Merry Christmas Everyone

[The One]

http://christmas.justinreeve.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Merry_Christmas_10241.jpg

I thought i would start a christmas thread .That time of year is upon us.Please leave your christmas comments. :grouphug:


I want to wish all Avalonians a very merry christmas and a great new year.Lets see what 2012 brings

Bring it on ho hoh ho

Love and Best Wishes

The One

To all our brothers and sisters around the world thinking of you always

w5cX_ncZLls

[ktlight]

I don't believe in it and so do not celebrate it. Don't mean to bring you down, though.

[The One]

I don't believe in it and so do not celebrate it. Don't mean to bring you down, though.

No problem ktlight each to their own my friend :bounce:

I love it i have a three year old and i think i am more excited than he is

[NeverMind]

Thank you very much, The One, and the same to you. :)

I hope to be back in time for Christmas, because it would be a good time to discuss certain things.... and this thread looks like a very good place to do it. :-)

[crosby]

i am such a girl when it comes to christmas. i love the sights, sounds and smells of the entire season. when my children were little, we started our own family tradition regarding the holiday. we would decorate early, before thanksgiving, then when other family members would come home, it would look, smell and feel wonderful. each year, family and friends would give me santa figurines, tree toppers, hearth and mantle santas, 25 years later i have quite the collection. my daughters and i have such great memories of all of our baking experiences, flops and fortunes each. but, i must say that i still have that great feeling of anticipation, peace and harmony, and love that gets lost through out the year. it all seems to come back and we all smile a little more, and give a little more. thank you The One, i've been waiting for a thread where i could talk about it a little bit. it does my heart good.
warmest holiday wishes to you all my fellow avalonians. may peace and love be with you.
kind love and regards, corson

p.s. i love the pic you posted....very pretty.

[baddbob]

Thank you The One Merry Christmas to you and All . You leave the marketing effects out and Christmas is a very wonderful time of the year

[modwiz]

I like listening to the Nutcracker Suite. Time to start. Corson's avatar reminded me.

[blake]

Hello The One,

Such a beautiful, enchanting picture of what I think is the soul of Christmas/Yuletide: a warm, loving, secure home, good food, creativity and the pure simple fun of building a snowman; such playful interaction with the elements can makes us all feel like children again. The charming neighborhood symbolizing good friends and family allowing us emotional security and the sharing of ourselves knowing that the circuit will not break as what we give out will surely return to us ten fold.

I celebrate it all: St Nicholas day, Yule, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, New Years day, little Christmas and many birthdays that seem to fall in between all those days. To me Christmas is a season of merriment, to remember our strength as we enter into the heart of winter when many of us are more vulnerable than at any other time of the year. I don’t celebrate the birth of Jesus, I am not Christian. Perhaps what I am celebrating is the joy of life and how humans can and should be kind to each other. I celebrate the season in everyway I can. I go to all the local tree lightings, caroling sessions. Yuletide plays and concerts. I marvel at the lights and yuletide displays. I am not much of a shopper, and I seldom go to a mall, but I will stop by and shop country general stores, small town centers, and all the Yuletide, local artist fairs. I always go sledding, if snow arrives. Sometimes we go on family skiing trips.

I celebrate the idea of Santa Claus, not in the tradition of commercialism, but in being aware of who needs what, and trying to provide it, anonymously if I can. We are all humans with the same basic needs: does everyone in our community have enough food and medicine to get through the winter? Do they have the means to provide a warm home; and will they get social opportunities so they will not be isolated all winter?

My children no longer small; and are not quite ready to provide grandchildren. But I do spend as much time with the children in the community as I can, because I so enjoy their awe of anticipating Christmas morning. Nothing is better being Santa for one’s children and waking up Christmas morning or on Yule to see the excitement in their reaction to what Santa brought. I do miss those days; and look forward to them again, when my children are ready to start families of their own. But I still hang up my own stocking and somehow someone always plays Santa for me, giving me many chuckles.

My Yuletide gifts are mostly just silver eagles. I am afraid they are not always appreciated. So I often gift them a treasure box to put their silver in. As they know for now that is all they will most likely be getting from me. But there was a time, when my children were small that I indulged them in their hopes for the latest fad toy.

I may not believe in Jesus Christ, as many Christians do, but I do believe in connecting with goodness, And the Christmas/Yuletide season, no matter how one celebrates it, is, I believe, connecting with goodness. I believe in the spirit of Santa Claus…… giving to those freely, and anonymously who may not have had as much good fortune as yourself. I believe in the gifts of Christmas/ Yuletide. I don’t believe in buying someone a gift because they are going to buy you a gift, but I believe strongly in gifting what you think they may need to get through the harsh winter, or help them get on their feet after temporary hard times, or gift freely simply knowing someone would smile to receive a particular gift if it was within my means to do so.

Sometimes cash is tight for many. That doesn’t mean one can’t look around to what is offered and take advantage of all the celebrations that are for free. I love walking through town with my spouse to see all the lights on Christmas Eve. I never miss my sleigh ride, even though sometimes it’s a hayride! And for anyone going through hard times, I say celebrate in anyway you can, and maybe you will be fortunate enough to have someone be a Santa to you in some way. Look for it, but don’t wait for it. What I know for sure, is that we all can be Santa Claus to each other in one way or another. We all have different levels and means of gifting.

I have many traditions that I like to follow during Yuletide, but I also like to do something different each year. But the one thing I always do, know matter what my financial circumstances are, I always play Santa to someone, usually anonymously.

Happy Yuletide Season/ Merry Christmas/ Happy Hanukah, Merry Winter Solstice, Happy New Year !!!! Celebrate… its fun!!! It’s good for the soul. May a Santa figure out what you need most this winter season, and provide it for you in some unexpected way.

Sincerely,

Mr. Davis

[Anchor]

Christmas is the pinnacle of the illusion, one of the key bars of the prison that you are contained within. If you like it, feel free to like it. Personally I reject what it now is completely.

I'm pretty consistent in this, here is a post I did on the project Avalon before this version of it in 2008 - I made some subtle edits, but it still sums up what I think.

Having said that, the card in the OP is really nice :)

---- 23/12/2008 ----
I love you all. All of the time. Please remember this as you read the words I am inspired this moment to write.

About Christmas, my challenge to the "conditioning":

Personally I don’t do Christmas, even though I accept it is a useful focus for many. Forgive me for not wishing anyone a happy Christmas or responding to Christmas related gifts or greetings. To the extent that I have to maintain the charade of the acute dysfunctionality that Christmas represents to me, I will do it as my earth mission dictates, but such is not needed here in Avalon. Basically I refuse to have anything to do with that brainwash unless absolutely necessary.

There is a sign going round the CBD here in Sydney "Jesus is the reason for the season" personally I concur - no more no less - and not in the sense that the author of that slogan probably meant it. I see that slogan as a summary of the huge confidence trick that contemporary organised Western Christianity and other religions have attempted to foist on humanity, and it breaks my heart to see it still succeeding.

I walked into the office this morning past shops advertising a further 70% discount. I watched some youngsters drooling over some new model of training shoes proudly displayed over some advertising for them: signage which read “feed your obsession”!

I know that I have to be patient and that I will see this out to the end, but that attached part of my self still gets heartbroken when I see such stupidity and ignorance, yet those two lads have been robbed by the system, and robbed by those who manipulate and condition. What chance have they? When will they see through the illusion?

Anyway, here is my all-time favourite "Christmas song" for you:

“Once in royal David’s city stood a lonely cattle shed,
Where a mother held her baby.
You’d do well to remember the things he later said.
When you’re stuffing yourselves at the Christmas parties,
You'll just laugh when I tell you to take a running jump.
You're missing the point I’m sure does not need making
That Christmas spirit is not what you drink.

So how can you laugh when your own mother's hungry,
And how can you smile when the reasons for smiling are wrong?
And if I just messed up your thoughtless pleasures,
Remember, if you wish, this is just a Christmas song

(Hey! Santa! pass us that bottle, will you? )”

- Jethro Tull

On the next year and what we must continue to do

What will come will come folks and there is nothing you or I can do about that except to empower yourselves to meet the challenges with grace, love and light.

All of the clearer minded people reading this, know that it isn’t necessarily going to be pretty as there is still a lot of low vibration that needs to be transmuted and the longer we leave it the more acute the problem.

