To decorate or not decorate

[edb19]

Every year about this time I see/hear lots and lots of discussion about the over-commercialization of Christmas (and I agree it is) vs the true meaning of Christmas (the celebration of Christ's birth).

Intermingled in these discussions are debates on whether or not people should decorate for Christmas - no trees, no lights and particularly no Santa Clauses.

Personally - I love Christmas decorations - they bring back lots of wonderful memories of my sisters and I decorating the house together. Now days my daughter has taken over much of that responsibility - but I still love it - all the greenery with red berries and pine cones. We have some St. Nicholas decorations too. She also gets out lots and lots of candles for Christmas. As much as I enjoy them - I don't they detract from the true meaning of Christmas at all (at least not in my house).

So - what's your 2 cents worth on the subject?

PS - we're not remotely the Griswolds or Tim "the tool man" Taylor.

[MrJim]

Christmas sux, can't wait until Dec 26 when people return to their normal selves instead of the fakey "Merry Christmas" spirit...

http://bestsmileys.com/christmas2/15.gif

[edb19]

Christmas sux, can't wait until Dec 26 when people return to their normal selves instead of the fakey "Merry Christmas" spirit...

http://bestsmileys.com/christmas2/15.gif

why do you think it's fake?????

[MrJim]

'cause it disappears on 12/26...

[edb19]

'cause it disappears on 12/26...

not at my house

[MrJim]

I don't get to your house...

I put off the deco as long as I can but do it to humour everyone else. I treat is as an ABSOLUTE CIVIL HOLIDAY and it makes it a little easier. Don't even pretend it has anything to do with anything scriptural~it's Saturnalia, and that's all it's ever been or ever will be.

Those Orthodox folks do something a little different~maybe if the Church would seperate itself from the $$$ games of the world----oh wait, that's right, I only have to look at our poser webmaster to know that it's all about the money.

[Joykins]

Hm. I just spent 2 days making little ornaments out of sculpey and I just sawed up an orange crate and built a little stable and painted a nativity scene on it.

I like decorating but maybe more I just like making the decorations.

I don't like the frenzy of buy-buy-buy for the holiday so much though.

[SumTinWong]

We do not buy a tree, put up lights or any of that nonsense (I understand that some people do not think it is nonsense, but we disagree) at our house and generally stay away from the malls and stores on Black Friday and beyond until after the new year. I do have a small nativity set that i leave up year round in my basement.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

I enjoy decorating for christmas. I love the tree and the lights especially. I dont particularly like plastic lawn ornaments though..

[Albion]

Every year about this time I see/hear lots and lots of discussion about the over-commercialization of Christmas (and I agree it is) vs the true meaning of Christmas (the celebration of Christ's birth).

Intermingled in these discussions are debates on whether or not people should decorate for Christmas - no trees, no lights and particularly no Santa Clauses.

Personally - I love Christmas decorations - they bring back lots of wonderful memories of my sisters and I decorating the house together. Now days my daughter has taken over much of that responsibility - but I still love it - all the greenery with red berries and pine cones. We have some St. Nicholas decorations too. She also gets out lots and lots of candles for Christmas. As much as I enjoy them - I don't they detract from the true meaning of Christmas at all (at least not in my house).

So - what's your 2 cents worth on the subject?

PS - we're not remotely the Griswolds or Tim "the tool man" Taylor.

I think I'm with you all the way. Not Clark Griswald's or Tim Taylor's excessive and mainly secular decorations, but all the many decorations that have real meaning--trees, lights, wreaths, statues, nativity scenes, and all the trimmings. They are joyous, and the season is meant to be such.

[Ishida]

If you like it, do it. I for one see it as useless for me, but if you find use in it. Do it.
A simple answer, I know..

[Tavita]

I agree, Ishida. If you like it, do it.

I don't like it. It's really weird, before I became a christian, many years ago, I loved Christmas with as many trimmings as possible. But after I became a Christian it didn't mean so much anymore. And now I couldn't be bothered with trees and lights and decorations. I don't believe Jesus was born on 25th December (a very pagan time of year), He was born around the Feast of Tabernacles. The only part I like is giving a simple present to the grandkids and having a meal together with relatives and friends... all the fun time relationship stuff.

However, I wouldn't point my finger at anyone else and ruin the day for them. If you like it.. go for it.

