Buddhist Christmas

ThaiLotus

I'm curious how my fellow buddhists spend christmas? Do you have trees in your home or decorate at all? Do you buy/exchange gifts? I've been studying the dharma for about 3 yrs and christmas is really no big deal to me. Even before that I wasn't a big christmas guy, I only bought gifts for my sister when she was alive, otherwise I would have no interest. But now I've recently married (3 months) to a Thai lady and obviously (or not) she's a buddhist. She is with me in the states. I asked her if she wanted to put up a tree and she says she doesn't care about that. But I feel I should give her a gift and let her experience christmas time and our culture. What do you all do?

DaftChris

I decorate a tree, go to church with my family (they don't know I'm a Buddhist) on Christmas eve and day, and exchange gifts.

Pretty standard stuff.

federica

@ThaiLotus, have you seen this thread?

ThaiLotus

@federica... I had not... thank you!

Inc88

Small decorated tree, few lights decorating the house, and gift exchanging with my family and girlfriend. Personally im not big on Christmas either (family is the same) and i eventually want to root out the old unnecessary ritual. The most id want to do in the future is exchange gifts with my spouse, if she still celebrates, to make her happy.

Also, who agrees the holidays can be a nightmare especially if you live in a populated area...i know the people around here go nuts this time of year

Cole_

There's no reason we can't use the holiday season to spread love and generosity as we would throughout the year, but there's no reason to buy into the over extravagant christmas ideals pushed on us by companies with a strict profit motive. The thought is more important than a ton of gifts

how

I like cut trees as much as I like cut flowers. (of course my partners says it's not just about me). I decorate my front window with lights, decorations & tinsel in the shape of a tree. The only gift we exchange is a no presents rule. A christmas free of shopping allows us to focus on dinners and socials with friends and the time off work that we get to share with each other. (If we had young children this would be different.)

BhikkhuJayasara

I follow the traditions of my family, with my family. they know I'm a buddhist and I do go to church with them. There is nothing wrong in participating in a holiday that you grew up with with your family and friends, even if you don't 100% identify with it anymore. If we all could spend time with each other during all religious and secular holidays that would go a long way in killing the ego. I would love to experience Jewish and Islamic holidays as well, just never had the chance.

in the end don't feel like you need any kind of validation from anyone , or that " oh i'm a buddhist now what should I do since "I'm a buddhist".. follow your gut and if you feel it is beneficial to yourself and others, go with it.

Jeffrey

I celebrated the eating at night part of ramadan and it was very cool.

Yes I celebrate Christmas without any pause towards doing that. I love Christmas lights. What's not to like? The only thing I don't like is the people that fight over stuff at malls when there is a scarce big profile item.

vinlyn

ThaiLotus said:

I'm curious how my fellow buddhists spend christmas? Do you have trees in your home or decorate at all? Do you buy/exchange gifts? I've been studying the dharma for about 3 yrs and christmas is really no big deal to me. Even before that I wasn't a big christmas guy, I only bought gifts for my sister when she was alive, otherwise I would have no interest. But now I've recently married (3 months) to a Thai lady and obviously (or not) she's a buddhist. She is with me in the states. I asked her if she wanted to put up a tree and she says she doesn't care about that. But I feel I should give her a gift and let her experience christmas time and our culture. What do you all do?

I consider myself to be a Buddhist-Christian. I fully decorate, participate in holiday activities, and give and accept gifts. But personally, I treat it more as a secular holiday than a religious one.

And before I considered myself to be "part Buddhist", I always remember being in Thailand and being invited to participate in every Buddhist "event" or holiday.

DairyLama

Bah humbug!

David

I don't have a family that I started so since this year a few of my relatives are going away, we had Christmas dinner last night. This year I will probably just go on random visits then retire at home with some cake and a movie.

When my wife was here she knew I'm Buddhist but she would get a small fake tree and we'd do gifts and such.

I like the idea of the tree but cut down and brought in like some deer head on the wall? No thanks, thank you!

I don't even like the death in my freezer, let alone decorating it with tinsle in the livingroom for crying out softly.

I don't think I could get serious with another woman if she isn't into having the Christmas tree in the yard. We could bring out a little tent and some heaters.

TheEccentric

I could never give up or change celebrating Christmas, there is no need to stop it for Buddhism and even if I wanted too would have no choice as my family celebrate it.

I_AM_THAT

I was raised in a christian family that celebrated christmas with all the decorations. I raised my kids in the same manner, and now they are out of the house they have continued the same traditions with their family.

However, now that I have taken to buddhism I no longer see the need to make a special event out of this holiday season, as I try to cultivate the same loving and giving spirit every day. I can understand the need society has for this season and the role it plays. I even help my wife decorate the house since she likes to continue on with the traditions even though she too is a practicing buddhist.

There is a definite struggle to find a balance during this season since so much seems to be directed more towards the need for material items over the spiritual aspect.

As my teacher has pointed out all too many times that there seems to be more interest in the outer gratifications then there is in cultivating personal awareness and well being.

karasti

@TheEccentric never say never I'm not saying you should, of course, but you will be surprised at the things you think you'll never give up, or change, that you just naturally do change or give up as a result of your practice.

Trees> I don't like using live trees. I feel bad cutting them down. We lost a section of a tree in a big storm and had to cut it down last summer to keep the rest of it from falling on the house. Sad! But new trees are already growing where it fell I also don't like the fire risk in the house, I much prefer to decorate outside, but alas we don't have any outdoor trees anymore. We have 2 maples on the edge of the road, but they are too far from the house to decorate. We have a fake tree, that we've had for about 15 years now. It'll go to my oldest when he has his own place, and then we probably won't do a big tree inside anymore. It's just too much work, takes up too much space in the house. We'll always decorate in some way, though.

Once all the kids are gone, I think our celebrating of the holidays will probably change vastly.

lobster

We have a rather kitsch Chrismas tree, fibreoptic ends that twinkle in ever changing colours . . .
Today I decided it would do as a manifestation of the Buddha Nature . . . So I sat and sang to it . . . well OK mantras but it's the thought that counts . . .

I turned the tree into all nature of yidams. Now when I look at a christmas tree, I will be reminded of Chenrezig and Tara, Guru Rinpoche and Vajrapani, Tinkerbell and . . . wait a minute how did the fairy get in there . . . oh must have been the angel on top . . .

RainbowTara

I love decorating for the holidays and giving out gifts. No church for me, but I will be meditating on Christmas morning.