Christmas

[Mikeoffaith]

Dear Friends:

The Christmas season is approaching quickly. I have been learning about Christianity from many of you over the past few months, so I was interested to know about some of the things you like best about Christmas from a spiritual perspective. I thought it would be a nice thing to share this time of year. For instance, are there certain traditions from your respective churches that make you feel most happy this time of year? For example, I have a friend who said as a child he would get the most spiritual feelings each week as another advent candle was lit. What are some of your memories and what makes you the happiest during the Christmas season? Are there certain songs you like best? Anything you would like to share is fine. All people of all faiths are welcome to share.

Your friend
Sufjon

Blessings to you Sufjon-

Christmas has always been a special time of the year. Even though my family is as divided as the Church, it was a great time that everyone came together and celebrated as one. My most special memories would be on Christmas Eve, the Roman Catholic side of the family would come to the Lutherans side’s house. We would have dinner, sing Christmas carols and finish decorating the tree, we would always have a good time and my Uncle would always sing carols in Latin, which was always intriguing. Then at about 10pm everyone would leave and get ready to go off to their respective churches.

Church on Christmas Eve was always the best. It was always the biggest, the church would be packed, the choir would be in their best, and everything would be right. The church on those cold dark nights always seemed brighter than the rest of the time of they year, a beacon at times.

And then the next day, we would all get together again both halves, unwrap presents and all sit together as well as we could fit and have a feast like no other.

It’s at those times that I think there is hope for unity yet.

 

[swariffin]

I hate Christmas. This is the time of year when parents lie to their children or allow them to believe a lie. It truly amazes me how common place the Santa lie is.

Santa Clause does exist. He exists in the heart of the people who are giving, without expecting returns. The old man with white beard with red jacket is a personification of such giving spirit. His sleigh which can visit so many houses in the world at the same night means that the spirit of giving/sharing knows no boundary, no time limitation, no barrier of entry, no races, no cultural backgrounds, and virtually no limitation. Our houses in Indonesia has no chimney, but Santa Clause does come in. The question is whether or not we know that we have received no many goodies that we may not realized that.

 

[Sufjon]

Blessings to you Sufjon-

Christmas has always been a special time of the year. Even though my family is as divided as the Church, it was a great time that everyone came together and celebrated as one. My most special memories would be on Christmas Eve, the Roman Catholic side of the family would come to the Lutherans side’s house. We would have dinner, sing Christmas carols and finish decorating the tree, we would always have a good time and my Uncle would always sing carols in Latin, which was always intriguing. Then at about 10pm everyone would leave and get ready to go off to their respective churches.

Church on Christmas Eve was always the best. It was always the biggest, the church would be packed, the choir would be in their best, and everything would be right. The church on those cold dark nights always seemed brighter than the rest of the time of they year, a beacon at times.

And then the next day, we would all get together again both halves, unwrap presents and all sit together as well as we could fit and have a feast like no other.

It’s at those times that I think there is hope for unity yet.

That’s a beautiful story Mikeoffaith: It kind of reminds me of that story about the First World War where the Germans and the allies got together on Christmas. I saw a movie about that which was so uplifting that it sent chills up my spine.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[Sufjon]

I hate Christmas. This is the time of year when parents lie to their children or allow them to believe a lie. It truly amazes me how common place the Santa lie is.

Hi Agent Grey: I am sorry that the Santa thing has caused you to hate Christmas. I hope that changes for you someday so that you can find the happiness in it. I am not a Christian but I have attended Christmas services with Christian friends and have been to mass with friends in the weeks before Christmas. I don’t know the name of the song, but it starts out with the words “Oh come oh come Emmanuel .” When the people start in with that song my whole body wants to cry with happiness. It’s like I could just fall down. I don’t know why. Maybe there is something like that for you in somewhere the season? If not, I’ll pray that there will be.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[CHRISTINE77]

I love everything about Christmas except the commercialization of it. I don’t like all the frantic spending and gift giving.

I love the creche, advent, the carols, the services and the general beauty of it.

But a lot of people go over budget, and get really frazzled trying to spend their way through it. If we could get over the consumerism, I think Christmas would be a better holiday all around.

 

[HAnne]

Hi Agent Grey: I am sorry that the Santa thing has caused you to hate Christmas. I hope that changes for you someday so that you can find the happiness in it. I am not a Christian but I have attended Christmas services with Christian friends and have been to mass with friends in the weeks before Christmas. I don’t know the name of the song, but it starts out with the words “Oh come oh come Emmanuel .” When the people start in with that song my whole body wants to cry with happiness. It’s like I could just fall down. I don’t know why. Maybe there is something like that for you in somewhere the season? If not, I’ll pray that there will be.

Your friend
Sufjon

You’ve got it - the title is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.

It’s a beautiful song. One of my favorites.

 

[Pieman333272]

Sufjon - The most spiritual moment for me that I can remember in Christmastime is setting up the Model manger. I always messed it up, like putting the wrong object on the nail the star should hang on, but I find this a fun and spiritual memory I enjoy. Maybe I liked the baby Jesus. Maybe I liked the animals or Angels or Kings. But it touched me, for some reason, as a young boy.

This is kind of personal and really off-topic, but is Sufjon your name in real life?

 

[Marie5890]

Dear Friends:

The Christmas season is approaching quickly. I have been learning about Christianity from many of you over the past few months, so I was interested to know about some of the things you like best about Christmas from a spiritual perspective. I thought it would be a nice thing to share this time of year. For instance, are there certain traditions from your respective churches that make you feel most happy this time of year? For example, I have a friend who said as a child he would get the most spiritual feelings each week as another advent candle was lit. What are some of your memories and what makes you the happiest during the Christmas season? Are there certain songs you like best? Anything you would like to share is fine. All people of all faiths are welcome to share.

Your friend
Sufjon

I would like the Christmas season to be for me a more clear understanding of what it means to “wait in anticipation” of our Lord…

As Catholic Christians specifically and Christians in general, dont really think what it means to “wait”

We don fully appreciate where the Hebrews were at when it came to “waiting for the Messiah”…to have a sense of “anticipation”

I want to understand…I want to participate…I want to experience “waiting”

I want the wisdom of Advent and the Joy of Christmas this year

 

[Sufjon]

Sufjon - The most spiritual moment for me that I can remember in Christmastime is setting up the Model manger. I always messed it up, like putting the wrong object on the nail the star should hang on, but I find this a fun and spiritual memory I enjoy. Maybe I liked the baby Jesus. Maybe I liked the animals or Angels or Kings. But it touched me, for some reason, as a young boy.

This is kind of personal and really off-topic, but is Sufjon your name in real life?

Hi Pieman: I like that. I have been keeping an eye on a manger scene that they sell in the gift stores every year. One year I’m going to buy it.

On the name thing, people have called me Sufjon since I was three.

Your friend
Sufjon