That Time of Year Again

[agricola]

I have an old friend, raised nothing in particular, who assumes she is 'a Christian' mainly, I think, because she isn't anything ELSE (I'd bet money she never attended a church of any kind at all for any length of time and probably has never been baptized).

She thinks Santa Claus is in 'the Bible'. Really.

[williamray123]

My wife and I attend a baptist fellowship as of this year after trying their candlelight christmas service last year. (I feel like every group gets some of "IT" wrong, and baptists get as much right as most any group).

Anyway, we loved their Christmas service and started attending this year, and now that Christmas is back around, it is actually nice to go to church and see everything decorated for Christmas and hear some of the old time carols sung as a congregation. Not having to hear the old CoC line of "we all know Christmas isn't in the bible" is a plus too. If it is ok to have plastic flowers during the year, what is wrong with a wreath or two to decorate the building? Anyway, I love the Christmas season and I am enjoying it more than ever this year.

Cheers and Merry Christmas everyone.

[HighLiter871]

"Merry Winter Solstice, Everybody!"

[Ivy]

"Merry Winter Solstice, Everybody!"

And blessed be!!

[HighLiter871]

St Nicolas was a real person, but Santa Claus just trades on the similarity of names - they are actually two completely different people with completely different backstories....

also see 'Krampus'

Nicolas had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, a practice celebrated on his feast day (6 December in the Gregorian calendar, in Western Christianity; 19 December in the Julian calendar, in Eastern Christianity);[38] and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas, itself from a series ofelisions and corruptions of the transliteration of "Saint Nikolaos".
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas

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In Austro-Bavarian German-speaking Alpine folklore, Krampus is a horned,anthropomorphic figure who, during the Christmas season, punishes children who have misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards the well-behaved with gifts. Regions in Austria feature similar figures and, more widely, Krampus is one of a number of Companions of Saint Nicholas in regions of Europe.
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus

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The companions of Saint Nicholas are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. Nicholas in German-speaking Europe and more widely throughout the territories formerly in the Holy Roman Empire. These characters act as a foil to the benevolent Christmas gift-bringer, threatening to thrash or abduct disobedient children.
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion ... t_Nicholas

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Again, http://www.StNicholasCenter.org is a delightful site devoted to this wonderful subject!

[teresa]

Merry Xmas, William Ray. And Happy Holidays to those who celebrate other holidays.

[Memtiger]

My wife and I attend a baptist fellowship as of this year after trying their candlelight christmas service last year. (I feel like every group gets some of "IT" wrong, and baptists get as much right as most any group).

Anyway, we loved their Christmas service and started attending this year, and now that Christmas is back around, it is actually nice to go to church and see everything decorated for Christmas and hear some of the old time carols sung as a congregation. Not having to hear the old CoC line of "we all know Christmas isn't in the bible" is a plus too. If it is ok to have plastic flowers during the year, what is wrong with a wreath or two to decorate the building? Anyway, I love the Christmas season and I am enjoying it more than ever this year.

Cheers and Merry Christmas everyone.

This, it took christmas eve service and the whole season services to get me back in a building.

[Tsathoggua]

I have an old friend, raised nothing in particular, who assumes she is 'a Christian' mainly, I think, because she isn't anything ELSE (I'd bet money she never attended a church of any kind at all for any length of time and probably has never been baptized).

She thinks Santa Claus is in 'the Bible'. Really.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that quite a number of people think that. Santa Claus is so inextricably linked to Christmas, now. And a lot of people nebulously identify themselves as Christian just because that is the general background or default culture / religion, without giving it a whole lot of thought.

[agricola]

I have an old friend, raised nothing in particular, who assumes she is 'a Christian' mainly, I think, because she isn't anything ELSE (I'd bet money she never attended a church of any kind at all for any length of time and probably has never been baptized).

She thinks Santa Claus is in 'the Bible'. Really.

It wouldn't surprise me to learn that quite a number of people think that. Santa Claus is so inextricably linked to Christmas, now. And a lot of people nebulously identify themselves as Christian just because that is the general background or default culture / religion, without giving it a whole lot of thought.

Exactly: Generic American Christians

[faithfyl]

I don't know anyone over the age of 12 who thinks Santa Claus is in the Bible.

If someone doesn't like the cultures and customs of a country, they should probably consider moving elsewhere.
Santa Claus and Christmas are very entrenched in American society.