The Origin Of Christmas and it's traditions-has anyone watched the youtube video and did you learn a lot?

Q: Well I learned that,well I am not telling you all you have to watch these videos and tell me what did you learn from them, http://youtube.com/watch?v=brCbIv9JCa8 you can get the rest of the parts within the link. 4-14-08

A: Sorry, my Java Script was not up to date and I could not watch the video. That being said, there are many viewpoints of Christmas and the traditions. Again, not being able to watch the video, I will go on what I presume the video to say: Christmas is a pagan holiday. Or Christmas is the Birth of Christ. Lets look a bit at the origin of Christmas. Sure, for thousands of years before Jesus, there were untold numbers of pagan rituals held at or near December 25th. And we can presume, from scripture, that no flock loving shepherds would be tending their flocks in the cold Israeli December nights. So, we can presume that Jesus was either born in Spring or Summer. It is well presumed that Christmas (the birth of Jesus) was sent to December 25th to coincide with many of the pagan winter festivals (it is near the darkest day of the year) and early Religious leaders did this to appease the early Christian Converts. It is also said by critics that the worship of Mary and Jesus is nothing more than the former worship of Mithras and some woman goddess. (reference: Come Out of Her, My People, C. J. Koster - who also goes on to explain Easter, Sunday Worship, the Cross, the Catholic Church, etc.. - it is a very interesting read if only for the historical context of the origins of many of the modern traditions). That being said, there is the remaining point of view about Christmas: It is (regardless of when it happened) the day we have appointed to observe the birth of Christ. Now, I am not a pagan (though I was once unsaved and by definition, was a pagan). Nor do I practice modern paganism (such as what the wiccans do). Jesus Christ has freed me from the bondages of sin. I have liberty in Him. And one of the ways I worship Him is to try to tell everybody about what He has done for me and others. His birth is a miracle. Foretold by the prophets of old, born to a virgin, He was chosen by God to be the Savior of the world. His birth was heralded by the Angels. Therefore, when people ask me what the meaning of Christmas is, I do not tell them about Mithraism, paganism, or picking December 25th because it was close to the winter's solstice. I tell them this: Luke 2:8 In the same region there were {some} shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:12 "This {will be} a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Luke 2:13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." That the Son of the most High God humbled himself and chose to be born in a cave in the hills of Bethlehem some 2000 years ago. Not the Son of a King, or born in a modern Hospital, not formed as a full grown man, but born in the most humble of conditions that He may fulfill prophetical scriptures about Himself. That He may ultimately be killed on a tree for me-and my sins that I may live with Him for eternity; that I might be spared the agonies of Hades (go to http://www.spiritlessons.com and listen to the testimony of Bill Weise to find out what hell is like). I have been spared all of that because of what happened the day Jesus was born. A day we now call Christmas, that we now celebrate on December 25th every year. Me? I decorate my home with 30,000 lights synchronized to music. Music that I chose to broadcast to the community so that they can listen to the lyrics and learn what Jesus did for me. My daughter used to believe that Saint Nicholas would bring her presents once a year. We told her about the real Saint Nicholas (presuming he really lived) and how he ministered to those in need in his city when he was alive hundreds of years ago. Not ever lying, we allowed her imagination to run free with Santa. We also have a Christmas tree that is decorated with ornaments that we have hung on it that were collected from our travels as a family. They represent our own autobiography. So, when we hang them, we are able to reminisce about what they meant, when we got them. Finally, on Christmas day, we bake Jesus a Christmas Birthday Cake so that we can remember why He was born and what He did for us (I suppose that is pagan in origin too, but ....).

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