Christmas presence and presents

lobster

I am a great believer in generosity at Christmas. So far I have only extended my gift purchasing to myself with this electric bike. One of my favourite Christmases involved a Buddhist retreat were someone asked as we helped ourselves to lunch, 'Did you know today is Christmas'. Oh joy, I did not. How blessed is that? Do you ignore, adore or snore through Christmas?
Something to get you in the mood . . .
http://www.dezert-rose.com/humor/christmas/12daysreply.html

robot

I'm taking a break from Christmas for a few years. Kids are grown. I expect to get back into it when the grandchildren start to arrive.

BhikkhuJayasara

there are many positive aspects of Christmas that are worth keeping around. As long as I'm a lay person I'll still put up Christmas lights and enjoy the season.

Silouan

Lights and display contest...oh no!

youtube.com/watch?v=8pOgCj3lGvE

riverflow

Jayantha said:

there are many positive aspects of Christmas that are worth keeping around. As long as I'm a lay person I'll still put up Christmas lights and enjoy the season.

^^^ This.

I can rail at the commercialization during this time of the year, but that ain't Christmas. The past few years, I pull out my guitar and (either online or occasionally in person) sing Christmas carols with my family-- usually the very traditional religious ones too.

Like Greg Lake sang, we all get the Christmas we deserve.

Nele

I put up lights and a tree, send cards, and donate more to charity. But I haven't bought presents for decades. One of the original reasons for the holiday (getting through the dark, cold, short days) feels right to me, especially now that I live in the mountains. The winter solstice is momentous.

cork

I've always thought that Thanksgiving was the special holiday. A month later this thing shows up dressed in plaid, shaking your hand with one of those novelty hand buzzers on.

I will say, though. I'm quite the fan of egg nog.

Chaz

A couple months after I joined my current Sangha, they had a new members' reception. It was right around Christmas. Because we don't have an area dedicated for stuff like that we use the main shrine room. When I got there the room was decked out for Christmas - table dressing, a little tree, a menora, holiday music. Kinda neat actually, that there'd be an homage to holiday observance that for many of us was something out of our past.

BhikkhuJayasara

Chaz said:

A couple months after I joined my current Sangha, they had a new members' reception. It was right around Christmas. Because we don't have an area dedicated for stuff like that we use the main shrine room. When I got there the room was decked out for Christmas - table dressing, a little tree, a menora, holiday music. Kinda neat actually, that there'd be an homage to holiday observance that for many of us was something out of our past.

exactly my feelings about it. I like how even the BSWA where Ajahn Brahm does his talks does some Christmas decorating and such. It's definitely about our pasts, but I think it's about something more.... interfaith religious acceptance and dialogue.

DairyLama

Bah humbug!

matthewmartin

Christmas is a pagan solstice holiday, not especially associated with any Pagan god, but maybe was related to Odin. I don't have my Asatru to Hindu god conversion chart handy, not sure who Odin is in Hinduism. If I knew I could look up the corresponding diety in esoteric Buddhism & see if they have any holidays.

Saṅghamittā day is a Srilankan Soltice holiday.

I still plan to celebrate Bodhi day somehow.

DairyLama

matthewmartin said:

Christmas is a pagan solstice holiday, not especially associated with any Pagan god, but maybe was related to Odin.

Yes, those Christians came along and pinched all the pagan festivals and sites. Ironically in the UK it looks increasingly like a pagan festival....

Jainarayan

SpinyNorman said:

Bah humbug!

x 10 ^10 ^100!

I used to get all into Christmas decorating, it was only minimally religious for me, but over the past 10 years or so... nothing. We used to collect all kinds of beautiful collectible tree ornaments from Hallmark, Disney, what-have-you. We have enough to do two trees, but they are all packed away. Even the tiny table-top pre-lighted tree doesn't come out anymore. We've been going to a s-i-l's house for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The traditions with my side of the family are the Ghost of Christmas Past.

Chaz

Jayantha said:

Chaz said:

A couple months after I joined my current Sangha, they had a new members' reception. It was right around Christmas. Because we don't have an area dedicated for stuff like that we use the main shrine room. When I got there the room was decked out for Christmas - table dressing, a little tree, a menora, holiday music. Kinda neat actually, that there'd be an homage to holiday observance that for many of us was something out of our past.

exactly my feelings about it. I like how even the BSWA where Ajahn Brahm does his talks does some Christmas decorating and such. It's definitely about our pasts, but I think it's about something more.... interfaith religious acceptance and dialogue.

That's right.

I'd add that no religion or belief system is entirely unique. All have influences that are particular to the culture in question. Christmas borrows heavily from pagan traditions. Buddhism has it's share of non-Buddhist influences, too. As Buddhism takes hold in the US it will be influenced by our culture and that will probably include things like Christmas. Who knows what form that may take? It's not the sort of thing that can foreseen or forced. It will happen as it happens.

Jeffrey

Dharma-mas. Eggnog and music and light and laughter.

