[Lijahsbubbe]

Now just hold on there mister. Chanukah was around way before Christmas. Jesus celebrated Chanukah (Festival of Lights John 10:22,23). I don't have a problem, however, with anyone wishing me either in good will.

[Michael81Dus]

And the Germans celebrated a Winter-Fest with large fires, that´s somehow also the origin of the (purely unchristian)Christmas tree (a German invention btw). Several cultures celebrated that, but is that a reason to mention them all? It became Christmas in our regions. As a Christian, I have no probs when others celebrate different holidays, I just despise the PC BS from other self-appointed Christians.

[Verginius Rufus]

Thanks for the reference to John 10.22.

The Greek word in John 10.22 for the feast is ta enkainia, "feast of renovation" (or "consecration"). The same word is used in the Apocrypha at II Esdras 6.16-17 for the dedication of the temple (= I Esdras 7.6-7 in Goodspeed's translation of the Apocrypha).

In I Maccabees 4.59 there is an account of the rededication of the temple by Judas Maccabaeus, from which the Channuka celebration stems, but the word used there in the Septuagint is enkainismos, a word from the same root with the same meaning.

The corresponding Greek verb is used in the Septuagint version of I Kings 8.63 for Solomon's dedication of the temple.