If you have not started the physical, mental and conscious clearing and purification processes, the withdrawing your psychological roots from the baser levels of this dimension, the clearing of your minds and the detaching from the illusion - all those things that that will lighten you, protect you and see you meeting the coming changes easily, with grace, light and love, then you are seriously going to need to start as soon as possible. Not just to be safe and protected either, but to be more effective at your mission of aid to the human race and the Earth.

This will not be done for you. Learn to swim or drown! You are not victims, and if you blow it, you are responsible.

All of you reading this have that mission. Don't blow it. 2009 was the year that the pace really picked up - 2010 is faster! I am not a prophet, but you don't have to be one to see the pace of change increasing. The later you leave it the harder it will be.

Therefore it is my wish is that if Christmas is to have any meaning at all, it is that it provides for a huge co-ordinated opportunity for everyone to have some time of quiet reflection of the past, the recent changes you have experienced and to prepare for the hard climb we all have ahead of us.

Let each of us take full concious responsibility for our actions thoughts and deeds. Let each of us live in harmony with ourselves and our other selves, and also with the Earth, all of her creatures and her kingdoms. Let us see the destruction of the present disordered corruption, let us see and manifest a future free from tyranny and disharmony where we can sing with creation, creating in perfect harmony for the highest good of all.

In the light and in the love of the one infinite creator, bless you all in this moment, now, which, in truth, is all moments. I bow to that within you that is within me. We are one. All is one.
--------

Sorry if anyone finds this negative - it really is not meant to be.

Love

John..

[1derer]

Merry Christmas to you all dear members mods and owners, I wish you all a prosperous and lovely New Year too!

Here is a beautiful Christmas Tree for you all to admire...

C_JSjvwzVv4

[Corncrake]

Christmas means different things to different people. For me it is a time for family especially as we are all so far apart now. I respect people's different points of view and so don't want to push it in their faces. I do loathe the commercialism of it though and try to keep it simple. Thanks The One and to all Avalonians have a happy one.

[blake]

Hello John, (Anchor),

Joy and merriment belong to no one religion or belief system. No one really knows what is going to happen next year. I say smile, becasue a smile strengthens the entire immune system. We all need strong immune systems; so as far as I am concern, one cannot afford not to smile all they can. Please try closing your eyes and be deaf to those who market the season, instead of living the season. Turn a way from those with greed, and instead give your awareness to any goodness you may see, feel or sense. Look for goodness and relax into that smile. Connect to goodness, it is there. I wish you great joy in surprising ways this season. Look for it!

Sincerely,

Mr. Davis

[Snowbird]

:smow: We now have a covering of white glistening snow. It's quite beautiful.

I do wish everyone a very happy and Merry Christmas. I no longer celebrate Christmas as I used to, but I have learned to balance the beauty of this lovely season.

These videos auto-roll from one to the next and have something for everyone....as it should be.


My Holiday Wish for You

p80q4nS1DsA

[baddbob]

:smow: We now have a covering of white glistening snow. It's quite beautiful.

I do wish everyone a very happy and Merry Christmas. I no longer celebrate Christmas as I used to, but I have learned to balance the beauty of this lovely season with the very sad truth.

These videos auto-roll from one to the next and have something for everyone....as it should be.


My Holiday Wish for You

p80q4nS1DsA

Thank you for this wonderful video I love the old songs to me thats Christmas to hear theses singers ring out the joy and love in there hearts :party:

[blake]

Hello Snowbird,

What a beautiful media presentation. Who is the lovely couple?

I am curious what you mean when you wrote: "but I have learned to balance the beauty of this lovely season with the very sad truth."

Would you mind sharing what you mean by the "very sad truth"?

Sincerely,

Mr Davis

[Davidallany]

I will not celebrate while my fellow human beings get raped, deprived of their rights around the world and die of hunger. Imagin a person celebrating while his brother mother or child is in critical condition at a hospital.

[161803398]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVGKfDoANRA

[CeltMan]

SEASONS GREETINGS TO ONE & ALL

But... please spare a thought for 'poor ole Santa' cos as you can read below, he is not having a happy time of it currently.

The Origins of a Xmas tradition






>
> A Christmas Story for people having a bad day:
>
> When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys
> as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the Pre-Christmas
> pressure..
>
> Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which stressed
> Santa even more.
>
> When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about
> to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows
> where.
>
> Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the
> toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered.
>
> Frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of
> rum. When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all the
> cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the
> cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the
> kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the
> straw off the end of the broom.
>
> Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked
> it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
>
> The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely
> day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?'
>
> And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.
> :-)! :eek:
>

[161803398]

One more with a Christmas wish that every psychopath or robot in government in the world today will be struck by lightening on Christmas day.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gx2cAUo7i4

I do believe that the idea we are going to evolve by thinking nothing but peaceful thoughts and love is just another mechanism of control designed to keep these idiots safe and in power.

[Amity]

Thanks The One! I also love Christmas, Its about spending good quality time for with our loved ones!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!

[grapevine]

A wonderful happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all at Avalon. This time last year I was just a twinkle in the forum's eye (sigh :)) as I joined early in the New Year. I have made a lot of friends on the forum - it's wonderful to be able to speak about things that your own friends would think you're insane for. Thank you all so much.

Like a lot of you, Christmas and New Year to me mean being with the family and taking stock of the highs and lows of the past year - all very low key though. One thing I can recommend is Egg & Chips and champagne for Christmas Lunch/Dinner. It's great and you don't get that bloated and sleepy feeling all afternoon. I am not vegetarian and I am not pushing the theme, but I do so dislike the mega culling of all those beautiful animals at this time of year.

Have a great time - huge hugs and snogs x x x

[MorningSong]

To all our Avalon friends ...

WjO__fTocLs

[Snowbird]

I will not celebrate while my fellow human beings get raped, deprived of their rights around the world and die of hunger. Imagin a person celebrating while his brother mother or child is in critical condition at a hospital.

Yes Davidallany, your heart is heavy with the burdens of this world. There exist huge burdens. How do we lighten the load of these burdens? How do we raise the light quotient so that we shine the light of love and caring into a world of hurt and harm?

Please stop and think about the tremendous power of the collective at this time of year. WE have the power together to raise that light quotient to such an extent that WE raise the burdens and the hurt and the harm right into the LIGHT.

WE CAN DO THIS. :peace: :grouphug:

[The One]

For anyone who's got kids follow this link

http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CDK6two7bTqeKNdO4hQfyieXIAti97JMDuMiv8T__gaLyMAgAEAFQmYLeRmC7_sOD0AqgAcDMtNkDyAEBqQJ4a4MRQIuwPqoE Fk_QqzrLP4a2oc6o92VdKEB8gv4trAW6BRMIqtrw-NrorAIVThjhCh0KNULnygUA&ei=wo7bTqrxMc6whAeK6oi6Dg&sig=AOD64_1alYPM_X0IfdCIfSvmKzco1YzQnQ&adurl=http://www.portablenorthpole.tv

[Jay]

T'was MITHRAS before it became XMAS but the truth isn't popular in most circles. Have safe & happy holidays all the same!

[blake]

T'was MITHRAS before it became XMAS but the truth isn't popular in most circles. Have safe & happy holidays all the same!

Hello Jay,

From my understanding the Christian Christmas was based on the ancient customs and beliefs of the Middle East. Half way through the following they mention Mithras.

