"Holiday" Vs. "Christmas" In Headline On Fp Devotional

[Nathair/|\]

December 16

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Adelaide of Italy
    
  • December 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]O Sapientia (Anglicanism)

  [*]Day of Reconciliation, formerly celebrated as Day of the Vow by the Afrikaners (South Africa)

  [*]Independence Day, celebrates the independence of Kazakhstan from the Soviet Union in 1991.

  [*]National Day, celebrates the withdrawal of United Kingdom from Bahrain, making Bahrain an independent emirate in 1971. However December 16 is only the date on which the state celebrates the event, while the actual day on which the independence of Bahrain was declared was August 15, 1971 (see Bahrain Independence Day)

  [*]National Sports Day (Thailand)

  [*]Nine-day celebration of Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay where Jesus could be born begins (Hispanidad):

  • The first day of Las Posadas (Mexico, Latin America)
    
  • The first day of the Simbang Gabi novena of masses (Philippines)
    

  [*]Victory Day (Bangladesh)

  [*]Victory Day (India)

[Nathair/|\]

December 17 --- some nice ones today.

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Daniel the Prophet
    
  • Lazarus of Bethany (local commemoration in Cuba)
    
  • O Sapientia (Roman Catholic Church)
    
  • December 17 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (United States)

  [*]National Day (Bhutan)

  [*]Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn (Roman festivals)

  [*]Wright Brothers Day, a United States federal observances by Presidential Proclamation

[Nathair/|\]

December 18

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Flannán
    
  • Gatianus of Tours
    
  • O Adonai
    
  • Our Lady of Expectation
    
  • Sebastian (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    
  • Winibald
    
  • December 18 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]Eponalia, feast of Epona, celebrated during Saturnalia. (Roman Empire)

  [*]International Migrants Day (International)

  [*]National Day (Qatar)

  [*]Republic Day (Niger)

  [*]UN Arabic Language Day (United Nations)

[Nathair/|\]

[Nathair/|\]

December 19

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • O Radix
    
  • Pope Anastasius I
    

  [*]Liberation day (Goa)

  [*]Opalia (Roman Empire)

[Nathair/|\]

December 20

• Abolition of Slavery Day, also known as Fête des Cafres (Réunion, French Guyana)
  
• Bo Aung Kyaw Day (Burma)
  
• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Dominic of Silos
    
  • O Clavis
    
  • Ursicinus of Saint-Ursanne
    
  • December 20 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]Earliest date for Winter solstice's eve (Northern Hemisphere), and its related observances:

  • Yalda (Iran)
    

  [*]International Human Solidarity Day (International)

  [*]Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (Macau)

[Scott Lloyd]

For December 13:

• Acadian Remembrance Day (Acadians)
  
• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Lucy
    
  • Odile of Alsace
    

  [*]Republic Day (Malta)

  [*]Saint Lucy's Day (mainly Scandinavia, some regions of Italy (for example, Sicily, Veneto and Trentino), and Malta), and its related observances:

  • National Day, celebrates the independence of Saint Lucia from United Kingdom in 1979.
    

  [*]Tellus was worshipped in the district Carinae at the Esquiline Hill, and a lectisternium or table was spread for Ceres. (Roman Empire)

I checked back to see if you had noted my favorite non-American holiday, Lucia Day, Dec. 13 in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia.

You didn't disappoint me!

[Nathair/|\]

[Nathair/|\]

I checked back to see if you had noted my favorite non-American holiday, Lucia Day, Dec. 13 in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia.

You didn't disappoint me!

I have to make a confession. After little success doing my own research, I'm just copy/pasting from Wikipedia.

[Calm]

I shouldn't think we would have any problem using the term Holiday, or the shortened designation of X-mas.

I don't like the Xmas version simply based on looks. It is awkward in appearance. I would really love to see it written Christ's Mass from time to time.

[Nathair/|\]

I don't like the Xmas version simply based on looks. It is awkward in appearance. I would really love to see it written Christ's Mass from time to time.

I wouldn't mind seeing the chi-rho symbol once in a while too.

[Nathair/|\]

All right guys! This is the big one.

Holidays and observances

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • O Oriens
    
  • Petrus Canisius
    
  • Thomas the Apostle (pre-1970 Roman Calendar), (Anglicanism)
    
  • December 21 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

• Divalia, in honour of Angerona (Roman Empire)
  
• Earliest date for the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, and its related observances:
  
  • Earliest date for Yule in the Northern Hemisphere, and Midsummer in the Southern Hemisphere. (Neopagan Wheel of the Year)
    
  • Sanghamitta Day
    
  • Ziemassvētki (ancient Latvia)
    

  [*]Forefathers' Day (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

  [*]São Tomé Day (São Tomé and Príncipe)

  [*]The first day of Pancha Ganapati, celebrated until December 25 (India)

[Nathair/|\]

[Nathair/|\]

• Armed Forces Day (Vietnam)
  
• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Anastasia of Sirmium (Orthodox Church)
    
  • Frances Xavier Cabrini
    
  • O Rex
    
  • December 22 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]Mother's Day (Indonesia)

  [*]National Mathematics Day (India)

  [*]Unity Day (Zimbabwe)

  [*]Winter solstice related observance (see December 21):

  • Dongzhi Festival (East Asia)
    

[blackstrap]

Finally, a national Mathematics day.

