Where's The Christmas Spirit?

[Neumann Sennheiser]

Chances are, we are probably not even celebrating the correct day anyway.
In the third century, efforts were made to find out the date of the Nativity, but only in the year 336 was the date of the December 25 festival set in commemoration of Jesus' birth. Pope Julius formally selected December 25 as the day of Christmas in 349 A.D.
Part of the reason for placing Jesus' birth on the 25th (of December), was because there was an ancient Jewish belief that the great prophets were to have an "intergral age" (where you die on the same day as either your birth or your conception). It was believed that Jesus was conceived on March 25 (according to some historians, such as Sextus Julius Africanus), so a nine month count would place his birth on December 25.
There is no real basis to the belief that the December date was chosen by the church to "muscle-out" the existing Roman Saturnalia festival or other Pagan winterfests but, the myths persist.

[jon]

This could start something.....I've listened to channel 3 & 4 over the last few days......would you say....Let It Snow....or
Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire are Christmas songs? I'd label them winter songs. Same goes for 103.5 QMFM and 104.9........if they think that stuff is Christmas music, they have another thought coming.
Have they ever heard of Christmas carols? Yes, I've heard the odd Perry Como version of Silent Night, but not much more.

Radio stations playing Christmas music -- and I've been listening since the 1950s -- never seemed to be focused on Christmas carols. Or having the word "Christmas" in the song. Even though it is in the first line of "River" by Joni Mitchell, I'd play it on-air at the CBC in the summer when the album was still current, and wouldn't play it at Christmas as part of the formal Christmas music.

(Winter) Songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Let It Snow" were played by CKNW in the '50s as Christmas music. And were even part of my father's collection of 78s that he brought out at Christmas every year when I was very young.

Yes, radio and TV always had special Christmas programs, perhaps an hour in length, that was nothing but Christmas carols. And then, of course, CKNW produced the 12 hour "Christmas Is".

But we are talking about the sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden transition to Christmas music that occurred on music-based stations every year before Christmas.

[Mighty Thor]

Despite what Thor says, Christmas is embraced by many who are not white and "Christian."
It's a holiday festival for many people regardless of race, religion or colour.
In Vancouver, almost everyone celebrates everyone else's holidays.
Singapore hardly is a Christian country but their holiday displays are legendary.
Take a look on YouTube.
Lots of Christmas festivities in non-Christian cultures.
As a further point, not everyone who goes to the Pride Parade every summer is gay.
For most people, it's one of the few fun events in No Fun City.
Same with the fireworks.
It's an event that cuts across all lines with people of every stripe and belief.

Singapore worships only one god...the Almighty Dollar. Christmas is merely an excuse to ramp up the celebrations heading to Lunar New Year. If that's the type of Christmas you want, hey, you're welcome to it.

Perhaps a more appropriate thing to do would be to visit the merchants on Pender Street in Chinatown or Little India on Main Street and ask them how much extra business they gain in December from slapping up a cutout of Jolly Old Saint Nick on their store windows.

[johnsykes]

Thanks Mike for your comments. This guy comes out of his rat hole every few months...spews venom, and then creeps back. Hiding behind his avatar of course.

[Mighty Thor]

Thanks Mike for your comments. This guy comes out of his rat hole every few months...spews venom, and then creeps back. Hiding behind his avatar of course.

Awww...wassamatter Buttercup? Did I hurt your feelings?

Well, if it makes you feel any better - Merry Christmas to you and yours. May you someday learn that Christmas doesn't come from a store. And maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more...

[johnsykes]

Thor - if you pardon this, you're a turkey, but you make people converse. And a merry Christmas to you and yours...all the best for 2011

[Jack Bennest]

Find the real meaning of Christmas through your church, your family, your friends or even your co-workers. But don't look for it from a giant corporation

Thor has my vote

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