Sincerely,
Mr. Davis


I. HOLIDAYS AND SUN-WORSHIP
Among all peoples of the world, the most common times for celebration are the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Considering that the austerity and bleakness of Winter (in contrast to the relative abundance and warmth of Summer) would be so impactful upon the lives of primitive peoples living in temperate climates these festival times — and even
Sun-worship — should come as no surprise. Stonehenge and hundreds of other megalithic structures throughout the world were constructed to receive a shaft of sunlight in their central chamber at solstice dawn.
December feasts were common in Europe because it was necessary to slaughter cattle that could not be fed during the winter and because the meat could be preserved by the cold weather. With the completion of the harvest and snow on the ground, farmers were loaded with provisions. There was not much work that could be done, so there was time to relax, to feast, to celebrate and to engage in social activities.
The word Yule may come from the Anglo-Saxon word geol (feast), applied to December (geola, feast month). Or it may come from a Norse-Saxon word meaning wheel, referring to the seasonal cycles of the sun. Or it could have come from the Scandinavian Jule (Jul), who was the god of sex and fertility. ("Tide" as in "yuletide" may have come from an Old English word meaning time, occasion or season.)
Midwinter sun festivals were celebrated in ancient Britain & Scandinavia. In Germanic & Scandinavian countries a huge log was carried into the house to serve as the foundation for holiday fires. The Yule log at Jultid (Yuletide) would burn for twelve days, and a different sacrifice would be made on each of the twelve days. Lighted candles and winter fires were used by sun-worshippers to encourage the rebirth of the Sun (as if some feared that days would continue to get shorter until the Sun ceased to return). Similarly tying fruit to the branches of trees was intended to encourage the coming of Spring.
During the midwinter festival Makar Sankranti, Hindus bathe in rivers such as the Ganges (Ganga) and offer water to the Sun god. Makar (Makara) means Capricorn and Sankranti means transition, so the festival celebrates the transition of the Sun from Sagittarius to Capricorn, and the ascendency of the Sun god into the Northern Hemisphere. It is the Sun god who transcends time and who rotates the Wheel of Time. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges can result in forgiveness of sins and help in the attainment of salvation.
The Chinese Dongzhi ("extreme of winter") Festival is viewed within the Yang and Yin philosophy as a time of returning of positive energy associated with lengthening daylight hours.The Sun is associated with yang (male), whereas the Moon & Earth are associated with yin (female). Family gatherings and reunions with feasting are the traditional means of celebration.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs around December 21st, when the Sun is at its greatest distance below the celestial equator. The Spring Equinox occurs around March 21st when the sun crosses the celestial equator and days have the same duration as nights ("equinox" comes from a Latin word meaning "time of equal days and nights"). The Spring Equinox marks the beginning of Spring, and for the ancient Mesopotamians was the beginning of their new year festival. The Mesopotamians believed that their god Mardukdid battle with monsters of chaos at the end of the year. Their own king was to be slain so that he could assist Marduk in the spirit world. But to preserve the king, a criminal was made into a mock king, who was treated as if he was a king until he was slain. Year-end celebrations in which masters acted as slaves and slaves acted as if they were masters became popular in several regions of the Mediterranean. The festival was transformed into the Persian Yalda("birth") winter solstice celebration, which remains a social occasion in present-day Islamic Iran.
The constellation (Zodiac sign) visible at dawn on the day of the Spring Equinox has been regarded as of special significance (currently changing from Pisces to Aquarius due to the 26,000 year precession of the Earth — the advent of "the Age of Aquarius"). The chief holiday for the ancient Hebrews was celebrated at the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Although this holiday was originally a celebration of Spring, it was later celebrated in remembrance of the Exodus from Egyptand was called Passover. The holiday entered Christian celebration by the fact that Christ was reputedly arrested and crucified at Passover. Because Christians insisted that Easter should be celebrated on a Sunday, the Council of Nicea decreed that Easter be the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of a lunar month (Paschal Full Moon, which is approximately the first full moon) following the date of the Spring Equinox (which is assumed to be March 21st, often incorrectly). Easter can occur on any date from March 22nd to April 25th. In the first centuries of Christianity Easter was by far the most significant Christian holiday (holy day) and Christmas was not a holiday at all.
The ancient Egyptians celebrated the passion (suffering before fatal dismemberment) of the god Osiris, and celebrated his resurrection in the Spring, coinciding with the flooding of the Nile (and rebirth of vegetation). The Greek god Dionysus was also a god of fertility whose resurrection was celebrated in the Spring. In the ancient MediterraneanOsiris-Dionysus mystery religions celebrated life, death and rebirth through secret rites involving sacramental wine.
The word for "Easter" in most of the Romance Languages is a variant of the Hebrew "Passover", but the English word is unrelated to these forms. Possibly, the English word "Easter" is derived from the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring, "Eostre" (source of the word "estrogen"). Or it may have come from "Ishtar/Astarte" the Babylonian/Chaldean Venus who was the consort of the sun-god. Or it may have come from the same root as "east", associating the source of the rising sun with the resurrection ("rising") of Christ. Sunrise service, painted eggs and rabbits have all symbolized rebirth and fertility in Spring celebrations from ancient times. Celebration of motherhood (mother's day) is also most often in the Spring, another possible association with fertility.
The Summer Solstice was widely celebrated with late June "midsummer festivals" throughout ancient (pagan) Europe. The celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist at that time is believed by some scholars to be another example of attempts by the Catholic Church to assimilate pagan holidays for the purpose of converting pagans to Christianity during the first millenium A.D.
The Autumn Equinox occurs around the 23rd of September, but it is over a month later that the impact of falling leaves and dying vegetation is most noticeable. Ancient Aztec autumn celebrations of the memory of their deceased ancestors resembles European pagans honoring the souls of the dead and their ghosts at the end of October. The Roman Catholic Church may have assimilated pagan traditions by declaring November 1st to be All Saints' Day (revering saints & martyrs) and November 2nd to be All Souls' Day (revering all faithful deceased). Halloween is believed to have originated from the Celtic belief that the spirit world is closest to the world of the living on October 31st. The Armistice that ended the first World War was signed on November 11th, giving rise to another occasion to honor the dead in mid-Autumn.
Possibly because desert nomads preferred to travel by night rather than under the oppressive fiery Sun, the primary god of the ancient Arabians was the moon god Hubal. Mount Sinai was reputedly named after the semitic lunar deity Sin. The crescent associated with Islam originated from Artemis (Diana), who displaced Selene as the goddess of the moon, and who was the patron goddess of the city which became Constantinople. Emperor Constantine added the star symbol (representing the Virgin Mary). The Ottoman Turks later spread the star and crescent symbol of Constantinople over the Islamic world.
(return to contents)
II. DIVINITY AND VIRGIN BIRTH
Claims of divinity were commonly associated with virgin birth in the ancient world. The Hindu god Krishna, the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, Gautama Buddha and Zoroaster were reputedly the product of virgin births. Alexander the Great, Constantine and Nero claimed to have virgin births. Admirers of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and Pythagoras claimed virgin births for these sages. In the ancient world virgin birth was a sign of distinction.
In ancient
Egypt, Osiris and his wife Isis were reputed to have been divine secular rulers of Egypt until Osiris was murdered by his jealous brother Seth. Seth cut the body of Osiris into 14 pieces and strew them about the land. Isis gathered up the pieces — with the exception of the genitals, which had been eaten by a fish — and restored Osiris to life. Osiris then dwelled in the underworld as the king & judge of the dead. Isis nonetheless gave birth to the divine child "Horus the younger" (presumably a virgin birth). In fourth-century Alexandria, "Madonna" could have been a reference to the mother goddess Isis or Saint Mary. The last Egyptian Temple of Isis was converted to a Christian Church in the sixth century AD.
Some claim that the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 that "the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son" is a Greek mistranslation — that the original Hebrew reads "young woman"(alma), not "virgin"(bethulah). Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55-56 refer to the brothers & sisters of Jesus, which some find difficult to reconcile with the idea that Mary remained a virgin. Either they were not the literal siblings of Christ or the commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" implies that procreation is not sinful. Luke 1:36 can be interpreted to imply that Mary's cousin Elizabeth also had a virgin birth.
In the first chapter of Matthew and in the third chapter of Luke there are lengthy genealogies of Christ, possibly to show that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of being descended from David. The genealogies differ, even concerning the ancestors of David. Luke calls Jesus the son of Joseph. According to Matthew, Joseph is the husband of Mary, rather than the father of Jesus. Insofar as both writers declare a virgin birth, the ancestry of Jesus based on the ancestors of Joseph can only be symbolic.
