I know this is early, but I th'ot I'd preempt the superstitious among us. . .
Christmas trees are not idols. Santa Claus was indeed a saint. And if calling to mind the good tidings of great joy of the gift of God's Son to all people, and His act of peace and good will toward men with beauty and feasts and gift-giving makes me guilty, it only makes me guilty of loving Christ, and therein I plead guilty a thousand times!
I was in Wendy's getting lunch yesterday and they were playing Christmas Carols in the store....I have a funny feeling I'll be tired of Christmas by about Dec. 1st. :BangHead:
Is there not a season when we contemplate the dual truths -- that Christ came and that Christ died -- every day is Christmas Day for the one who is in Christ!
We have a house in our town where they have a Chrsutmas tree on their front porch and it is constantly lite. That is a little more than the houses that have Christmas lights attached all year. That annoys me, does iit annoy you?
Why would you want to take those lights down, and just put them back up the next year? That's double the work.....BTW, I hate to see them up ALL YEAR LONG!!!! ARGH....
I was going to leave the little twinkly lights that I'd put in the shrubs one year. I liked the way they twinkled on those long winter nights. BUT a neighbor started complaining to my husband (and complaining and complaining). I haven't felt like putting them back out since.
I think you'll find that early Christians celebrated by accepting and mixing in many of the celebratory traditions an symbols of that age.
I see nothing wrong with a tree in the home along with some of the other ornaments we display.
We don't worship those items anyway and if we didn't have them, what would be replace them with?
My 8 year old asked if we could put up the tree this weekend.
LOL
I told her we wait until at least the weekend after Thanksgiving.
One holiday at a time please!
Aaron I agree that celebrating Christmas can be a way to promote the word of God about Christ and that some of the secular that goes with it is just fine. The tree is one that I see no problem with as long as it is not worshiped. However there is a big problem, with Santa. To tell children the Santa lie one has to do just that LIE! If someone wants to keep Santa in the celebration they should at least be honest and tell their children he is not real and that he is just a make believe person and not a lie about this fictitious person. Personally Santa is not allowed in my house as any celebration I would do strictly points to the Lord with no lies. It is much more rewarding to glorify the Lord with the truth then trying to do it through a lie.
Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas of Myra, was indeed an historical figure and a true Christian martyr. My kids have not been harmed by the stories or figures of Santa. They've always been taught that the myths surrounding St. Nicholas are just that. They never believed that there was a jolly old elf living at the North Pole who delivered gifts to all the good boys and girls of the world, and they endured a scolding from the neighbor lady for informing her daughter of the facts.
They enjoy knowing facts about legend and how his depictions evolved into the American icon created by Haddon Sundblom for Coca-Cola advertisements. Here is one of their favorites in which I photoshopped my face into Santa, and the face of my youngest daughter into the elf carrying the toy block.
I think banning depictions and stories of Santa from the home is a bit extreme.
I am glad to hear that you did not lie to your children as some do about the fictional character santa. I also think for those who are lying to children, teaching them that lying is acceptable, is despicable and sin.