Holidays and traditions...Do they matter?
414590
SATAN LOVES TO MIMIC GOD\n\nSATAN LOVES TO TAKE THAT WHICH IS HOLY AND DESAGRATE IT\n\n\nTHE FOLOWING WILL ANSWER EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HOLIDAYS (HOLY-DAYS)\n\nMany people are surprised to learn that in the Bible God presents His Holidays. The word holidays really comes from two separate words, holy days. Holidays were originally created to be times of\nrejoicing and celebration in the worship of God. Today most of the holidays have degenerated into very secular events in which God is mostly, if not totally, forgotten. God never intended for this to happen.\nThis book will present God’s Holy Days and their meaning for us today. Indeed, God’s Holy Days are rich in meaning for God’s people\nnow.\n\nMany years ago we came across the following quote. “The\nsignificance of the Jewish economy is not yet fully comprehended.\nTruths vast and profound are shadowed forth in its rites and symbols.\nThe gospel is the key that unlocks its mysteries. Through a knowledge\nof the plan of redemption, its truths are opened to the understanding.\nFar more than we do, it is our privilege to understand these wonderful\nthemes. We are to comprehend the deep things of God. Angels desire to\nlook into the truths that are revealed to the people who with contrite\nhearts are searching the word of God, and praying for greater lengths\nand breadths and depths and heights of the knowledge which He alone\n1 6\ncan give.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 133) We puzzled over this\nquote. What is in the Jewish economy in the Old Testament that we do\nnot understand? We had no idea, but the seed was planted in our mind.\nWe determined that someday, somehow, we would find out. The\njourney we embarked on has taken many years with a great deal of\nstudy. The Jewish economy is indeed rich in beauty and spiritual\nlessons which bring us to a closer walk with God in our relationship\nwith Him.\n\n“The time of the Passover corresponded to the close of March or the\nbeginning of April, and the whole land was bright with flowers, and\nglad with the song of birds. All along the way were spots memorable in\nthe history of Israel, and fathers and mothers recounted to their children\nthe wonders that God had wrought for His people in ages past. They\nbeguiled their journey with song and music, and when at last the towers\nof Jerusalem came into view, every voice joined in the triumphant\nstrain,--‘Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. . . .Peace be\nwithin thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.’ Ps. 122: 2-7.”\n(Desire of Ages, pp. 75-76) As you read this quote imagine in your\nmind the Israelites traveling with their children through the countryside\nbright with spring flowers, singing songs of praise to God, as they\ntraveled to Jerusalem. What a wonderful time they must have had,\nspending extra time with friends and family while they learned\nwonderful spiritual truths. Would you like to have this wonderful\nexperience as well?\nHere are some more quotes, which show the rich blessings the\nIsraelites received while they celebrated God’s Holy Days.\n“The journey made three times a year to the annual feasts at\nJerusalem, the week's sojourn in booths during the Feast of Tabernacles,\nwere opportunities for outdoor recreation and social life. These feasts\nwere occasions of rejoicing, made sweeter and more tender by the\nhospitable welcome given to the stranger, the Levite, and the poor.”\n(Ministry of Healing, p. 281) These Holy Days were also times of\nhospitality where God’s people received a greater opportunity to share\nthe blessings that God had given them. Imagine a place where all are\nmade to feel welcome and no one is turned away. Those who have been\nblessed financially share with those who are in need while all\nparticipate in a rich spiritual experience.\n“Christ was here repeating the instruction He had given to Israel\nthrough Moses. At their sacred feasts the Lord had directed that ‘the\nst
807484
This year my bf and I are trying something new. NO GIFTS. No one gets anything. We do send out homemade cards with personal notes in each card.\n\nWe are trying to get out of the extreme holiday behavior this world is coming to. We shouldn't have Christmas stuff for sale in all the stores before Thanksgiving and have to spend so much money on gifts for everyone. Gifts should be homemade and well thought out. We are trying to do what we can to change our families and teach them that we dont need gifts, we just want love and quality family time during the holidays!!\n\nIs it me or did I just go way off track on that answer? ;-)
418648
I'm working today, just as I have every day of the week for the last 3 1/2 months.\nI do not think Good Friday should be declared a holiday (no pun intended).  The USA is basically a secular nation, as it should be.  Look around the world and see what kind of life people lead in theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran, and even in places like the Philippines where the church greatly influences government policy.\nPeople like James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, though they were Christians and deists, recognized the importance of separating church and state; Jefferson created the concept for us.  They would blanch at the thought of making religious festivities into official holidays.\nThe last time religion played a major role in the politics of the West, it was known as the "Dark Ages."
