While I may not be a real scholar, I identify as one. While Christmas may originally have been Saturnalia for the pagan Romans, it was a festival of lights, of gift giving, and a day when slaves would eat together with their masters. Christ is the light of this world, a gift to this world, who made slaves equal to masters. Thus, it was an appropriate holiday to become a day of celebration for Jesus's birth. As for Easter, it is indeed named after Ishtar and rabbits and eggs are symbols of fertility. Easter is always dependent on the Passover calendar, so it coincides regardless. Those Cadbury Mini Eggs with the hard shells kick ass too, so I don't mind those. If kids enjoy Easter Egg hunts, then that's fine by me. I always hated it as a kid, because my older sister always found all the eggs before I could. I ended up crying every Easter because of that. I never enjoyed it. So my final verdict as someone who identifies as a scholar: Jesus YES, chocolate YES, egg hunts NO. Disobey me and risk the peril of eternal flame or something.
Also, as with everything else, don’t do Christmas like the Germans.
And avoid the mistletoe. And there’s specifically a verse about do not put up a tree as the pagans do. Some will say that’s referring to asherah poles. Use your discernment, but if the holiday truly is about Jesus, is the tree actually that important anyway, or is tradition the most important thing?
Lights are fine but totally a pain. Date is wrong and not biblically mandated but that’s fine. Look into the prophetic aspects, they’re very interesting.
Santa Claus is an outright lie. Sure there’s the original St. Nicholas. Tell stories of Saints, cite verses. Even for non-Catholics, lots of saints do seem to have been strong in faith.
Presents are fine. Nothing wrong with gifting and charity and generosity. Caroling is fine. Many carols were written by Jewish nonbelievers, so that’s hilarious. Might want to stick with carols and hymns that actually being up the point. A fine meal is fine. Feasting with brothers and sisters and family is good. Try to work in someone who can’t repay being brought in to the meal if you get the opportunity, as scripture asks.
Leave rabbits and eggs (other than Cadbury, which are just great in and of themselves) out of Eostre/Ishtar and it’s mostly fine, except for, again, being on the wrong date. More importantly, look into the prophetic observance of Passover and the other Biblical Feasts. They are important.
For all your generations
My $0.02. Test what I say against history, scripture, and your discernment.
While I may not be a real scholar, I identify as one. While Christmas may originally have been Saturnalia for the pagan Romans, it was a festival of lights, of gift giving, and a day when slaves would eat together with their masters. Christ is the light of this world, a gift to this world, who made slaves equal to masters. Thus, it was an appropriate holiday to become a day of celebration for Jesus's birth. As for Easter, it is indeed named after Ishtar and rabbits and eggs are symbols of fertility. Easter is always dependent on the Passover calendar, so it coincides regardless. Those Cadbury Mini Eggs with the hard shells kick ass too, so I don't mind those. If kids enjoy Easter Egg hunts, then that's fine by me. I always hated it as a kid, because my older sister always found all the eggs before I could. I ended up crying every Easter because of that. I never enjoyed it. So my final verdict as someone who identifies as a scholar: Jesus YES, chocolate YES, egg hunts NO. Disobey me and risk the peril of eternal flame or something.
Also, as with everything else, don’t do Christmas like the Germans.
And avoid the mistletoe. And there’s specifically a verse about do not put up a tree as the pagans do. Some will say that’s referring to asherah poles. Use your discernment, but if the holiday truly is about Jesus, is the tree actually that important anyway, or is tradition the most important thing?
Lights are fine but totally a pain. Date is wrong and not biblically mandated but that’s fine. Look into the prophetic aspects, they’re very interesting.
Santa Claus is an outright lie. Sure there’s the original St. Nicholas. Tell stories of Saints, cite verses. Even for non-Catholics, lots of saints do seem to have been strong in faith.
Presents are fine. Nothing wrong with gifting and charity and generosity. Caroling is fine. Many carols were written by Jewish nonbelievers, so that’s hilarious. Might want to stick with carols and hymns that actually being up the point. A fine meal is fine. Feasting with brothers and sisters and family is good. Try to work in someone who can’t repay being brought in to the meal if you get the opportunity, as scripture asks.
Leave rabbits and eggs (other than Cadbury, which are just great in and of themselves) out of Eostre/Ishtar and it’s mostly fine, except for, again, being on the wrong date. More importantly, look into the prophetic observance of Passover and the other Biblical Feasts. They are important.
For all your generations
My $0.02. Test what I say against history, scripture, and your discernment.
u/LuvTheSmellofFreedom