Why do we have christmas trees and santa at christmas. What does all this have to do with the birth of Jesus?
475870
The others are right. They are the traditions of man. Specifically Catholic and Pagan men. If you remember, Jesus had a talk with some religious leaders about them pushing their traditions rather than the bare Truth of God's Word. Going by Paul's teachings I shouldn't make you feel bad for celebrating a day to the Lord so I'm not trying to. But I am supposed to warn you of the pagan rituals we all know God doesn't allow! I hope this opens some eyes and God bless all of you on your mission!
858614
Considering that Christmas really has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, or Christianity, why are you ranting. Check out what I'm saying. The Christians just gave it a new name. They adopted the holiday that is originally from Pagans. As far as Santa and the reindeer and the elves and the sleigh rides, I've never taught my children to believe in such lies, because if I lied to them about that, then they may just think that I would lie to them about God. I don't celebrate the holidays because of their origins. Try reading Exodus 32:4-10
904104
Wow..someone is really missing the whole point of christmas. Thats really sad Cynthia K if you dont know that the whole idea of santa claus was based on a man who really existed. Christmas is about the birth of jesus, and is about others being kind and warm to each other and showing how much they love each other. It was based on Saint Nicholas (dutch), who gave presents to poor children. The custom of giving gifts on a special day in winter was around before christianity came to be.  The first Dutch settlers who came to America had a figure of Saint Nicholas on the front of their ship. After christianity was well established, Saint Nicholas became a customary symbol among christians for christmas. The Dutch celebrated the feast day on December 6th and said Saint Nicholas visited their homes the night before leaving gifts. In time, English settlers adopted the legends and festivities associated with Saint Nicholas. English-speaking children spoke the Dutch name for the saint, Sinterklaas, quickly and excitedly so that it sounded like Santy Claus or Santa Claus.
203803
Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in our family.  We love to share the story of Jesus' birth with our daughter along with the traditions of decorating and singing and baking cookies!
5334
Jesus is a name. Christ is an attribute. Christ comes from the Greek Χριστός (hristos), who is the one who has received the Χρίσμα (hrisma). In other words, one who has been "ordained". In the case of Jesus Christ and the Christian tradition, that would mean he was "ordained" (decreed, anointed) by God.\n\n"Christ" is closer to the importance and divinity attributed to Jesus than the name "Jesus" which is closer to his human nature. I assume that is why we have Christianity and Christmas.\n\nA more simple explanation would be to look at the meaning of the word Christmas(s) as a "mass" (gathering) of Christians - thus Christmas.
4749
Well, if they are unknown, how would we know them?  :-)\n\nHere are a couple links and a choice "interesting" fact about it.\n\n# The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, or "Christ's Mass." There is no set date for his birth in scripture and it wasn't celebrated on any particular day. However Christmas was first celebrated on the 25th of December in Rome in 336AD with an aim to replacing the popular pagan winter solstice celebrations
981212
THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS\n\nIt was not until several hundred years after Jesus lived on the earth that people began to commemorate his birth on December 25. But that was not the date of Jesus’ birth.\n\nConsider the weather conditions at that time of the year in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The Jewish month of Chislev (corresponding to November/December) was a month with cold and rainy weather. The month after that was Tebeth (December/January). It saw the lowest temperatures of the year, with occasional snows in the highlands. Let us see what the Bible tells us about the climate of that region.\nThe Bible writer Ezra shows that Chislev was indeed a month known for cold and rainy weather. After stating that a crowd had gathered in Jerusalem “in the ninth month [Chislev] on the twentieth day of the month,” Ezra reports that people were “shivering . . . on account of the showers of rain.” Concerning weather conditions at that time of the year, the congregated people themselves said: “It is the season of showers of rain, and it is not possible to stand outside.” (Ezra 10:9, 13; Jeremiah 36:22) No wonder shepherds living in that part of the world made sure that they and their flocks were no longer out of doors at night when December came around!\nThe Bible reports, however, that shepherds were in the fields tending their flocks on the night of Jesus’ birth. In fact, the Bible writer Luke shows that at that time, shepherds were “living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks” near Bethlehem. (Luke 2:8-12) Notice that the shepherds were actually living out of doors, not just strolling outside during the day. They had their flocks in the fields at night. Does that description of outdoor living fit the chilly and rainy weather conditions of Bethlehem in December? No, it does not. So the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth indicate that he was not born in December.\n\nSo why was December 25 chosen? Some who later claimed to be Christian likely “wished the date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the ‘birthday of the unconquered sun.’” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) In winter, when the sun seemed weakest, pagans held ceremonies to get this source of warmth and light to come back from its distant travels. December 25 was thought to be the day that the sun began its return. In an effort to convert pagans, religious leaders adopted this festival and tried to make it seem “Christian.”\n\nThe pagan roots of Christmas have long been recognized. Because of its unscriptural origin, Christmas was banned in England and in some of the American colonies during the 17th century. Anyone who even stayed home from work on Christmas day had to pay a penalty. Soon, though, the old customs were back, and some new ones were added. Christmas once again became a big holiday, and that is what it still is in many lands. Because of the connections that Christmas has with false religion, however, those who want to please God do not celebrate it or any other holiday that has its roots in pagan worship.\n\nhttp://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm\n\n\n.
