Should We ?

[anneasquith]

should we keep Christ in ''Christ'mas . or stuff our faces with food. and buy expensive presents ?

[Maydup]

Neither.

[ducksie]

I'd rather keep Christ in Christmas than x in xmas, there's no need for expensive gifts - it's ridiculous and all that food is unneccesary

[BlackadderV]

As any clergyman will tell you X is an abbreviation for Christ, used by students at theological college when taking notes, so it is not taking the Christ out of Christmas.

[ducksie]

Not to get into a theological debate, I know of 3 clergymen, close to me and each of them disagree with the x (although it signifies the cross) in Christmas,

[DaisyNonna]

So you are not eating any relations at Christmas?

[RATTER15]

I think people should do whatever makes them happy, realistically, very few people attach any religious significance to Xmas these days.

[ducksie]

I'm actually having steak at Christmas - I'm looking forward to it

[Canary42]

Since the Christians hi-jacked it from the Pagans, I think we should now change its name yet again to better reflect majority current beliefs, and the fact that it really celebrates the end of another year.

[Mamyalynne]

Surely if you wish,you can do both.

[douglas9401]

We could celebrate the ancient festival of Gagalu

Get A Grip And Lighten Up.

[Canary42]

OK Douglas, that's fine.

[BlackadderV]

I nearly googled Gagalu till I read your second line☺

[DaisyNonna]

The end of the year should be 21st December

[BlackadderV]

It used to be 25th March.

[Slapshot]

Jeeeez.....!! What Douglas said!!

[baza]

realistically many people get deeper into debt spending money ( borrowed) to buy gifts for others just to impress, whatever you want to call this time of year is up to you. I will settle on Christmas.

[clyde59]

Bah humbug :-)

[SirOracle]

I agree with you Mamya. Enjoy both.

[wolf63]

The Christmas and New year period is a time to endure . It upsets my routine and it is nice when 'normality' returns in January.

[mikey4444]

Anne...why can we not do both ? We have been successfully combining the old festival of mid-winter/saturnalia and the Christian feast of Xmas for centuries.

As a firm atheist, I take no part in the religious element of Xmas, although I always listen and enjoy the 12 lessons and carols from Kings College every Xmas Eve on the Beeb.

It is often said that Xmas has become "too commercial these days" but when was it ever not ? The difference between now and when I was born in the 1950's is only that we have more money at our disposal now, and can afford to spend more.

I think it would be foolish to expect us to return to some mythical past, with Dickensian overtones. I have some Hindu friends who enjoy Xmas just as much as anybody else....big tin of Quality Street, fruit and nuts of the sideboard, a few days off work, and lots of presents.

Xmas isn't the sole preserve of the Christians. Some people want to go to Midnight Mass and some people want to lie around stuffing their faces...so be it.