Pessimistic said:
It may be called CHRISTmas but the 'true' meaning of the festival is NOT what the various clergy go on about at this time of year (and have as long as I can remember)
It was some kind of pagan festival associated with the shortest daylight day in the Northern hemisphere. The christmas tree, the food, the candles etc all associated with this.
The christians pulled a fast one and rebadged it christmas and now are complaining because a coca cola inspired santa has done the same to them. Saint Nickclaus was a christian so give them that much.
Boxing day was the day to give presents to friends and the poor.
Some of you will know more than me on this but it's a bit galling of the clergy to complain about no nativity scane in melbourne when they have churches in a prime positions - what's wrong with THEM having a nativity scene.
Oh and apparently dec 25th is not His Birthday (a bit like the queen I suppose- it happens on the wrong day)
It was some kind of pagan festival associated with the shortest daylight day in the Northern hemisphere. The christmas tree, the food, the candles etc all associated with this.
The christians pulled a fast one and rebadged it christmas and now are complaining because a coca cola inspired santa has done the same to them. Saint Nickclaus was a christian so give them that much.
Boxing day was the day to give presents to friends and the poor.
Some of you will know more than me on this but it's a bit galling of the clergy to complain about no nativity scane in melbourne when they have churches in a prime positions - what's wrong with THEM having a nativity scene.
Oh and apparently dec 25th is not His Birthday (a bit like the queen I suppose- it happens on the wrong day)
2000 odd years ago (and earlier), December 25th was the date of the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere (it's now around December 21st because of the inevitable shift over time). The Roman pagans celebrated the sun's triumph over the cold winter (ie days getting longer) in a festival called Saturnalia, which took place on and around December 25th.
When Christians started to gain power in the Roman Empire, they wanted the Romans to celebrate the birth of Christ. So, they placed the date of the birth of Christ at Saturnalia, in order to placate the Pagans - they would now celebrate a Christian festival, but still feel like they were celebrating Saturnalia if they wished.
I'm not sure when Christ's date of birth is, but it is certainly not December 25th. Christmas was not celebrated until around the 4th century AD (when the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine, came into power - 337AD).
The Isis-Horus story is true enough. In many versions of Egyptian mythology, Horus is believed to have been born around December 25th (as are many other Egyptian deities), and whilst his mother was not 'necessarily' a virgin, it was still an immaculate conception. This was probably a factor in December 25th being chosen for Christmas. (Possibly an attempt to placate the huge Isis cult sector of the Roman pagans, which for a few hundred years had now included the powerful Egyptians.) But then this gets into the whole pagan origins of Christianity itself, and that's another thread in itself. A couple of other things I could mention briefly, though: Horus's father, Osiris, was raised from the dead. Horus fought his uncle Seth (which can be translated as Satan) and was carried to a mountain (similar Jesus-Satan story).
However, whatever the festival of December 25th originally was, it is now a celebration of the birth of Christ. Seeing as Christianity is the dominant religion in Western countries, I don't see the problem with openly celebrating the religious meaning of Christmas. For example, if I go to a Muslim country, I'll respect their traditions and religion. Those that come here should do the same. Political correctness has gone far too overboard (sorry for stating the obvious).

