CHRISTMAS
(See also Festivals; Holidays; Nimrod)
(Note centered heading below: Quotations)
apostate Christianity: w84 12/15 6; w74 740
astrologers: w85 7/1 16-17; w82 12/15 8-9; w79 12/15 30; w77 740-741; g74 12/22 4; g73 12/22 5; g70 11/8 6; g65 12/22 4; g64 12/22 8; w63 447-448; g62 12/22 6-7; g61 12/8 6-7; w60 396; pa 124-125; g58 2/22 26; g57 12/22 6; w56 742; w52 741-742; w51 764; rm 237-238; ki 209-210; g44 12/20 16-17; w42 350; g42 12/9 17; g37 12/15 18; w34 62; w33 318-320; w31 205
Australia: w84 12/15 3
behavior: g85 12/22 14; w84 12/15 5, 7; g64 12/22 6; w63 446; w58 739; w54 743-744; g53 12/22 5-6
stealing during: g68 2/22 31
bonus at time of: w79 11/1 31-32
celebration:
by non-Christians: g79 12/22 3-4; w78 12/15 4; yb73 212; g68 12/8 3-4; g64 12/22 5; g62 2/8 30; w59 262; w57 740-741; g40 3/6 27
in Bethlehem: g63 3/8 30
in divided households: w60 735
Christians celebrated death, not birth: g64 12/22 7; g62 12/22 7; g61 4/22 24; g61 12/8 5, 8; w60 741; g54 12/8 26
Christian view: sj 18-19; te 126
explaining to relatives and acquaintances: w74 741
selling Christmas trees and cards: w51 574
Christmas spirit: g85 12/22 14; g84 12/22 17; g79 12/8 6-9
Christmas vacation: g72 10/22 29
clergy comments: g71 8/22 16; g70 12/8 4; w63 446; g62 12/22 5-6; g61 12/8 5, 8; w56 91; w54 742
commercialization: g85 12/22 14; w84 12/15 4; w77 739; g65 12/22 3-4; g64 12/22 5-6; g62 2/8 30; g62 12/22 5; g61 2/8 30; g61 12/8 4; w56 741; g54 12/8 3-5; w53 739-740; g48 12/22 9-12; g46 12/22 7-8; g40 8/7 12
connection with ancient New Year celebrations: w84 12/15 5
connection with sun worship: w84 12/15 5-6
dangers: w84 12/15 4-7
date: w85 8/15 31; w85 9/1 28; g85 12/22 13; w84 12/15 5-6; w83 12/15 4-5; w82 12/15 8, 10; tr 148; g81 12/22 16; g80 10/22 29; w79 12/15 3-5; g79 12/8 4-5; g79 12/22 3; w78 12/15 4-6, 15; w77 739-741; w76 743, 766; w75 739-740; g75 12/22 27-28; w74 739-740; po 139-140; g73 12/22 4-5; ad 223; te 126; g71 8/22 16; g70 11/8 5; g70 12/8 3-4; g69 5/8 7; g68 12/8 5-6; g67 12/8 3-4; ms 63, 237; g64 4/22 7; g64 12/22 7; g61 4/22 24; g61 12/8 5-6; w60 742-744; g57 12/22 24; w56 741-742; g56 12/22 24; g55 12/22 5; g54 12/8 25-27; w52 740; rm 233-235; g50 12/22 24-27; g49 12/22 14-16; g47 12/22 9, 25-26; g46 12/22 3-5; g45 12/19 16-18; w42 350; g35 12/18 187-188
absolutely no biblical authority for December 25 (quote): w79 12/15 3
discussion: g85 12/22 12-14; w84 12/15 3-7; sj 18-19; w82 12/15 8-10; w81 12/15 3-5; g81 12/22 16-17; g79 12/8 3-9; g79 12/22 3-4; w78 12/15 3-8; w77 739-741; w74 739-741; g73 12/22 3-7; ad 921-922; g70 12/8 3-6; g68 12/8 3-7; g67 12/8 3-7; g64 12/22 5-8; g62 12/22 5-8; g61 12/8 4-8; w60 741-744; w57 739-743; g57 12/22 5-8; w56 740-743; w54 739-745; g54 12/8 3-8, 25-28; w52 739-743; g52 12/22 21-24; w50 501-504; w42 349-350
early Christians: g85 12/22 13; w84 12/15 5-6; tr 148; g73 12/22 4; g67 12/8 4; g64 12/22 7; g62 12/22 7; w61 536; g61 4/22 24; g61 12/8 5; w60 741; w58 740; g55 12/22 5-6; w54 741; g54 12/8 26-27; w50 502-503; ta 297
effect on—
children: w84 12/15 6-7; g79 12/22 3-4; g73 12/22 3, 7; g68 12/8 6; g67 12/8 6; g61 12/8 8
emotions: g74 12/22 3-4
England: w84 12/15 3-4
family meals at time of: w79 11/1 31
groups forbidding: w76 766; g74 12/22 29; g67 12/8 7; w66 189; g64 12/22 6; g61 4/22 25; g61 10/22 12; g54 12/8 27-28; g46 12/22 8
Hong Kong: w78 12/15 3
idolatry: w84 12/15 3, 7
Italy: w84 12/15 3-5, 7
Japan: w78 12/15 3
Jews: w78 12/15 4
Kenya: w78 12/15 4
Korea, Republic of (South): w78 12/15 3
Mexico: g71 6/22 23-24
Origen’s comment on: w84 12/15 6