[Albion]

I like to celebrate the triumph of Christ.

All the feasts and festivals that the Jews of Jesus' time engaged in commemorated some great event in their religion's past, so I think doing the same with the Savior of the World is equally sensible.

On the other hand, I find that a lot of people, including some sincere Christians, don't actually know why we do some of the decorations, practices, and so on of this season. They think that it is just a secular advertising campaign whenever they encounter the religious symbols about which no one ever explained to them the origin and meaning. One quick example is the aversion to "XMAS," which is an expression I rather like. Of course, if one thinks and has been told that the "X" is some merchant's way of painting out the name of Christ, it would seem that way.

When you tell him the facts, that the practice was started by monks over 1500 years ago and that the "X" is a cross--and not a lot different from the one hanging around his neck as a piece of jewelry--there is amazement.

[Joykins]

I thought the X was a CHI for Christ (XPISTOS)

[edb19]

I thought the X was a CHI for Christ (XPISTOS)

me too - that's what my pastor taught me

[Albion]

I thought the X was a CHI for Christ (XPISTOS)

That's not what I had heard, but a quick search online makes it appear the more likely origin.

But we still know that it's not a matter of "X-ing out" the name of Christ, although many people think that's the idea.

And I was also thinking that if we give up all our Xmas symbols and observances, what will be left? Of course, it will be all the Mrs. Santas, Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowmen. If we do not show our colors and what the season is really about, we permit those who say it is only an excuse to sell to win the contest for people's minds.

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

I don't get to your house...

I put off the deco as long as I can but do it to humour everyone else. I treat is as an ABSOLUTE CIVIL HOLIDAY and it makes it a little easier. Don't even pretend it has anything to do with anything scriptural~it's Saturnalia, and that's all it's ever been or ever will be.

Those Orthodox folks do something a little different~maybe if the Church would seperate itself from the $$$ games of the world----oh wait, that's right, I only have to look at our poser webmaster to know that it's all about the money.

http://www.walkthroughlife.com/images/lights/candlelab3_mgarren.gif
It is better to light just one little candle
Than to stumble in the dark.
Better far that you light just one little candle,
All you need is a tiny spark.
If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free,
A wonderful dawn of a new day we'd see...
And if everyone lit just one little candle,
What a bright world this would be.


Truly it bes far better lighting a candle than cursing the dark.
Daimonizomai bes learnsy this. It thinks MrJim might need learnsy this too.
Makes happier inside and more at peace. :thumbsup:
It makesy can see the blossoms moreso than the thorns and weeds and brambles.

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

However, I wouldn't point my finger at anyone else and ruin the day for them. If you like it.. go for it.Romans 14:4-6
Colossians 2:16-17

[pgp_protector]

I want to have my house visible from the space station :)

(Joking)

I'll be throwing up the lights slowly over the next few weeks .

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

I'll be throwing up the lights slowly over the next few weeks .

That sounds rather painful, PGP. We do hope you will take care to drink such things as may coat your esophagus properly during this time. :D :wave:

[Taylor43]

I decorate lights,real tree decorated, and navity scene.

[Mling]

I like decorations that are more about winter than Christmas. My favorite are really tiny white icicle lights that add a nice fringe to a house.

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

This one talksy'bout decorating. And talksy'bout it summore. :D
Wouldn't that look lovely up the staircase? Ohhhh those lights would be perfect for the crab-apple trees. We should have a whatsit on the door with some whatevers outlining all the windows and a nice big whatchamacallit to hang on the wall over the wood stove.

One week till Xmas: "We've GOT to get these things put up this weekend!"

Never does a bloody thing though. :D

[karen freeinchristman]

And I was also thinking that if we give up all our Xmas symbols and observances, what will be left? Of course, it will be all the Mrs. Santas, Reindeer, and Frosty the Snowmen. If we do not show our colors and what the season is really about, we permit those who say it is only an excuse to sell to win the contest for people's minds.Good point!

That sounds rather painful, PGP. We do hope you will take care to drink such things as may coat your esophagus properly during this time. :D :wave::D

[icedtea]

My son will decorate for any holiday. I enjoy it a bit, but told him, thats it, next year, just a manger scene.
Not easy to afford it, and really, it gets thrown out!
Right now, we have a string of lights connected to our porchlight, wrapping paper taped to one wall, and knick nacks gotten at Pat Catans.

