christmas is actually a pagan festival of a feast for the survival of the winter solstace, not christs birthday. However there is a figure born on this day, but its not christ, its a sun god mithras… so instead of being christmas day its mithras day, it had existed long before christmas, and was always the feast, christians stole it as people already celebrated on that day. Of course later in time there was saint nicolas who is father christmas Santa clause (where saint nicolas was lost in translation somewhere in another country) He was famed for providing gifts for needy children every year. Instead of wearing red though, I believe it was either blue or green he dressed in.
So why am I blabbering on about all of this? Well christmas isnt anything remotely religious, do we do anything religious for this day, its not even christs birthday, and thats a fact, the christians jumped on the bandwagon of a pagan festival, not very christian of them now is it.
Its a day to have a feast with the family, where you can all cook together as a family all your specialities and provide a really good meal, little party foods and snacks that can be left on the table and snacked on through the day with variety being the thing that is called for. And guess what, you dont have to eat just turkey. Why do people eat turkeys? Becauase thats where saint nicolas came from. It should be all about eating food everyone in the family enjoys, having family games and making a big celebration of the day. Giving gifts to people who deserve them just because you want to get them a gift, not because you have to or because you want one back.
I was going to say we should all stop calling it christmas, Im still going to say that, but instead of going with Xmas, as it is Xmas celebrations, (which I will still say use over christmas) but now I know of mithras day, perhaps we should all revert to calling it what it was origonally. People need to know that its always been a day of feasting and celebration long before christianity stole it.
My idea of a good xmas, a day with nice food, party food like beetroot and things available to snack on during the day, a nice cooked meal, and a day playing party games with the family. We dont have a culture of spending lots of time with family so one day of the year would be the right idea. Oh and one important factor is you HAVE to have the cheesy christmas pop hits in the background, worth the cd, really sets the mood for the day.
Seasons greetings and goodwill to you all this mithras (xmas) day.
Take care