It's October, you know what that means...

[FoxyMoxie]

Also somewhat confused. I mean sure there are some Pagan things associated with Christmas and Easter, but for me as a Christian they are primarily religious festivals and the Pagan associations don't detract from that in any way. I don't take part in very many of the commercial aspects of them, so it's the religious aspect that's the priority. For example Christmas doesn't start until midnight mass for me - before then, it's Advent and a time of preparation and self-examination before the coming of Christ. Traditionally it was also a time of fasting (like a mini Lent) and I do keep to the tradition of having fish on Christmas Eve (can't fast for medical reasons but I would if I could). I do gift-giving and decoration though, because it's y'know, fun.

Even moreso with Easter - as a childfree adult there's not a huge amount of Easter chocolate in my life (I will buy some Lindt mini eggs though!) and Holy Week especially is all about going to church, marking the Paschal Triduum. Lent and Easter are all about church for me.

I am not really into Halloween but I don't think it's wrong, it's just that it's All Saints and then All Souls for me rather than a secular holiday. I have no objection to secular Halloween though and happily give out candy to trick or treaters.

I am a high church Anglican though so most Christians who don't observe Christmas or Easter would regard me as irredeemably Pagan anyway, given how close I am to being Catholic.

[Rebelwife]

Also somewhat confused. I mean sure there are some Pagan things associated with Christmas and Easter, but for me as a Christian they are primarily religious festivals and the Pagan associations don't detract from that in any way. I don't take part in very many of the commercial aspects of them, so it's the religious aspect that's the priority. For example Christmas doesn't start until midnight mass for me - before then, it's Advent and a time of preparation and self-examination before the coming of Christ. Traditionally it was also a time of fasting (like a mini Lent) and I do keep to the tradition of having fish on Christmas Eve (can't fast for medical reasons but I would if I could). I do gift-giving and decoration though, because it's y'know, fun.

Even moreso with Easter - as a childfree adult there's not a huge amount of Easter chocolate in my life (I will buy some Lindt mini eggs though!) and Holy Week especially is all about going to church, marking the Paschal Triduum. Lent and Easter are all about church for me.

I am not really into Halloween but I don't think it's wrong, it's just that it's All Saints and then All Souls for me rather than a secular holiday. I have no objection to secular Halloween though and happily give out candy to trick or treaters.

I am a high church Anglican though so most Christians who don't observe Christmas or Easter would regard me as irredeemably Pagan anyway, given how close I am to being Catholic.

I'm also high church Anglican (ECUSA) and I think most fundies would be shocked at how seriously our church takes Lent and Advent. Advent isn't as solemn as Lent, of course, but it's very much a season of preparation and you would NEVER hear a Christmas song before the Vigil on Christmas Eve. Our kids do a pageant, but it's always on Epiphany, never before Christmas. I do love a good Advent hymn, though. Every year I look forward to singing "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Ascending."

[FoxyMoxie]

Well - I'm in the UK and it is normal for Anglican churches here to have carol services with Christmas carols during Advent - it's one of the few times you really get people in church who don't normally attend. I would rather keep the carols for midnight mass, but the public expect carols before then. I think because the CoE is the state church, parish carol services are seen as non-negotiable and I totally understand why.

[Marianne]

Well - I'm in the UK and it is normal for Anglican churches here to have carol services with Christmas carols during Advent - it's one of the few times you really get people in church who don't normally attend. I would rather keep the carols for midnight mass, but the public expect carols before then. I think because the CoE is the state church, parish carol services are seen as non-negotiable and I totally understand why.

I'm an atheist and I'm in love with this tradition. It is "Nine lessons and carols", right ? I'm listening them all years, and my students (i'm a music teacher) love them.

[Rebelwife]

I'm an atheist and I'm in love with this tradition. It is "Nine lessons and carols", right ? I'm listening them all years, and my students (i'm a music teacher) love them.

Our church choir does Lessons and Carols each year, but they are all Advent Carols. I love Lessons and Carols and the Evensong services as well - we do those too. I'm actually very excited because our choir is going next summer to be a Choir in Residence at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. My daughter will be singing and I'm going along - wouldn't miss it for the world! [/shameless Brag]

[for_the_Kitties]

Do fundies have anything against black cats? Meaning, do they refuse to adopt/own them since they are associated with witches and ebil halloween? My feline headship is black and would LOVE the chance to hiss at some fundie black-cat-haters. She will remain inside this month for safety and so that she may be spoiled and pampered like the queen she is.

