I'm too catholic to understand this

I've always sort of wondered about those Christians who opt not to celebrate Christmas. I've never had their position explained to me.Thanks Leah. It still doesn't make much sense to me. I guess that's because I don't believe in that whole Sola Scriptura thing. (I believe it to be un-biblical :P)

I think God knows we need to celebrate some times. We are told to rejoice hundreds of times throughout the Bible for various reasons. I think the Incarnation is a pretty good reason to celebrate even if there is nothing particularly special about Dec. 25th. Maybe Jesus was not born on the 25th but it doesn't really matter. He was born. God became man and we chose to remember and honor that moment on December 25th (and also on March 25th on the feast of the Annunciation). In fact, aside from the Death and Resurrection, I can't think of a better reason to be merry.

Then there is all that talk about how so many of the traditions and the very day the feast is celebrated are fundamentally pagan and should be shunned. I don't hold to that at all. The pagans who converted in the early church were no less Christians than the ones who were raised in the faith. Those who bowed before the sun god now bow before the child in the manger. The fitting traditions that honored the pagan god now honor the True God. Sol himself bows. In Mexico there are churches that are covered with carvings and paintings of the Saints and the Apostles all worshiping Christ. Right in there among them you can see the old Aztec gods worshiping Our Lord right with St. Peter and the Archangel Gabriel. Of course the Aztec gods are myth and Christ is real and living but the symbol remains. All these symbols that were precious to the pagans are baptized and welcomed into the Church, redeemed, made new and given new and truer meanings. You see the pagan traditions like the Christmas tree and the holly because they are part of Christ's triumph. Christ has conquered these pagan traditions and made them His. The same holds true for St. Valentine's day and St. Patrick's Day. These are not days than commemorate events in Christ's earthly life but they are still worth celebrating. St. Valentine gave us one more example of true love by dieing for Christ, Patrick brought the light of Christ the darkness of pagan Ireland. They are Christian feasts no matter how the world tries to secularize them. It is fitting that we should have a Christian feast of sacrificial love in place of there pagan feast of love. The pagan feasts in late December celebrated the end of the darkest days of the year. The sun triumphs and the days grow longer. It is fitting that on this day we should celebrate the Light coming into the world, His triumph and the dark days of the world coming to an end.

And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe [Christmas] has done me good and will do me good; and I say, God bless it!

A Christmas Carol ~ Charles Dickens.

Marry Christmas