I googled "Merry Christmas" and guess what! Ok I'l tell you anyway.
There was no reference of Christmas being a Christian advent (apart from the old faithful Wikipedia's). The bigger shock (rather anticlimax) was that I got the same kind of results for a "Christmas" search.
True, while Christmas celebration and the "holiday season" transcends all religion and regions in the present global village, I find it kind of disappointing in the over-commercialisation of this lovely and yet significant day.
Carefully trying to avoid being a Scrooge, while as expressing my views on this, I would like to hear your opinions as well.
Firstly, what would kids nowadays associate as the "Mascot" of Christmas? No prize for guessing here. Santa Claus, not of the Santa & Banta jokes. Ol Saint Nick the great patronizer. Nothing dastardly wrong here except to learn that some kids think Christmas is Santa's birthday. Even church programs include having a Santa for the kids. Its almost taboo to leave out Santa for Christmas nowadays. Google image search for Christmas has almost all Santa themes, and none of nativity on the first page.
Secondly, whats with all the decorations, and all so very expensive? Do we know that the Christmas tree tradition is of pagan origin. I have no qualms about the idea per se. But this I do - why should we incorporate the use of something which does not exist in our country or state in our celebration. Jesus was born in Israel. Christmas trees was apparently started by the Norwegian people. We want a Christmas tree, fine! Lets use our own - maybe the Jamun tree, lets use mango leaves and palm leaves for decoration. Holly is not Indian (and far from being a native of Mizoram). We pay 5000 bucks for a plastic imitation of an old pagan European custom symbol, which is made in China and sold in India so we can feel closer to the meaning of the incarnation of God???????
Don't get me started on shopping, seriously.
Ok I can already feel the "hambug" accusation here, but, I am not a spoilsport. I just think that rather than having the "traditional" X-mas symbolism adapted from an different region, lets have our own. Why, we already have (sort of)a few Christmas tradition in Mizoram, which, when done in the right spirit, are quite....Christmas-sy or simply "Masi". Like - roasting chicken, eating "chhangban" kan, carol rounds, visiting orphanages, and the uplifting festive mood across all ages AND the community feast.
Let us hold on to these and not try to "dilute" our own style and "tradition" blindly. Lets tell our future kids what Christmas is really all about. Lets learn and pass on that its better to give than receive.
Peace on earth good will to Man is indeed the greatest gift of all
"Aw a va mawi em he ni lawmawm hun tawite hi"
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11 comments:
Why so glum? 'Tis the season to be jolly etc etc etc, think of all the good things in your life and that would be enough reason to make you smile.
But seriously, I too think Christmas has become too plastic and too commercialized, even people out here who do not know what Christmas means are celebrating it and using it as an excuse to party.
Regarding the pagan origins of the Christmas tree etc, I have a friend who is a Jehovah's Witness and she told me they don't celebrate Christmas and Easter etc. I was surprised. I googled it and discovered they don't observe these holidays because of their pagan origins. Makes sense in some weird way, but we have been brought up differently so let's continue with the mindless shopping and decorating.
and I so happen to decorate the house tonight! hehe.. merry christmas!
Ka va han pawmpui chiang che em! We often forget the greatest GIFT of all. Merry Christ-masi :-)
hehehehe... I really really love this particular post of yours. And I don't think you're being cynical about this season... you're just trying to put facts right and face the truth. :) Merry Christmas :-)
i do agree to the micro analyser:-). if we go on like this copying the westerners,we would miss out the saviour Jesus...always
Christmas as a celebration is definitely okay i think, but we totally miss the point when it becomes a time of mere self-indulgence and merry making.
I'm so glad you posted a topic on Christmas. Let me add a few words to it... The word Christmas---Christ is Jesus Christ, mas is taken from Mass which means the celebration of death. Thus Christmas means Celebration of Christ death. Moreover, 25th Dec is marked as a celebration day in remebrance of Nimrod..soooo pagan. The earlier Roman Catholics adopted the festive season and wrongly placed Christ birthday on the same day. When we say Merry Christmas it means "Happy Christ is dead"
Anyway, the date is not much of importance, it's the purpose..Jesus Christ came to die for us..Lemme give a big Amen to what I just said..AMEN!!
And about the Christmas tree, check Jeremiah 10:1-5, it talks about Christmas tree. Thanks to Prophet Jeremiah I do not put up Christmas trees.
Spread the word people. God bless you all
**btw are you Mahlimi's big bro?**
@Aduhi - St Paul had written, in everything give thanks, and also that even meat offered to pagan gods can be eaten if we give thanks to the One True God. Guess its ok to 'celebrate' but with a purpose and not blindly, moreover it feels good to be a pain (in a way)
@Mimi - read comment #7 and the reference verses
@Vaiva - Kumthar Chibai from ALL of us in Vellore at present ;)
@illusionaire - yup right, i dont mind so much, but I wouldnt have it this way for my kids (when the time comes) either
@lalrinfela - Hello to you too, and have you ever wonder why we Mizo people oppose girls wearing 'vai' clothes (like salwar) but attire in westerns'
@mesjay - Thats why the "merry" is being opposed by some traditional churches, I've learned. Even I wish Happy or Joyous Christmas or Masi chibai as the case may be
@freeangel - I'm quite impressed by your insight as well. Thanks for the christmas tree bit. I have always thought about the pagan origin of many "christian festivals" and while I'm not advocating that we stop observing them, we should have a fair idea of the stories behind them and make our own decision as to how to go about it
GOOD POST!!!!
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