Elmo's Christmas Countdown

[CensoredAlso]

Which is sad because I think one of the purposes behind Santa Claus (based on a real person btw) is to teach children about having faith in something they can't see. It's a introduction to the idea of faith. And also the idea of giving and receiving. Santa is certainly presented that way in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. Big Bird wants proof, but he learns that's not what's important.

 

[D'Snowth]

You know, I never really thought of it that way before... maybe that's the theory behind the Easter Bunny?

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I mean, I guess they are ways for children to comprehend adult concepts.

 

[Drtooth]

Which is sad because I think one of the purposes behind Santa Claus (based on a real person btw) is to teach children about having faith in something they can't see. It's a introduction to the idea of faith. And also the idea of giving and receiving. Santa is certainly presented that way in Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. Big Bird wants proof, but he learns that's not what's important.

Which is funny, since if you think about it, Santa Claus is a Saint, meaning he is Christian himself, and a religious figure anyway.

But what bugs me is that if we want to get technical, Christmas should happen in either Summer or October or something, since we picked an arbitary date to celebrate it.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah Santa Claus was based on a St. Nicolas, who was said to be a savior and advocate of children. Years later the Church decided he wasn't a saint because he hadn't been properly canonized. Which makes no sense to me. If he wasn't canonized back then, then do it now! He was important to Christians for so many years (and still is).

I believe (and I'd have to go looking for exact sources) the December date was picked ages ago because it had some significance with the pagan religions around at that time. They wanted new Christians to be able to identify with the various events and celebrations.

It does seem kinda weird that we're getting Jesus' birthday wrong, lol. I know I wouldn't like that! But I don't really mind that much.

 

[D'Snowth]

Believe it or not, some people actually DO celebrate Christmas in October because since Christ was born around that time!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Wow, I didn't know that, that's interesting! Well, whenever it was, at least Christians do recognize its importance.

 

[D'Snowth]

Wow, I didn't know that, that's interesting! Well, whenever it was, at least Christians do recognize its importance.

Of course... but you know, it's also gets you in the mood to have a bunch of decorations with Santa Claus, and snowmen, and penguins (which I don't understand since they live at the SOUTH Pole, not the North), and of course the Christmas tree itself (which actually DOES symbolize light of the shining star).

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah definitely that's how I celebrate and it's important. Christmas should be about being happy and celebrating. God decided to become a human being so he could be like us and eventually save us, it's an amazing thing.

And yes people forget the Christmas tree does have spiritual meaning.

 

[abiraniriba]

Nobody knows when He was born

Nobody really knows when Jesus was born. We know it can't be December 25th because of the shepherds, but in John's gospel it says "the Word was made flesh and "dwelt" among us. The word that the KJV translates as dwelt is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew word tabernacle. The word tabernacle first appears in the book of Exodus in conjunction with the Hebrew feast of tabernacles when the Jews dwell in tents to commemorate the forty years in the wilderness, during which time they actually dwelt in tents.

There were a lot of other Greek words for dwell around at John's time yet He chose this one, why? Maybe because Christ was born during this feast.

The Feast of Tabernacles is celebrated in late September early October by our calendar. Now if we count back nine months from that time of year we wind up in late December early January, so if Christ was conceived around that time December 25th is a perfectly good day to celebrate His entry into the world.