David

I still like celebrating Christmas but could never understand why the heck we would drag a tree inside to decorate it instead of letting it live. Come celebrate the birth of Jesus by cutting down on our oxygen supply? Nevermind that the tradition was started by Druids...

On a more positive note, I may be one of the only adults who believes in Santa but I've seen his spirit in so many happy faces.

vinlyn

ourself said:

...

On a more positive note, I may be one of the only adults who believes in Santa but I've seen his spirit in so many happy faces.

That reminds me of that Christmas when I was just old enough not to believe in Santa Claus. My aunt ushered me into another room from where my younger cousin was, sat me down and said, "So, you don't believe in Santa Claus. Well, Santa Claus may not be a real man; at least not any more. But do you remember the other day when you gave your present to Mrs. Hicks (my 4th grade teacher)? Do you remember how she smiled at you and thanked you for your gift? Do you remember how good you felt inside? The way both of you felt -- that's the spirit of Santa Claus."

Chaz

ourself said:

I still like celebrating Christmas but could never understand why the heck we would drag a tree inside to decorate it instead of letting it live. Come celebrate the birth of Jesus by cutting down on our oxygen supply? Nevermind that the tradition was started by Druids...

But that's very important. The tradition began with a superstition that the days would keep getting shorter and the world colder until everything died. Burning evergreen trees was thought to warm the sky and encourage the sun to return

The sacrifice of the ever-lasting here is important and through that sacrifice the world would be renewed. It's a powerful archtype and one truly worthy of remembering.

Buddhism is one religion that has no tradition associated with the Solstice, but in the west, the Solstice is very important, So as Buddhism takes root here, one of the adopted traditions may very well harken back to our pagan roots of observing the Solstice and the return of Light.

Silouan

Christianity recognizes that truth isn't confined but is exhibited in all things in varying degrees. Even the Buddha has been canonized. The English language has “pagan” roots but still used to convey the “message”. Incense and instruments used in worship were originally made with pagan hands.

Perhaps this inclusion of so many influences in Christianity speaks more about it being universal instead of exclusive despite the assertion of merely lifting them.

zenmyste

For me, christmas is about family getting together, sharing gifts, eating and drinking together. Almost everyone in the world seems 'happy' around christmas time........ So just because im into buddhism am i still gonna enjoy christmas????? ERM.... HELL YA!!

Im gonna be having a few drinks too, and get drunk, eat too much, put on few pounds and really enjoy being around all ny family friends.. Its what life is about. (If anything its a shame it takes christmas for people to come together as one....

I cant wait!!

lobster

Thanks guys.

I do believe in Sangha Clause, I do, I do, I do . . . :clap:

Hamsaka

I plug my ears and go LALALALALALA starting, oh, about now, and heaving a sigh of relief on December 26th, I have for years.

The lights and decorations and music are lovely, though. This time of year in the northern hemisphere needs all it can get of pretty lights, sparkly things and music that lightens the heart and reminds us of what's important (faith, family, generosity). The food is wonderful, too.

I'm working with myself to let go of how I loathe the madness of gift buying and gift receiving. Everyone sitting around tearing open colored paper and saying "oh, thanks!" and wondering where in the hell their going to put 'it' or if it can be re-wrapped for Uncle Ted's birthday. The only time I've ever felt a glimmer of happiness is when our family had small children. Heck, that was great, pile the presents under the tree! But we're past that now, and my grandson Orion is autistic and could give a shit about ambiguous things like 'holidays', nor does he seem to have to delightful greed of neurotypical children to open present after present after present. He'd rather arrange the glass ball ornaments in a stunning replica of the solar system (remembering a couple of Jupiter's moons) or lock me out of my own cell phone (or very carefully spell out TUMWATER HIGH SCHOOL on his other grandma's white plush couch with a black Sharpie). That didn't end well (for a variety of reasons), he ran out of room at the second 'O' and has a hard time coping with the lack of planning.

Chaz

Hamsaka said:

The food is wonderful, too.

You've obviously, never had Lutefisk.

:zombie:

riverflow

Chaz said:

The tradition began with a superstition that the days would keep getting shorter and the world colder until everything died. Burning evergreen trees was thought to warm the sky and encourage the sun to return

....

Buddhism is one religion that has no tradition associated with the Solstice....

That's because Buddhist are supposed to be unattached to the cooldddd!!!brrrr!!!!!

David

lobster said:

Thanks guys.

I do believe in Sangha Clause, I do, I do, I do . . . :clap:

Was I supposed to picture the lion from the Wizard of Oz there?

DairyLama

Silouan said:

Perhaps this inclusion of so many influences in Christianity speaks more about it being universal instead of exclusive despite the assertion of merely lifting them.

Historically speaking I don't think so, eg the Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, etc, but perhaps in the modern world Christianity is becoming more inclusive as a matter of necessity?

Silouan

The crusades and inquisition were post-schism events sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church during the middle ages. The Orthodox Catholic Church was actually ransacked during the Fourth Crusade, and most of her treasures and relics that were stolen still remain in Vatican possession and have not been returned.