Do you celebrate Christmas?

A place to discuss casual topics amongst spiritual friends.

Do you celebrate Christmas?

Yes
27
66%
No
12
29%
On Occasion
2
5%
 
Total votes: 41

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Ceisiwr
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Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Ceisiwr »

Just interested to see how many do. I myself do but only because the rest of my family does
Last edited by Ceisiwr on Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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retrofuturist
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Craig,

Same here... first with my parents and then with 'my own family', it's an atheist celebration of the presents and Santa variety.

Peace and good-will to all men is a good message though... and doesn't need Christian backing for support.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
davcuts
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by davcuts »

I only celebrate as the same reason as you. It's time to spend with family. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't celebrate it at all.
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pink_trike
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by pink_trike »

I've acknowledged Winter Solstice for many decades, usually with a gathering of friends - this is what was celebrated long before christianity expropriated it.
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss

- Dawa Gyaltsen

---

Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
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Aloka
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Aloka »

Since my mother died I don't celebrate Christmas I'm happy to say. I politely refuse invitations, light some candles and incense and have my special Christmas dinner of egg, chips and mayonnaise, and a nice cup of tea, in delightful peace and quiet without trees and decorations, the awful smell of cooking meat and the sound of bizarre TV programmes ! Heaven.

.
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Zack
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Zack »

We do in my home and family, I enjoy it.
I am of nature to decay, I have not gone beyond decay.
I am of the nature to be diseased, I have not gone beyond disease.
I am of the nature to die, I have not done beyond death.
All that is mine, dear and delightful, will change and vanish.
I am the owner of my kamma, heir to my kamma, born of my kamma, related to
my kamma, abide supported by my kamma. Whatever kamma I shall do,
whether good or evil, of that I shall be the heir.
Thus we should frequently recollect.
- Upajjhatthana Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya v.57
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A Medic
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by A Medic »

I love Christmas. Music, foods, presents,Christmas tv, and much more. I just think it is lots of fun!
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Dugu
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Dugu »

I chose on occasion. If there are people to celebrate it with then I do it with them. But since I am by myself, I don't celebrate it much.
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Ben
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Ben »

Yes I celebrate it for the same reasons as Retro gave.
Its also fun.

ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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zavk
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by zavk »

An opportunity to have fun with the ones I love, respect and cherish? Yeah, of course! Not too fussed about the exchanging of gifts though; we just get together and enjoy each other's company.
With metta,
zavk
Mawkish1983
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Mawkish1983 »

I've always struggled to get into the spirit of Christmas, but I've always tried. The whole 'family thing' seems like a really good idea. As a family we've always celebrated Christmas as a secular event.

The thought just occured to me, what would I (or you) do if Christmas Day was an Uposatha Day? Sounds perfect to me, a day focused on metta without the frills that I can neither abide nor afford :)
Sanghamitta
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Sanghamitta »

Ajahn Chah was a great advocate of the ( appropriate ) celebration of Christmas.
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by tiltbillings »

Sanghamitta wrote:Ajahn Chah was a great advocate of the ( appropriate ) celebration of Christmas.
I have a photo of him with a bunch of Western monks with a Xmas Buddha-bush. I'll scan it and upload here.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Sanghamitta
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Sanghamitta »

I gather that the first year he suggested that the monastary had a Christmas tree it caused quite a stir.
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
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Annapurna
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Re: Do you celebrate Christmas?

Post by Annapurna »

I love X mas. However, this year I have (paying) guests over X mas, I hesitated to have my sleep peace and rest disturbed, but I need the money.

So, I' have mixed emotions.

But X mas is fine with me.
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