813097
Reading the story of the Birth of Jesus on Christmas morning from the gospel of Luke, while the fire warms the room and we all eat cinnamon rolls and drink orange juice and coffee. It is a welcome comfort and joy. Before we get into the presents, we get into His Presence.\nGod Bless and Merry Christmas!
847908
Agreed! Even if the facts aren't right with all the religious stuff (hey, they probably aren't!) it's what Christmas stands for which makes it such as great day! It's about the whole 'feeling loved' thing. It's good that everyone gets together and spoils each other!  It's important for everyone to give (and receive!).
940223
Ah, the true meaning.....Celebrate the birth/death of Jesus.  The gifts he and his father gave us:  free-will, beautiful landscape, a universe that is as diverse as you and I.  I think of all these things. It's more about giving than receiving,  it's about family, coming together to share a moment in time, that will never come again.
318144
for the same reason santa represents christmas ---a myth made up to make children believe in in unatural happenings
582148
How it All Got Started\nLong before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. \n\nIn the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return. \n\nThe ancient Egyptians worshipped a god called Ra, who had the head of a hawk and wore the sun as a blazing disk in his crown. At the solstice, when Ra began to recover from the illness, the Egyptians filled their homes with green palm rushes which symbolized for them the triumph of life over death. \n\nEarly Romans marked the solstice with a feast called the Saturnalia in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans knew that the solstice meant that soon farms and orchards would be green and fruitful. To mark the occasion, they decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs.   \n \n   \n In Northern Europe the mysterious Druids, the priests of the ancient Celts, also decorated their temples with evergreen boughs as a symbol of everlasting life. The fierce Vikings in Scandinavia thought that evergreens were the special plant of the sun god, Balder. \n\nGermany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce. It is a widely held belief that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amidst evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles. \n\nMost 19th-century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania, although trees had been a tradition in many German homes much earlier. The Pennsylvania German settlements had community trees as early as 1747. But, as late as the 1840s Christmas trees were seen as pagan symbols and not accepted by most Americans. \n\nIt is not surprising that, like many other festive Christmas customs, the tree was adopted so late in America. To the New England Puritans, Christmas was sacred. The pilgrims's second governor, William Bradford, wrote that he tried hard to stamp out "pagan mockery" of the observance, penalizing any frivolity. The influential Oliver Cromwell preached against "the heathen traditions" of Christmas carols, decorated trees, and any joyful expression that desecrated "that sacred event." In 1659, the General Court of Massachusetts enacted a law making any observance of December 25 (other than a church service) a penal offense; people were fined for hanging decorations. That stern solemnity continued until the 19th century, when the influx of German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritan legacy. \n\nIn 1846, the popular royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were sketched in the Illustrated London News standing with their children around a Christmas tree. Unlike the previous royal family, Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was d
697222
First, Jesus was born in September, 4BC. So the feast day of Christmas was to replace a pagan holiday.\n\nSecond, I don' t recall Jesus being materialistic and giving gifts to his disciples on his birthday.\n\nWhat is this fuss for a feast that replaced a pagan holiday? If you think it is Christian, you need to reevaluate your belief.\n\nGod is spirit. We worship him in spirit and in truth. Not with Christmas trees.
1023474
Do we ask why Christmas is held at the same time as the pagan winter soloists. No one really know the date of the birth of Jesus (pbah) and so they picked a good party time so they would not have to give it up. Instead of making fun of Muslims maybe you could look into why things happen in Christianity. \n\nIf you can remember God told the Jews in the Old Testament not to eat pork too. But I know the Old Testament is just a guide and you can pick and choose what you what to do.
977999
Other people are trying to confuse you with their answers.  There is no Santa Claus.  No one lives at the north pole.  There is no such thing as flying reindeer or elves.  No one is watching you all the time deciding if you are good enough to get presents.  Presents under your tree from Santa are actually put there by your parents because getting those presents is part of the fun of Christmas.
1177121
This is to the person that told you to sit on a pole....because why teach a child about Santa so all they think about Christmas is the gifts. The reason of Christmas is of Jesus' birth not some fat guy in a suit that sneaks into your home at night. i was never told that Santa was real. We focused on the birth. My family didn't get as many presents as the other families but we had the reason in our hearts. And if the world believes in Santa then why don't they believe in God? There's no proof of "Santa" and they believe then why do they need proof of God?
244078
Christmas is actually more of a pagan holiday (even though the Christians don't seem to realize it).  The proper term is Solstice or Winter Solstice. . During the year, the position of the Sun seen from Earth moves North and South. When it changes direction it stands still momentarily. So solstices are those moments of the year when the Sun reaches its southernmost or northernmost position, at the Tropic of Capricorn or Tropic of Cancer.  It was traditional to give gifts on Winter Solstice and the passing of the year.  \n\nThats part of the reason gifts are given as it was designated a holiday, however when Christianity came along they designated it as Christ birthday even though no one knows the exact day and the tradition of giving gifts was taken.\n\nChristians would also say its in honor of the three wisemen who brought gifts to the baby Jesus.