Do you feel that holidays have lost their true meaning?

Question

First of all, this subject may be a little touchy, just to let you know.

I'm not talking exactly about every holiday, but the one's like Easter, Christmas, MLK, any other holidays you can think of where people have at least a day off. Do people even observe the reason why these holidays were created in the first place? Is it ignorance that people just accept that they have a break of work or school, and not realize the true meaning behind it? They just take it for granted and think nothing else about it. What I really want to talk about is Christmas, specifically. And I don't mean to offend anyone by picking that holiday over any other holiday, but I've been noticing more about this for Christmas, since I am a Christian.

For example, my dad and his wife (my step-mom) celebrate Christmas. Both of them were brought up as Christians when they were younger, but now that faith has died from them. So if they both don't realize the significance of the holiday, why celebrate it? Is it just a force of habit, to get presents and recieve presents for one day of the year? Also, a boy in my class, he celebrates Christmas, yet he does not believe in Jesus or God. But isn't that a concept of Christmas, acknowledging that Jesus was born? (Maybe not on that particular day, since there's controversey over that). Then why does he celebrate Christmas? What is his meaning behind it? Becasue it's a time of giving and caring?

I feel as if people have taken holidays for granted and don't realize exaclty what the holiday is all about. And I know there are days off of school where it doesn't apply to me, but I at least acknowledge it. So does anyone agree about holidays losing their meaning?

Answer 1

Personally I don't celebrate Christmas, I think its a waste of money, gives people an excuse to go in to debt, that they have to pay off the rest of the year. I hate waste.

I do like the day off, why I look forward to it, same as Thanksgiving, however I like that holiday the best, because i love to cook and its the one day I am home to cook all day.

However holidays really don't carry that much weight, I do observe a couple of holidays that would be memorial day and 4th of July, due to having respect for the military and those who died for our freedom. Those are the holidays that actually have meaning behind it in my opinion.

Answer 2

Christmas more or less can have two meanings, the birth of Christ and the spirit of giving. I'm not one who likes to buy expensive things and dote upon people, but rather I enjoy giving to those who genuinely need it. I believe that is the truest meaning of Christmas in these modern times because if you look at it this way people are supposedly celebrating the birth of someone who was born a looooooooooong time ago. When will people just live in the moment rather than embrace something that is mere history?

Giving to needy people on Christmas is what I believe in, along with the fact that it is a lovely time to spend with family and get closer to them.

I will admit, like most people, my faith is like a lightbulb that is slowly going out. When you are a child things are more optimistically presented to you with true hope and belief...and when you are an adult you more or less follow the reality of the situation and it's just a normal holiday.

So why do we celebrate a birth that happened who knows how long ago? Because it's humanity's way of holding onto religious beliefs that they try to force on others and make them feel bad for not wanting to follow it. For some people they believe in God and genuinely do not care about Jesus being born but celebrate their relationship and belief in him.

Answer 3

I don't think people have lost the meaning I think that there busy life style may have interfeared, but you mentioned something about Christmas and a boy who doesn't believe in god etc, I to do not believe in god but myself and wife and our kids all celebrate christmas,in that it is a time for families to be together when everyone from all walks of life share something together, and we share it with others total strangers in that even though I'm not religious I make Christmas decorations that people can come to see and in those are a navitiy set and angel the three wise men and camels etc now as I said I don't believe but there are those that do so It makes them feel wanted and welcome at my home,I was actually told once that santa has nothing to do with god or jesus I don't know whether or not that is true, but what I do know is that everyone shouldn't wait to be caring and sharing one day out of 12 months it should be something that happens all year round, if people need the excuse of god or the holidays to be that way then I think they have a problem and the world is headed for a big fall, you don't have to believ in god to do what you know is right or wrong because everyone was brought up knowing right from wrong and god has nothing to do with it,so if everyone celebrates xmas believer or non believer it doesn't really matter as long as it serves its purpose which is to live love share and care for everyone that is placed on this earth, this is what I think anyway alot make not agree with me but everyone has there own opinion and choice to make. hope this helps.