Do you have to be a Christian to be entitled to receiving Christmas Gifts?

Exactly! I like your attitude and I am sure that is what the real meaning of Christmas is no matter how you slice it!

What a very good point!

Yep but since Christmas is the recognized holiday many solstice celebrations are held on the 24th instead. It's much easier since people would likely be off anyways.

Exactly! Well said and so true. Have a Blessed Yule uath!

Yup in fact yesterday was the winter solstice when many were sure to exchange gifts I think!

Well I do, so you are....!ROFL

Story of my life

Yes the holiday has been too commercialized in my eyes. It's all about gifts and not about celebrating His birth etc. I was raised Catholic and as a child did not get a lot of gifts which was fine by me. Today the Holiday to be is about giving of ones self in many ways more than it is about gifts. But the gifts are a huge deal to kids still. I love it celebrated either way. My wife and I plan on attending midnight Mass the 25th. HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM GRANDPA BOB!!~

And that was the whole point of this discussion mentalward...........to point out that society has set aside this time of year for giving good will to ALL men, regardless of religion. Well said sweets. Hiya Grandpa Bob! Nice to see you.

I agree totally! It has become way too commercialized. I refuse to allow the grumpy shoppers stress me out. Too many people are panicking, trying to get gifts for everyone before anyone else gets them. Too many lights, too many decorations. WAY too much money is spend on Christmas. I don't give many gifts but I do like to give everyone something special, something heartfelt. I pass by those pre-packaged soaps and grooming kits and think that's so sad! That's what people buy as gifts when they want to give something but don't have the time (or don't want to take the time) to really pick out something special. It shouldn't be about time or even physical gifts. Sometimes, just sharing a meal is worth more than any shiny, wrapped gift. One year, I gave my mother an entire day. I was her "slave" for a day and would do anything she wanted. She loved that gift more than anything I could have bought. I also try to make most of the gifts I give like breads, cakes, candies, etc. I wrote a short story about my stepfather one year as a Christmas present and it brought tears to his eyes. These are the types of things I'd rather receive than something impersonal. I wish more people would think about what it's really all about.

I'm glad you liked it Opal. If there are any questions I can answer about Wicca, just email me or pm me. And feel free to use this pic anywhere, anytime. And of course I knew purple was your fav color......I'm Wiccan! LOL

Hey sparks, the picture meant something very special to me! Read what I wrote and you'll understand! Love, Leslie

I`m pressed for time too, but I understand exactly what you mean, and where you could go with this...................

I was kinda poking the PC's a bit with this discussion. lol Bright Blessings to you and yours this season Lakota. Hugs and much love.

thanks same to you hugssssssssss

I'm probably better off grabbing a guitar & playing the guitar solo myself ... I'd be so uncoordinated that I'd probably end up going too high for human ears to hear.

I wonder what it would sound like if you both sung that song that's still on your profile ... I wonder if I can still hit the high notes in the background of the refrain right before the guitar solo ...

Royal you would make a good Jehovah Witness with that outlook! LOL Bright Blessings to you and yours this season sweets. Love you. KK......I tried to hit those high notes and got a sore throat! LOL

Great response Hatley and right back at ya! Big hugs and much love to you this season.

Merry Meet, Blessed Yule, or just plain, "Have a great holiday Sparks"! LOL I'm open to any expression of warmth and good will!

LOL Works too. Do you remember humbug candies? My mother used to put them in our xmas stockings when we were kids.

What about, "Bah, Humbug!" ???

I love a responder who knows their Pagan history! Hugs and all the Blessings of this Yuletide season to you and yours Pat.

I think no matter what the religious affiliation, it`s a time to show our love for our fellow man..........

What a wonderfully balanced view emvy. Thank you!

Some people do not celebrate Christmas and they are offended by it. I have no idea why they are because it is just a holiday like any other holiday. My boyfriend and I are Agnostic, my boyfriend's mom and her boyfriend are Wiccans and we all celebrate Christmas. We do not mind if anyone says "Merry Christmas", we don't even mind if you say "Happy Hanukkah", "Happy Kwanzaa", "Happy Holidays", "Happy Solstice" or whatever you feel like saying to us. We embrace all holidays and cultures. We find any reason to just celebrate. Those people who get upset about "Merry Christmas", need to chill out and just relax. I love Christmas because I love the lights, I love the smell of pine trees, I love giving to people and seeing that look on their face when they get the gift they love and they hate (the tell some really hilarious stories), and I love food! I admit that Christmas is over-hyped sometimes (well, over-commercialized, but you all know what I mean), this we can probably agree on, but that does not mean that I do not celebrate. Life is too short to make a big deal out of it. This day came and went so fast that it is almost as if it hadn't come at all. I could not believe how fast this day came. I guess it is because I am older. I went to my brother's grave yesterday. He has been gone for 3 years now. I decorate his headstone and my grandpa's headstone every Christmas because I believe that it is what they want. I give them trees, little pine trees because they smell so good and because they look so cute. How can anyone not love a pine tree? I had little money this Christmas, and somehow, I made it all work. I did not ask for anything this Christmas. I have what I want and need. Heck, as long as I got food for Christmas, that is all I really needed.

Then why is it no longer politically correct to say Merry Christmas? That just drives me nuts!

I love your attitude sweets, and that despite your own beliefs (or lack thereof, you know what I mean), you embrace all celebrations. And why not? As you say, life's too short, and any reason to celebrate life is a good thing. I'm Wiccan, and I celebrate the Winter Solstice, but my hubs is more of a traditional Christmas person and so we have a real Christmas tree with all the trimmings, and gifts and food, and family and friends and just plain fun. I love it all, embrace it all, and pray privately in my own way at my own times. And I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus, in God, in Christ and in the Wiccan path. And I don't for one minute think God is frowning at me because of it. I choose to believe He's celebrating too! lol

That to me is the best Christmas Present from you and I love it just like I love you which is loads

And to you my sweet Gabs I give the best gift of all............my love!

believe it or not,he was born and raised that way. i forget what branch of christianity he is,but it's the one where christ won't return til everyone's converted.

Then he doesn't know his bible very well! lol

Hey sweets. You christian friend sounds rather 'unchristian' to me if he thinks gift giving around the 25th of December is only for christians. lol Was HE a new convert?

So christins don't even give the 'gift of love' at Christmas? ... I'm SO glad I'm Pagan! lol

Christmas doesn't involve Christians giving gifts? wtf? Are you a Jehova's witness?

Same to you sweetheart. Did you celebrate the solstice? We had lovely clear skies for it here where I am, and it was a beautiful night to celebrate the Yuletide season.

Hi sparky, Yes I did celebrated The Solstice, it was beautiful but we were indoors as there were so much ice and snow out, we also exchanged gifts too, love and hugs. Tamara xxxxx

And as God so created the Universe and all within it, do you think He really cares what religion we are, as long as we acknowledge that we are all His children?

Do you mean you don't believe that God created the universe and all within it..........which would include us, and therefore make all mankind Children of God?

I don't know if I would go that far. I'm sure he wouldn't want us to follow lies.