Non-Christian holidays - what do you know about them? Myths, truths, and sources

[Kacey]

The thread about the history of Santa Claus starting me thinking, and rather than derail that one, I decided to start a new one.

Chanukah is a relatively minor holiday that was vaulted to prominence in the US by its proximity to Christmas. Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, celebrates an occasion on which the Temple in Jerusalem was sacked and all of the fittings and trappings - including the holy oil that was used in the Eternal Light - was either taken or destroyed. Only enough oil remained for 1 day - and it took 7 days to make more. That one-day supply of oil miraculously lasted the entire time it took to make more - thus, the miracle of Chanukah, and the reason the holiday's name translates as the Festival of Lights; Jews light a menorah every night for 8 nights, in commemoration of this miracle.

The myths about Chanukah abound as well; when one of my middle school students asked if I'd hung my Christmas lights yet, I said no, and explained that I was Jewish - once we got past the deer in the headlights looks (some of which never went away), I got a few questions:

- So that means you get presents every day for 8 days, right (from a very excited child)
Sorry, no. The child was very confused, as everyone knows that's true - even though it's not - but he was convinced, and didn't really want to take my word for it.

- You don't have any lights up? Not at all?
Nope... not even blue and white ones, although I know people who do that. But I think it's silly; Christmas lights, like Yule logs, come from pagan celebrations in religions that Christianity subsumed as it spread, religions that had nothing to do with Judaism - so why adopt their practices? At least that's the way I feel about it. I didn't try to explain this to the kids; I just said no and left it at that.

- What do you mean, you don't celebrate Christmas? Everyone celebrates the birth of Christ.
Well... try explaining to a bunch of 12 year-olds - all Christians of some denomination, in an area with few, if any, representatives of non-Christthat the difference between Jews and Christians is that Jews don't believe Jesus was the Messiah - the deer in the headlights look came back real fast, and I don't think it went away; luckily, the bell rang shortly thereafter, and they didn't bring it up again later - which is good; comparative religions is a topic I could (probably) get away with in Reading for a while, if we read the right things - but this was a Math class.

And my favorite:
- So you get a holiday and then you celebrate the real Christmas!
Again, sorry, no. My attempt to explain that one fell on deaf and unreasoning ears - especially as the questioner was a girl currently in her Communion class who just could not wrap her mind around the difference given above. That was when the bell did ring.

So what do you know about holidays practiced by other religions, or how holidays are practiced differently in other variations of your own religion? And then, if you are Christian, what about the sources of much of your practices? Do you know where the Yule log came from? Or Christmas tree lights? Or the trees themselves? Why the birth of Christ being so close to the winter solstice was such a problem when Christianity was just forming?

I'm not trying to start a who's right/who's wrong here - I'm truly, genuinely curious about what people know about their own, and others', religions and religious practices - so let's stick with information and leave the "you're wrong because I'm right" out of it, 'k?

 

[Bob Hubbard]

As Christianity spread, it adopted many of the customs of those areas it was spreading into, and added them to it's own traditions. Many existing holidays were used with Christian celebrations tacked on top of...easier to rebrand a celebration and phase out the older pagan meaning, then force a people to stop a traditional celebration.

If one were to look at Mithra, one would see a lot of what is commonly thought of in Christianity. Mithraic imagery also includes the Zodiac as we know it today.

Researching the Christo-Judaic myth of Noah's Ark, leads one back through older Babylonian tales, to even older tales. The farther back you go, the less grandeous the story.

Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas were piled on top of an already large pile of earlier religions, adopting and reshaping parts to suit their own needs.

As a result, for a brief period of time Christmas was banned by numerous Christian faiths as "pagan".