[feministxtian]

I'm confused about that. I mean, I know a whole load of pagan trappings got adopted into Easter (including - possibly - the english name, though I lean more to it being related to aestival) but the celebration of Jesus's resurrection (at the time of the Jewish Passover festival) is the heart of the Christian faith. Surely going to church is the main thing you should be doing that day? Even if you call it Resurrection Sunday or Pascha or something.

Also, I can't help feeling a bit sorry for someone who thinks putting bright pretty sparkly stuff up in midwinter is foolishnesss.

It's a very long explanation as to why we don't celebrate. The bottom line with Christmas is that the best evidence points to Christ being born in the spring, not December 25th. With Easter...I won't go to church because I feel that Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated, however...honestly, I can't stand the "holiday" crowds...I don't decorate the house, put up a tree or any of that stuff. Haven't done it in years. It's a choice...my choice.

[Walking Cat Bed]

Do fundies have anything against black cats? Meaning, do they refuse to adopt/own them since they are associated with witches and ebil halloween? My feline headship is black and would LOVE the chance to hiss at some fundie black-cat-haters. She will remain inside this month for safety and so that she may be spoiled and pampered like the queen she is.

The Ultimate Feline Headship (my roommate's cat) is a black cat who's allowed to play outside. We're in a pretty good neighborhood (the neighbors recognize him, give him attention, and he comes home to eat and sleep and be with His Subjects), but I'm more concerned that he (and the dog) will be freaked out by costumed kids than anyone deliberately hurting them.

The Secondary Feline Headship (my kitten) is not allowed outside, ever, except in a carrier, because she's a dainty angel kitten with nuclear kitten farts. I'm less worried about her.

[formergothardite]

Easter sort of bothered me when I was a Christian. It usually turned into this giant "Look at my brand new expensive outfit." event instead of celebrating Jesus being resurrected. As a broke college student I never could buy a new outfit and I would always feel embarrassed to show up in just my regular clothes. Does anyone remember the fundie blog where their church would have all the people who bought new clothes for Easter walk across the front to show off? That made me cringe.

All this talk of Easter makes me want to sing Up From the Grave He Arose. :lol: That was my favorite Easter hymn.

[ViolaSebastian]

It's a very long explanation as to why we don't celebrate. The bottom line with Christmas is that the best evidence points to Christ being born in the spring, not December 25th. With Easter...I won't go to church because I feel that Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated, however...honestly, I can't stand the "holiday" crowds...I don't decorate the house, put up a tree or any of that stuff. Haven't done it in years. It's a choice...my choice.

At my church we refer to the holiday crowd as 'CEOs'--Christmas and Easter Only. I'm with you that I simply cannot stand the holiday crowd. Last Easter, I was in the pew in front of a man who kept loudly complaining about how flat our soloist was--a man who is getting his PhD in vocal pedagogy and performance at the moment! I try my best to be welcoming to all our holiday visitors--and hey, at least they're coming--but they tend to be quite rude, unfortunately.

[kpmom]

I decided last Easter I'll either attend the sunrise service from now on, or skip it all together.

The music and flowers are nice, but fighting the crowds and looking for a parking place are not worth it.

I absolutely love all the holidays, though. In a world where headlines are so horrific you really don't want to pay attention to the news, I figure we can use all the celebrations we can get.

[FoxyMoxie]

It's a very long explanation as to why we don't celebrate. The bottom line with Christmas is that the best evidence points to Christ being born in the spring, not December 25th. With Easter...I won't go to church because I feel that Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated, however...honestly, I can't stand the "holiday" crowds...I don't decorate the house, put up a tree or any of that stuff. Haven't done it in years. It's a choice...my choice.

Oh I'm well aware that Christ was not born in December, most Christians are. To me it's not particularly important that Christmas does not happen at the time Jesus was born. The point is that we celebrate Christ's birth and the date of that is not important. Also, holy Tradition is part of my church's history and doctrine, and I am more than happy to go along with Tradition (different to small-t tradition) in this area. Personally I think holding Christmas in December is a good way of opening dialogue with Pagans about our similarities and differences and leads quite naturally into repenting for the harm and persecution Christians have sometimes aimed at Pagans. The Celtic church in Britain and Ireland (of St Columba, St Aidan, St Hilda of Whitby etc - however St Patrick followed the Roman church system like St Augustine) used many Pagan symbols as a way of explaining Christianity, and the Pagan symbolism was seen as a forerunner rather than an enemy. I think that's a much healthier idea. However not celebrating Christmas has a reasonably long history within Protestantism. And of course, dates within Orthodox churches differ anyway.

