PLEASE READ THIS FIRST To the point, Paul says don't let others judge us as Christians or not over celebrating holidays (Colossians 2:16), yet the Watchtower Society does exactly that. "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. "

WHY MOST CHRISTIANS DO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS AND ITS BIBLICAL BASIS Luke 2:6 says that angels celebrated Christ's day of birth, many who read first Job 1:3 and then Job 3:1, 3 believe it is clear the banquet days Job's children celebrated were birthdays, and Jude 12 says the earliest Christians enjoyed balanced merriment at "love feasts." Those against birthdays ignore the preceding positive verses and say that in the Bible the only birthdays that are mentioned are in negative contexts, namely at the birthday of King Herod when he had John the Baptizer's head chopped off, and when an ancient Egyptian was slain. They are also wrong to say "mature" Christians don't celebrate birthdays. In fact most Christians view a birthday as a time for honoring the One who caused such happiness, the Creator of Life Himself, and it is also a way of showing the person who receives a birthday that they are loved, not "worshipped" as those against birthdays have sometimes said. The detractors also claim that cakes, candles and making a wish are ungodly. Although non-Christian groups do also use cakes, candles and make wishes, the majority of Christians, being for birthdays, note that the parallel use of those do not make the usages wrong any more than it is wrong for a Christian to use a hammer since non-Christians also use hammers or a pagan may have made the first hammer. How something is used is more important than that it is used. For example, if a person used a hammer as an idol, say, with the head of a god and with praying to it, then how it was being used would not be Christian, but if a person uses a hammer to simply build a house for a homeless family, then how it is used is Christian. Consider too that Galatians 5:22 says that one of the fruits of God's Holy Spirit is "joy," and so there is every reason to ignore misinformation about birthdays and continue in joyful celebration. Christian parents should definitely feel free to keep the eyes of their children lit up with happiness whenever their days of birth come. LEARN MORE http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Birthdays http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Happy_Birthday_ to_You http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ Birthday_ cake

WHY MOST CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE EASTER AND KEEP ON IN 100% GOOD CONSCIENCE:  Most encyclopedias and dictionaries have said the name of Easter is from an ancient non-Christian pagan goddess named Eastre, this being what an ancient British scholar named Bede once guessed, and yet it has also been noted that the name Eastre may just as easily have come from the Old English or Anglo-Saxon word for East or Eastern.  In fact, as to the name “Easter,” Christianity came to Europe and later America from the direction of the East.  To be exact it came from the Middle East, and besides this, formerly many Christians believed Christ would return from the east to resurrect people, possibly thinking of Matthew 24:27 which says the resurrected Christ will return out of the east. Those opposed to celebrating Easter also claim the eggs and rabbits used during Easter season are the vestiges of ancient pagan fertility rites when the facts are that Christians have used eggs and rabbits to symbolize new life as in the resurrection of Christ which is what the holiday is about.  Further, the apostle Paul wrote that we have Christian freedom about if we want to celebrate or not celebrate different holidays.  He says this at Galatians 4:10 and Colossians 2:16.   Please read and meditate on those scriptures, contrasting with what they say and what those opposing Easter and other holidays teach to be "the truth."  To all true Christians, the Bible itself is the truth and Paul truly says in the Bible that there is freedom about such things. Furthermore, note that all the days and months in the English language are named after pagan gods and goddesses and yet those wrongly attacking Easter as "pagan" commonly use those very same names.  Rings and money also came from pagans, but those attacking Easter also use rings and money.  Some Christians in the Bible even have and kept "pagan" names such as Apollo and Junius. The cross is prominent at Easter.  Opposers have claimed Christ didn't die on a cross but on an upright stake or pole and the cross is a horrible murder weapon.   Frankly, archaeology and forensics say it definitely was a cross, and Paul says to boast of the cross for Christ turned it into a symbol of the resurrection hope. (Ga 6:14, 1 Cor 1:17-18)   Therefore, for these many reasons, it is wise to hold fast to our Christian joy, regardless of what those opposed to celebrating Easter or for example the pro-Christ holiday of Christ, the sharing of communion wine and bread, etc, have been mistaught and told to misteach ourselves in turn, noting also that joy such as comes with these holidays is one of the fruits of God's own Holy Spirit. (Ga 5:22)