Mary is described in the Gospels in connection with the Nativity or as the mother of Christ, and is mentioned only in passing in the Gospel of Mark, the oldest of the gospels. The rise of the prominence of Mary after the first centuries of Christianity may have contributed to the acceptance of the observance of Christ's birthday. The mother of Constantine, who searched for religious relics in the Holy Land, promoted the importance of Mary and the Nativity. The Council of Ephesus was called in 431 A.D. to resolve the dissention caused by the Patriarch Nestorius, who said that Mary had given birth to the human part of Jesus rather than the divine part. Nestorius called Mary the "Mother of Christ". The Council declared Mary to be "Mother of God" and Nestorius was exiled. Notably, Ephesus was the location of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: theTemple of Artemis — the site of the cult of goddess-worship honoring the Greek virgin goddess Artemis (Diana to the Romans) who was the protector of both chastity and childbirth. In Rome the Vestal Virgins served the virgin goddessVesta.
By the 8th century European churches were celebrating March 25th as the Annunciation, the date when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit. Sainthood originally was only conferred upon martyrs who had died for Christ, but early in the second millennium the Blessed Virgin Mary became the chief saint of the Roman Catholic Church. (Canonization was not formalized in the Catholic Church until the end of the first millennium.) The Immaculate Conception does not refer to the virgin birth of Christ, but is a Catholic doctrine published in 1854 by Pope Pius IX that the Virgin Mary was born immune from original sin and remained free from sin her entire life. The Immaculate Conception, December 8th, is a Holy Day of Obligation in which Roman Catholics are required to attend mass. In 1950 the Pope made an infallible declaration affirming theAssumption of Mary: that the body of Mary went directly to Heaven upon her earthly death. The Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists elevate Mary to an even higher position by identifying her with the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit), making her the feminine principle of the Holy Trinity. But according to Matthew 1:20 Mary had been impregnated by the Holy Ghost.
(return to contents)
III. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM AND THE WISE MEN
The birth of Christ is described in only two of the four gospels:
Matthew and Luke, which were written independently not long after the year 60 A.D. Both Matthew and Luke evidently borrowed from the writings of Mark, but had no knowledge of each other. The common features of the two accounts of the birth of Jesus are the location in Bethlehem, the father named Joseph and the virginity of Mary. Both of the evangelists probably wrote in Greek. The birth of a Godly Father who would be the Prince of Peace was prophesized by the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6). The birth of Christ in Bethlehem was said to fulfill an Old Testament prophecy (Micah 5:2), but the "Bethlehem Ephratah" referred to in Micah was a person (1 Chronicles 4:4), not a town. Luke and Matthew agree that "Jesus of Nazareth" grew up in Nazareth, but give different explanations for the Bethlehem birth.
According to Matthew, after Joseph discovered his betrothed was pregnant he was visited in his sleep by an angel who informed him that his wife would give birth to a son named Jesus (Matthew 1:21-23). The angel told Joseph that his wife had been impregnated by the Holy Ghost and that he should go ahead with the marriage. Joseph and Mary may have been living in Bethlehem as their city of residence. Only Matthew mentions wise men and the Star of Bethlehem. Matthew 2:11 describes the wise men as entering a house rather than a stable, and finding a child rather than an infant. The wise men were apparently not present at the time of birth. King Herod ordered the execution of all children under the age of two (not just newborns), so Joseph and Mary flee to Egypt with Jesus. After Herod died, the couple relocated to Nazareth because they did not think it was safe to return to the Bethlehem area again. There is no mention of a census.
According to Luke Mary was visited in her sleep by the angel Gabriel, who informed Mary that she would give birth to an infant named Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). Joseph may have also been visited by an angel, as reported by Matthew. Joseph and Mary were living in their home in Nazareth at the time, but were required to go to Bethlehem because of a census for taxes. They could find no inn in Bethlehem, so Jesus was born in a stable and visited by shepherds, not wise men. Then they returned to their home in Nazareth. There is no mention of a flight to Egypt, of wise men or of a massacre of babies.
Matthew does not mention the number of wise men or their means of transport (by camel, by foot, etc.) to Bethlehem. The idea that there were three Magi evidently came from the third century theologian Origen, possibly associated with the three gifts. The Syrian church claimed there were twelve Magi. Sometimes the Magi are described as "kings". Not only may have there been more or less than three Magi, but some or all of them could have been women. The reference to three kings could be a fulfillment of Psalms 72:10, but this would not be consistent with the ancient Persian words, Majusian = Magi(priest of Zarathustra).
Magi were a class of Zoroastrian priests in ancient Persia who practiced astrology, medicine and magic — and were renowned in the ancient world for their wisdom. A legend of wise men honoring the baby Jesus was the equivalent of academic certification, despite the fact that astrology was forbidden among the Jews. The wise men gave to the Christ childgold, frankincense (a tree resin producing fragrant smoke when burned) and myrrh (a tree resin perfume with antiseptic & pain-killing properties) — the first Christmas presents. All were luxury items that only the rich could afford. This was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 60:6 of the Gentiles coming with camels to bring "gold and incense in praise of the Lord." The revelation of the Divinity of Christ to the Gentiles (the Wise Men) was anEpiphany (a word now associated with a sudden realization of a fundamental truth). Epiphany is now widely celebrated in many Western countries as "Three Kings Day" or "The Twelfth Day" based on the tradition that the Magi found Jesus twelve days after his birth. (Joseph and Mary might not be expected to remain in a stable for 12 days.)
Early in Medieval times legends arose of the Three Wise Men in art & literature which described them in detail. These legends are the product of artistic imagination without grounding in historical documentation, but are treated as seriously as other Christmas traditions. Melchior was an elderly Arabian king with a long white beard who brought gold. Balthasar was a young Moor (North African from the Algeria/Morocco area) who brought myrrh. Caspar (or Gaspar) was a man from the Far East bringing frankincense. Sometimes Caspar represents Europe, Balthasar represents Africa and Melchior represents Asia. There is a huge variation in the identities of these three, as to which one symbolizes a particular race, age or culture. This romantic image could symbolize that Christ was a gift to all Gentiles of the known world. But according to Matthew 2:1, they all came to Jerusalem from the East.
In the 4th century AD the mother of Constantine brought bones purportedly belonging to the three wise men to Constantinople. In 1158 A.D. three bodies were found in an ancient chapel in Milan, Italy, which were believe to have been come from Constantinople and assumed to have been the remains of the Magi. Because Milan was part of the Holy Roman Empire, the archbishop of Cologne, Germany took possession. The bones currently reside in a Cathedral in Cologne. Some relics were returned to Milan in 1903.
The Star of Bethlehem has been presumed to be a fulfillment of the prophecy in Numbers 24:17 of a "Star out of Jacob". Stars had also signalled the birth of Krishna, Lao-Tze, Moses and Abraham. Several attempts have been made to give explanations for the Star of Bethlehem. In the 14th century Albert Magnus (teacher of Thomas Aquinas) noted that the constellation Virgo rose above the horizon at midnight on December 24th at the reputed time of Christ's birth. In 1606 the German astronomer Johann Kepler suggested that the "star" was the conjunction of Jupiter & Saturn on May 22nd, October 6th and December 1st, 7 B.C. But Jupiter & Saturn would have been separated by a relative distance greater than two diameters of the moon — so they could not have appeared as a single star. Jupiter & Venus actually overlapped on June 17th, 2 B.C., but this would have been after the estimated 4 B.C. death of King Herod. A supernova explosion occurred in the constellation Capricorn in 5 B.C. and Halley's comet was visible in 11-12 B.C. Chinese astronomers of the Han Dynasty recorded a comet visible for seventy days in 5 B.C.
Natural explanations cannot account for a star being directly above a 20-meter radius on the surface of the earth such that it could be followed to such a specific location, unless the star was not high above the earth: "... and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." (Matthew 2:9). A natural explanation for a supernatural event may undermine the claim that there was anything supernatural about the event at all.
If shepherds near Bethlehem were watching their flocks at night during the birth of Jesus, then the birth would not have been in a winter month like December. If John the Baptist (cousin of Jesus) was really born in late March and Christ was six months younger, then Jesus would have been born in September.
It was the 6th century monk Dionysius Exiguus who created the B.C./A.D. system of dating based on the birthdate of Christ. His calculations were not very good. Dionysius had Christ born on December 25, 1 B.C., seven days before January 1, 1 A.D. (no year zero). Luke 3:23 says that Christ was age 30 in the 15th year (about 27 A.D.) of the reign of the Roman emperor Tiberius (Luke 3:1). Modern scholars now date Christ's birth between 7 BC and 4 BC. Few historians believe that the census for taxation described in Luke 2:1-5 is a reliable guide to the date of Christ's birth. Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar had a census in 28 B.C., 8 B.C. and 14 A.D.— but these were only for Roman citizens. There is a record of a census in Judea in 6 A.D. If the Bible is taken as written by fallible human journalists (who misremember & embellish) rather than the literal Word of God, then such information can only be regarded as possible clues.
