quote:
Originally posted by Garnet FalconDance:
I agree---case in point.
Well, I suggested what I thought would be great fun, a handmade 'coupon' fo reach person good for one 'XXX' redeemable before Christmas 2002. You know, everyone has some kind of talent or craft or something. After much e-mailing back and forth, I finally almost got the point across that the coupon could be as 'little' as "You will have the pleasure of my company for a day" or "One free session when you can rant and rave at me when you're pissed off so you won't kill the boss (or kids)" or as 'large' as a gift basket handmade by the coupon presenter for personal or gift-giving purposes (that's more my area, both of my sisters are time- and craft-impaired [img]smile.gif[/img] ). All I wanted was for someone to teach me how to french braid! [img]smile.gif[/img]
BTW, (no flaming or otherwise pyrotechnic exhibition now!) I happen to like the 'paganistic muddled confusion'---it keeps a smile on my face when my local oh-so-self-righteous Christians go on their annual pagan-bashing spree trying to *prove* that the first Christmas celebration and all its subsequent paraphenalia (tree, gifts, Santa, etc) was 2000 years ago in some manger and that's how it *all* got started (did the donkey brings the pretty blinky lights or was that one of the wise men? [img]smile.gif[/img] )
I think the idea for christmas gift 'coupons' is great!
About you paragraph on the origin of christmas... you are right! ALL that christmas paraphenalia you mention is purely pagan in origin. It comes from the Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Natalis Solis Invicti, which were held at that time of year. Christianity 'adopted' the date of the shortest day (later calendar changes altered date of shortest day) and the pagan trappings to keep the newely *converted* pagans loyal to their new faith.
The bible indicates that Jesus was most likely born in September!