OT Another Christmas joke

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and the
holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do with
the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of the
solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would celebrate that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself as
non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for me. That does
not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and observances. I respect
their beliefs and ask only that they do the same for me and others.



--
Dr. Quilter
http://community.webshots.com/user/mvignali
(take the dog out for a walk)

http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dyn...A DVTRAD1.HTM

DrQuilter wrote:

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and the
holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do with
the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of the
solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would celebrate that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself
as non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for me.
That does not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and
observances. I respect their beliefs and ask only that they do the
same for me and others.

Amen to that very sensitive and caring statement.

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
/ \
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"Sally Swindells" wrote in message
...
Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:

I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself as
non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for me. That
does
not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and observances. I
respect
their beliefs and ask only that they do the same for me and others.

soapbox mode on
Please take that essay with a large grain of salt. It is NOT accurate as
to the origins of the customs surrounding fir trees around the time of
the Winter Solstice-- only as to the ways that the Christians took over
the original customs and assimilated them into Christianity. So, yes it
is the origin of the "Christmas" tree, but the tradition goes back much
further to the "Yule" or "Solstice" celebrations.

You might be interested in the following essay --
"You call it Christmas, We call it Yule:
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.htm...lidays&id=2079

Further information here : http://www.theblessedbee.com/yulelinks.html

Most Christian holiday symbols had their origins elsewhere. The only one
Christians can actually claim is the Cross -- a rather barbaric and
scary symbol IMO.

/soapbox mode off

Anne in CA
annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl
Crow
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq



off kilter quilter wrote:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dyn...A DVTRAD1.HTM


DrQuilter wrote:

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and
the holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do
with the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of
the solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would celebrate
that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself
as non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for me.
That does not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and
observances. I respect their beliefs and ask only that they do the
same for me and others.

Wasn't meant ot be truth, just ot show how some things evolved.
Personally, I am still researching things...something i had never
thought to do until Marissa mentioned it. That was just one of the few
sites that I got when playing with Google

Anne in CA wrote:

soapbox mode on
Please take that essay with a large grain of salt. It is NOT accurate as
to the origins of the customs surrounding fir trees around the time of
the Winter Solstice-- only as to the ways that the Christians took over
the original customs and assimilated them into Christianity. So, yes it
is the origin of the "Christmas" tree, but the tradition goes back much
further to the "Yule" or "Solstice" celebrations.

You might be interested in the following essay --
"You call it Christmas, We call it Yule:
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.htm...lidays&id=2079

Further information here : http://www.theblessedbee.com/yulelinks.html

Most Christian holiday symbols had their origins elsewhere. The only one
Christians can actually claim is the Cross -- a rather barbaric and
scary symbol IMO.

/soapbox mode off

Anne in CA
annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl
Crow
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq



off kilter quilter wrote:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dyn...A DVTRAD1.HTM


DrQuilter wrote:

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and
the holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do
with the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of
the solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would celebrate
that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself
as non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for
me. That does not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and
observances. I respect their beliefs and ask only that they do the
same for me and others.

But wasn't the cross a Roman thing - not a Christian thing?

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
/ \
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"Anne in CA" wrote in message
...
soapbox mode on
Please take that essay with a large grain of salt. It is NOT accurate as
to the origins of the customs surrounding fir trees around the time of the
Winter Solstice-- only as to the ways that the Christians took over the
original customs and assimilated them into Christianity. So, yes it is the
origin of the "Christmas" tree, but the tradition goes back much further
to the "Yule" or "Solstice" celebrations.

You might be interested in the following essay --
"You call it Christmas, We call it Yule:
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.htm...lidays&id=2079

Further information here : http://www.theblessedbee.com/yulelinks.html

Most Christian holiday symbols had their origins elsewhere. The only one
Christians can actually claim is the Cross -- a rather barbaric and scary
symbol IMO.

/soapbox mode off

Anne in CA
annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl
Crow
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq



off kilter quilter wrote:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dyn...A DVTRAD1.HTM
DrQuilter wrote:

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and the
holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do with
the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of the
solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would celebrate
that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class myself as
non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious for me. That
does not mean I cannot join others in their festivals and observances.
I respect their beliefs and ask only that they do the same for me and
others.

