Why Was This Debated At Pm..q Time, Its Our Xmas....

[trt]

and some Councils have been changing the name in the past, well if it upsets other Religions, to bad.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/710575/Theresa-May-defend-british-culture-pmq

[jim360]

:)

I'm not saying that we shouldn't call it Christmas exactly, but I'm not sure we should be so precious about doing so. It's a matter of convenience to call the festive period over late November -- December "Christmas", but hardly necessity.

[-Talbot-]

Why insist on calling this wider period "Christmas"?


Why insist on not calling this wider period "Christmas"?

[Zacs-Master]

Because it's a religious referenced name and Christmas has little to do with religion. I thought that's what the thread debate had already established.

[anotheoldgit]

/// If the "Christmas lights" are going up in November then it's not Christmas in any Christian sense. ///

And for who's benefit do you think the lights are put up earlier than once was?

It is all part of the Hindu's "festival of lights"

[naomi24]

Jim, ‘Culturally’, the Christmas season, I would say, now begins with Advent and ends with Epiphany, thereby encompassing the whole of the ‘Christmas’ story. That has become ‘traditional’, and tradition and the preservation of our culture is what we are talking about. Other cultures aren't deemed ‘precious’ for wanting to preserve their own traditions, so why us?

[Zacs-Master]

What do you mean by 'benefit' AOG?

[Mamyalynne]

AOG's lights must be going up on 30th October this year then.

As I said earlier and on the other thread , it is largely faceless and nameless people behind desks who seek to tweak and change things for any perceived offence.

Mostly people just get on with it happily best they can.

[vulcan42]

This is still a Christian country (just) so we are entitled to celebrate Christmas which is the highlight of the Christian calendar. If other religions don't like it they can ignore it and if they object, tough.

[Jackdaw33]

Xmas: 25th Dec - 5th Jan. 12 days.

[Mamyalynne]

Agree JD, plus......

Advent 2016 begins on
Sunday, November 27
and ends on
Saturday, December 24

[jim360]

But then what you are saying Naomi is that "traditions" are always in a state of flux anyway. So why is it so outrageous that, maybe, the new "tradition" would be to regard the festive period as something wider than Christmas, or anyway no longer defined by it? And, then, should it not get a name to reflect this broader meaning?

[naomi24]

No, Jim, that is not what I’m saying. Although tradition changes over time (Christmas trees and Christmas cards, for example, have now become ‘traditional’), it’s a bit of an exaggeration to claim that tradition is ‘ALWAYS in a state of flux’. It isn't. If we did as you suggest and ceased to define the Christmas period as ‘Christmas’, the tradition wouldn’t simply be changed – it would disappear forever into obscurity. Apart from that, why should we change it and for what ‘broader meaning’? I don’t understand why some people have such a problem with this country preserving its traditions.

[jno]

aog, do you have any evidence for your claim that Christmans lights are being put on earlier for Hindus? As far as I can remember they've always been switched on weeks before Christmas, manly as a tourist attaction/shopping draw.

[THECORBYLOON]

Not all Christians celebrate Christmas so can it be said to be an essential part of the Christian faith?

[naomi24]

It’s not a question of it being an essential part of the Christian faith but rather a standard British tradition.

[vulcan42]

It seems to me that the least a Christian can do is to celebrate the birth and commemorate the death of their saviour. Those who don't celebrate the birth of Christ don't celebrate birthdays either, but that's just grumpy penny-pinching.