CLICmas #6
Welcome to window #6 of the CLICmas Advent Calendar! If you'd like a window of your own to strut your Christmas stuff in (or should that be stuffing - parp!) and have the chance of winning a Nintendo 3DS then email dan@cliconline.co.uk as soon as possible.
Picture the scene: You wake up at half past eight on Christmas morning, rise out of your warm, cosy bed and look out of the window. To your surprise, see a flawless, fresh quilt of snow on the ground; which looks as delicate as icing sugar on top of a freshly baked cake.
You scamper downstairs feeling ecstatic, this day has finally arrived, the one that everyone has counted down. You're downstairs, you look under the glowing green Christmas tree and you're amazed to see a mound of presents, all wrapped up tightly in shiny silver paper with red ribbon; all dedicated to you.
As you open each present, you savour every second, ripping off the paper gradually, knowing that this day only occurs once a year; therefore it must be appreciated. You open that one present that you've been hoping to receive, making your day that one step better, smiling as wide as a Cheshire cat.
Everyone is elated; which makes you even happier. After opening your gifts, you watch mum, dad, brothers and sisters opening theirs, with the same appearance of contentment after opening each individually wrapped item. Mum opens a large, luxury box of chocolates and shares them around.
Even though it's now only half past nine in the morning, everyone tucks in to them, and soon enough, the box is empty.
Then, within what seems like minutes, you're sitting around the largely decorated table waiting for your Christmas feast that is about to be served. You look around to see Christmas decor everywhere: green tinsel, shiny silver crystalline lights in the shape of angels, and paper-chain stars that you made the previous night.
Then, within ten minutes or so, the food is served; each plate almost identical in appearance, containing some sort of meat and a wide selection of vegetables etc, all to each person's taste, all piping hot, and ready to be consumed.
Everyone is drinking some sort of liquor, whether it be sherry or wine and everyone seems to be feeling merry. Everyone is wearing pointed party hats and pulling crackers every five minutes, but the question is; what are they celebrating?
Christmas - an abstract noun with many connotations attached to it; cheerfulness, unity, cooked dinners, presents, snow and even Mr Santa Clause himself.
Christmas is the one time of year when everyone is at harmony with one another, when there are is no conflict, the one time where it is acceptable to have gargantuan lights dangling down from your bedroom window, and the one time of the year when you can eat as much food as you desire.
What do you think of when you're looking forward to Christmas day? The giving and receiving of gifts? A scrumptious Christmas dinner? Or maybe even the feeling of happiness conveyed throughout the day?
But, I question: What are we actually celebrating?
Have you ever looked at the word 'Christmas'. Take a look now. Study it. What do you make of it? Well, why not try and split it up in two; 'Christ mas'. There we go; that explains it! Or does it?
Christmas: - An annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Christ.
So, Christmas. The day that Jesus, our saviour was born! The day that the ultimate being who knows and loves you, and I and others around us was created himself. The day that the being, the Omni benevolent soul, the one who saved us all by dying in pain on the cross was born into the world; we should appreciate this day.
We should give this day thorough appreciation for what it is celebrating and for what we are celebrating!
So, this Christmas, and next Christmas, and even the Christmas after that, remember who and what you are celebrating; the birth of perfection; Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!!!
4 Comments – Post a comment
hisgirl210410
Commented 2 months ago - 6th December 2011 - 16:29pm
Cant wait for Christmas, one of the best bits i find is the midnight service at my church celebrating Christmas for the reason it is there :)
Stormer007
Commented 2 months ago - 6th December 2011 - 19:38pm
Not to put a downer on religious beliefs of the birthday of Baby J, but it's common knowledge that the 25th of December was not his b'day. Nowhere in the Bible does it mention the date at all, nor that Christian's even have to celebrate his Birthday. In fact, phrases throughout the Bible would indicate that his b'day could not have been in December at all, let alone specifically the 25th.
The 25th of December was, and still is, a day of celebration in various cultures and religions, mythologies and alike, such as Ancient Babylon and Rome BC, to celebrate various dieties such as Sun Gods and the Son of Iris.
In 350AD, or near about, Pope Julius I declared that Christ's b'day would be celebrated on 25th Dec. He chose this date purposely to make it as painless for pagan Romans to convert to Christianity.
There are reportings of this information, and more like it, all over the internet.
http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/historical-Jesus/DaVinci/HJ-davinci-Is-Christmas-Purely-a-Pagan-Holiday.htm
http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/studies/holidays2.htm
http://www.essortment.com/christmas-pagan-origins-42543.html
I encourage you to challenge your belief and read the articles above.
DanielleNicole15
Commented 2 months ago - 7th December 2011 - 14:12pm
To hisgirl210410: I know, I like that part too!
To Stormer007: Oh yes! I thought Jesus' birthday was actually on the 25th of December, but I know now that there isn't an exact date for it. However, I was trying to mainly communicate that the 25th of December is the set day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, therefore people should think about this when they are celebrating Christmas - i.e. for its real meaning.
Stormer007
Commented 2 months ago - 8th December 2011 - 16:04pm
Surely they should only think about the miracle that was Jesus if they believe in it? For me, a long dead Palistinian has nothing to do with it. It's about my family, and my friends and taking the time to appreciate what I have with them before I rot in a wooden box for all eternity (although recently I've been considering cremation instead. I'm not sure). And decorating the tree: one of my favourite parts of the period.