Do you have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

[Hammer Britannia]

What we now know as "Christmas" is a Christianized version of the Germanic holiday "Yule" along with the many traditions that come with it.


The only thing "Christian" about this holiday is the name and the occasional Jesus like little sprinkles on a ice cream.

[Imperial Esplanade]

Sorta in a way, and also definitely no.

There is a strong religious component to the holiday, and it's uniquely squared solely on the celebration of Jesus's birth, regardless of whether the day itself is even his birthday - but that's an entire thread in its' own right. In fact, I will go insofar as to say that everything else, even the secular side of the holiday, is rooted in this factoid. Of course, with Christianity being such a dominant religion in our present society, we're bound for cultural off-shooting. It's effectively become, also, a secular holiday that coincides in a number of ways (even if, as previously stated, it is unmistakably rooted in Christianity).

It's impossible to separate the two, and rightly so, but it is possible to celebrate the occasion in one's own way at the same time. Just about everyone is off from work, save for a few emergency workers and the like, and spends time with family, in a similar way as we Americans do for occasions such as Thanksgiving. Not everyone goes to church, not everyone celebrates the reason for the season, but that is the beauty of freedom in this present society: you don't have to.

[The Derpy Democratic Republic Of Herp]

Commercial Christmas (ie: Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, ect): No.

Religious christmas: Also no. Jesus died for all of us. For all of humanity. Everyone can and should celebrate with us.

[Xmara]

A lot non-Christians celebrate Christmas. I have a Hindu friend who celebrates Christmas.

[Imperial Esplanade]

What we now know as "Christmas" is a Christianized version of the Germanic holiday "Yule" along with the many traditions that come with it.


The only thing "Christian" about this holiday is the name and the occasional Jesus like little sprinkles on a ice cream.

Now we know the real reason for the Pagan Crusades. You guys eat ice cream in winter.

[Hakons]

Christmas... CHRIST MASS... is a pagan holiday? This is less a "war on Christmas" and more historical illiteracy.

Naming Yule (or whatever other Pagan holiday it was. I've heard equal arguments for Saturnalia too) "The Mass of the Messiah" doesn't change the fact you've stole it from pagans tho.

The pagans didn't celebrate mass. They didn't celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas exists separately and is unique from pagan festivals. People obviously adapt Christmas festivities to their culture, which may or may not include vestiges of paganism, but the point of Christmas and reason for its existence is entirely Christian. We don't celebrate yule or saternelia on their respective days, we celebrate Christmas on its prescribed day given by the Church.

[Hakons]

What we now know as "Christmas" is a Christianized version of the Germanic holiday "Yule" along with the many traditions that come with it.


The only thing "Christian" about this holiday is the name and the occasional Jesus like little sprinkles on a ice cream.

Tell us about those Yule. What are it's supposed characteristics? When was it celebrated and where? Do you honestly expect us to believe an obscure festival that was probably formulated after the start of Christianity is the basis of the Christian holiday that is celebrated in various fashions all throughout the world, including many, many places without a shred of Germanic influence?

[The New California Republic]

What we now know as "Christmas" is a Christianized version of the Germanic holiday "Yule" along with the many traditions that come with it.


The only thing "Christian" about this holiday is the name and the occasional Jesus like little sprinkles on a ice cream.

Tell us about those Yule. What are it's supposed characteristics? When was it celebrated and where? Do you honestly expect us to believe an obscure festival that was probably formulated after the start of Christianity is the basis of the Christian holiday that is celebrated in various fashions all throughout the world, including many, many places without a shred of Germanic influence?

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

[Frievolk]

Tell us about those Yule. What are it's supposed characteristics? When was it celebrated and where? Do you honestly expect us to believe an obscure festival that was probably formulated after the start of Christianity is the basis of the Christian holiday that is celebrated in various fashions all throughout the world, including many, many places without a shred of Germanic influence?

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

Wow I didn't know it started on Yalda. Now I wonder if Yule and Yalda have a shared etymological origin.

[Hammer Britannia]

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

Wow I didn't know it started on Yalda. Now I wonder if Yule and Yalda have a shared etymological origin.

I mean, they're both Indo-European based religions

[Alvecia]

Wow I didn't know it started on Yalda. Now I wonder if Yule and Yalda have a shared etymological origin.

I mean, they're both Indo-European based religions

European languages tend to be pretty incestuous as well, so I'd say likely.

[The Tomerlands]

Don't y'all got your own holidays to celebrate? Jews have Hannukah, Muslims have Ramadan, Atheists and Pagans have Solstice, and there's also folk holidays like Yule and Saturnalia, so I think it's only fair that us christians get our own holiday aside from Easter.

Atheists do not practice paganism. Those are two separate things. Nor we they celebrate the winter solstice.

[Hammer Britannia]

Don't y'all got your own holidays to celebrate? Jews have Hannukah, Muslims have Ramadan, Atheists and Pagans have Solstice, and there's also folk holidays like Yule and Saturnalia, so I think it's only fair that us christians get our own holiday aside from Easter.

Atheists do not practice paganism. Those are two separate things. Nor we they celebrate the winter solstice.

Also, what weird pagan group celebrates the Solstice?

lmao

[Hakons]

Tell us about those Yule. What are it's supposed characteristics? When was it celebrated and where? Do you honestly expect us to believe an obscure festival that was probably formulated after the start of Christianity is the basis of the Christian holiday that is celebrated in various fashions all throughout the world, including many, many places without a shred of Germanic influence?

