ANSWER to FIRST DAY of Christmas Past [Origins of Mormonism's 'Smithmas': Dec. 23, 1894]

From the article, citing Lds "prophet" Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith:

“I should like to see introduced among the Latter-day Saints…the practice of celebrating or commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith..."

Then the author of the piece finishes up the article advocating: "Do something this Christmas season in memory of the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith!"

What we're really seeing here is the jumpstart of "Smithmas" within Mormondom, as it occurred on Smith's birthday, Dec. 23, 1894 -- a Sunday which must have eclipsed an otherwise attempt at focusing upon Jesus Christ.

In case you've missed the FR "Smithmas" series this past week:
* D&c 325 Test #2 [Merry 'SMITHMAS!' BYU class says Joseph Smith is both 'Rod' and 'Root' of Jesse]
* 'First vision visitation' of LdsIsm trumps Jesus' incarnational visitation via Bethlehem [Vanity]
* Joseph Smith Nativity [A Virtual 'Merry Smithmas' 'Greeting Card' circa 2005]
* Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity]
* How would YOU score on this 26-question quiz about 'Smithmas?' [Vanity, Part A]
* What a Liturgical Order of Smithmas Sacrament Meeting Might look like! [Vanity, Part B]
* 'Twas the Night Before Smithmas! [WalterMartin.com]
* Joseph Smith 'gave us everything' & XMAS vs. LMOS (Local Manifestations of 'Smithmas') [Vanity]
* 'SmithEmphasisMas': Over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes applied to Joseph Smith [Vanity]
* MormonTimes - Remember the Prophet Joseph Smith's birthday [Merry 'Smithmas' Morning!]

Joseph F. Smith's desire -- that Mormons celebrate Smith's birthday -- took yet another 50 years to really get off the ground...when Logan, Utah assumed center stage during the annual December "Joseph Smith Memorial Firesides" kicked off in 1944...when they actually held two of them that year!

BYU published an extensive piece on these annual firesides, held in December for its first 30 years:
“Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas]

What, is this a Mormon site? I didn’t realize that.

What, is this a Mormon site? I didn’t realize that.

No it's not!

Yet many Mormons aren't aware of how their Church promotes Joseph Smith's Dec. 23 birthday.

In fact, on a Mormon forum discussion of "Celebration of Smithmas" -- started on Mormondialogue.org Dec. 22, 2011 by Lds apologist Daniel C. Peterson -- one of the Lds posters (Hamba Tuhan) commented:

"I'm confused. The 'official church' makes a big deal of the prophet's birthday? I must have been missing this."

And it indeed goes by many Mormons, some of whom just haven't been aware of the year-in, year-out Smithmasized wave of content distributed by Mormon leaders from Salt Lake City, Provo, Utah (BYU), and Logan, Utah.

New thread up:
What makes 'Smithmas' 'Smithmas'? [Vanity]

Chronological Historical Recap: What makes 'Smithmas' 'Smithmas'?

Every river has its banks. What is the channel forged -- the definition of the river -- that we've come to know as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "Smithmas"?

Every river has its tributaries; and when it comes to "Smithmas" it's the same.

As the Mormons annually celebrate Joseph Smith, his birthday, his advent, the Mormon Church adoration and over-attentiveness to Joseph Smith has openly competed with the focus Jesus Christ receives. The result? This continual cresting onto the banks of "Smithmas" has flooded our nation.

