Unfortunately one Christmas like that and our nation would fall into a massive recession.
Maybe we should all celebrate Christmas in July by blasting off fireworks and then celebrate our great nation and our prosperity by spending billions of dollars buying gifts for all our relatives and friends at the end of the year.
lol Sad but true. Maybe we should just declare a separate "Consumer Day."
I actually got interviewed this year on the subject of dealing with mixed traditions. As a Messianic, I don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, but my parents do, so to honor them I always go to the candle-light service on Christmas Eve (it's one of the nicest pieces of Christian symbolism anywhere) and join them for Christmas dinner.
In return, and out of respect for me, they don't ask me to help decorate the tree (though they do ask me to haul it out of the basement for them) and they light the candles with me for Hanukkah when I'm over. They also come out to our synagogue to celebrate the Biblical Feasts; they're particularly fond of Passover and Sukkot.
I do understand why my Sunday-brethren continue to celebrate Christmas; it's hard to change traditions that one grew up with, and having been raised to celebrate the Lord's birthday at this time, they really do intend it "to the Lord," as it were. It is also a fun and beautiful time of year. I hope they in turn can understand why I choose to go with a different set of holidays.
The ones I really feel sorry for are those who eschew any holidays at all--God gave us His Feasts for our refreshing and joy, and I think that those who try to avoid all "shadows"--whether on the correct Biblical dates or not--rob themselves of a great blessing.
Shalom, Happy Hanukkah, and Merry Christmas to all!
I'm not convinced of that. I think just the opposite would happen:
Deu 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Deu 30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them:
Deu 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
I think the principle is the same. The more we turn to God and his ways the more blessed we will be. Does this mean monetarily? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe he would bless us by unearthing huge energy reserves. Or causing our enemies to fall. Or anything that would replace the supposed economic "good" that comes out of this time of year.
But surely the blessing of God for keeping his commandments, statutes and judgments will be no small thing.