THANKSGIVING DIA DE GRACIAS Today Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November.   It is celebrated in Canada on the second Monday of October.  It is also celebrated in the Philippines, Liberia, Guam, South Korea, and some lands in the Caribbean region etc, many German and Slavic speaking nations.  Thanksgiving se celebra hoy en los Estados Unidos el cuarto jueves de noviembre. Se celebra en el Canadá el segundo lunes de octubre. También se celebra en las Filipinas, Liberia, Guam, Sur Corea, y algunas tierras en la región del Caribe, muchas de las naciones alemanes  y slavicas. For example, in Germany it is called Erntedankfest which means Harvest Thanks Day.  Church altars are decorated with field crops.  There are excellent meals and people celebrate with fireworks. Por ejemplo en Alemana se llama Erntedankfest que significa Dia de Gracias para las Cosechas.  Los altares de iglesias se adornan con cosechas de los campos.  Hay comidas excelentes y la gente celebra por fuegos artificiales. Pilgrims and Wampanoags agreeing to peace. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wampanoag2.jpg Historians normally say the U.S. celebration began when Pilgrim colonists gave thanks that they had survived in a new land and had plenty of food to eat.   Local Native Americans, the Wampanoags, enjoyed the feast along with the Pilgrims.  They brought five deer and many turkeys. Los historiadores normalmente dicen que la celebración de los EEUU comenzó cuando los colonos Peregrinos dieron gracias que habían sobrevividos en una tierra nueva y tuvieron mucho para comer. Los amerindios locales, los Wampanoags, gozaron el banquete junto con los Peregrinos. Trajeron cinco ciervos y muchos guajolotes. The Pilgrims were a religious group and therefore their use of such a day may have been in imitation of the annual autumn harvest Festival of Booths or Festival of Ingathering for the twelve tribes of Israel  as well as  when the Christian Paul thanked God for saving his life. Los Peregrinos fueron un grupo religioso y por lo tanto su uso de tal día tal vez fue en imitación del festival anual de cosecha en otoño llamado Festiva de Cabinas o Festival de Cosechas para las doce tribus de Israel ademas de cuando el cristiano Pablo agradeció a Dios por el ahorrar de su vida. After the Pilgrims, the various British colonies in what is now the U.S. also had Thanksgiving and President George Washington made the celebration into a national holiday.  However, it was not regularly celebrated in the U.S. until President Abraham Lincoln.  Después de los Peregrinos, las varias colonias británicas en lo que ahora está los EEUU también tuvieron Dia de Gracias  y el Presidente George Washington hizo la celebración en un día de fiesta nacional.  Sin embargo, no fue celebrado regularmente en los EEUU hasta el presidente Abraham Lincoln. During the Civil War in 1863 Lincoln wrote that the day was to thank God for food and other blessings.  He added that Americans needed to also use the day to help "widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers."  Many Americans, Canadians and others also use the time for enjoying the beauty of nature. Durante la Guerra Civil en 1863 Lincoln escribió que el día fue para agradecer a Dios por el alimento y otras bendiciones.  Agregó que los americanos necesitaron también a utilizar el día para ayudar a "viudas, huérfanos, los llorando, o víctimas." Muchos americanos, canadienses y otros también utilizan la época para gozar de la belleza de la naturaleza. ars/usda.gov http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Pumpkin_Pie.jpg In the U.S. and among some Canadians certain foods are more commonly eaten during Thanksgiving.  These include turkey meat with stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and corn. En los EEUU y entre algunos canadienses se comen ciertas comidas más normalmente durante Dia de Gracias.  Estos incluyen carne de guajolote con relleno, salsa de arándanos, tartas de calabaza, pure de patatas, y el maíz. However, although historians normally say Thanksgiving began with the Pilgrims, they do not always say this.  For example it is known that Juan Ponce De Leon of Spain had a celebration in Florida in 1513.   Francisco Vásquez de Coronado also had a thanksgiving in Texas in 1541.  In any case, the celebration is actually very international. Sin embargo, aunque los historiadores normalmente dicen que Dias de Gracias empezo con los peregrinos, no siempre dicen esto.  Por ejemplo se sabe que Juan Ponce De Leon de Espana tuvo una celebracion en la Florida en 1513.  Francisco Vasquez de Coronado tambien tuvo un Dias de Gracias en Texas en 1541.    En cualquier caso, la celebracion es realmente muy internacional.   http://www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/broadcast/photos/img/cranberries-hi.jpg Cranberries

THE VERY FIRST SANTA CLAUS: It is history not fiction although it may sound like it, that about 200 AD Christians who had prayed in a little church at seaside Myra, Turkey for their next bishop, selected a newcomer off a ship who was named Nicholas, then gave him a long red robe and cane or miter indicating that he was their choice.   Nicholas was concerned that poor girls at Myra did not have enough money to pay as a dowry to marry, so were often sold into slavery or prostitution.    Since his wealthy family sometimes sent gold to him, he began to quietly at night go to their homes.  He dropped bags of gold through windows to by the chimneys where the girls dried clothing so in the mornings they found it for their dowries.  People did not know who the gift-giver was until Nicholas was dying.  Then somebody told people they had seen him.   More European Christians felt  inspired to give gifts.   "St. Nicholas" became Sinter Klass in Dutch and Santa Claus in English.  One reason Christmas is in December may be that Nicholas was born then, plus some believe Christ was actually born about Oct 1, which would mean Mary conceived 9 months previously about or on December 25. So when someone claims Santa came from legends of  wizards, goblins or an Oriental god who came down chimneys, either tell them or get to them a copy of this leaflet (tract).   christianwitnesses.com