 

[Tez3]

Charles Dickens invented Christmas celebrations. It was a minor holiday in Britain before Victorian times, with most people working on Christmas day. Prince Albert brought the Christmas tree over with him from Germany where it has obvious pagan symbolism.
At one point after the civil war celebrating it was actually banned by the Puritans.
Most northern hemisphere countries celebrated a festival in the middle of winter, usually something that involved lights. If you haven't been to the northern hemisphere during winter you can't imagine how dark winter is,one reason I dislike working shifts in winter. I can go without seeing daylight for several days at a time. Feasts were normal during the mid winter celebrations too as animals some animals had to be killed due to lack of fodder and preserved food such as fruit would only last until the middle of winter.
I'm not sure about Hanukah being such a minor festival in Europe as I remember my mother telling me about how they celebrated in in the Netherlands before the war and it was a fairly big thing.On the last night bonfires were made and danced around until the early hours of the morning. I am confused about the present thing though as children here are given presents (small ones) everyday for the 8 days, in Israel of course it's a 7 day festival. It's something we certainly do.

I think everyone just about 'celebrates' Christmas here now as it's totally nothing to do with religion anymore which I imagine must be sad for commited Christians. It's rarely mentioned on the tv ( looking at the tv guide there was only one religious programme on, a midnight carol service) and it's all about presents and food. It's a day off work for most and is spent stuffing the face then sleeping in front of the television.
The day after Christmas Day, Boxing day of course has no religious significance but was the day when servants received their boxes ie their yearly pay and were allowed home for the afternoon. Generous!

 

[Doc_Jude]

http://truthbeknown.com/videos.html

Watch the vids, tons of info on Christmas & Easter holidays and religious figures that predate the myth of Jesus.

 

[Makalakumu]

This video has a Christian Bias, but it is kind of accurate...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...251&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7

Now, if only the Christians who made this movie actually listened to what they were talking about...

:eye-popping:

 

[CuongNhuka]

Any Buddhist here? Show of hands? Yah, theres a girl at my school that thinks Buddhism is a kind of food. Explain that one to me! That's why I like Bahai and Sine Qua Non.

 

[Xue Sheng]

There are a bunch of, what would definitely be considered, non-christian holidays in China. Chinese New Year, Moon festival, May 1st or is it 15 (I do not remember) to name a few (I just can't remember the others off the top of my head.

Also as previously mentioned there are Buddhist Holidays that are celebrated in and out of China and there are Taoist celebrations as well. Come to think of it I am not exactly sure any of the Buddhist celebrations would be classified as a holiday by most western standards.
There are also Japanese holidays but I am not up on those.

 

[CuongNhuka]

There are a bunch of, what would definitely be considered, non-christian holidays in China. Chinese New Year, Moon festival, May 1st or is it 15 (I do not remember) to name a few (I just can't remember the others off the top of my head.

Also as previously mentioned there are Buddhist Holidays that are celebrated in and out of China and there are Taoist celebrations as well. Come to think of it I am not exactly sure any of the Buddhist celebrations would be classified as a holiday by most western standards.
There are also Japanese holidays but I am not up on those.

Care to clarify?

 

[Gordon Nore]

I struggle to stay on top of Eid, which is celebrated by so many families in my school. There is Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan, and Eid ul-Adha, about seventy days later.

While Eid ul-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. The Lunar calendar is approximately eleven days shorter than the Solar calendar.[2] Each year, Eid ul-Adha (like other Islamic holidays) falls on one of two different Gregorian dates in different parts of the world, due to the fact that the boundary of crescent visibility is different from the International date line.

It's important for me to be aware of these events for a variety of reasons: a lot of my kids are fasting and that may affect their ability to concentrate. Similarly, students get excited about days off and spending time with their families. Also, big events bring big expectations, which can bring stress.

 

[Omar B]

Well there are a bunch of non-christian holidays we celebrate in my house since msot of my family is Hindu. Diwali comes to mind, it's the festival of lights. Holi, the festival of colors in spring. Rama Navami, in April celebrating the birth of Rama. Krishna Jayanti, the birth of Krishna in July. Raksābandhana, the holiday of the bond of siblings, think of it as a valentines day for your brothers and sisters.