Some historians doubt that the story of Christ in the New Testament is really a description of the activities of a single man. There were likely many, perhaps even hundreds, of individuals claiming to be saviors and prophets during that period. Thus, the Gospels could have been a compilation of stories and folklore that arose around the activities of many such persons.
(For a "modern version", see The Digital Story of the Nativity.)
(return to contents)
IV. CHRISTMAS IN ANCIENT ROME
Harvest festivals are typically celebrated later in warmer countries. Thanksgiving is celebrated in October in Canada, in November in the United States and was celebrated in December in ancient Rome. Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture, after whom Saturday is named. Saturnaliawas the most popular of Roman holidays, with "Mardi-Gras"-like street celebrations. Originally it began with a celebration on December 17th (birthday of Saturn), but this was later extended to a week (December 17 to 23), and finally extended to end with feasting on December 25th (Sol Invictus). Halls were decked with evergreens. There was an exchange of gifts, principally wax candles and little clay dolls. Authority figures, however, were given tribute in the form of urns, jewelry, coins or gold. Romans parading in the streets wearing masks and animal skins during Saturnalia began a tradition which continued later in Europe in the form of "mummers".
Similar celebrations were held at Kalends, the Roman new year festival held January 1st to January 5th. People stayed up on Kalend's Eve to celebrate the new year with drinking and singing. Gambling was normally illegal in Rome, but was permitted and enthusiastically practiced during these festivals. People spent lavishly on gifts for others as well as for self-indulgence. Slaves were relieved of their duties and partied as equals with their masters. Social inversions ("mock rulers") were part of the entertainment, inspired by earlier Mesopotamian traditions.
In 64 AD the Roman emperor Nero is believed to have started a fire in Rome, which conveniently cleared ground for the expansion of his palaces. Nero blamed the Christians for the fire, beginning a Roman policy of persecution that lasted more than two centuries. To avoid persecution the Christians decked their homes with holly and the second bishop of Rome (circa 130 AD) declared that the Nativity of Christ should be celebrated during the Saturnalia period. (It was a "movable feast", a single day was not specified.)
The ancient polytheistic religions of Egypt, Persia, Babylonia and eventually Rome increasingly consolidated their pantheons of deities under a single primary god, usually a Sun-god. The Egyptians believed in a transubstantiation of their Sun-god Ra into a disk-shaped wafer that could be eaten in a sacred ritual. The Persian Mithra (Roman Mithras) held special prominence as god of day (light) and the only son of the God of Heaven. But some time before the 5th century B.C. the Persian prophetZoroaster (Zarathustra) taught a dualism based on the conflict between the God of Heaven and the God of Evil. Humans could choose between good (light) or evil (darkness) and on judgment day be sent to Heaven or Hell based on their choices. Mithras was identified as the redeemer prophesied by Zoroaster: the sun-god who would appear as a human being at the end of time.
Mithras was a divine being borne of a human virgin on December 25th (the Winter Solstice by the Roman
Julian calendar), his birth watched and worshipped by shepherds. As an adult, Mithras healed the sick, made the lame walk, gave sight to the blind and raised the dead. Before returning to heaven at the Spring Equinox Mithras had a last supper with 12 disciples (representing the 12 signs of the Zodiac). Mithraism included Zoroastrian beliefs in the struggle between good & evil, symbolized as light & darkness. This militaristic black-and-white morality (including a final judgment affecting an afterlife of heaven or hell) probably accounted for the popularity of Mithraism among Roman soldiers. Mithraism was like an ancient fraternity: a mystery cult open only to men which had seven degrees of initiation — including the ritual of baptism and a sacred meal of bread & wine representing the body & blood of Mithras. Late in the second century AD Commodus became the first Roman emperor to be initiated into Mithraism. The priests of Mithraism were called Father— Christians at the time were forbidden to use "Rabbi" or "Father" in reference to church leaders based on the admonition in Matthew 23:8−9.
Around 220 AD the unpopular Syrian-born Roman emperorElagabalusattempted to replace Jupiter with Sol invictus ("unconquerable Sun") as the head of the Roman pantheon. In 270 AD a professional army officer named Aurelian rose to be emperor and was able to reunite the Roman Empire through military might. In 274 AD he attempted to unite the religions of the empire under the state cult of Sol invictus. Aurelian's new temple enshrined the Sun gods of Babylonia (Baal, Bel or Marduk). Although Mithras was not formally acknowledged, Natalis solis invicti ("birth of the unconquered sun") was, nonetheless, on December 25th. By the time of the reign of the military despot Diocletian(284−305 AD) ten percent of the Roman Empire was Christian. The attempts by Diocletian to impose the state religion on everyone led to the last and most terrible of all persecutions. But many people saw the state as a greater enemy than the Christians, who were respected for their willingness to die for their beliefs. Slaves & upper-class women (who were excluded from other religions) were drawn to a god with a human face who espoused justice & love.
Despite the intense persecutions of Christians in the Roman Empire, Christianity continued to win many converts from paganism. Many of the former pagans were unwilling to relinquish their traditional winter solstice celebrations. When Constantine replaced Diocletian as Emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 305 AD he ended all of the persecutions. Constantine was said to have accepted Christianity in 312 AD on the eve of a battle when he had a vision of a cross of light superimposed upon the sun. Persecution of Christians ended in both the Eastern & Western Empires in 313 AD when Constantine & Licinius issued the Edict of Milan. Constantine sought to unify Sun-worship and Christianity into a single monotheistic state religion. (Although Constantine was baptized on his deathbed, this was not an indication of his insincerity — it was a common practice of early Christians to delay baptism so as to die without sin.)
Although the Bible sanctifies Saturday as the Sabbath, many Christians regarded Sunday (the day of the resurrection of Christ) as the new holy day — especially because this distanced Christianity from Judaism. In 321 AD Constantine made Sunday rather than Saturday (Saturn's Day) the weekly holiday of the state religion of Sun-worship. Christian art began to adopt the pagan practice of depicting holy figures with crowns of sun rays (the crown of Mithras or Sol invictus), or with a halo. (The Statue of Liberty wears a crown of sun rays.) The revolt of the Jews & the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the rejection of the Hebrew calendar and the increasing pre-eminence of the bishop of Rome were all part of the Romanization of Christianity which accompanied the Christianization of Rome.
Constantine regarded himself to be the supreme spiritual leader of both the Sun-cults and of Christianity. Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople, a city he immodestly renamed after himself. Constantine called himself "first of the apostles" and he did not recognize the papacy of the bishop of Rome. In 325 AD Constantine called the first Council of Nicea (Nicaea) to resolve controversy and establish Christian orthodoxy. The Council established the Unity of the Holy Trinity, the date of Easter and a doctrinal statement of Christian belief (the Nicene Creed). The Council of Nicea was the first ecumenical conference of Christian bishops, the nucleus of the institution which was to become the hierarchical Roman Catholic Church, dominated by celibate male priests. (Celibate priests had not been part of the teachings of Jesus — many of his apostles, including Peter, were married.) The Council sanctioned the efforts of Irenaeus,Eusebiusand others who were establishing certain scriptures as the infalliblecanon of the New Testament, while declaring other scriptures to be heresy — notably Gnostic Gospels such as the Gospel of Mary and the Gospel of Thomas, which support the idea thatMary Magdalene was an apostle and that salvation is possible without a church. With orthodox Christianity incorporated into the monolithic state religion Christian "heretics" were heavily persecuted.
Also in 325 Constantine declared December 25th to be an Immovable Feast for the whole Roman Empire. The bishop of Rome may have accepted December 25th as the date of birth of Jesus Christ as early as 320 AD, but historical documents provide no evidence for a date earlier than 336 AD. The Church was pushed by political forces and pulled by the desire to co-opt a popular pagan holiday, despite a lack of evidence that Christ was born in December. Constantine built the Church of the Nativityin Bethlehem, one of the oldest continually operating churches in the world (currently administered by a coalition of Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox clerics).
In Egypt, January 6th was the birthday celebration of the child-god Aeon, borne of the virgin goddess Kore — celebrated in the Temple of Kore at Alexandria. Egyptian Gnostic Christians celebrated January 6 as the date of Christ's baptism ("spiritual birth"). (Gnostics believed that spiritual is more important than physical, that the knowledge Christ brought to the world is far more important than his physical birth or crucifixion and that direct personal experience of God is of greater importance than churches or other institutions.) Later the Eastern Christian Churches celebrated January 6th as the date of both the Nativity and the Epiphany (Greek for manifestation) — the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles (the wise men) as well as Christ's baptism by John the Baptist. (The rebirth of the Greek god Dionysus had been celebrated on January 6th.)
In the 4th century, the Eastern Orthodox Churches began to accept December 25th as the date of Christ's birth and the Roman Church began to introduce the January 6th feast of Epiphany. (Only the Armenian Orthodox Church refused to abandon January 6 as the date of the Nativity.) Epiphany for Western churches means the visit of the Magi, whereas for the Eastern churches Epiphany is the anniversary of Christ's baptism. The 567 AD Council of Tours proclaimed the duty of Advent feast and established the period between December 25th and January 6th as a 12-day holy festival — the Twelve Days of Christmas (if the first day is the day after Christmas, the twelfth day of Christmas is