WHY THE DECEMBER 25 DATE OF CHRISTMAS: Since Luke 2:8 says shepherds were in fields at Christ's birth some assume Christ wasn't born in December not knowing the Jewish Mishnah Seqal. 7:4 confirms flocks were kept in fields near Bethlehem even in winter.  Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem in winter not unlikely via the Jordan Valley as its roads were less rugged and at 689 to 1,306 feet below sea level protected them from colder December weather, though even then Israel is not terribly cold and snow unlikely due to the warm Mediterranean current.  The tax census was also likely in winter because then people's work had slowed, being largely agricultural with a winter lull.   Sheep wear natural wool keeping them so warm they can walk about even in Israel's rare snowfalls. Most sheep were also likely not taken indoors in winter as there were no large barns then due to no hay-making machines to make and store hay.  In winter shepherds brought flocks from cold mountains down to where snow had not killed as much grass closer to fields by homes where they could give better care.  Jacob had complained to Laban of suffering from cold frost as a shepherd at night (Gen. 31:40), proving night-time shepherding.  Some poor homeless shepherds stay outdoors even in the cold.  Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) wrote Marcus Aurelius that Jesus was born at Bethlehem ''as you can ascertain also from the registers of the taxing" (Apologia I, 34). Tertullian (160-250) noted "the census of Augustus-that most faithful witness of the Lord's nativity, kept in the archives of Rome" (Against Marcion, Bk. 4, 7).  Cyril of Jerusalem (348-386) asked Julius to assign Christ's birthdate "from census documents brought by Titus to Rome," after which Julius assigned December 25th.  John Chrysostom (c. 347-407) wrote that Christ's December 25 date of birth was supported by the tax or census records still existing even in his day but not now known to exist which showed their registration at Bethlehem.  christianwitnesses.com Freely copy and distribute all these items.  More like them are in the HOLIDAYS section at the top of this page.

WHY MOST BUT NOT ALL CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN Given some of the costumes and a lot of "it's pagan and darkness" articles about it, it's not surprising some Christians choose not to celebrate Halloween.   Originally Christian parents had their kids dress up as saints who, of course, had been tortured and slain for loyalty to the Christian faith, so that, of course, the costumes often were and still are sometimes quite scary-looking. The idea was to encourage the kids to be faithful as the saints were, which sounds positive and pro-Christian. The word Halloween comes from Hallow which means Holy) and e'ven, which means evening or eve.  Although most Christians let their kids have fun on the day, some who otherwise don't care for Halloween now substitute some other party with or without costumes etc.  Such parties are sometimes called Fun Night, Hallelujah Night, Costume Party Evening or go by some other name.  In any event Christian parents have arranged them as a safe, fun substitute for the kids, the chief rationale being that Joy is also a fruitage of God's Spirit, second mentioned in the list at Galatians 5:22 only after Love, and the two fruits are closely linked. Going back to the costumes, those opposed to Halloween over the wearing of costumes point out they are no longer tied to saintly living but sometimes include masks etc mimicking the devil, demons etc.   They are also naturally concerned that kids may get hurt from needles etc put into trick-or-treat candies, or even tempted to do un-Christian pranks that hurt other people such as put boards with nails on them on roads.   Those for Halloween accompany or watch over and see that their kids do not engage in such misdoings or get harmed, for example, by checking candies and fruits to see that there are no needles in those. Although Paul said to let none be judging us over holidays or Sabbaths one way or another, (Colossians 2:16), others in good conscience note that light has no fellowship with the dark. (2 Cor 6:14)  The majority who do favor Halloween counter that they understand this but that the day replaced the pagan Samhain, so that this is actually a matter of light having replaced darkness, even as where many other holidays have attacked and replaced paganisms. For example, those not celebrating Halloween may otherwise have no problem with things of non-Christian origin that Christians commonly use such as wedding rings, names of days and months, and Christian names in the Bible such Apollos and Jason, which also all came from pagans.   Romans chapter 14 says allow freedom of conscience, and many scriptures say to not be highly judgmental. So all in all, it's important to keep good balance and to remember that overall the Bible says that the strongest bond for Christians is not by absolute sameness of beliefs on every imaginable thing or doctrine but rather it is by the "greatest" bond, which is LOVE. (1 Cor 13:13)   Although knowing this information will not change the view of all readers, it can definitely help each of us to better understand the other's position about Halloween, to help us continue with greater respect of one another and therefore enjoy more Christian love and unity.