There's more but I'm lazy now.

 

[Tez3]

Any Buddhist here? Show of hands? Yah, theres a girl at my school that thinks Buddhism is a kind of food. Explain that one to me! That's why I like Bahai and Sine Qua Non.

I woman I know from work is adamant that Roman Catholics aren't Christians, she can't say what religion they are though. Mind she is the woman who told us all that because we've had so much rain this year pumpkins were going to be green not orange. We always get a lot of rain and pumpkins are always orange mostly because we don't grow them here.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

There are those who say that Catholics aren't Christians due to the idoltry and praying to saints thing. But, that's a whole nudda (huge, heated and headachy) thread in itself.

 

[Live True]

Between my friends and I, we celebrate holidays ranging from Winter Solstice, Yule, Chanukkah, Saturnalia, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, etc. I've watched Mummers plays, burned a Yule log or three, and attended a Native American solstice celebration. I think it's important to have a basic understanding of several of the holidays, so that you can be respectful of others...and it's pretty fun to learn new things and so broaden your own understanding!

Here are some interesting links for those who might be curious about other holiday celebrations around the world. The first is a monthly calendar that has holidays each month from around the world.
school of the seasons
December includes celebrations including Bona Dea, Advent, St Lucy, saturnalia, Kwanzaa, holy Innocents Day, Yemaya, etc.

The next two are from a website designed by a former professor of mythological studies. She has a decided Pagan bent, but she links to a wide variety of mythos and some great information....not all links work, because she does this as her retired fun:
Yuletide around the world
topics include Yuletide celebrations in Scandinavia, Russia and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, the new world, Asia, Australia...as well as mummers, yuletide foods, yuletide trees, etc.
Greetings and Lore for Yuletide 2007 Winter 2007-2008
winter solstice, general winter links, links to a selection of cross-cultural calendar dates, feastday of st barbara...etc.

Whatever you celebrate, may you know Joy this holiday season!

 

[CuongNhuka]

I woman I know from work is adamant that Roman Catholics aren't Christians, she can't say what religion they are though.

Yah, there are alot of people like that at my school. It's hilarious since most of them are Roman Catholic.

 

[Hyper_Shadow]

I think there's like a holiday for almost everyday of the year in the pagan claender isn't there? Hell just look at the names of the days of your week to see how they're influenced.

Moonday
Tyrsday
Wodensday
Thorsday
Freyasday
Satyrday
Sunday

And all the other variations.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Care to clarify?

oops, sorry I forgot about this Thread

Taoist Holidays and Feast Days

Most Taoist religious festivals celebrate the birth of deities or the solstices.Taoist followers regard Lao Tzu's birthday on the 15th day of the 2nd lunar month as the most important festival.The first major holiday in the Taoist calendar year is the Chinese New Year, held on the first day of the first lunar month, equivalent to February on the Western calendar. Rituals in the temple and the home celebrate the Three Pure Ones with an offering of sweets, a banquet, and exchange of gifts with family and friends. On the first day of the festival, the Dragon (Lion) Dance is performed to celebrate long life, immortality and union with the spirits. Firecrackers are lit to frighten off dark forces.

Other festival days commemorate the birth of the Three Officials: the Heavenly Official (formerly the mortal Shang Yuan), the Earth Official (Zhong Yuan) and the Water Official (Xia Yuan). The second of these three festivals, Zhong Yuan, is a very popular holiday also known as Ghost Day. On this day, occurring in mid-August on the Western calendar, the Earth Official pardons the misdeeds of the dead. Lost souls can be redeemed by the living with offering of alms to the poor and performing of charitable works.

Sending the Kitchen God on its annual journey back to Heaven.

At the end of the year, the Kitchen God, represented by a piece of paper hung on the kitchen wall, is symbolically dispatched to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor. At the beginning of the next New Year, the Kitchen God is welcomed back into the home.

