BIL-SIL sucking all the fun out of Christmas

[Anonymous]

OP, you sound like a high-maintenance loser. Do what you want and stop making a big deal out of how other people are sucking all the fun out of it. Stop whining and get over yourself. To each his own. If it's that important to you that your kids experience Christmas your way, then do it! What does being a Christian have to do with it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you can't have the secularized parts of Christmas at your house as a non-Christian. I have Halloween and I am a non-pagan. Why can't you have a tree, Santa, presents, make paper chains with your kids, drink eggnog, sing non-religious holiday songs (Jingle Bells, Here Comes Santa Claus), and watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV? All of that stuff is just about Santa, having family time, and showing love by giving gifts, not about Jesus (you can tie it to Jesus if you want to, but you don't have to).

Folks can do what they but CHRISTmas began as a religious holiday. Op can't get mad that her in-laws wants to celebrate it that way.

They should really make another name for folks who just want to get egg nog and sit around the tree exchanging gifts without acknowledging the religious aspect of it. Those folks are celebrating something else and it's not Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you can't have the secularized parts of Christmas at your house as a non-Christian. I have Halloween and I am a non-pagan. Why can't you have a tree, Santa, presents, make paper chains with your kids, drink eggnog, sing non-religious holiday songs (Jingle Bells, Here Comes Santa Claus), and watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV? All of that stuff is just about Santa, having family time, and showing love by giving gifts, not about Jesus (you can tie it to Jesus if you want to, but you don't have to).

Folks can do what they but CHRISTmas began as a religious holiday. Op can't get mad that her in-laws wants to celebrate it that way.

They should really make another name for folks who just want to get egg nog and sit around the tree exchanging gifts without acknowledging the religious aspect of it. Those folks are celebrating something else and it's not Christmas.

+1

[Anonymous]

OP, I am sure you could figure out very easily how to have a fun secular Christmas at our home outside of the time you spend at your inlaws.

This sounds more like an I hate my in-laws post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you can't have the secularized parts of Christmas at your house as a non-Christian. I have Halloween and I am a non-pagan. Why can't you have a tree, Santa, presents, make paper chains with your kids, drink eggnog, sing non-religious holiday songs (Jingle Bells, Here Comes Santa Claus), and watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on TV? All of that stuff is just about Santa, having family time, and showing love by giving gifts, not about Jesus (you can tie it to Jesus if you want to, but you don't have to).

Folks can do what they but CHRISTmas began as a religious holiday. Op can't get mad that her in-laws wants to celebrate it that way.

They should really make another name for folks who just want to get egg nog and sit around the tree exchanging gifts without acknowledging the religious aspect of it. Those folks are celebrating something else and it's not Christmas.

+1

OP can call it what she wants, do it if she wants, and do it how she wants, especially in her own home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I am sure you could figure out very easily how to have a fun secular Christmas at our home outside of the time you spend at your inlaws.

This sounds more like an I hate my in-laws post.

+1. OP sounds like a loser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You aren't a Christian but you want to celebrate Christmas. Sorry that makes no sense.

Anyway, people have different beliefs on how Christmas should be celebrated. Just celebrate it your way at your home.

You are apparently very ignorant as to the origins of Christmas. My family does NOT celebrate Christmas because the ARE strict Christians. They know that Christmas, Christmas trees, etc. are really a Pagan celebration that Christians ursuped. Same thing with Easter, Easter eggs, etc.

Sheeple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here: Remember, I am not Christian so I can't put on Christmas at my house, can I now? And the rest of the family nods in agreement whenever the no-frills thing comes up (though I know we all die a little inside). I might invite the grandparents over before the BIL-SIL come to town, to do a big night -- have grandpa dress up as Santa. That might work..

Many of the the 'Christmas' traditions actually come from the Pagans Winter Solstice, not the Christians. I know plenty of people of many faiths and some of no faith that have Christmas trees (Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Agnostic). We use it as a time to reflect, enjoy family and friends and yes, sometimes go a little over the top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You aren't a Christian but you want to celebrate Christmas. Sorry that makes no sense.

Anyway, people have different beliefs on how Christmas should be celebrated. Just celebrate it your way at your home.

You are apparently very ignorant as to the origins of Christmas. My family does NOT celebrate Christmas because the ARE strict Christians. They know that Christmas, Christmas trees, etc. are really a Pagan celebration that Christians ursuped. Same thing with Easter, Easter eggs, etc.

Sheeple.

I am well aware of those pagan traiditions. However Christmas has always been used to celebrate the birth of Christ.

What you are referring to was called the Winter Solstice. Which is not a holiday in the U.S. the last time I checked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You aren't a Christian but you want to celebrate Christmas. Sorry that makes no sense.

