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Christmas Tree vs Holiday Tree

Which one is it?


  • Total voters
    114
  • Poll closed .
To me they're not interchangeable. Christmas Tree is the whole presents under on Dec 25th tree. A holiday tree is a tradition in which a tree is maintained either all year or part of the year and decorated for different holidays.

I didn't use to note a difference until I knew someone who had a holiday tree up - and did decorate it for every . . . single . . . holiday.

A Holiday tree is becoming more apropos as a term as more Jewish families use a "Hanukkah Bush" to celebrate their winter holiday - a practice which is causing some tension among those who are the most religiously conservative among the Jews.

The thing is holidays, as are many things, are fluid, and easily changed.

After all, Black Friday gets more news coverage now than the Thanksgiving that precedes it. 100 years from now, we'll probably celebrate Black Friday instead of Thanksgiving, and the tradition will be that families will eat a big meal on the Thursday before so they can wait in long lines at malls and stores in order to get the big sales that stores provide on Black Friday, which is what that holiday will solely be about.

So if holidays are so mutable, then I think making them inclusive is much better to our diverse society that trying to keep them exclusive.
 
As long as no one attempts to force any one else to call it something different than they want to, it's fine with me. I call it a Christmas tree and I am not offended by people who call it a Holiday tree. As long as you accept that I call it what I want then I don't mind if you call it what you want.
 
Jesus was actually born in April, but that shouldn't diminish the beauty & tradition of December 25. It's the spirit of the holiday that really matters.

If it's the spirit of the holiday that matters, why are you complaining about what to call the tree?
 
I call it a Christmas tree, though I'd be very surprised if the tradition of bringing in a tree of some kind for winter solstice didn't have origins in pre-Christian cultures.

Pagan Origins of the Christmas Tree

as for "holiday tree," that sounds dumb, so i don't use that phrasing myself. but it doesn't offend me if someone wants to call it that. it's a big 'ol world, and I can think of things that matter more.
 
That depends on your definiton of "always". Originally it was celebrated on Jan 6th. It wasn't until the 4th century that the Church in Rome changed it to Dec 25th. Of course the Pagans had already been using that date and still do.

But here is a little secret: more than one event can be celebrated on a given day :)

It was changed to that day to accomadate new Pagan converts so that they could better acclamate to the new religion and its holy days. In fact the 25th may have started out as the 21st of december.

Kelts celebrated several Pagan religious events during that time. And the evergreen tree was a big part of it.
 
Where the hell does the idea of decorating a freakin' evergreen with lights and popcorn and stuff in celebration of the supposed birthdate of Jesus (which it really isn't) of even come from?

Pagan rituals.
 
Oh look... another pointless discussion about people who are trying to make other people be terminally tolerant.
 
Jesus was actually born in April, but that shouldn't diminish the beauty & tradition of December 25. It's the spirit of the holiday that really matters.

Ok so help me with this. When I was in college many years ago, Scientists and scholars had established he was born around February 8 based on the clues in the Bible and other sources. When did the April date come into play?
 
I don't care.

And anyone that does care has not NEARLY enough in their lives, imo.
 
Actually, Catholicism isn't really a Christian religion.

Rather, its roots are in pagan Egyptian sun worship.

At least that's what Jack Chick says.

Uh no. They are followers of the Annoited one (Christi) so by definiton they are Christian. I was born Catholic and I can assure you they recognize Jesus as their saviour and lord.

I think you may be confusing the idea of a single god with Catholics. There was a sect in early Egypt that accepted this idea but it was destroyed not soon after.

Spanky knows alot about this stuff.
 
I cannot believe that some are so extreme that they will not accept "Christmas". Some will call them "mentally sick".
I call them controlling/ intolerant.
We do not need such people.
Its a Christmas tree, I do not wished to be laughed at if I call it a "holiday tree".
 
I call it a Christmas tree, though I'd be very surprised if the tradition of bringing in a tree of some kind for winter solstice didn't have origins in pre-Christian cultures.

Pagan Origins of the Christmas Tree

as for "holiday tree," that sounds dumb, so i don't use that phrasing myself. but it doesn't offend me if someone wants to call it that. it's a big 'ol world, and I can think of things that matter more.