I am a little confused as to why you don't go to church at Easter because you feel that Christ's resurrection is something to be celebrated - surely that's what happens at an Easter Sunday service? Or does it not in your denomination?

[FoxyMoxie]

I decided last Easter I'll either attend the sunrise service from now on, or skip it all together.

The music and flowers are nice, but fighting the crowds and looking for a parking place are not worth it.

I absolutely love all the holidays, though. In a world where headlines are so horrific you really don't want to pay attention to the news, I figure we can use all the celebrations we can get.

I feel like it's probably very different in the US to in the UK/elsewhere in Europe. I mean over here churches will be full (or fuller than usual) at Easter, but fighting crowds and looking for a parking place seem totally alien to me! I've only ever walked to church or caught the bus for one thing, haha.

Also, Easter Sunday dinner (lunch usually) is often roast lamb :cupcake: <- nearest I could find to an eating smiley haha

[FoxyMoxie]

Our church choir does Lessons and Carols each year, but they are all Advent Carols. I love Lessons and Carols and the Evensong services as well - we do those too. I'm actually very excited because our choir is going next summer to be a Choir in Residence at Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. My daughter will be singing and I'm going along - wouldn't miss it for the world! [/shameless Brag]

Oh lucky you - I was just in Oxford this week. Sooo beautiful.

Fun fact - Christ Church Cathedral is actually the Christ Church college chapel! Imagine having a freaking CATHEDRAL as a college chapel!

[DGayle]

Long time lurker - virgin post! :dance:

Several churches around here have 'Family Fun Night' or 'Fall Festivals' on Halloween. Funny thing is, the kids dress up in costumes and there is candy given out. To me, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

When I was a kid, the church I went to did this too! How was it any different than Halloween? There were carved pumpkins and everything!

[Marianne]

Oh lucky you - I was just in Oxford this week. Sooo beautiful.

Fun fact - Christ Church Cathedral is actually the Christ Church college chapel! Imagine having a freaking CATHEDRAL as a college chapel!

I'm jealous ... I have the "Carols by Candlelight" CD by the Choir of magdalen College (Oxford). There's one of the most beautifull "Hymn to the Virgin" (Britten) and "tomorrow shall by my dancing day" (Gardner) i've never heard

[Katie_Bug]

When I was a kid, the church I went to did this too! How was it any different than Halloween? There were carved pumpkins and everything!

There are a bunch of churches near me that do this too. Some of them claim it is a "safer" way to have fun. I always assumed it meant the kids could get a boatload of candy without going door-to-door.

[Coco]

Easter sort of bothered me when I was a Christian. It usually turned into this giant "Look at my brand new expensive outfit." event instead of celebrating Jesus being resurrected. As a broke college student I never could buy a new outfit and I would always feel embarrassed to show up in just my regular clothes. Does anyone remember the fundie blog where their church would have all the people who bought new clothes for Easter walk across the front to show off? That made me cringe.

All this talk of Easter makes me want to sing Up From the Grave He Arose. :lol: That was my favorite Easter hymn.

oh wow that is a good one.

that took me down memory road. :lol: iirc Garment of Praise does that one on one of their cds and wow the guy gets into the bass. (or maybe it was the Charity Christian Missions 1998? Africa Team Mens' Quartet, can't remember now) i still listen to those cds sometimes. :D

This is the best Garment of Praise video that i could find on youtube:

[bBvideo 560,340:2mqd1ltp]

[/bBvideo]

ita about the parading around in new outfits, so not what Easter is supposed to be about. The church that i attend with the kids is like that almost every Sunday, most weeks i just don't even bother going, (my hubby is still burned out on church from his past, so he doesn't go) it's stressful to put the kids through all that hair combing and uncomfortable dressyness. :lol: i should find a more low-key church, they love the kids' programs too much to quit altogether. i think dressing up out of respect is good, but it's kind of mean to be putting my dd through the baggy hose tortures :lol:

[Rebelwife]

I'm jealous ... I have the "Carols by Candlelight" CD by the Choir of magdalen College (Oxford). There's one of the most beautifull "Hymn to the Virgin" (Britten) and "tomorrow shall by my dancing day" (Gardner) i've never heard

Oh, Thank you! I'd never heard that heard that version before and I'll have to get the CD! I've been looking for a new Christmas album and I'm very picky - I really only like chorale music.