[Lisab]

For anyone who's got kids follow this link

http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CDK6two7bTqeKNdO4hQfyieXIAti97JMDuMiv8T__gaLyMAgAEAFQmYLeRmC7_sOD0AqgAcDMtNkDyAEBqQJ4a4MRQIuwPqoE Fk_QqzrLP4a2oc6o92VdKEB8gv4trAW6BRMIqtrw-NrorAIVThjhCh0KNULnygUA&ei=wo7bTqrxMc6whAeK6oi6Dg&sig=AOD64_1alYPM_X0IfdCIfSvmKzco1YzQnQ&adurl=http://www.portablenorthpole.tv

Thanks The One my little one absolutely loved that. Merry Christmas and thanks for all you've contributed this past (nearly) year Ive been here.

[ghostrider]

why do some in the world wait and give and love , only ONE DAY each year ?? shouldn't it be everyday ? 25th it's giving and loving, 26th it's back to selfish and me me me. and nexy year I'm gonna... jan one i'm gonna they need a date to make a mental decision. christmas everyday I say , I love it. the meaning behind it is key to all the world waking up and loving , and giving to each other. no one thinks of war or themselves or me me me it's others others and how many face to face moments can they squeeze in to see loved ones... to tell them I love you, how the year treating you , oh got this was thinkin of you, hope you like it, MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL if I had all the money, I would give you all a million bucks.....I love to see the look on your faces as dream and spend it....now thats CHRISTMAS. it would be MERRY...

[161803398]

I give 24/7 but I think I gotta cut back a bit. Christmas I get to be a little happy partly because there is snow on the ground sometimes and it tends to make people a little quieter so I get a couple of days of rest. I don't know and I have always tried to figure out why people are so self centered because it isn't getting us anywhere, is it. But that is a rock that doesn't seem to budge much. I have often wondered if all this evil in the world is actually designed to budge it because as soon as people think they might be threatened they start looking outside themselves a tiny bit...some more than others...and they are provoked to take some action. But I still see that most people are habitually asleep. As long as that remains the case, evil will persist until they reach out, finally and I hope its not too late.

Where I live in Canada, in frigging VANCOUVER, there are people starving. Hard to imagine. They certainly aren't special needs kids. The special needs kids all have their own vans, plenty to eat, anything they ask for because everyone and their dog thinks they are doing great work by donating even more money to special needs kids. No. It isn't them. Its the unpopular crowd; old people and normal healthy kids who are just poor or from single parent families. Boring people on the whole and no one can give themselves a big pat on the back for doing anything for them.

You know, its not uncommon here to see some little old person at the bank, thinking or saying they think there is money in their account when their isn't. In reality, the little old person is begging for help. Everyone just stands in line watching, thinking omg why is he/she making all that fuss; hurry up; i gotta go; wth. Does anyone clue in; no; they just listen to the bs from the teller thinking how unpleasant it all is. I can't stand it. I send them over to the restaurant across the street who feeds them until their next cheque comes in. Why is there only one person, that is me, in the bank who will do something. Why aren't their dozens of people doing something. Maybe its just me. Maybe there is something I am missing. Or maybe people are just brain dead from eating too much junk food.

Soup and a little bread can keep someone going a couple of weeks.

The Restaurant is owned by an Italian guy who will sing opera if you ask him. He sings well. I think its because of his kind soul.

We have people here living in the forest.

[Gaia]

My thoughts on this ? If Merry Christmas were the gold-standard of tradition, steeped in the folklore that baby Jesus was born on this hallowed day;) Hallmark would be manufacturing "Belated Birthday Jesus !" Cards. You just know someone would have to screw up and forget his birthday.

Merry Consumermass to you !:p

Gaia

[grapevine]

[QUOTE=161803398;371680
Where I live in Canada, in frigging VANCOUVER, there are people starving.
We have people here living in the forest.[/QUOTE]

This is very sad - must be awful to witness. :( but BIG up for the Italian guy in the restaurant. x x

[161803398]

The thing is no one witnesses anything. I see nothing is the motto for the most part and they don't.

[Gaia]

[QUOTE=161803398;371680
Where I live in Canada, in frigging VANCOUVER, there are people starving.
We have people here living in the forest.


Vancouver eats its young sadly... You are absolutely correct, we can't do what you did and buy a house and settle down and enjoy the fruits of our corrupt society even as we rail against it. We cannot be sustained. So guess what ? We're not really banking on it. We're looking for other avenues. Change is coming in Canada...

Gaia

[grapevine]

Jeez . . . is this a recent thing, or has it always been this way?

[161803398]

You are right except I never got to enjoy anything. I was always going crazy trying to understand why so few people were interested in actually doing something positive instead of perpetuating a mess or even making things worse.

I live here and I can honestly say I think its the weirdest city on the planet...its actually mind bending.

My relatives came here to visit once from England and they couldn't believe the number of people living out on the street.

[WhiteFeather]

Merry Christmas From New York City. I'm not religious as well, listen to this song, understand the words of the message here. Its time for Peace On Earth, We Can Do This. Bring your compassion Peeps, Its time for New Earth, Care To Join Me.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtSIaLbYIq0

[161803398]

Vancouver has been this way for a long time. For me, the biggest change came in the 1980s when they brought all the drug dealers to Canada. You could get into Canada if you had $125K cash. But it was strange before that also...strange because of the inability of people to relate to one another. An old man told me he thought it was because of the particular history of Vancouver, not having many places where people could meet and talk to each other. I was told they made Granville market the way it is with round tables etc so people would have to sit next to other people they didn't know. I don't know if that was a joke or not. But I remember going down there and I'd try to sit next to someone at a huge table and they were they only person there. Well, often that person would grab the chair next to them and push or pull it away so I couldn't sit down. I remember that in the 80s. Its a sick city even though it looks nice.

The jewish people here used to call it -- maybe still do ---something like Vanquiver -- which means a graveyard i think.

[1derer]

For anyone who's got kids follow this link

http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CDK6two7bTqeKNdO4hQfyieXIAti97JMDuMiv8T__gaLyMAgAEAFQmYLeRmC7_sOD0AqgAcDMtNkDyAEBqQJ4a4MRQIuwPqoE Fk_QqzrLP4a2oc6o92VdKEB8gv4trAW6BRMIqtrw-NrorAIVThjhCh0KNULnygUA&ei=wo7bTqrxMc6whAeK6oi6Dg&sig=AOD64_1alYPM_X0IfdCIfSvmKzco1YzQnQ&adurl=http://www.portablenorthpole.tv

Thanks The One my little one absolutely loved that. Merry Christmas and thanks for all you've contributed this past (nearly) year Ive been here.


Important information...

I received a notification of a malicious software attack attempt on my PC from the following website upon receiving the confirmation email form the video site listed above:...

www.zendata.ca
origin IP address: 216.251.32.98

It states that traffic form this network - zendata.ca coincides with the signature of a malicious software attack citing the following info... /DEVICE/HARDDISKVOLUME2/PROGRAM FILES/

It appears to be a malicious cookie attack that attempts to take over the hard drive via the web browser.