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

You're just posting plain idiocy. It's not even on the same date. As the article said, it's only popular among Nordics and Anglophones. That's decisively a minority of Christendom, and they only use it as a term for certain things, and not as a justification for Christmas. Christmas exists because of Christianity, and to say otherwise is deliberate fabrication.

[Frievolk]

Atheists do not practice paganism. Those are two separate things. Nor we they celebrate the winter solstice.

Also, what weird pagan group celebrates the Solstice?

lmao

Many of them. Especially the Wiccans (and other Heathenry related groups). You need to realize that the Winter Solstice has generally been accepted as "that time everyone *has* to get together or else we'll fucking die." by most peoples. Given modern Paganism has a "return to cultural roots" veneer, it's not surprising for them to celebrate, or at least observe, a holiday related to the Solstice. Iirc, The Yuletide (which holds most of the holidays in the "Holiday Season") starts on Solstice as well.

[Mzeusia]

No you don't. People who are not Christian do it all the time all we all know. The celebration of Christmas in a religious way that is in accordance to Christian teaching is generally done by Christians, but the religious way is not the only way to celebrate this wintry festival of alliances.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Don't y'all got your own holidays to celebrate? Jews have Hannukah, Muslims have Ramadan, Atheists and Pagans have Solstice, and there's also folk holidays like Yule and Saturnalia, so I think it's only fair that us christians get our own holiday aside from Easter.

Atheists do not practice paganism. Those are two separate things. Nor we they celebrate the winter solstice.

*takes off wolf skin hat*

...yeah thats right

[The New California Republic]

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

You're just posting plain idiocy. It's not even on the same date. As the article said, it's only popular among Nordics and Anglophones. That's decisively a minority of Christendom, and they only use it as a term for certain things, and not as a justification for Christmas. Christmas exists because of Christianity, and to say otherwise is deliberate fabrication.

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

[Hammer Britannia]

Also, what weird pagan group celebrates the Solstice?

lmao

Many of them. Especially the Wiccans (and other Heathenry related groups). You need to realize that the Winter Solstice has generally been accepted as "that time everyone *has* to get together or else we'll fucking die." by most peoples. Given modern Paganism has a "return to cultural roots" veneer, it's not surprising for them to celebrate, or at least observe, a holiday related to the Solstice. Iirc, The Yuletide (which holds most of the holidays in the "Holiday Season") starts on Solstice as well.

OK, fine. I've just never heard them celebrating the solstice by itself. Usually, there's some religious reason behind it as well.

[Frievolk]

You're just posting plain idiocy. It's not even on the same date. As the article said, it's only popular among Nordics and Anglophones. That's decisively a minority of Christendom, and they only use it as a term for certain things, and not as a justification for Christmas. Christmas exists because of Christianity, and to say otherwise is deliberate fabrication.

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

He didn't even read the article, I'm actually willing to bet.

[Hakons]

You're just posting plain idiocy. It's not even on the same date. As the article said, it's only popular among Nordics and Anglophones. That's decisively a minority of Christendom, and they only use it as a term for certain things, and not as a justification for Christmas. Christmas exists because of Christianity, and to say otherwise is deliberate fabrication.

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

"Yule" isn't the basis of Christmastide. That's just objectively wrong. Christmastide is the liturgal season of Christmas, starting on Christmas day and extending 12 days to Epiphany, after which starts Epiphanytide. The days after Easter are also called Eastertide. Name+tide is simply a liturgical naming system. When Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmastide, are they somehow being subverted by Germanic influence they never had?

[Frievolk]

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

"Yule" isn't the basis of Christmastide. That's just objectively wrong. Christmastide is the liturgal season of Christmas, starting on Christmas day and extending 12 days to Epiphany, after which starts Epiphanytide. The days after Easter are also called Eastertide. Name+tide is simply a liturgical naming system. When Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmastide, are they somehow being subverted by Germanic influence they never had?

The Term and Tradition of Christmastide was the result of the Yuletide going under Interpretatio Christiana. At least, according to Wikipedia it is, and I'm more willing to trust Wikipedia than someone like you who claims bullshit without any source.

[The New California Republic]

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

"Yule" isn't the basis of Christmastide. That's just objectively wrong. Christmastide is the liturgal season of Christmas, starting on Christmas day and extending 12 days to Epiphany, after which starts Epiphanytide. The days after Easter are also called Eastertide. Name+tide is simply a liturgical naming system. When Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmastide, are they somehow being subverted by Germanic influence they never had?

Interpretatio Christiana.

EDIT: Dammit, sniped.

[Andsed]

Source says that Yule is the basis of Christmastide, yet I'm "just posting plain idiocy". Fuck, I must have posted a truth that is really inconvenient for you in some way, for you to react in such a hostile manner.

He didn't even read the article, I'm actually willing to bet.

I´m betting 20 bucks he did read the article but got so triggered by it he is just refusing to comprehend it.

[Cascadian Vinland]

This is a debate I have seen multiple times on the internet so I wanted to bring it here to NSG. So do you guys think you have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

I personally think LOL NO! Seriously While I understand Christmas has it´s roots in religion it is not a purely religious holiday. Non-Christians can still celebrate by donating to good causes, giving gift to your family´s to show your love for each other, spend times with your loved ones, or just simply being kind. And if you really want to link this all back to Christianity Christmas is Jesus´s birthday and I think he would promote all of that.

But what do you think NSG? Do you need to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

You don't have to be Muslim to celebrate Ramadan, but you do have to be Muslim to celebrate it with full meaning. The same is true for being Christian and celebrating Christian holidays.