SNIGDIBBLY wrote:
But wasn't the cross a Roman thing - not a Christian thing?


The cross was from the crucifiction, which was a common way of executing
people. It wasn't just the Romans who killed people this way, but
certainly they were the most known for it. Often people were crucified
upside down too.

The cross in Christianity is to remind of the sacrifice Christ made by
reflecting how he was killed.

-georg

I know - I know. I'm catholic - nuf said.

--
http://community.webshots.com/user/snigdibbly
SNIGDIBBLY
~e~
"
/ \
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/snigdibbly.
http://www.ebaystores.com/snigdibbly...ox&refid=store
"Georg" wrote in message
...
SNIGDIBBLY wrote:
But wasn't the cross a Roman thing - not a Christian thing?


The cross was from the crucifiction, which was a common way of executing
people. It wasn't just the Romans who killed people this way, but
certainly they were the most known for it. Often people were crucified
upside down too.

The cross in Christianity is to remind of the sacrifice Christ made by
reflecting how he was killed.

-georg

I am glad to hear I got you thinking about it. Back home, we don't get
presents on Xmas. We usually have a large family get together with a big
dinner (usually roasted baby pig!) and religious people go to midnight
mass. Xmas day is spent quietly at home. We put a Xmas tree up though,
with a nativity scene underneath. Kids get presents on the night of jan.
5th (epifany) and they are brought by the 3 wise men, so instead of
cookies and milk for santa, you put your shoes under the tree and leave
water and grass for the camels. Most of it must be spanish in origin, I
believe. In Italy, the 'strega' or witch brings the presents. Maybe
Marina can elaborate on that one?

off kilter quilter wrote:

Wasn't meant ot be truth, just ot show how some things evolved.
Personally, I am still researching things...something i had never
thought to do until Marissa mentioned it. That was just one of the few
sites that I got when playing with Google

Anne in CA wrote:

soapbox mode on
Please take that essay with a large grain of salt. It is NOT accurate
as to the origins of the customs surrounding fir trees around the time
of the Winter Solstice-- only as to the ways that the Christians took
over the original customs and assimilated them into Christianity. So,
yes it is the origin of the "Christmas" tree, but the tradition goes
back much further to the "Yule" or "Solstice" celebrations.

You might be interested in the following essay --
"You call it Christmas, We call it Yule:
http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.htm...lidays&id=2079

Further information here : http://www.theblessedbee.com/yulelinks.html

Most Christian holiday symbols had their origins elsewhere. The only
one Christians can actually claim is the Cross -- a rather barbaric
and scary symbol IMO.

/soapbox mode off

Anne in CA
annerudolph AT comcast DOT net
"It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." --
Sheryl Crow
http://community.webshots.com/user/annerudolph3
http://www.frappr.com/rctq



off kilter quilter wrote:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/gi/dyn...A DVTRAD1.HTM


DrQuilter wrote:

who knows the history of the holiday well? I mean, why the tree and
the holly and the red and all that? I am sure that has nothing to do
with the birth of Jesus. Is that all part of the pagan tradition of
the solstice? makes sense pre-christians in the north would
celebrate that...

Sally Swindells wrote:

Went to a WI Carol Concert this afternoon, which, although it was not
geared as a religious function was introduced by the lady vicar as it
took place in a church.

She said 'Christmas is a gift given by Christians to the world, so
what ever your religious beliefs or unbeliefs, it is still a gift to
you'
--
Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~
http://community.webshots.com/user/sallyswin
.


On Tue, 6 Dec 2005 20:26:27 +1100, "Cheryl in Oz"
cawaitesATnetconnectDOTcomDOTau wrote:


I wrote as an observer, not as a participant. I would class
myself as non-religious, and any celebrating I do is non-religious
for me. That does not mean I cannot join others in their
festivals and observances. I respect their beliefs and ask only
that they do the same for me and others.








--
Dr. Quilter
http://community.webshots.com/user/mvignali
(take the dog out for a walk)