Monday, December 25, 2017

Christmas Day Reflection

Well, it is the time of the year where Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. I am the type that likes to find out the facts. The following are my findings from internet.

1. Most scholars don't think that Christ was born on 25th December. The most biblical argument is the fact that shepherds are tending their sheep in the field. It is unlikely to be so if it is in winter.

2. Christmas day is set by Roman Catholic church for a variety of reasons to make it more appealing to pagans in Roman Time.

  • Winter Solstice (Dongzhi in Chinese)- a pagan celebration call Yule, Iranian "Yalda night" and "Sol invictus" a Syrian God's birthday are all around the same day.
  • Satunaria - the Roman god Saturn.

3. Christmas trees - a Yule tradition that has nothing to do with Christ.

4. Christmas wreath - another Yule tradition that has nothing to do with Christ.

5. Yule Log - yet another Yule tradition that has nothing to do with Christ.

6. Mistletoe - Anglo Saxon term which could literally means "poo on a stick". A Norse mythology. Anything to do with Christ?

7. Santa Claus, North Pole, Reindeer - A tradition of mixing St Nicholas and Odin (German god Wodan) practices.

8.Twelve days of Christmas - It was said that it is a "Coded primer on Christianity" due to early persecution of Roman Catholics in England. It is not. It is just a mix and match reference to Christianity. The coded theory is only dated to 1990s.

Do I disapprove Christmas celebration? Not at all. Christmas is a traditional day set to celebrate birth of Christ. The focus must be on Christ. It doesn't matter whether the day is really the birthday of Christ. The rest of the practices are just unnecessary distractions.