A good software antivirus program should detect it, but just to let you know

[Cjay]

Ho ho - ho hum.

I don't mean to insult anyone. I find Christmas to be the most irritating time of year because so many people offer empty or shallow greetings. The media bombards us with brainwashing to spend, spend, spend. Christmas has all but lost its meaning.

I prefer to wish all people well, every day.

[blake]

why do some in the world wait and give and love , only ONE DAY each year ?? shouldn't it be everyday ? 25th it's giving and loving, 26th it's back to selfish and me me me. and nexy year I'm gonna... jan one i'm gonna they need a date to make a mental decision. christmas everyday I say , I love it. the meaning behind it is key to all the world waking up and loving , and giving to each other. no one thinks of war or themselves or me me me it's others others and how many face to face moments can they squeeze in to see loved ones... to tell them I love you, how the year treating you , oh got this was thinkin of you, hope you like it, MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL if I had all the money, I would give you all a million bucks.....I love to see the look on your faces as dream and spend it....now thats CHRISTMAS. it would be MERRY...

Hello ghostrider,


I love the Yuletide season. The season is a wonderful reminder for all of us to look at our own behavior and attitude and ask: are we being more kind and understanding especially to our love ones, than mean and controlling? How kind and/or understanding are we to our neighbors, our associates, and most importantly to our family and ourselves? How many people play Scoorge during this festive time of hope for humanity especially in a psychological or emotional way? How many people choose to be more negative than postive? I will embrace an earnest smile any day of the week. An earnest smile often helps another, often a stranger, endure a draining day, and sometimes a much more challenging day. What is that quote about being kinder than necessary to everyone you meet becasue you never know what they may be going through.

Why are humans so often not very kind? Why do humans choose to sometimes be mean and allow their feathers to get ruffled so easily, and yet enjoy the strike back? Why do some humans choose to focus more on their differences rather than what they all have in common. And why is it that sometimes/many times humans just get plain angry when someone doesn't agree with them? Why must some humans attack those who have a different perpective? Why is one upmanship so important to some human's egos? Why do we have predators among us? How many humans can look in the mirror and be honest on how they have been a predator to someone's feelings, intellect, time, generousity or viewpoint?

I wish the loving and merry feelings that Yuletide seem to bring out for some people would last all year, just like you do. Many people have been going to church every sunday for years only to be the biggest gossip, or scrooge on monday. Then if they are Catholic, they confess their sins on saturday, so they can recieve the host on sunday, and then monday morning comes along and they are already piling up their list for the confressional on saturday. We all get chances and reminders all year to be a better person and to practice what we preach, but as much as we all critize, how many of us regularly look in mirror and be honest with ourselves about our own behavior. How kind are you? Under what circumstances are you kind? When are you not kind? Is there ever a reason to be unkind? Next time we find ourseves being less than kind or understanding, even on this forum, perhaps we might look in the mirror and ask ourselves why.

The world does need more kindness in it. Perhaps the Yuletide season is a way to nudge all of our kindness muscles into shape, in hopes that we will exercise it more all through the year.

Some write about the pressure of consumming spending, and how insincere the Yuletide season is. For humans who feel like that, I have to ask why do you allow yourselves to be controlled like that? Why are you not deciding what does or does not come into your household. If one doesn't like the commercialism of the season, why would anyone visit a mall, or watch televison, spend money, or patronize anything that promotes that. You do have a choice.

I haven't had a televsions in my home for years. I can't remember the last time I was in a chain store, or a mall. When people complain how the season is so commerical, I am confused why they don't exercise their independence muscles and avoid it. Ignore it; choose instead to celebrate and have merriement in a way that is meaningful to one's personal needs. Choose to live your life as you choose; just like you choose to read only the bests of books for you. The public doesn't dictate what you read unless you allow them too. The public doesn't have the power to dictate a consumer based holiday unless you allow it in to your private life. Choose what is good for you and your family. Why let the general public determine or write out how you live your life especially during high holidays that are meant to inspire goodness and pleasure.

Bask in good and pleasure. It is a good thing. But, alas all this is just my humble opinion.

Sincerely,

Mr. Davis

[crosby]

Mr. Davis, well said. my family and i left the consumerism part fall away several years ago. it has changed the way that we see this time of year. we have kept our own traditions and try to add a little more peace and love to those who maybe don't have that in their lives. we try very hard to help all that we can. and i have seen others take this and try to help all that they can too. it is a good feeling.
warmest regards, corson

[The One]

For anyone who's got kids follow this link

http://www.google.co.uk/aclk?sa=l&ai=CDK6two7bTqeKNdO4hQfyieXIAti97JMDuMiv8T__gaLyMAgAEAFQmYLeRmC7_sOD0AqgAcDMtNkDyAEBqQJ4a4MRQIuwPqoE Fk_QqzrLP4a2oc6o92VdKEB8gv4trAW6BRMIqtrw-NrorAIVThjhCh0KNULnygUA&ei=wo7bTqrxMc6whAeK6oi6Dg&sig=AOD64_1alYPM_X0IfdCIfSvmKzco1YzQnQ&adurl=http://www.portablenorthpole.tv

Thanks The One my little one absolutely loved that. Merry Christmas and thanks for all you've contributed this past (nearly) year Ive been here.


Important information...

I received a notification of a malicious software attack attempt on my PC from the following website upon receiving the confirmation email form the video site listed above:...

www.zendata.ca
origin IP address: 216.251.32.98

It states that traffic form this network - zendata.ca coincides with the signature of a malicious software attack citing the following info... /DEVICE/HARDDISKVOLUME2/PROGRAM FILES/

It appears to be a malicious cookie attack that attempts to take over the hard drive via the web browser.

A good software antivirus program should detect it, but just to let you know

That is very very very strange indeed.I have just checked the link and all my friends have got this and no problem whatsoever.This is not a VIRUS maybe its just your software

what on earth is www.zendata.ca

[Little Ishta]

Have to share this... its cute!


AUtPKbMwnRo

[transiten]

Little Ishta!

Just loved that Doogie Gettogether! And the rest of us Barking Dogs on Avalon!
This one is going to get Viral in my X-mas World

:flame::peace:

[Meesh]

I'm joyful to celebrate Christ consciousness at any time of the year. Blessings to all!

[Tony]

The best wish to you all.........May you find every lasting happiness, with no obstacles put in your way.

[Daft Ada]

Merry Christmas I hope you all have a lovely time with your families.

[WhiteFeather]

Christmas is the pinnacle of the illusion, one of the key bars of the prison that you are contained within. If you like it, feel free to like it. Personally I reject what it now is completely.

I'm pretty consistent in this, here is a post I did on the project Avalon before this version of it in 2008 - I made some subtle edits, but it still sums up what I think.

Having said that, the card in the OP is really nice :)

---- 23/12/2008 ----
I love you all. All of the time. Please remember this as you read the words I am inspired this moment to write.

About Christmas, my challenge to the "conditioning":

Personally I don’t do Christmas, even though I accept it is a useful focus for many. Forgive me for not wishing anyone a happy Christmas or responding to Christmas related gifts or greetings. To the extent that I have to maintain the charade of the acute dysfunctionality that Christmas represents to me, I will do it as my earth mission dictates, but such is not needed here in Avalon. Basically I refuse to have anything to do with that brainwash unless absolutely necessary.

There is a sign going round the CBD here in Sydney "Jesus is the reason for the season" personally I concur - no more no less - and not in the sense that the author of that slogan probably meant it. I see that slogan as a summary of the huge confidence trick that contemporary organised Western Christianity and other religions have attempted to foist on humanity, and it breaks my heart to see it still succeeding.

I walked into the office this morning past shops advertising a further 70% discount. I watched some youngsters drooling over some new model of training shoes proudly displayed over some advertising for them: signage which read “feed your obsession”!

I know that I have to be patient and that I will see this out to the end, but that attached part of my self still gets heartbroken when I see such stupidity and ignorance, yet those two lads have been robbed by the system, and robbed by those who manipulate and condition. What chance have they? When will they see through the illusion?

Anyway, here is my all-time favourite "Christmas song" for you:

“Once in royal David’s city stood a lonely cattle shed,
Where a mother held her baby.
You’d do well to remember the things he later said.
When you’re stuffing yourselves at the Christmas parties,
You'll just laugh when I tell you to take a running jump.
You're missing the point I’m sure does not need making
That Christmas spirit is not what you drink.