[FoxyMoxie]

oh wow that is a good one.

that took me down memory road. :lol: iirc Garment of Praise does that one on one of their cds and wow the guy gets into the bass. (or maybe it was the Charity Christian Missions 1998? Africa Team Mens' Quartet, can't remember now) i still listen to those cds sometimes. :D

This is the best Garment of Praise video that i could find on youtube:

[bBvideo 560,340:29qaoyqj]

[/bBvideo]

ita about the parading around in new outfits, so not what Easter is supposed to be about. The church that i attend with the kids is like that almost every Sunday, most weeks i just don't even bother going, (my hubby is still burned out on church from his past, so he doesn't go) it's stressful to put the kids through all that hair combing and uncomfortable dressyness. :lol: i should find a more low-key church, they love the kids' programs too much to quit altogether. i think dressing up out of respect is good, but it's kind of mean to be putting my dd through the baggy hose tortures :lol:

Is the new outfit thing an American tradition or from a particular denomination? I've never come across it and have always attended Easter services in regular clothes. In the UK it was traditional to have new clothes for Whitsun (Pentecost) but that's pretty much died out now. I mean you might get little girls in pretty springtime dresses at Easter Sunday services, but I think that's more to do with spring clothes finally being in the shops.

I've neeeever been to a church that insisted on dressing up for services! Even when I used to go to a more conservative Anglican church (evangelical not high church), lots of people would be in jeans, sweatpants etc. To be honest most churches in the UK are just delighted to see new faces and don't care what you wear! You may get people dressing up more in a more traditional church, but that's usually down to an older congregation and that generation being used to dressing up for church. I've worn jeans in very traditional churches and they've just been thrilled to see someone under 30!

[Rebelwife]

Our church, which is pretty high, tends to be a little dressier than many but it's not stuffy. You'll see a few people in jeans here or there and it's pretty common to see little boys in nice shorts in the summer, but most people wear what I would call "business casual." Lots of little girls get new dresses for Easter, but I think that's more a function of new clothes for a new season and it's fun to have a pretty new dress. Now that my girls are older and not growing like crazy, they just wear something from their closets.

Easter is by far our biggest "celebration" though, and it's treated as such. I think most of the fundies we follow would not be pleased with how much champagne is consumed at our post service reception Easter morning. :naughty: (Hint: it's a LOT!)

[FoxyMoxie]

Hmm I find that in the UK, Christmas is the bigger deal in terms of church - hardly any non-churchgoers attend at Easter, and Easter is pretty much entirely secularised here. Maybe because Christmas is a bigger deal generally here, because we don't have Thanksgiving and Halloween is less of a big deal? We have Bonfire Night but it's not in the same commercial league as Halloween. Lent/Eastertide services are still a big deal in the church, but you won't get outsiders attending in such levels. The exception would be uniformed groups (Scouts, Brownies, Girl Guides etc) who often have links to local churches, or Boys Brigade/Girls Brigade which is a Christian-based organisation (usually Methodist, so not like the Mormon links to the US Boy Scouts, not fundie at all). If there's a military base nearby, they often attend church services too.

In high church UK churches you'll probably get wine and cake after big services (mulled wine and mince pies, often homemade, around Christmas) - or if the church is high enough, gin! :lol:

[Lady Grass Lake]

Midwestern Lutheran here but raised Catholic untill I left home. Easter clothes is a huge thing here. Living in Michigan you stand a good chance of having very low temperatures and since most Easter clothes are springy you end up with a sweater over a dress.

We have a name for the people who attend just the Easter and Christmas services - Chriseasters. I play in the church brass group so I can be found up in the balcony watching the crowd from above. There are always families with small children who will quickly get bored, and act up, then get smacked by their embarassed parents. Since mom and dad aren't usually that strict , the poor kid screams in outrage, embarrasing the parents even more. This is followed by the parent bodily removing the kid so you hear the screams fading into the distance. I feel bad for the kids.

S

[julie paradox]

Hey, there's a whole SURNAME for the people who only came to church 3 times a year. Whittaker (Whit being an old word for Pentecost, probably because people wore white for baptism).

We have an old tradition of Easter Bonnets, but nobody does it any more. My father has a photo from the early seventies of his 4 (as it was then) daughters and a few other little girls in Easter bonnets but I was only 2 and don't remember it and I suspect that it was a deliberate "let's do an old-fashioned Easter Bonnet parade" by the church. In the forties they got rid of the rule that women had to wear hats in church which was probably the last nail in the coffin.

(I'm Church of England)