Buddhist Festivals and Holidays

 

[Tomu]

I celebrate Festivus, does that count.:ultracool

I am new to Buddhism, so I haven't celebrated any festivals and don't even know if I will.
I have attended a passover seder in the past.
I would like to attend any other holidays of other cultures, but the opportunity hasn't presented itself.

 

[Ninjamom]

As a practicing Christian, I know about and celebrate all the standard 'Christian' holidays, usually with emphasis on the spirit of what is being celebrated. Easter (or 'Resurrection Sunday', if you prefer) is central, because the whole of Christianity is based on Jesus as the Messiah and fulfillment of prophecy, something He claimed would be proved by his rising from the dead. Easter Sunday also shows Jesus as conquering mankind's last and greatest fear - death itself.

Because I believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, I feel a particular affinity to Judaism, and celebrate many of the Jewish religious holidays. I have done a traditional Passover Seder at my home with my children (and for those who don't know, every time you take communion in a Christian church, you are commemorating the Passover - Jesus's "last supper" was actually a "last seder"). I have attended Yom Kippur services at a conservative synagogue - that was really awesome! Even though I believe that I am forgiven through the Messiah Jesus, there is such a thrill of release when the shofar sounds, announcing your sins are covered and your name is inscribed in the Book of Life for the new year (note: Christians please compare the reference to the same Book of Life in the book of Revelation). Anyway, for many reasons, I find a greater understanding and appreciation of my own Christian beliefs through celebration of the traditional Jewish holidays.

Of course, I celebrate many secular holidays as well, especially the patriotic ones. Even in those, however, I usually enjoy celebrating their religious overtones (like Thanksgiving, and even Columbus Day, although I must admit I haven't found any religious significance to Groundhog's Day :wink: ).

Most of the other holidays I know about, I learned about because I like to understand other people and their cultures. For instance, now that I am studying Korean martial arts, I found I wanted to research Korean history, language, and culture. While I haven't celebrated Chuseok yet, I have learned to be aware enough of it to wish my instructors a happy one.

 

[Kacey]

Because I believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, I feel a particular affinity to Judaism, and celebrate many of the Jewish religious holidays. I have done a traditional Passover Seder at my home with my children (and for those who don't know, every time you take communion in a Christian church, you are commemorating the Passover - Jesus's "last supper" was actually a "last seder"). I have attended Yom Kippur services at a conservative synagogue - that was really awesome! Even though I believe that I am forgiven through the Messiah Jesus, there is such a thrill of release when the shofar sounds, announcing your sins are covered and your name is inscribed in the Book of Life for the new year (note: Christians please compare the reference to the same Book of Life in the book of Revelation). Anyway, for many reasons, I find a greater understanding and appreciation of my own Christian beliefs through celebration of the traditional Jewish holidays.

I think it's wonderful that you've come to a greater understanding of your Christianity through experiencing Judaism... as a Jew, however, I feel it necessary to point out that Jesus is not the "Jewish Messiah", as you put it - the key difference between Judaism and Christianity is that Jews do not believe the Messiah has come yet; therefore, no "Jewish Messiah" is possible in the past. Jews believe that Jesus was a prophet, yes - but when the Messiah comes, the world will end. Besides, one of the conditions for the coming of the Messiah is that the entire world will believe in one God - which religion you use to come to that conclusion is not important, just that you believe in one God - and we aren't there yet, and certainly weren't there then. That's why Jews don't consider the New Testament to be part of our holy scripture.

You are quite correct, however, in stating that the Last Supper was a Passover Seder - that's why Passover and Easter generally (not always, but usually - calender changes over the centuries make for some differences) fall around the same time. Easter (and those holidays dependent upon it, such as Lent and Good Friday) is, I believe, the only remaining Christian holiday determined by the phases of the moon instead of being assigned a date, the way Christmas has been assigned to December 25.