| Re: Lesson on Christmas [message #1783 is a reply to message #1763] |
Sun, 30 December 2012 09:36   |
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Dragon
Messages: 499
Registered: June 2010
Location: Earth
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Senior Member |
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As stated above, the origins of the Christmas Tree today symbolize the Garden of Eden (the tree), the Fall (the fruit or shiny balls), and the Light of Christ (candles or lights). Any resemblance to ancient traditions is coincidental.
As for 'Santa', that is the name of Saint Nicholas, who was a real person who actually did give toys to little children and money to poor families. He is a symbol pointing to Christ in how selfless he was and the proof of his charity for his fellow men. For his many years of kind service I believe he deserves to be remembered.
As for Dec 25 being the birth of the Savior, that is actually linked to pagan tradition. As I stated before, it is the one symbol of Christmas for which I can find credible evidence it is tied directly to pagan traditions rather than through similarity.
Easter is a whole other matter. I am perfectly aware of the origins of the bunny and the dual explanations of the egg. The rest is commercialism, other than the Easter Pageant.
The reason we do not attend temple or church on the Holiest of Days is because there is one thing more holy than church and more holy than the temple. Family. In the LDS Church, Family trumps church duties and worship every time. Thus the church chooses to allow everyone to be with their families rather than conducting meetings, cleaning hallways, or all the other duties of a lay church member.
- Dragon
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