The War on Christmas Thread

[Locke]

I for one and welcoming the coming of der Krampus!

[Thor]

Or you could have the Yule lads, that appear 13days before...

Icelandic children get to enjoy the favors on not one but 13 Father Christmases. Called the Yule Lads, these merry but mischievous fellows take turns visiting kids on the 13 nights leading up to Christmas. On each of those nights, children place one of their shoes on the windowsill. For good boys and girls, the Yule Lad will leave candy. If not, the Yule Lads are not subtle in expressing their disapproval: they fill the shoe with rotting potatoes.

Don't think well-behaved Icelandic kids have a sweet deal all around, however. They may enjoy 13 Santa Claus-like visits, but they also have to contend with a creature called Grýla who comes down from the mountains on Christmas and boils naughty children alive, and a giant, blood-thirsty black kitty called the Christmas Cat that prowls around the country on Christmas Eve and eats anyone who's not wearing at least one new piece of clothing.

Apparently, the Yule Lads used to be a lot more creepy then they are today, too, but in 1746 parents were officially banned from tormenting their kids with monster stories about those particular creatures. Today, they're mostly benign--save for the harmless tricks they like to play.

Here's Grýla


and the Yule cat

Spoiler!

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by GGG

So why do Atheists in general celebrate Christmas?

Because I effing feel like it.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Thor

Or you could have the Yule lads, that appear 12 days before...

Spoiler!

Offended.

[MolsonInBothHands]

Dads must have really put on the pounds trying to keep up with the Yule Lad stories.

[Thor]

Kids would put their shoes by the window during the 13 nights, each night one of the yule lads would show up and leave stuff in the shoe.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Because they are slaves to corporate marketing and consumerism.

Because they like spending time with family and the spirit of giving. And the time off work.

EDIT: those Yule lads are creepy as ####

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Locke

I for one and welcoming the coming of der Krampus!

Let's celebrate with some Creme der Krampus!

[Rathji]

I would consider myself Christian, and think people who complain about the "War on Christmas" are pretty much just looking for something to complain about.

Not every person believes the same thing as you do. Suck it up and be a reasonable member of society.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Thor

Kids would put their shoes by the window during the 13 nights, each night one of the yule lads would show up and leave stuff in the shoe.

Sounds like a second rate version of St. Nicholas day to me!

[Julio]

From former Flames WAG (who I think was in some TV show?) Candace Cameron Bure:

Starbucks War on Christmas?
It's a red cup, folks.
Until Starbucks puts a baby Jesus or nativity scene on the cup while saying Merry Christmas, then pulls it because they say it’s offensive, let’s talk. I don't remember Starbucks ever being a Christian company, do you?
A Santa, a snowflake, some holly, a polar bear, some jingle bells or plain red cup don’t define Christmas for me as a Christian. My relationship with Jesus does.
So, I will joyfully sip on my Starbucks coffee, in a plain red cup, and instead of complaining about the lack of decorations, I will lovingly share the good news of Jesus Christ with friends and co-workers or anyone who's willing to engage in conversation.
Merry Christmas to all!

[troutman]

In the Netherlands:

Zwarte Piet (plural Zwarte Pieten) is a companion of Sinterklaas, usually portrayed by a man in blackface[3] with black curly hair, dressed up like a 17th-century page in colourful attire, often sporting a lace collar and a feathered cap.

The figure of Zwarte Piet is considered by some to be racist. As such, the traditions surrounding the holiday of Sinterklaas have been the subject of numerous editorials, debates, documentaries, protests and even violent clashes at festivals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Two Fivenagame

Does bathing a paper cup in religious symbols bestow some form of miraculous power upon it?

Would my vente americano somehow be converted to the blood of christ?

Could I take my grande non-fat extra hot yadda-yadda into church and casually sip it during the sermon?


This religion stuff is so confusing.

Yeah no. It's all confusing.
A snowflake is now a religious symbol, and therefore not appropriate? A snowflake forces christianity on everyone, and it's absence an attack on same?
I don't understand any of this.
Or as Trump says, I don't have time for any of this.

[EldrickOnIce]

Hypocrites!!!

[blankall]

Originally Posted by GGG

So why do Atheists in general celebrate Christmas? Surely they aren't celebrating a religious holiday?

Tradition with religious roots. And it depends on how you define "religious". Some people would argue that it requires a belief in a higher power. Others would say merely taking part in the ceremony is enough. Religion is after all just a belief system with an associated set of ceremonies.

Basically, religion is not just about beliefs, it's also about customs. Atheists can chose to practice whatever customs they see fit. However, my response was directed at a post that said all people should have to practice Christmas, as it was no longer a religious holiday. That is false. Even the name "Christ mass" is religious in nature. It might not matter to an atheist, but to someone who practices a different religion, it does.

Once again, I could care less about the colour of Starbucks cups, but this was in reply to a poster stating everyone should practice Christmas.

[2Stonedbirds]

Unleash the nihilists!

[Thor]

Not a war on Christmas:



WAR ON CHRISTMAS!

[Thor]

double post

[Thor]

A great overview of the things we associate with Christmas:

Holly & Ivy - Pagan
Mistletoe - A bit of Christian & Pagan
Christmas Tree - Mostly Christian mixed with Pagan
Poinsettia - Christian
Yule Log - Christian mixed with pagan
Lights and Light - Pagan
Gift Giving - Pagan
Santa Claus - Pagan, mixed in with the best of Christian, Pagan and commercialism.
Stockings - Christian
Christmas Cards - Secular
Dec 25 as Birth of Jesus - Most definitely Pagan

More here, interesting stuff:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/panmank...-or-christian/

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by blankall

Tradition with religious roots. And it depends on how you define "religious". Some people would argue that it requires a belief in a higher power. Others would say merely taking part in the ceremony is enough. Religion is after all just a belief system with an associated set of ceremonies.

Basically, religion is not just about beliefs, it's also about customs. Atheists can chose to practice whatever customs they see fit. However, my response was directed at a post that said all people should have to practice Christmas, as it was no longer a religious holiday. That is false. Even the name "Christ mass" is religious in nature. It might not matter to an atheist, but to someone who practices a different religion, it does.

Once again, I could care less about the colour of Starbucks cups, but this was in reply to a poster stating everyone should practice Christmas.

What exactly is the "ceremony of Christmas"? giving gifts? eating a feast with family? decorating a tree? all the stuff people did anyway hundreds of years before Christianity was a religion? makes it sound that by doing these thing people have fallen in the trap and are taking part in religious ceremony.

Why do I celebrate Christmas? because I usually have off from the 24th to the 1st to eat good food and spend time with the people I love. Call it Satanmas for all I care. People who get upset over this stuff need to put another bottle of rum in the eggnog and chill.