Time for something new...

I want to move to Northern Italy.

Here's a topic recently discussed within my family.

Should Christian parents allow their children to believe in Santa Clause?

I'm not a holy-roller by no means, but if I had children, which I don't, I would not trick them into believeing in Santa Clause.  Christmas should be about Christ, not some bearded fat guy in a red suit.

Now talk amongst yourselves....

Edited by oipolloi 2005-11-29 10:11 AM

Into Thin Air is excellent! I liked LA's War too. Shreks are great and I love the Whole 9 Yards!

Ohhh..Renee, that sounds nice! Although I'd prefer to live on a coast, any warm coast. Anywhere.

In Italy, kids receive presents from the martyred Santa Lucia. It's celebrated on Dec 13. Santa is a minor figure in Italy.

I think Christmas has become a very vulgar celebration. I'm trying to remember if it's considered a holy day of observation... Anyway, it seem like it's all about shopping/buying and it seems very unChrist-like to me. Sorry.

I suppose anyone could make it a more holy observation if they wanted to. You just have to ignore the hype and advertising babble.

Ask your kids this question:  What is the meaning of Christmas?

If they answer "Presents...Toys...or Santa & Rudolph" then I think there needs to be a change. 

I agree with you Renee.  My in-laws and their children are devout Catholics, kids go to catholic school, etc etc.  Year after year I test them.  I ask them what the meaning of Christmas is, what is the best part of Christmas.  The answer is always the same...presents, toys, gifts etc.  I'm not catholic but this still bugs me.

Everyone should def. rent the movie/documentary "Touching the Void". It's like "Into the Thin Air", only way, way better.

Christmas in my family was always considered to be a celebration of family and the spirit of giving.

Nothern Italy rocks.

I have a date for my heart surgery: Dec. 16th. A new heart for a christmas present to me!

It really bugs me when all people focus on is doing their Christmas shopping.  I mean c'mon.  Why not take the time it takes you to shop and stress over presents, and use that time toward a more giving, productive cause. 

What bugs me most, is people who knock Christians and our beliefs, but then want to celebrate the holiday all out not realizing that Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus?  It's not about presents.  I find that soo hypocritical.  They want to celebrate the "worldly" idea of the holiday, but not the Chrisitan meaning.  Glad to get that off my shoulder.  To me, if you don't believe then don't celebrate.

I have no doubt you're a great parent.  If your children answer that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, then you're obviously doing it right.  We need more parents like you.

I'm 37 and Cake, Ice Cream and Presents are STILL high on my list.

By the way, I heard that expressing Christmas as X-Mas is Anti-Christian, hense the use of the X.  Anywone else hear of this?

Easter is the holiest day on the Christian calendar but it receives far less 'play', if you will, than Christmas (I guess that's a blessing). The mystery of the faith resides in his Rising, not his birth. 

Chistmas is extremely overhyped and I find much about our hyper-consumer culture vulgar, not just the merchandising of Christmas. My opinion has nothing to do with the Christ-ness of Christmas (there's really so very little to be found); it has to do with the marketing/ merchandising/buy!buy!buy mentality of Christ's birth celebration. I'd far more prefer if it were a secular blow-out/feast than putting a stamp of faith on it. If it were a secular feast I could tolerate the crassness more than the 'holy' crassness Christmas appears to be. The manner in which it is hyped/celebrated seems incongruous with the word holy (holiday). To each his own.

Anyway, I don't want to pee on anyone's Christmas parade. Ignore my curmudgeonly comments.

Mine too Chippy. And we never care when we get together to celebrate each other, it might be the day before, day of, a week after or a week before. We have a huge family so its not about presents (there's no way to buy for everyone) its about being with each other.

Congrats on the date!