The Church “baptised” Pesach and Sukkot as Easter and Pentecost, respectively; one could argue that Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah have been incorporated into Advent and Christmas.
I think that about covers the Torah-mandated festivals—am I missing any?
I also think Purim has been long overlooked by everyone Christian as a great opportunity for a clearly God-mandated party, even though it is extra-Torah. It also is a great fancy-dress opportunity in the Spring which balances Hallowe’en nicely.
Although I suppose a lot of dry evangelicals could stumble over the “drink until you are unable to tell the difference between Mordecai and Haman” tradition.
That's Pesach and Shavu`ot. Sukkot comes in the fall (just ended last week). And Ro'sh HaShanah and Yom Kippur come nowhere near chr*stmas (the old 1936 St. Andrew's Missal said that Ro'sh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot had all been changed to the ember days of september)!
I think that about covers the Torah-mandated festivals—am I missing any?
You missed the funnest one of all--Simchat Torah!
I also think Purim has been long overlooked by everyone Christian as a great opportunity for a clearly God-mandated party, even though it is extra-Torah. It also is a great fancy-dress opportunity in the Spring which balances Hallowe’en nicely.
Of course.
Although I suppose a lot of dry evangelicals could stumble over the “drink until you are unable to tell the difference between Mordecai and Haman” tradition.
Why does everyone put down the teetotaling thing? I for one think it is a charming relic of the old proto-abolition New England and Northern Protestantism (back when antebellum Southerners considered whiskey a necessity of life).
Then of course the Orthodox Union seems to be very down on alcohol (they posted an article one year saying "It's not a mitzvah to get drunk on Purim!" and advocating drinking grape juice. Of course, the Orthodox Union is "Modern" Orthodox . . .