Seasonal Tidings, or whatever

I don't get Christmas, or Xmas (whatever the X has to do with it...) and let me outline my reasons for you.

Father Christmas, Santa Clause, St Nick etc etc etc. What has he got to do with it? If I was Jesus and there was some fat guy in a red and white suit (which we all know represents Coca Cola, right? Let's be clear on that) hijacking my birthday by dishing out presents to everyelse, I'd be steaming mad.

I've read the Gospels and nowhere do I see a fat guy sponsored by Coca Cola turning up on a sleigh pulled by nuclear-nosed Rudolph handing out PS2s. It just aint there.

Next: Why December 25th? I actually heard a minister on the radio the other day talking about how Jesus came preaching to us at Christmas.

Ah? Eh? How's that?

Ok - Jesus died on Nisan 14, which corresponds to between the first and second week in April on our calendar. We know he died when he was 33 (and the all important) and a half. Let's do some simple arithmatic. If he died in the April then he...hold on while I get my calculator....yes, he must have been born around...September or October time.

Hmm...

So why December 25th? Ah, wait. Isn't that roughly when the longest day is, AKA the Winter Solstist? Wait a mo...people wouldn't actually be worshipping the sun, would they, when they gather round their Xmas tree (with twinkly lights etc - nowhere to be seen in Matt, Mark, Luke or John, btw) to open their presents? Surely people haven't been duped into worshipping the sun when they think they're celebrating Christ's birthday, have they?

Considering Jesus is as important to most people's Xmas as the sun is, then people don't really care. Xmas is about PS2s and socks and wanting and getting and giving and being disappointed.

I'm not against Xmas, people can hook up and have parties etc to their heart's content. What I don't get is why it's still dressed up to look like something to do with Jesus, when all you have to do is read the Gospels to see that everything I've said above is true (well, you won't see Coca Cola mentioned), that the star led the 'wise men' - AKA Magi or astrologers - to King Herod first; the King that wanted Jesus dead. So the star wasn't sent by God to guide them....duh...And you'll see that Jesus was about 2 or 3 years old when the Magi finally got to him, not a baby in the manger as the nativity scenes describe. You'll also see that, by the time Jesus died, he had at no point instructed his followers to celebrate his birth. The only celebration Christ instituted was that of his death.

Because, let's face it, if the story is to be understood correctly, it was his death that was important...