origins: g85 12/22 13; w84 12/15 4-5; w82 12/15 10; g81 12/22 16-17; hp 171; g80 10/22 29; g79 12/8 4-5; g79 12/22 3; w78 12/15 4-5, 15; g78 12/22 10-11; w77 739-740; w76 743, 766; gh 128; g76 12/22 4; w75 739-740; w74 740; g74 12/22 4; g73 1/8 28; g73 12/22 4-6; w70 624; sv 16-17; g70 11/8 5; g70 12/8 3-4; g69 12/22 5-6; g68 12/8 4-5; g67 12/8 4-5; w66 189-190; g66 2/8 30; ms 63, 236-237; g65 12/22 4; g64 12/22 6-7; g62 12/22 6-7; w61 536; g61 4/22 24; g61 12/8 5-6; w60 741-744; w58 740, 743; g57 12/22 24-25; w56 741; g56 12/22 24-26; g55 12/22 5-7; w54 740-743; g54 12/8 5-8, 26-27; w53 740; g53 12/22 6-7; w52 740-742; g52 12/22 21-24; rm 96-97, 233; g51 12/22 23; w50 501-504; g50 12/22 24; g47 12/22 9-11; g46 12/22 4-7; w42 350; g42 12/9 16-17; g39 9/6 20-21; g39 12/13 22; g37 12/15 17-18; g35 1/16 252-255; g35 12/18 186-190
cards: w84 12/15 5
Christmas greetings: w84 12/15 4-5
feasting: w84 12/15 4-5
from ancient Babylon: w84 12/15 5
from ancient Rome: w84 12/15 4-5
from northern peoples: w84 12/15 4
gifts: w84 12/15 4-6
laurels: w84 12/15 4, 6
solstice festival: w81 12/15 27
use of evergreens: w84 12/15 4, 6; w83 12/15 6; w76 766
use of lights and candles: w84 12/15 4, 6
Pilgrims: g68 11/22 26
press comments: g85 12/22 12-14
Puritans: g85 12/22 13
role of Charles Dickens: w84 12/15 3
shepherds: w84 12/15 6; w69 703-704
Singapore: w78 12/15 3
South Africa:
shoppers join bandits in scramble for money: g79 3/22 30
Soviet Union: w78 12/15 4
star (Mt 2:2, 9, 10): w82 12/15 8-9; w77 740-741; po 140, 142-143; g73 12/22 5; g69 12/22 7-8; ms 237; g62 12/22 6-7; g61 12/8 6-7; w60 396; pa 124-125; g58 2/22 26; w56 742; w51 764; rm 237-238; ki 209-210; g44 12/20 16-17; w42 350; w34 62; w33 318-320; w31 205
Tertullian’s comment on: w84 12/15 6
traditions associated with:
carols: w76 766; g69 12/22 5-8; g62 1/22 29-30
gifts: tr 149; g79 12/8 5; w78 12/15 8; w77 740-741; g76 12/22 4; w75 739-740; g74 12/22 3-4; g73 12/22 3-4, 7; g70 12/8 6; g69 5/8 8; g68 12/8 6-7; g67 12/8 6; w65 768; ms 238; g65 12/22 3-4; g64 12/22 7-8; g61 12/8 7-8; w59 736; w57 739-740; w56 743; g40 8/7 12; g40 12/25 20
holly: w83 12/15 6; g81 12/22 17; w76 766; g73 12/22 6
Jesus viewed as a baby: w82 12/15 8-9; g80 12/22 3
mistletoe: g81 12/22 17; w78 12/15 7-8; g73 12/22 6; g54 12/8 8; w52 741; g46 12/22 7
music of: w83 12/15 3-7
Nativity scene: g85 12/22 12, 14; w84 12/15 3-4, 7; g38 3/23 22
piñata: g71 6/22 23-24
poisonous plants: g70 2/8 30
Santa Claus: w83 12/15 6-7; g81 12/22 17; g79 12/8 5; w77 739; g70 2/8 31; g68 12/8 6; g62 12/22 5-6; g57 12/22 7-8; g49 12/22 12-16; g48 12/22 10-11; g46 12/22 6; g37 12/15 17; g35 1/16 254; g35 12/18 190
tree: w84 12/15 3-5, 7; g81 12/22 16-17; g73 12/22 6; g55 6/8 24; w54 740; w52 660; w50 522-523; g47 12/22 10; g46 12/22 6; w42 349-350; g42 12/9 16-17; g37 12/15 17
Yule log: w78 12/15 4; g69 12/22 7; w52 741; rm 97; g46 12/22 6
tragedy: g68 2/22 29
tree:
dispute in Federal Republic of Germany over environmental impact of cutting: g85 4/22 31
wartime: g85 12/22 3-4; g61 12/8 19
Witnesses adjust view of: yb75 147
witnessing during holiday season: km 12/77 4
Quotations
absolutely no biblical authority for December 25: w79 12/15 3
a day set aside for special reverence to the sun: w84 12/15 5
any genuine Christian would shun any association with Christmas: g85 12/22 14
birthday of the sun became birthday of the Son of God: w84 12/15 6
Christian Church in the 4th century found it convenient to take over the sacred pagan day of December 25th: w84 12/15 6
early Christians did not celebrate the birthday of Jesus: w84 12/15 5
essentially a heathen revel: g85 12/22 12-13
forced on a reluctant and disgusted nation by the shopkeepers and the press: w84 12/15 4
it is impossible to separate Christmas from its pagan origins: sj 18-19
let’s rather be honest and turn Christmas back into the pagan feast that it was in the beginning: g85 12/22 14
not of divine appointment: sj 18
outlawed in England and in parts of English colonies in America: sj 19
Saturnalia in Rome provided the model for most of the merry customs of the Christmas time: sj 18
uncanny parallels to Christmas customs occur in the New Year celebrations of Babylon: w84 12/15 5