So how can you laugh when your own mother's hungry,
And how can you smile when the reasons for smiling are wrong?
And if I just messed up your thoughtless pleasures,
Remember, if you wish, this is just a Christmas song

(Hey! Santa! pass us that bottle, will you? )”

- Jethro Tull

On the next year and what we must continue to do

What will come will come folks and there is nothing you or I can do about that except to empower yourselves to meet the challenges with grace, love and light.

All of the clearer minded people reading this, know that it isn’t necessarily going to be pretty as there is still a lot of low vibration that needs to be transmuted and the longer we leave it the more acute the problem.

If you have not started the physical, mental and conscious clearing and purification processes, the withdrawing your psychological roots from the baser levels of this dimension, the clearing of your minds and the detaching from the illusion - all those things that that will lighten you, protect you and see you meeting the coming changes easily, with grace, light and love, then you are seriously going to need to start as soon as possible. Not just to be safe and protected either, but to be more effective at your mission of aid to the human race and the Earth.

This will not be done for you. Learn to swim or drown! You are not victims, and if you blow it, you are responsible.

All of you reading this have that mission. Don't blow it. 2009 was the year that the pace really picked up - 2010 is faster! I am not a prophet, but you don't have to be one to see the pace of change increasing. The later you leave it the harder it will be.

Therefore it is my wish is that if Christmas is to have any meaning at all, it is that it provides for a huge co-ordinated opportunity for everyone to have some time of quiet reflection of the past, the recent changes you have experienced and to prepare for the hard climb we all have ahead of us.

Let each of us take full concious responsibility for our actions thoughts and deeds. Let each of us live in harmony with ourselves and our other selves, and also with the Earth, all of her creatures and her kingdoms. Let us see the destruction of the present disordered corruption, let us see and manifest a future free from tyranny and disharmony where we can sing with creation, creating in perfect harmony for the highest good of all.

In the light and in the love of the one infinite creator, bless you all in this moment, now, which, in truth, is all moments. I bow to that within you that is within me. We are one. All is one.
--------

Sorry if anyone finds this negative - it really is not meant to be.

Love

John..

Anchor, That just about sums it up. Great Post My Friend. ~Wanishi~

[Deborah (ahamkara)]

What we celebrate as "Christmas" was simply an attempt by organized Christianity to take over the older, more established traditions of the Winter Solstice. Jesus, if we accept he was one person, not the creation of one identity based on many (see Michael Tsarion's work here, quite fascinating), would have been born in the Spring, somewhere around March 20th, yes? The whole thing is such a mishmash of symbols melded with consumerism, that it all seems to be pretty ridiculous to me. I try to practice compassion all the time. I go to any party I'm invited to, just for fun. I do a yoga Mala on the true Solstice and try to practice Peace as a way of life, not as a sentiment on a card. To each his own. But I agree, the music of "The Nutcracker" is awesome, and I love the ballet for those amazing pirouettes towards the end. Namaste,

[stardustaquarion]

Happy winter solstice to all of you

http://www.eilight.com/images/solsticetree.jpg

[Earth Angel]

ECG0RTp8OTM

I've always been a huge fan of Christmas........this year I am finding it more difficult than ever to find Christmas..my husband thinks its because we are awake and see it all so differently now.......found this video and thought it interesting that the card in the OP is also in it......love this movie (The Grinch) and the song..........Merry Merry to all, in whatever way pleases you most!

seems I didn't post that link correctly so if anyone can help please do, you can get there eventually by clicking on the screen

[Lifebringer]

But for the holidays the world would feel as hopeless as it is. It's also a great distractor so keep your eyes open, for the predicted 27th of Nostradamus or Cayce's prophecyabout declaration of war on iran. This is so accurately coming true from the knuckledraggin retilioids, that it's predictable on the solutions through positive waves from this site to end it, so on that eve 25th, pray for a turn around because as they said, it's about where the people of this nation's conscious and "awareness" is that those who cause the wars can do so.

WE MUST STAND FIRM AND NOT SACRIFICE ANY MORE FAMILY MEMBERS SLAIN BLOOD FOR THE CORPORATE BEASTS THIRST AND GREED.
The rest of the World and Universal Family need to know what WE the people as a human family truly stand for! Let US make the correct decisions from here on out and purge the menace from power.
Remember the wolf in sheep's clothing. To me it means one from another tribe/being wrapped in OUR cloth to decieve. They want to be in on what the flock is doing to devour in the end. Keep the faith and be as sly as the snake, but as peaceful as the Lamb.

Do not believe the hype. They have lied before and there are still those in political positions of power, that "think it's worth it." Only thing is WE the people don't think the blood shed for some corporation's murder for resources, DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH "IT."
People, this is a very important time for the adults of conscious and good faith to reach around this planet and surround it with LOVE of Mothers and Father, Grandmothers and GrandPa's, children's trust in us doing what WE are God given to do to protect them.
WE must be thankful this holiday for the good inside our hearts and the unconditional love to curb those who would not see fairness and light of love. That is God's judgement, but the people can incarcerate them to keep them away from society when they are so maladjusted in greed and murder, they know not what they do. They aren't following who moving their stocks and so when they get ripped off, they demand their money before the fall and crash the nation they reside in economy.

NOW that you know a little more, let us do what we do best and focus for the good of mankind this Christ's Mass.

[VaughnB]

New York Central Park at Christmas

http://projectavalon.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=11986&d=1324169890&thumb=1 (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/attachment.php?attachmentid=11986&d=1324169890)


--The final scene from Home Alone 2 where Kevin gives the pigeon lady a gift of turtle doves signifying friendship forever.


Merry Christmas everyone,


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7HeIKkvKKDA


http://projectavalon.net/forum4/images/misc/pencil.png

[VaughnB]

I like the lights, music, i'm pagan, don't do the gift, i give all year round. It may be because I'm a decorator anyways, so any excuse to change decor, color, light is a good excuse to have friends over for dinner and visiting.

I think a lot of folks here don't buy into the consumption gimmick, but enjoy friendship, good food, nice music.

[Gone002]

Happy Christmas all. If I may, I would like to say that Christmas is more than just a Christian festival today. Its about love, light and hope to all on earth, a time of reflection and a time to think of family. I would like to personal thank each and everyone on this form for there hard work and love.

Assalaamu alaykum

[baddbob]

Have to share this... its cute!


AUtPKbMwnRo

Very cute thank you and Merry Christmas :lalala:

[minkton]

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

A time to focus on giving.
xxxxxxxxxx

Love to all.

:kiss:

[161803398]

Interesting pre-Zeitgeist history of Christmas:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZAL80TMLaE

[DeDukshyn]

What we celebrate as "Christmas" was simply an attempt by organized Christianity to take over the older, more established traditions of the Winter Solstice. Jesus, if we accept he was one person, not the creation of one identity based on many (see Michael Tsarion's work here, quite fascinating), would have been born in the Spring, somewhere around March 20th, yes? The whole thing is such a mishmash of symbols melded with consumerism, that it all seems to be pretty ridiculous to me. I try to practice compassion all the time. I go to any party I'm invited to, just for fun. I do a yoga Mala on the true Solstice and try to practice Peace as a way of life, not as a sentiment on a card. To each his own. But I agree, the music of "The Nutcracker" is awesome, and I love the ballet for those amazing pirouettes towards the end. Namaste,

You are correct - late March sometime. I always wonder why Christmas had been "moved".

The wonderful thing about all these differing opinions on Christmas is that we have the power to make it into anything we want. I read some saying, "It's all just about commercialization and rituals of the elite, etc, etc" - which it is - if one allows it to be that for them. For me, ya I bought my kids gifts, ya I put up lights, ya I have a fake decorated tree. Take all that from me - all of it. And I still will have a Christmas of fellowship and sharing, raising spirits and singing goofy songs and wearing a silly hat that puts smiles on peoples faces. You see? It is so easy to just take what religion and corporations made it into, and shift your focus on to what you want it to be. We can all be the solution ;)

Merry Christmas everyone :)

[Simonm]

I love xmas. The whole family round for a good meal and some good times. Whatever your belief system, as we say in Yorkshire - si thi, avagudun and enjoy thisen

:)