[edb19]

My son will decorate for any holiday. I enjoy it a bit, but told him, thats it, next year, just a manger scene.
Not easy to afford it, and really, it gets thrown out!
Right now, we have a string of lights connected to our porchlight, wrapping paper taped to one wall, and knick nacks gotten at Pat Catans.

I see lots of folks wrap pictures and stick bows on them - they end up looking like pretty packages - an easy and pretty inexpensive way to decorate:thumbsup:

[Athene]

There is a lot of Christian symbolism in the traditional Christmas decorations, the holly - early English Christians would place holly bunches above their front -doors to show that Christs birthday was being celebrated in that house, holly wreaths represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries represent his blood. Candles which have been replaced by lights - these represent Christ as the light of the world, the advent wreath where one candle is lit on every sunday in december up until Christmas.

Tinsel and icicles have their roots in Christian folk tales, I heard a tale that icicles as a Christmas symbol come from a story of the Christ child taking rest underneath a fir tree, the fir tree upon realising that Christ was asleep under it's branches started weeping and because it was a winters day the tears froze into icicles. The tinsel comes from a story that when Mary, Joseph and the Christ child fled into Egypt they hid in a cave to hid from Herod's soldiers, spiders in the cave spun webs over the family to disguise them . These two stories are clearly fictitious but I happen to think they're rather charming and I happily embrace them as part of my Christian heritage because they bring a bit of colour and sparkle into what is otherwise a particularly dull and miserable time of year.

[icedtea]

Those stories are charming.
Face it, decorations are pretty.

[edb19]

There is a lot of Christian symbolism in the traditional Christmas decorations, the holly - early English Christians would place holly bunches above their front -doors to show that Christs birthday was being celebrated in that house, holly wreaths represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries represent his blood. Candles which have been replaced by lights - these represent Christ as the light of the world, the advent wreath where one candle is lit on every sunday in december up until Christmas.

Tinsel and icicles have their roots in Christian folk tales, I heard a tale that icicles as a Christmas symbol come from a story of the Christ child taking rest underneath a fir tree, the fir tree upon realising that Christ was asleep under it's branches started weeping and because it was a winters day the tears froze into icicles. The tinsel comes from a story that when Mary, Joseph and the Christ child fled into Egypt they hid in a cave to hid from Herod's soldiers, spiders in the cave spun webs over the family to disguise them . These two stories are clearly fictitious but I happen to think they're rather charming and I happily embrace them as part of my Christian heritage because they bring a bit of colour and sparkle into what is otherwise a particularly dull and miserable time of year.

I love hearing stories like that. My mother-in-law was an avid gardener - and she shared similar stories about the flowering dogwood & crown imperial (frittilaria).

[PaladinValer]

Candles are an ancient symbol of Christ.

Christmas lights are nothing more than modern candles.

And all those colors represent the liturgical year (green for Ordinary Time and Epiphant, red for Pentecost Week, Pentecost, and the Feasts of the Martyrs, white for Easter, Christmas, and Principle and Major Feasts, blue for the Holy Virgin, Purple for Advent, Orange/Yellow [gold] for Easter and Christmas), which is always centered around Christ.

Don't change your customs; just change the attitude and the reason! :)

[edb19]

Over the past couple of weekends my grandboys have been over here helping to decorate (both indoors and out). Lukas worked really hard to get the star on the top of the tree, Logan did a great job of decorating a branch. Anyhow - since I started the thread, thought I'd share some pictures.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1201oddsnends0007.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1201oddsnends0004.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1201oddsnends0010.jpg

[edb19]

Here are a few more:

both boys pondering which ornament to choose

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1208oddsnends0442.jpg

Logan's branch (at one point there were 15 ornaments on the branch, I'd subtly move them so he'd have more room)

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1208oddsnends0440.jpg

finished tree (including Lukas' star)

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff72/edie1917/2007_1218oddsnends0009.jpg

[Valentine]

:wave: Beautiful pictures. All the decorations are gorgeous and your grandsons are absolutely adorable. Thanks for sharing!! :)

[CRAZYWOMAN]

Started decorating Thanksgiving night and probully wont take things down until way after the 1st of Jan.But I never really celebrate Christmas.I think of God,Jesus every day though.

[RadicallyTransformedMom]

thanks for sharing your decorations edb19