Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

While I am not a "practicing" catholic, I plan on raising and introducing Catholicism to DS and allowing him to make his own decision when he gets older if he wants to continue to be a part of the religion. I havent regurlarly attended church in years and do not observe Lent, however, I know that when DS start religious education I will have to and I am ok with that. I do NOT agree with alot of what the Catholic church teaches and quite frankly think alot of it is bull, but I made that decision for myself and I feel like he should have the same ability to make his own choice. I am afraid by not introducing him to some form of religion, he will be missing out on something. JMO.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Its early so maybe I missed something, but I read the whole thing and found no link to Jesus's birth and Saint Nicholas?

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Its early so maybe I missed something, but I read the whole thing and found no link to Jesus's birth and Saint Nicholas?

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Its early so maybe I missed something, but I read the whole thing and found no link to Jesus's birth and Saint Nicholas?

Okay...maybe I am missing it as well Yes, he is a Saint, but if we want to get technical, Saint Nicholas Day is December 6th.

Unfortunately, Santa has become somewhat of a commerical symbol for Christmas and I think it would be a little unfair to not let a child enjoy Santa in that manner. He11, I have jewish friends whose kids enjoy Santa in some form or another.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

THanks again for responding, everyone. I guess it's something that I won't have an immediate answer to, but it's something that is definitely on my mind a lot. I am so grateful for this board so that I can get it all out, so to speak.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Its early so maybe I missed something, but I read the whole thing and found no link to Jesus's birth and Saint Nicholas?

Okay...maybe I am missing it as well Yes, he is a Saint, but if we want to get technical, Saint Nicholas Day is December 6th.

Unfortunately, Santa has become somewhat of a commerical symbol for Christmas and I think it would be a little unfair to not let a child enjoy Santa in that manner. He11, I have jewish friends whose kids enjoy Santa in some form or another.

If people who do not celebrate Christmas want to place their child on Santa's lap (who does signify the holiday) then that is their perogitive. I just would not do it.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

If it makes you feel a bit better, Christmas is also a pagan ritual celebrating the winter season. Although it is a very relgious holiday to many, it is also just a celebratory season to get through the long winter coming. I don't see anything wrong with continuing to celebrate as a family celebration. To me, that is a wonderful thing to celebrate and something many people DON'T do. So don't worry so much about it being an "empty" holiday since the religious conotation is missing. Enjoy it for what it is- a time to be with your loved ones and a celebration of the love you share. I applaud for examining this issue so closely- most people wouldn't give it a second thought. Ava is one lucky child

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

sorry for crashing

I am a devout Catholic and I am taking a bit of offense to people trying to pretend that Christmas is not a religious holiday. Commercially, it is not celebrated as a religious holiday but it is insulting to pretend that it is devoid of religion.

That being said, I think it is so respectful for the OP to even QUESTION her celebration of Christmas bc she understands it as a religious holiday and she does not include religion in any other parts of her life.

Here is my view - Any day that is used as a celebration of family can NEVER be a "bad" or "wrong" thing! "use" the season! Celebrate in your own way! Enjoy the gift giving and gatherings. You are not celebrating a "empty holiday" - I know church going Christians that MAKE it an empty holiday by only focusing on commercialism and expenses!!

There is so much negativity in the world, so many sad events each day - I say take the day, make it your own and ENJOY IT with your family

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

I don't think you are depriving Ava of anything. You can make the holidays be about anything you want. I agree with what some of the PP's have said that Christmas doesn't have to be all about religion. It can just be a special celebration of family.

I was born and raised catholic and I'd like my son to grow up practicing the catholic religion. However I don't go to church every Sunday. I really should start and not go just for Christmas or New Years. But your not choosing a religion is nothing bad. Noone should be forced to practice any religion. It should be our choice. Perhaps as Ava gets older and starts learning about the kinds of religions that are out there she can make her own decision on practicing one and if she chooses not to then that's fine. There is nothing wrong with that.

Message edited 11/22/2007 12:22:19 PM.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by dm24angel

Posted by Moehick

Posted by KateDevine

Posted by Moehick

Do you call your celebration Christmas? Why not just call it something else and celebrate family and all the good things you have in your life? I know for me if I was not a catholic I would not bring Kerri to see Santa Claus or participate in all the other "Christmas" things.....but I would take the day to appreciate everything I have and get together with family.

I am NOT flaming you. But I think that is not really realistic. I mean, Santa is not a religious symbol, so why should someone's child who isn't religious not get to enjoy that? I am not catholic and I've always called Christmas Christmas.