As I used to tell my students,math is everywhere in the Bible. God said " Adam up! ". He said to go forth and 'multiply'. He 'divided ' the light from the darkness.Etc.

Even Santa gets into it. We are familiar with his lead reindeer, 'root of' the red nosed reindeer.

Oh, I got a million of 'em !

[Nathair/|\]

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Adela and Irmina
    

  [*]Christmas Eve (Christianity) and its related observances:

  • Aðfangadagskvöld, the day when the 13th and the last Yule Lad arrives to towns. (Iceland)
    
  • Feast of the Seven Fishes (Italy)
    
  • Jul (Denmark, Norway and Sweden)
    
  • Nochebuena (Spain and Spanish-speaking countries)
    
  • The Declaration of Christmas Peace (Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City)
    

[Nathair/|\]

December 25

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Anastasia of Sirmium (Catholic Church)
    
  • December 25 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
    

  [*]Christmas Day, Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. (International)

  [*]Constitution Day (Taiwan)

  [*]Malkh-Festival (Nakh peoples of Chechnya and Ingushetia)

  [*]Quaid-e-Azam's Day (Pakistan)

  [*]Takanakuy (Chumbivilcas Province, Peru)

[Nathair/|\]

December 26

• Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred to December 27 by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
  
  • Day of Good Will (South Africa and Namibia)
    
  • Family Day (Vanuatu)
    
  • Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
    

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Abadiu of Antinoe (Coptic Church)
    
  • Earliest day on which Feast of the Holy Family can fall, celebrated on Sunday after Christmas or 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday.
    
  • James the Just (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    
  • Stephen (Western Church)
    
  • Synaxis of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox Church)
    

• Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
  
• Mauro Hamza Day (Houston, Texas)
  
• Mummer's Day (Padstow, Cornwall)
  
• St. Stephen's Day (public holiday in Alsace, Austria, Catalonia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland and Slovakia), and its related observances:
  
  • Father's Day (Bulgaria)
    

  [*]The first day of Kwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 (United States)

  [*]The first day of Junkanoo street parade, the second day is on the New Year's Day (The Bahamas)

  [*]The first of Twelve Holy Days (Esoteric Christianity)

  [*]The second day of Christmas (Western Christianity)

  [*]Wren Day (Ireland and the Isle of Man)

[Nathair/|\]

December 27

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Fabiola
    
  • John the Apostle
    
  • Nicarete
    

  [*]Constitution Day (North Korea)

  [*]St. Stephen's Day (Eastern Orthodox Church; a public holiday in Romania)

  [*]The third day of Christmas (Western Christianity)

[Nathair/|\]

[Nathair/|\]

December 28

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Abel (Coptic Church)
    
  • Caterina Volpicelli
    
  • Feast of the Holy Innocents or Childermas. In Spain and Latin American countries the festival is celebrated with pranks (inocentadas), similar to April Fools' Day. (Roman Catholic Church, Church of England, Lutheran Church)
    

• King Taksin Memorial Day (Thailand)
  
• Proclamation Day, celebration started on the day following Christmas. (South Australia)
  
• The fourth day of Christmas. (Western Christianity)
  

[Nathair/|\]

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Thomas Becket
    
  • Trophimus of Arles
    

  [*]Constitution Day (Ireland)

  [*]Independence Day (Mongolia)

  [*]The fifth day of Christmas (Western Christianity)

[Nathair/|\]

December 30

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Anysia of Salonika
    
  • Egwin of Evesham
    
  • Liberius of Ravenna
    
  • Pope Felix I
    
  • Ralph of Vaucelles
    
  • Roger of Cannae
    

  [*]Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province (Slovakia)

  [*]Freedom Day (Church of Scientology)

  [*]Rizal Day (Philippines)

  [*]The sixth day of Christmas. (Western Christianity)

[followerofemmanuel]

For me, I am not too tied to holding on to the title of " Christmas" vs Holiday for a number of reasons. Some include;

1) In a general sense there is not a lot happening during the time of Christmas that Glorifies God differently. Those who worship God tend to do so all year round..those who don't will not likely be swayed to become believers through celebrating Christmas in a secular way. So why force something that is not working. Some worry that we might be removing Christ from our culture but again I believe that it is for those who believe in Christ to allow their light to shine and point to Him all year round.

2) Christmas has become so materialistic and about things that have nothing to do with Christ's birth (Gifts, Christmas Tree's, eating too much)

3) When is Jesus birthday? I don't thinks it's December 25th. I don't remember Jesus asking anyone to set up a holiday for Him that would include songs about Santa and reindeer's, gifts and debt, decorating tree's and drinking eggnog.

I am thankful for the time off and the community events offered which still easily fall in the the "holiday" category.

Personally I believe that we as believers can continue guarding and preparing our hearts to celebrate communion/sacrament -year round. Communion is a beautiful, symbolic act that Jesus instructed His followers to do in remembrance of Him. Luke 22:19, "And he (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them (the disciples), saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’"

Blessings

[Nathair/|\]

December 31

• Christian Feast Day:
  
  • Pope Sylvester I (Roman Catholic Church)
    

• International Solidarity Day (Azerbaijan)
  
• New Year's Eve (International observances), and its related observances:
  
  • Last Day of the Year or Bisperás ng Bagong Taón, special holiday between Rizal Day and New Year's Day (The Philippines)
    
  • The first day of Hogmanay or "Auld Year’s Night" (Scotland)
    

  [*]The seventh day of Christmas (Western Christianity)