752818
Well, there is Yule AND there is Christmas.\nYule, which I celebrate, has been around longer and yes, Christianity came along and tried to convert us hethens by creating their own holiday around the same time. But that doesn't make Christmas any less significant. Those that celebrate it have every right to celebrate their beliefs; just as those pagans out there have every right to still celebrate Yule and the solstices. \nChristians celebrate Christmas as Jesus's birthday (and we all know he wasn't actually born on that day, but it was just picked as a day to celebrate it) and that is a beautiful tradition. Christians of today had no hand in the Church's actions of the past; therefore should not be punished for it.\nPeace to all and Blessed be!
833090
I'm from America, and our personal tradition is to go over to my parents or brothers house on Christmas Eve for dinner, family time, and opening gifts. Christmas morning, I try to wake up before the kids so we can watch them get excited by all the gifts 'Santa' left them in the night. Then, for the noon meal, my in-laws come over and we have more family time and opening gifts. Probably pretty similar to many Americans - very basic.\nOne thing our neighborhood does (on the 23rd this year) is have luminaries. It spans several blocks and the streets are closed to traffic, and the sight is really beautiful. It's a tradition that has been around since before I was born - there are carriage rides and hot cocoa and cookies in the park, and some people go caroling. \nMerry Christmas!
702203
Well, religious people are always religious regardless of the occasion...\n\nBut yeah actually it was meant to be a sort of patriotic celebration of the survival of the (religious, granted) pilgrims through the first harsh year after coming to America. That's why it's only celebrated in the US. There isn't any global religious significance.\n\nThe dinner goes much like Christmas around here, big dinner that's usually turkey, and the family sitting around the table (hopefully) enjoying each other's company. There aren't any gifts exchanged usually, except maybe something for the hostess like wine or flowers. There aren't really any Thanksgiving lights or songs to speak of.\n\nWhen I lived in Europe I missed my family more at Thanksgiving than I did at Christmas, oddly enough. I guess maybe because there were some Christmas celebrations going on that were very fun.\n\nIt might be seen as a sort of warm-up for the Christmas holiday (or Yule for me... same difference).
821095
Christmas is no longer just a Christian holiday. My family is not religious yet we've celebrated Christmas every year. For us it was never about Jesus; it was all about Santa. (Well, for my dad it's about Festivus and the Winter Solstice. He too is a bit of a Scrooge but gave in a few years ago when he decided that he just wouldn't call it Christmas). For me, Christmas is a time to show/tell people that I love them. We live hectic lives and sometimes we forget to tell the people in our lives how much we care about and appreciate them. Christmas is a good time to reiterate how much I love my family and friends. Do your best to ignore our conspicuous consumer society and tell the people that you love how you feel! Plus you can enjoy all the parties and delicious food!
703368
there are more traditions for christmas like santa and reindeer and snow but thanksgiving has nothing. what are u gonna sing about turkey and leaves...most christmas songs are not about the real story except a few so if u want thanksgiving songs there not gonna be about being thankful
217856
The only person I celebrate is Jesus at Christmas time, and show honor and respect at Easter. More than once I've had people mad at me for not celebrating pagan holidays. Sorry, don't do idols or false gods.
