It's that time of the year again. People are decorating their houses and buying gifts and singing Christmas songs because December 25th is almost here. I'm sure you've already received a few Christmas cards from family and friends, maybe even some gifts already. This is also that time of the year when a few Christians feel the need to point out the blasphemousness of the whole Christmas holiday.
I just read in an email that "Christmas" means "the death of Christ", so in essence, by celebrating Christmas you are celebrating the death of Christ, making it something light and cheerful when it isn't something to be joked about. Also, these emails include information about the pagan origins of the Christmas tree, the holly, mistletoe, etc. Basically, if you participate in these things, you're participating in "witchcraft", according to these emails.
Now I'm not really big into the whole crazy Christmas thing. I just enjoy giving gifts and spending time with family and having a nice Christmas dinner. I think the decorations are beautiful and I don't think of the goddess Diana's menstrual cycle when I look at holly (seriously, that's what the ancient meaning of it is), or the reproductive substance (you know what I mean) of the "sun god" when I see mistletoe. I don't put them up, but I'm not going to preach at someone who does. I can understand the people that don't put up Christmas trees because of Jeremiah 10, though I don't believe that a Christmas tree fits into Jeremiah 10 unless you're worshipping it (and I don't feel comfortable with the song "O Christmas Tree" for that reason).
But seriously, there are two times of the year when lost religious people will come to church and talk about Christ. Easter and Christmas. Both holidays can be celebrated in a pagan way or a Christian way.
So... I think we should have fun this Christmas. Decorate your house if you feel like it, make some gingerbread cookies, wrap some gifts for your family with pretty wrapping paper and bows, and make sure to glorify God that day (as with any day). We can be thankful for the religious freedoms that we still have, and be thankful for all the blessings God has given us in 2008.
It's up to you. You can skip this holiday and write it off as "witchcraft", or you can make it a special God-honoring time with your family. What do you think? :)