There you go
 
Where the hell does the idea of decorating a freakin' evergreen with lights and popcorn and stuff in celebration of the supposed birthdate of Jesus (which it really isn't) of even come from?

Its time for you, Cilogy,to have a good discussion with your parents.
I'd guess that Jesus was born in the springtime (my guess)....so we celebrate this event during the winter......I cannot see how this makes any difference worth getting ones panties twisted into a knot...
Every day, we must try to be courteous and respectful, particularly on Christmas Day.
 
Yeah, the Vatican is totally atheist these days.
You may have a point there. I'm not up to speed on the spirituality level over there. I wonder if the Vatican is dealing with the same kind of progressive idiots that we are?
 
Ok so help me with this. When I was in college many years ago, Scientists and scholars had established he was born around February 8 based on the clues in the Bible and other sources. When did the April date come into play?
When ecclesiastical leaders ignored the anti-Christians & started listening to the Spirit of God.
 
Its time for you, Cilogy,to have a good discussion with your parents.
I'd guess that Jesus was born in the springtime (my guess)....so we celebrate this event during the winter......I cannot see how this makes any difference worth getting ones panties twisted into a knot...
Every day, we must try to be courteous and respectful, particularly on Christmas Day.
I don't think I understand the reference to needing to speak with my parents.

I was just pointing out how odd it is to decorate a tree for the holiday, if you really think about it. If it is about decorating a tree with what the wise men gave Jesus, I think the commercialization of Christmas has misled this idea.
 
I have always called a xmas tree a xmas tree but there is nothing wrong with holiday tree. Not sure why it would matter what name someone else uses to describe either a fake tree or a soon to be discarded tree. I know that you dont even need a xmas tree at all in your house. In my childhood I had several friends who went to church every Sunday but they never put up a xmas tree. Some Christian's are offended by xmas trees for some odd reason. I used to work with a guy that they put up a cross in their living room every holiday season. I remember the first time I saw it in his living room a crown of thorns was in place of a star and there was lights wrapped around it with presents at the bottom. It still make chuckle to think about it. Lol I told him that It was holiday wood, he wasnt too amused but he didnt freak out. Its amazing today that Christian's are so upset about how other people view xmas yet Frank (my co-worker) who was about as religious as anyone could get didnt care what people called xmas.

Its a damn tree who cares what people call it, at least its not a damn cross or some other false idol. lol
 
If you're putting it up to celebrate christmas, it's a christmas tree.

If you're putting it up to celebrate all the winter holidays, it's a holiday tree.
 
I dont give a **** what you call it.
 
You can say "Merry Christmas" to someone you know to be Christian, but should say "Happy Holidays" if you don't know that person's faith.

The odds of someone having a decorated spruce/pine/fir/etc. tree during the holidays make it virtually certain that it is a Christmas tree. On the other hand, there is a 1 in 4.5 chance a person you run into on the street or in a store in late December is not a Christian. I think that's the distinction that makes "happy holidays" reasonable but "holiday tree" silly.

If you are non-christian and are constantly bombarded by "merry xmases" just by virtue of being out and about in late december, I think annoyance would be justified. If you are a non-christian and are bombarded by comments about your "Christmas tree" after you have taken the trouble to cut down a spruce tree and decorate it with ornaments, I think you just need to deal with it. You don't get to adopt some religious traditions and then berate others for assuming you are religious.
 
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Which one is it?

As far as I know the only religions that has decorated evergreen conifer trees around this time of year are Christians and christian like pagans like the Catholics. I never heard of Jews or any other religious group with decorated evergreen conifer trees. So just calling it a holiday tree is just politically correct garbage and a insult to everyone's intelligence.
 
When ecclesiastical leaders ignored the anti-Christians & started listening to the Spirit of God.

What?? Thats makes absolutely no sense at all. Its also non sequitor. GEZ
 
As far as I know the only religions that has decorated evergreen conifer trees around this time of year are Christians and christian like pagans like the Catholics. I never heard of Jews or any other religious group with decorated evergreen conifer trees. So just calling it a holiday tree is just politically correct garbage and a insult to everyone's intelligence.

Ever heard of the Roman festival of Saturnalia? Where Romans decorated trees and gave gifts from Dec 17-25th?
 
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