498046
LOL, dude they don't celebrate any holidays!!! including birthdays. I actully know a few!!!
309972
I absolutely agree! I celebrate them because there sort of forced on.  My family just sort of shows up every freak'n Holiday & my dad's always calling and asking "so what are we going to do for...?"  I swear they do it out of spite because they know I hate holidays.  \n\nLike you said, every day is worth celebrating, not just some designated, commercialized day.  They cost to much too celebrate, I'm a tight a** and I hate spending my money on crap i.e., easter baskets, candy, table clothes, it's all sh**.\n\nI don't mind Christmas though, not for the religious associations, I just love that time of year, the cold weather, the warm food, and the fireplace.  But that's what I do during the winter anyhow.  \n\nThe most disturbing to me though, has to be Valentine's Day.  Good lord, I despise that day!  "Oh, honey, I love you so much today.  Here's some flowers and a box of chocolates I pickup at the grocery store." F*** all that!\n\nIf you love someone so much why wait until fr'kn Feb 14 to show it.  Bring them chocolate, flowers, love notes, sing them a song, cook them dinner, every day.\n\nMan I hear you!
45094
As far as American Independence Day, I think that most of us connect to the importance of the day more significantly than other American historical holidays (President's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day).  Our traditional fireworks are to many of us a reminder of what our ancestors endured to bring all of us the freedoms we now enjoy.
944187
No, you're wrong.  Thanksgiving has been here since Labor Day.  CHRISTmas has been here since Halloween.
870624
A lot of people don't look forward to the holidays. Christmas is my favorite time of the whole year and I usually go all out with decorating, but I have had years where it was a struggle just to drag the tree out. I can't stand all the commercialization so we try to focus on the true joys of the season. It is always sad to remember that a loved one has passed close to or on a meaningful date. On the other hand, if we gave up celebrating any given date because of a death, we wouldn't be able to be happy again because there are dates throughout the year that hold meaning for each of us. In the case of elderly relatives, I am content to look back at the lives they had and I always recall the funny things they used to do and say or the happy times we shared. I also know that they wouldn't want us sitting around mourning them and not moving forward and making our own memories. One thing that helps bring the holidays into sharper focus is my son. We have some traditions we share with the whole family, but we have our very own too and I wouldn't want to let him down. He is still little and I want it to be magical for him and also pass on our traditions to his family when he is grown. It may help you to remember something you used to do with your loved ones and turn it into a holiday tradition for your baby. It will become something you share through the years and he will have a connection to his family that he can carry with him the rest of his life.
980585
What does being a "person of color" have to do with celebrating or not celebrating this holiday?  The offical celebration of Thanksgiving was not established until the time of President Lincoln.  It is a national holiday when people can take time out before the real hussle and bussle of the Christmas season to get together with family and friends and set a little special time aside to give thanks to whatever Diety they believe in.  There is no harm in having a special day of thanks.  Certainly, you should be grateful for the things of this world constantly, but there is no reason why you can't have a special day.  I agree that many things happened in the past that we of European descent have no cause to be proud of...however, I am, as a 21st century American, grateful for the fact that I live in this country and not another.  I am grateful for a government that sets aside a special day for thanks and that allows me the right to thank whatever Diety I wish in whatever way I wish.  No matter your ethnic/racial origins, you should be thankful for the way things are NOW and not dwell on the past.  A Mandan chief once said  something along the lines of not dwelling on things that cannot be changed (things in the past) and living toward changing those things that can (the future).  So, have a happy day of thanks.
689369
I think that it varies. they are not all free each holiday. i think that one or two are free each holiday.
1032176
Your traditions are what you make them. They apply to you alone. Make the most of your wedding and marriage. Nobody can ruin that for you. Forget what everyone else does. Don't give their traditions a second thought. Save your energies for your husband. \n\nAnd a big CONGRATS for saving yourself for your husband. It's bold to be different. \n\nHave a great life.