I challenge them to a dual of the mind with a game of chess.

Afterwords, the monkeys and I sing and dance.

That's pretty much how I handle the situation.

It looks as though what was left of Yafet's mind has finally departed.

 

[Valid Name]

LoL Yafet, A chess player eh? Don't think about asking me to play online. I can't play games on computers for some reason. Plus you would miss my hissy fit I throw when I lose.

I think I'm mostly with Talmidah on this one. Please to meet you by the way!

My family is Catholic as I was . . . this year my Mother asked why I don't celebrate Christmas. I don't think I really answered, she starts with "well I know Christ wasn't born that day," and then my sister asks my mother, "so why do we celebrate it?" I suppose I'll tell them one day, but I know they are not ready to hear about pagan celebrations. Next time I will tell them to check out the history of Christmas, and tell me why they think I don't celebrate it. I wouldn't find much use preaching about it.

I understand your issue BenTsion, fortuantly in my family my not celebrating does not push them away. I do my best to stay way the 24th and 25th. Christmas Eve dinner was alright at first, but I couldn't feel comfortable with all the Merry Christmas's and the recieving gifts.

I'm in your boat Yafet, I get one Christmas card a year and it's from my parents. My mother and I give her a 'you know' look. The only heresy that I've had to deal with has been from my Aunt and Uncle who are Catholic - I bit my tongue, they were pretty hell bent on not reasoning.

Slowly I'm learning that commandments shouldn't be broken even if what seems to be a rewarding experience.

Peace,
Valid Name