I would think Santa is probably the least religious thing about Christmas and is specifically for ALL kids, not just Catholic kids.

Santa Claus is indeed a saint in Christianity....the fact that he is a saint is just dripping with religion

Santa Claus

Its early so maybe I missed something, but I read the whole thing and found no link to Jesus's birth and Saint Nicholas?

Okay...maybe I am missing it as well Yes, he is a Saint, but if we want to get technical, Saint Nicholas Day is December 6th.

Unfortunately, Santa has become somewhat of a commerical symbol for Christmas and I think it would be a little unfair to not let a child enjoy Santa in that manner. He11, I have jewish friends whose kids enjoy Santa in some form or another.

If people who do not celebrate Christmas want to place their child on Santa's lap (who does signify the holiday) then that is their perogitive. I just would not do it.

I think the point was that Santa has nothing to do with the birth of Christ or the Christmas celebration as it relates to christianity.

Its more of a catholic tradition....

But traditions are not always relgious...

Example- Santa at Christmas....

IMO- A jewish child can enjoy Santa b/c he is a catholic saint perhaps but what does he stand for? Gift giving...not anything ultimately Christian ?

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by prncss

Thanks for responding girls. I think my main issue is that on many levels, it feels completely "right" to be celebrating Christmas the way we do, with no religious connection, because that's what my family does and always has. On the other hand, now that we do have a child, I wonder if having her celebrate Christmas, but with no intentions of ever giving her a religious education as a Catholic, is the right thing to do. For me, yes, it's right because it's tradition, and because at least I was raised Catholic, so there's some sense to it. For her, what sense is there to celebrate holidays that she'll have no religious connection to? See my dilema?
As for other religions, I think that the problem is that I have read a lot about various religions and have friends of various backgrounds, and it's hard to find something that I really do believe in. It's like, if I could make my own religion that pieced together the bits and pieces of other religions that appealed to me, then I'd be happy. Does that make sense?
Maybe I should just start my own religion Just kidding, just kidding. But seriously, I just have a hard time believing in anything other than what I can really stand behind. It's not like I can say, "Ok, I agree with most of this religion, so I'll just let the other things that I don't agree with go." I truly think that I'm just not meant to have a religion. So I guess I do believe in something, it's more vague than most people. Geez, I'm probably not making sense.

Message edited 11/22/2007 12:37:45 PM.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

Posted by Tilde

sorry for crashing

I am a devout Catholic and I am taking a bit of offense to people trying to pretend that Christmas is not a religious holiday. Commercially, it is not celebrated as a religious holiday but it is insulting to pretend that it is devoid of religion.

That being said, I think it is so respectful for the OP to even QUESTION her celebration of Christmas bc she understands it as a religious holiday and she does not include religion in any other parts of her life.

Here is my view - Any day that is used as a celebration of family can NEVER be a "bad" or "wrong" thing! "use" the season! Celebrate in your own way! Enjoy the gift giving and gatherings. You are not celebrating a "empty holiday" - I know church going Christians that MAKE it an empty holiday by only focusing on commercialism and expenses!!

There is so much negativity in the world, so many sad events each day - I say take the day, make it your own and ENJOY IT with your family

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

while I do agree Santa Claus is associated with Christmas, I am happy to read that on this post and rachee's post on NFR that MANY MANY MANY feel that no matter WHAT religion you are, celebrating it with Santa for your DC is ok and something they would choose for their family to start their OWN traditions, beliefs and religion.

Re: Well, all this Santa talk...LONG

First off props to you for speaking your mind when you were 13 about being pro-choice. I wouldn't have had the guts to say anything at that age. It's too bad your mom had to pay $$$ to get you confirmed because of that, it's a shame she was penalized because you stood up for what you believed in.

Anyway, I think that if you want to celebrate Christmas as a family celebration rather than a religious one, you should not have to worry or feel guilty or bad about it. December 25 is not Jesus' actual birthday, and Christmas was not even around as a holiday to celebrate Jesus' birth until the 4th century B.C. and it was only made into a holday on that day because European and Roman pagans celebrated winter solstice and to convert them into Christians the Church wanted to absorb as many pagan traditions into the Church and give them a christian influence as they could. Read about the history of Christmas at this site: The Real History of Christmas

Bearing that in mind, maybe it will make you feel better about how you celebrate the season. I think it's perfectly OK to think of the season as a celebration of family, children, and a season of giving and love. Which from what I can tell is what you are already doing

Message edited 11/22/2007 8:38:38 PM.