The Real Meaning of Christmas:

What is the real meaning of Christmas?

Surely not the birth of Christ, something often pointed to as the real meaning of christmas. After all, there have been Winter solstices celebrated year after year centuries before Christ came into this world. In fact, "late December" celebrations were common in many cultures as the shortest day of the year, and thus the day representing the rebirth of the Sun-God in the standard death and rebirth cycle. At some time, the organized church decided to "overwrite" these pagan traditions with one of their own. Their success?

Surely not the commercialism that goes on and Santa Claus. Actually, I always find it funny that you can spell Santa and Satan with the same letters, ever since I saw a *NIX suite of tools called either satan or santa depending on your preference. (Security Administrator's Tool for Analyzing Networks, which comes with a pre-packaged tool for converting the name to Santa... the alteration tool is called repent.) At any rate, this rampant commercialization and desire for MORE is not getting anyone anywhere. Even the profiteering capitalists get nowhere, really.

What else is there? Oh yeah, family. If it's about family, try telling that to the homeless, the drug addicts, the fatherless, and those born with AIDS. Tell it to the poor, who do not have food, and tell it to the emotionally destitute, regardless of whether their destitution comes from genes beyond their control, or the of actions of man, equally beyond their control.

What is it about? Beats me.

POSTSCRIPT: I recommend reading this webpage... http://home.tiac.net/~cri/1998/carol.html
Christians aren't necessarily called to a political interest in communism or any socialist state, although they may be called to independent and free action that would be consistant with that executed under such legislation. I think the voluntary aspect is important, however. (Further note on Christmas: how much of this commercialism is voluntary? Try not giving presents and see how people respond!)

PPS. Mass is a celebration of the death of Christ, not the birth. Christmas is a misnomer, and in actually should represent the celebration of Mass in a Catholic or Greek Orthodox church, or Communion in a protestant church, I think. At any rate, a quick search in the bible for the word Birthday gives only 3 results: 1 for Pharoah in Joseph's time, and 2 (Matt, Mark) for Herod's Birthday. Apparently celebrating birthdays is something the pagans do. How many times did Jesus say to remember him, his death, and how to do it? I don't remember seeing anything about his birthday... which was definately not in December.