The "Reason for the Season"

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Hanukkuh starts on the 25th of Kislev. The jewish months of the year are not the same as the christian calender. This year, 2005, the 25th of Kislev happens to be Dec. 26th. Hanukkuh eve, this year, is on Dec 25th, the same day as christmas.
Next year, 2006, Hanukkuh starts Dec. 16th.

I happen to believe in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God, what the Bible teaches. However, I do not celebrate Christmas, and I do not believe that He is the reason for the season for the following reasons:

1. Jesus was not born on December 25. Nobody knows exactly when He was born, but He may have been born sometime around the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) or Passover. The day December 25 was the Roman pagan feast of Saturnalia, which was adopted by the Catholic Church to be the celebration of the "Christ Mass." Therefore, Christmas is not really a Christian holiday, but more a pagan holiday.

2. All of the trappings of Christmas came from paganism--decorated trees, holly, mistletoe, Yule logs, figgy pudding, etc. The Christmas tree was from a German pagan tradition.

3. Jewish tradition is not very big on commemorating birthdays of important Jewish figures. Instead, the day of death or the Yahrzeit is much more prominent in this tradition. There is no command in the New Testament to celebrate the birth of the Messiah. In fact, in John 7, Jesus celebrated the "Feast of Dedication" or Chanukah.

I have no problems with public displays of Christmas, but I do not celebrate it in my own home. I have no problems with anybody else celebrating Christmas. Christ was never in Christmas in the first place.