Originally Posted by rimes1

hay anathema christmas is celebrated becuase of the birth of christ it is also a time for giving as the "angels told people to give out presents" samething along those lines.

The christmas tree is the shape of a cedar tree this is because in the middle east cedars a common especially in lebanon they are a symbol only to represent the birth of christ which a decroated for his birth there is no meaning.

Buying presents and giving presents to those who give you presents is not considered xmas giving presents was a symbol and memory of saint nicholas not santa claus who loved children and gave presents in the night so that a not seen as a present that seen is not a present at all as it is wrong to be bustful about giving. This is what xmas stands for and this is why we celebrate it like we do.

People in america and australia have carols that are about sainta claus and gifts i gotta to admit their knid of cute if you go to the midde east their carols are all about jesus the journey and Bethlehem or mary even the majority of children songs I can send you same if you wish in arabic with the english translation.

I can't touch the bible at the moment as in lebanese culture if a christian girl is dirty (time of the month) she shouldn't go near the alter of the church or touch the bible this is beacuse when mary got her period at 12 she was sent out of the temple as she no longer was a child.

I am eastern orthodox or if you like we call it Antiochian orthodox we where the very first people to be called christians and my church is called saint nicholas we have Antiochian churches in lebanon,syria,america,australia etcs we are the second largest christianity group in the world