These days, Do you think that a xmas tree has anything to do with religion?

I never viewed the Christmas tree as being Christian in nature. It’s from paganism.

Yes, I do. Seems to be the chosen symbol of late regarding the holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus.

Not at all, and the religion it did have meaning for was Pagan.

Not at all but then again I don’t really view Christmas as being much about religion anymore either. My atheist and agnostic friends “celebrate” Christmas as much as my religious friends do, maybe for different reasons but it certainly isn’t exclusive to the religious anymore.

I used to find it very hypocritical when people would go on about how they didn’t believe in God and that Christianity was a load of rubbish and yet they were still happy to recieve gifts at Christmas time. Now I think that Christmas means something different to everybody and if it has a positive effect on people then it can’t be bad.

I was never aware that the Christmas Tree had anything to do with religion ever.

It’s funny, I “celebrate” Christmas with my family because my husband was raised Anglican (I am a Jew), but we have never had a Christmas tree. To me, that is a very Christian thing to do.

If you decorate it with nothing but religious items, then yes.

@janbb That’s what I say/do. But many Christian’s try to convince me that the tree is secular and has nothing to do with CHRISTmas..

I understand that the xmas tree has pagan origins and that its origins are therefore pretty far from Christian. However, as a Jew, I would not own an xmas tree, because they have become one of the major symbols of Christmas. That said, I love Christmas trees, decorations, etc. and one of my favorite childhood memories is of helping the family of my best friend (the child of a Christian and a Jew, incidentally) decorate their tree each year. What can I say, I’m a sucker for the Christmas season.

@answerjill Ditto.

@JLeslie Nice avatar!

I never equated it with religion either.

@answerjill You can copy it if you want. I got it through the link on my clipart if you want to find a different one.

to me , a christian with a christmas tree is like a hunter displaying a dear head on his trophy wall . .........braging rights, and an insult to pagans .

I don’t think the Christmas tree ever had anything to do with religion.

The major difference I see now is the emergence of the internet where people have become accustomed to talking about such things.

Topics like this weren’t openly discussed in the past.

It never did. I don’t see why it would change.

It might still hold that meaning for some Christians, but everybody celebrates it, nearly.
It’s more about money than anything else. It’s also quite superficial. Showing our good sides to everyone and pretending to love the people we otherwise avoid during the rest of the year…nothing much religious about any of this.

Bah humbug I say. Whether it’s Jesus, love, joy or its original Pagan roots, I don’t see why I need a special day of the year to respect and love people, or, were I Christian, acknowledge the birth of Christ.

I hate Christmas. While I don’t believe in God, seems to me that its original Christian intent, if it ever DID exist, would be a lot more warm and fuzzy than all this mall rat racing.

@SABOTEUR But, you don’t think the Christmas represents the religious holiday in any way shape or form? The only time I see Christmas trees is when it is Christmas, the holiday invented to celebrate the birth of Christ. I wish the tree was on a different day, like Winter Solstice or New Years (like in Russia back in the communist days from what I understand) something like that, so I could feel comfortable having one in my house. I don’t see how people now seperate the Christmas tree from Christmas? If so we should call the tree something else.

@JLeslie

Christmas, if I understand correctly, celebrates the birth of Jesus.
It’s a joyful time for many people.

For me it signals slipping further in debt.

The Christmas tree represents the frustration my wife feels every year when her decorations don’t go up fast enough.

Not because she derives pleasure from seeing the colorful lights or the smiling faces of her children; it’s because that “what you’re supposed to do at Christmas-time.”

Forgive the Scrooge in me but I can’t wait ‘til the day after.

@SABOTEUR I think we are agreeing. That tree goes up for Christmas and down afterwards, as demonstarted by your wife.

Christmas was called Christ’s birthday by christians trying to replace the pagan celebration of winter solstice. I’ve read jesus’ birthday was in august or march. I think Germans began the Christmas tree tradition.

@faye But now the Christians have mushed the two things (the birth of Jeus and the tree) together for a long time.

I was more saying you go ahead and celebrate winter solstice!

@faye Lol! Oh. You know, I did not realize the tree was originally for that. It was just in my mind because someone on my facebook was complaining about the winter cold, and short days, and brought up that the winter solstics was upon us. I just can’t separate the tree from Christmas. Seems other Jewish people on this thread feel similarly. The marketing has been done too well to go back I think. Thanks though :).

By recent (relatively) tradition but the day, Christmas, and most of the trappings are the property of the secular world as well. Christians who grouse about the ‘reason for the season’ aren’t much different from those who claim offense when people say ‘Merry Christmas’.

A pox on both their houses and I hope that Santa leaves them coal and that when they are contemplating the paucity of their stocking contents the EPA comes and fines them for attempted environmental violations.

hummmmm ;-/