Re: Christmas When You Were Growing Up

Originally Posted by
Arran
It's a bit more complicated than this.
At one end of the scale are Christians who do not celebrate Christmas - they are few in number but they do exist. Next are Christians who celebrate Christmas but don't do the commercial side of it or Father Christmas because they see it as an innovation not in the Bible. Father Christmas would have been unrecognised in Britain in 1800 as the custom appeared some time in the mid 19th century when kids would hang up a sock then find an orange inside it on Christmas morning. At the opposite end of the scale are staunch atheists who celebrate Christmas as one big decadent party and do the Father Christmas malarkey simply because it's fun or they see it as a national celebration rather than a religious celebration.
Did you know that the UK is one of a small number of countries that does not have a national day. Therefore Christmas probably substitutes it for millions of people who aren't religious.
Seems strange to think that they are Christians who don't celebrate Christmas - I would assume that one would most likely to be a non-Christian who would celebrate the event. There is also the Orthodox Christmas which is on 7th January, which was on that date due to the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (or perhaps the other way round).
It just proves however that those people don't see it as a religious thing as a lot of people do, hence the relatively recent commercialism. I am certain that people (usually children) still hang up a sock each year and expect one or two things delivered inside it.
I do know that Great Britain does not have a national day, along with Denmark - I would like to see this country have its own day - perhaps 23rd April when it is St George's Day (although Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales would argue for their own national day as well). The Queen's Official Birthday (even though the actual date changed each year) could also be a candidate as well.
I am now in my 40s (just in case anyone asks).