Anyway, people have different beliefs on how Christmas should be celebrated. Just celebrate it your way at your home.

You are apparently very ignorant as to the origins of Christmas. My family does NOT celebrate Christmas because the ARE strict Christians. They know that Christmas, Christmas trees, etc. are really a Pagan celebration that Christians ursuped. Same thing with Easter, Easter eggs, etc.

Sheeple.

I am well aware of those pagan traiditions. However Christmas has always been used to celebrate the birth of Christ.

What you are referring to was called the Winter Solstice. Which is not a holiday in the U.S. the last time I checked.

NP here (well kind of). Christ was actually born in September. It wasn't until the 4th century that the Christians started celebrating it on December 25th (to 'replace' the Pagan Winter Solstice and the birth of the Sun God) It starts on December 25th because that was when days started getting longer. Many of the typical traditions (evergreen tree, Yule log, Poinsettia, wreaths, colors- red, green, white, gold) were all 'borrowed' from the Pagans. Heck, even Egg Nog is Pagan. Christmas means different things to different people- it can be a celebration of family. Just because people don't happen to agree with YOUR meaning (celebration of the birth of Christ- who as I mentioned earlier was actually born in September) doesn't mean it is wrong for them. My husband celebrates Christmas and he is not Christian. Open your mind.

[Anonymous]

Um, wow, "OP is a loser"? What is that about?

OP (and anyone else who isn't into their extended family's holiday traditions), I think you should work on making your own holiday traditions. Assuming that geographic distance isn't an issue, you could do something like waking up at your own house Christmas morning and opening gifts, enjoying a big breakfast together, etc before joining with the inlaws f

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You aren't a Christian but you want to celebrate Christmas. Sorry that makes no sense.

Anyway, people have different beliefs on how Christmas should be celebrated. Just celebrate it your way at your home.

You are apparently very ignorant as to the origins of Christmas. My family does NOT celebrate Christmas because the ARE strict Christians. They know that Christmas, Christmas trees, etc. are really a Pagan celebration that Christians ursuped. Same thing with Easter, Easter eggs, etc.

Sheeple.

I am well aware of those pagan traiditions. However Christmas has always been used to celebrate the birth of Christ.

What you are referring to was called the Winter Solstice. Which is not a holiday in the U.S. the last time I checked.

NP here (well kind of). Christ was actually born in September. It wasn't until the 4th century that the Christians started celebrating it on December 25th (to 'replace' the Pagan Winter Solstice and the birth of the Sun God) It starts on December 25th because that was when days started getting longer. Many of the typical traditions (evergreen tree, Yule log, Poinsettia, wreaths, colors- red, green, white, gold) were all 'borrowed' from the Pagans. Heck, even Egg Nog is Pagan. Christmas means different things to different people- it can be a celebration of family. Just because people don't happen to agree with YOUR meaning (celebration of the birth of Christ- who as I mentioned earlier was actually born in September) doesn't mean it is wrong for them. My husband celebrates Christmas and he is not Christian. Open your mind.

+10000, was about to say something quite similar, but you took the words out of my mouth

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys, I think that makes sense. Believe it or not, it had not occurred to me to do my own thing, but I think I will do that.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if the responses would be any different if OP were Christian and referring to another religion's holiday. Ex: I am not Jewish but my Jewish BIL and SIL are sucking all of the fun out of Hanukah for me and my kids. I just want to focus on the presents but those old stick in the muds are making it about service and religion. Or I am not Muslim but my Muslim BIL/SIL are sucking all of the fun out of Ramadan for me and my kids...you get the picture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, wow, "OP is a loser"? What is that about?

OP (and anyone else who isn't into their extended family's holiday traditions), I think you should work on making your own holiday traditions. Assuming that geographic distance isn't an issue, you could do something like waking up at your own house Christmas morning and opening gifts, enjoying a big breakfast together, etc before joining with the inlaws f

Hit submit too soon...

Anyway you could join up with the extended family later in the day for their celebration.

I'm not sure why people insist that you shouldn't celebrate Christmas if you aren't Christian, although I know my mom (who is probably less religious than I am) has this attitude. Christmas in the US has become a huge celebration of Santa, magic, commercialism, a day off of work, etc all rolled into one. Many people still celebrate the incarnation of Jesus as the main purpose, but many don't. I think the only people I know who don't celebrate Christmas are some of my Jewish friends. Otherwise, agnostic, atheist, Hindu, Muslim, all seem to celebrate it (among my acquaintances. I know this is not universal). I don't see how we are serving Christ by being grinches about who is "allowed" to celebrate Christmas.