Its headwaters are multi-faceted:

19th century

The 'Oh come, oh come EmmanSMITHuel' long-time saga: Joseph Smith inserted himself into the Isaiah 11 Messianic prophecy in March 1838. For more on this, see recent thread: D&c 325 Test #2 [Merry 'SMITHMAS!' BYU class says Joseph Smith is both 'Rod' and 'Root' of Jesse]
Glory thievery via 'Praise to the Man' lyrics, 1844 onward: W.W. Phelps penned the lyrics to "Praise the Man" in August 1844. For more on this, see recent thread: Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity]
The 'let's substitute Joseph Smith for Jesus Christ as the way' era: 1854-1867: Brigham Young and his two First President Counselors (Heber C. Kimball and George Q. Cannon) made statements about Smith between Oct. 8, 1854 and and Nov. 17, 1867 that rightly apply only to Jesus Christ! For more on this, see last chart of Smith as a "substitute" 'way' in Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity] And: How would YOU score on this 26-question quiz about 'Smithmas?' [Vanity, Part A] And: What a Liturgical Order of Smithmas Sacrament Meeting Might look like! [Vanity, Part B] Please note that these kinds of quotes weren't discontinued in being published by the Mormon church, as evidenced by quotes that have surfaced from 1925, 1944, 1954, 1966-67, and 1982
The age of 'let's celebrate Joseph Smith's birthday' arrives: 1894: During the 50th anniversary year of Joseph Smith's death – on Smith's Dec. 23 birthday, a Sabbath day two days before Christmas which is the closest service for Mormons to adore the Christ child – Smith's nephew, Joseph F. Smith advocated that Mormons take up the annual celebration of Smith's birthday. For more on this, see ANSWER to FIRST DAY of Christmas Past [Origins of Mormonism's 'Smithmas': Dec. 23, 1894]

20th and 21st centuries

The Compete-with-Christ-during-December Joseph Smith Memorial start-up years: 1944-1973: During the centennial recognition of Smith's death, the Lds Religion Institute in Logan, Utah begins what is to be its annual "Joseph Smith Memorial Fireside." In fact, in that year – 1944 – it holds such a "fireside" twice – Feb. 6 and Dec. 10, with eventual Lds "Prophet" David O. McKay citing "Praise to the Man" at the Dec. 10 event. The firesides wind up competing with a Christmas focus on Christmas for the next 30 Decembers – all the way through 1973...before the annual event is shifted to January and February. See “Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas]
The 'Praise to the Man' stressed years: 1975-2005: During the mid-to-late 1970s, the next two "Smithmas" movements afoot emerge: (a) After former Mormon Tabernacle Choir director/conductor J. Spencer Cornwall concedes that the hymn "Praise to the Man" is sung directly in worship of Joseph Smith (1975) [see Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity], eventual Lds "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley began a periodical kick to stress the hymn in BYU Devotionals, other messages, and the Ensign Magazine (1979, August 1983, December 1997, December 2005); and (b) Mormon publications begin over-the-top SmithEmphasisMas themes beginning with the 1976 December issue of New Era, giving yet another "should" to Mormons: December 23 SHOULD be a day of great importance in every Latter-day Saint home...". Two years later, in the December 1978 Ensign, after mentioning Jesus Christ, the author says: "Within the Church there is also a second story associated with Christmas—from Sharon, Vermont, to Carthage, Illinois—which draws our attention during this season. ...As we commemorate the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, the Savior of the world, may we also remember his emissary, Joseph Smith, and consciously rejoice in his life and sacrifice, as well." Hence, a dual theme emerges of "Joy to the World" for both Jesus and Joseph.
The SmithEmphasisMas years: 1990-2011: In addition to a long-time continuation for the Mormon Church through its publications to emphasize Joseph Smith's praise in December, the articles began a certain "SmithEmphasisMas" flare (over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes applied to Smith). For example, the December 1990 Liahona Magazine noted, with great SmithEmphasisMas, that: "The early members of the Church remembered his birthday with festive celebrations." Joseph Smith cradle themes emerged with the published articles in Ensign (December 2005) and church-owned Deseret News (Dec. 18, 2011) – along with a BYU Joseph Smith Nativity Scene in December 2005. Smith dawned the cover of Ensign Magazine three times in 2005 and four times within 12 months. And the Lds Church News on the last day of 2005 capped it all with a report of the Joseph Smith praise-athon over his 200th birthday: ”Thousands across world offer 'praise to the man'. While the Conference Center stage was still dominated by the Christmas setting of The First Presidency Christmas Devotional and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, the village church, cottage and flocked evergreens hinted of Joseph Smith's Vermont. A prominent statue of the Prophet on the stage was a constant reminder of the purpose of the evening.” For more on this see: 'SmithEmphasisMas': Over-the-top renditions of Christmas themes applied to Joseph Smith [Vanity] and Joseph Smith Nativity [A Virtual 'Merry Smithmas' 'Greeting Card' circa 2005]
The Mormon digital forum years: 2001-2013: And, with the advent of Mormon Forums, tales emerged 2001-2013 indicating that LMOS had eclipsed XMAS in some local Mormon wards. (LMOS = Local Manifestations of Smithmas). For more on this see Joseph Smith 'gave us everything' & XMAS vs. LMOS (Local Manifestations of 'Smithmas') [Vanity]

