usahog
jesus, by all records available, was determined to have born in early january. the 25th of dec was an arbitrary date picked by someone and remains as the customery date to celebrate his birthday.
we have a christmas tree and the family and presents and a great time. we do the samething for my birthday, toby's birthday, and my kids birthdays without the tree. so four tims a year we get together formally, the other times we get together as it happens.
the 25th of dec is the day recent history (30 - 40 years)tells us is the day we are suppossed to exchange gifts.
it is the buying spree time of the year. stores make a bunch of their money during the buying spree season.
store decorations used to be displayed the first or second week in dec. somehow seeing christmas ads before haloween seems incongruous.
this shopping spree is totally apart and different then the religious holiday celebrated by christians, on the 25th of december, to revere the birth of their savior.