Do you have a Nativity Scene under your Christmas Tree?

Yeah but I don't put it under the tree.

 

Exactly, seems some wish to be selfish (scrooges) and try to make Christmas a Christian only holiday, but this is America and that will never happen - Christmas is for everyone that wants to celebrate it - peace to all and hope everyone has a great Christmas this year, no matter what they believe - Christmas should be about bringing people together, not tearing them apart based on what they believe, Christmas is based on many different religions and beliefs all joined together, maybe some need to be visited by the ghosts of Christmas past...

 

Well there is some irony! Not a Vegan.

 

Jesus was born in the spring.

 

Santa. Candy canes. Family gathering. Singing songs. That sort of stuff. They are celebrating each other, and the religious holiday, be that about Jesus or the solstice, is just a backdrop excuse for many, and need not be featured or even remembered. It's just become tradition at this point.

 

Strawman

 

Most likely. And no early Christians had any kind of recurring celebration for his birth. I don't begrudge anyone creating a new celebration for it, though.

 

We used to put our cresh under the tree, but now we have cats and they play with it and break it so we put it it on the fireplace mantle.

 

Not under the tree. I have a small one that I can place on the mantel or wherever. My parents have a massive carved wood one that they used to place in the foyer but now are hit and miss about dragging that thing out unless they have a visitor willing to hike up and down to the attic one piece at a time. It has about a dozen pieces and it takes about 9 or 10 trips. The Wisemen are a couple feet tall. My mom has a pricey hand-painted ceramic smaller one they use as well. I never touch it. I am too clumsy/absent-minded when handling expensive fragile things.

 

It need not be under a tree.
It can also be at other places.

 

I love Christmas for the Christmas trees, the music that is non-Jesusy, the exchange of gifts, the family dinner, the parties etc.

 

Exactly!
New celebrations are not illegal!
The times, they are a-changing!

 

We have a nativity scene, mounted in the center of a wreath on the wall.

 

I saw this and thought of this thread.

 

That is SO fun and cute!!!

 

Now THAT.. is funny!

 

I have so many memories of playing with moms nativity set as a child. I have a nice complete one I also have 2 foot tall joseph, mary and baby in Manger by my fireplace.

 

Personally that Jesus music is so wonderful to me...away in the Manger, drummer boy, three kings orient are, silent night.....

My dad is an atheist and Christmas was really important to him. I have great memories....

 

Well thought!

 

Yes. My parents had a beautiful Royal Doulton Nativity scene while I was growing up and a couple of years ago my wife splurged on a nice Fontanini set that we now place under our tree.

One of the things I liked about my parents' set was that it had a little window in the back of the manger that was actually a painting of the night sky over Bethlehem, including the Star (of course). The attention to such details is what set that Nativity Scene apart from most others.

 

Sounds very romantic!

 

I must share this anecdote...
In December, 2004 I was part of the cadre training the New Iraqi Army at KMTB (Kir Kush Military Training Base). It was a Basic Training sort f thing, just miles from the Iranian border. Many of the folks that supported us were TCN's (Third Country Nationals) including the cooks. Most of the cook personnel were from Sri Lanka and were not Christian. But they liked us a lot and we liked them. They put on a Christmas celebration where they cooked special food they thought we would like. It was the first time I had Corned Beef and Cabbage flavored with curry. But they followed it with a Christmas Pageant. They all tried so hard and wanted to help. FIVE guys pulled the Star of Bethlehem over the scene of Mary and the Baby Jesus on the stage. They all wanted to be a part of it. It was an emotional time for them... and for us.

 

A very fine anecdote!

And you might tell this to all those over-woke people who always fear that other people might be "offended" by the very word "Christmas".

Rather I think it is offensive to think that other people could be so stupid and narrow-minded and fanatic as to be offended by the mentioning of "Christmas".