And then, finally a KEY primary theological theme running rampant throughout the Mormon Church no matter what decade is discussed is this one discussed here: 'First vision visitation' of LdsIsm trumps Jesus' incarnational visitation via Bethlehem [Vanity]

Defining Smithmas'

The worship or adoration or over-the-top reverence accorded Joseph Smith by both Mormon leaders and many (but not all) grassroots Mormons, leading to the more-than-occasional infringement, usurpation and eclipse of Christmas. This is, in part, due to Joseph Smith's birthday coming on Dec. 23 of each year.
An extended manifestation of claiming for Joseph Smith or his "priesthood" roles, titles, or rights reserved for the Godhead alone.

In other words, 'Smithmas' is but a seasonal outcropping – a mere symptom of a broader Mormon spiritual ailment whereby Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit have been usurped – substituted with Joseph Smith. And this isn't always "worship" and adoration; for example, many Lds leaders talk about...

...witnessing to Joseph Smith vs. witnessing to Jesus Christ; {see chart at Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity]}
...about Joseph Smith being the way or final judge – the consenter (or passport) back to Heavenly Father [see link in above bullet point]
...about Joseph Smith being THE "ruler" in the "Spirit World" – after some references in both the 19th and 20th centuries to his divine status [see link above]
...about "confessing" Joseph Smith or "believing in" Joseph Smith. [See link above]

Other times, Lds leaders frame Smith's "restored priesthood" carries these same qualities. The third Lds "prophet," John Taylor was even quoted by the Mormon Church in 2001 book Teachings of Presidents of the Church: John Taylor (p. 119) -- republished from 1943: "What is priesthood?...I shall briefly answer that it is the government of God...It governs all things –it directs all things—it sustains all things..." This type of quote isn't a one-time Mormon Church emphasis: Its publications of impersonalizing God's sustaining/directing power as an "it" has come out in...
...2004, 2001, and 1957 (citing Lds "prophet" Harold B. Lee);
...2002 (citing Lds "apostle" L. Tom Perry)
...2000 (its basic manual for priesthood holders)
...1946 (citing Lds "prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith)
...1941 (citing Lds "prophet' Brigham Young) It's precisely because of these manifestations that Mormons are more accurately described as disciples of Joseph Smith vs. disciples of the Biblical Jesus Christ. Per Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie: "Anyone who believes the doctrine, teachings, or philosophy of another and who follows that teacher is his disciple. He stands as a learner, a devotee of the one whose concept he accepts." (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 198, also cited by the Mormon Church in its curriculum study guide – "When Thou Art Converted, Strengthren Thy Brethren: 1974-75" published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in 1974, p. 134) Hence, Mormons believe Smith's doctrine, teachings, concepts and philosophy; they are learners – devotees of Smith more properly than Jesus Christ.

oh yes

lots of birthday parties for Joey Smith for the little Mormon kiddies but no Christmas party for Jesus ..

Wow, you must get up early to prepare this hate spew. Excessive bile keeping you awake ? Heartburn from all the hate you vomit regularly ? A little depressed from “bearing false witness against your neighbor” ?

Merry CHRISTmas...and thanks for helping to bump this thread into double digits