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Why do we have a White House Christmas tree?


Q-C

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I know all US Presidents have been Christians, but will the tree tradition last?

For me, it is a prominent symbol of Church&State. It makes a statement.

What do you all think?

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The Christmas tree was a pagan tradition long before it was adopted by Christianity, so it works for me.

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Same reason they have coffee.

And yes, the Christmas tree is a pagan thing the Christians adopted.......like celebrating Christmas in December. Christ was actually born in April, but the pagans were having too much fun during Yule.

Edited by keninsc
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The Christmas tree was a pagan tradition long before it was adopted by Christianity, so it works for me.

But it is called a "Christmas" tree. It is not a pagan symbol at the White House. Are there angels on the WH tree? A nativity maybe? Christian symbols?

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It's not a statement. They're not just "the government," they're actually people, a family. They celebrate Christmas. They have a tree.

Big deal.

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Actually, they don't have any religious symbols, it's all pretty generic. You wouldn't even know what the season was actually supposed to be about if you went in there at Christmas time. It could just as easily be taken for a Pagan celebration.

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It is called The National Christmas Tree. Who pays for all of the tree(s)? Who pays for the decorations and electricity. We are all invited, the lighting of the tree is a big deal, this is not a personal family tree(s).

This is a government building we all pay for. One can't rewrite history because one does not follow Christianity.

If it's pagan why does anyone fight for "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas?

Edited by QuiteContrary
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The White House has several Christmas Trees inside. What do stars at the top symbolize? There is no way that past Presidents when this tradition began, and has been upheld...when this was a "Christian" Nation, that the tree was in any way meant to be pagan. Its (that is our National Christmas Tree) history is traditional, its symbolism is Christian. Citizens pay for it, I wondered how long it will last?

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Because the Government picks and chooses what it will defend and not defend.

Do I really need to spell it out to you?

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it's because Obama is an evil atheistic Kenyan Muslim Socialist, it's all shadowplay and distraction for the masses.

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it's because Obama is an evil atheistic Kenyan Muslim Socialist, it's all shadowplay and distraction for the masses.

Why blame him? It's been tradition with both parties for decades. What does it have to do with Kenya? And Arabs have bought the U.S. Christmas trees.

But as I keep seriously asking "For how long?" and "Why?".

Carter even began the lighting of a National Menorah, for religious appeasement's sake.

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Why so much fuss over a Christmas tree at the White House?

It's a tradition, and I like it.

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The word "Christmas" is a holiday about Christ. What else does "Christ" mean? excluding some historical definition few Americans even know. The National Tree lighting included carols and religious services, that was expected with a "Christ"mas tree. It entwined Church&State at a time most thought they were.

We are a nation inclusive of other faiths and the nonfaithful as well as those who find Christ's words hateful and harmful.

Since we can't seem to keep The National Christmas trees alive, maybe we should pick something else as our symbol of Peace.

Isn't it offensive to anyone? Why then the fuss made over saying "Merry Christmas"?

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Get over it already!

That tradition will remain for a very, very long time.

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Even apart from the perennial - "See? The Roman Catholic Church stole Christmas trees from the pagans! The Lutherans tried to give the trees back, but there weren't pagans left, so the Lujtherans kept them." - I don't think of a Christmas tree as a religious symbol.

One way or another, people have lit controlled fires at the winter solstice long before Christ made corporal. It feels good just to look at a fire in the cold weather, and even better at night, which comes early these days. And regardless of the weather or the time of day, people like shiny things anyway.

So, what better seasonal indulgence than a big honking tree, loaded with lights and stuff that shines?

I mean, you have to get your story straight. If this time of year isn't actually related to the anniversary of Jesus' birth (which it isn't), then what's the problem?

It's not like Obama's flying the White House flags at half staff on Good Friday.

Edited by eight bits
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I see you have made up your mind. I have not.

Our nation is transforming and evolving in many ways. I asked opinions about another old national habit/tradition/mores.

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Even apart from the perennial - "See? The Roman Catholic Church stole Christmas trees from the pagans! The Lutherans tried to give the trees back, but there weren't pagans left, so the Lujtherans kept them." - I don't think of a Christmas tree as a religious symbol.

One way or another, people have lit controlled fires at the winter solstice long before Christ made corporal. It feels good just to look at a fire in the cold weather, and even better at night, which comes early these days. And regardless of the weather or the time of day, people like shiny things anyway.

So, what better seasonal indulgence than a big honking tree, loaded with lights and stuff that shines?

I mean, you have to get your story straight. If this time of year isn't actually related to the anniversary of Jesus' birth (which it isn't), then what's the problem?

It's not like Obama's flying the White House flags at half staff on Good Friday.

I get the history of lit trees. But that is not the history of our Nation's Christmas Tree. It has had in its history carols and religious ceremonies and church choirs and nearby nativities and Menorahs.

I'm glad its meaning is pagan for you. But that doesn't speak for everyone, nor for its symbolism to religion. The core of our nation in the past.

I am not trying to take away its symbol of paganism from anyone, but am questioning about its very real symbol of religion/Christianity/church/christ for many in the United States.

I wonder if its time should end in the future. OR at least the name.

Edited by QuiteContrary
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I get the history of lit trees. But that is not the history of our Nation's Christmas Tree. It has had in its history carols and religious ceremonies and church choirs and nearby nativities and Menorahs.

I'm glad its meaning is pagan for you. But that doesn't speak for everyone, nor for its symbolism to religion. The core of our nation in the past.

I am not trying to take away its symbol of paganism from anyone, but am questioning about its very real symbol of religion/Christianity/church/christ for many in the United States.

I wonder if its time should end in the future. OR at least the name.

That 'time' simply will not happen in the foreseable future, unless radical muslims take-over the US.

In the meantime, please continue sending your Christmas gifts to me.

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That 'time' simply will not happen in the foreseable future, unless radical muslims take-over the US.

In the meantime, please continue sending your Christmas gifts to me.

I respect your opinion.

However, I see the very real possibility of it becoming more and more offensive in the future, and thus being transformed as time goes on, by savvy politicians or maybe our first athiest President.

It has undergone changes (watering-down the religion, changing the religious entertainment) in its history already, from pressures, and concerned groups.

Sorry, we don't exchange christmas gifts, but if an errant one arrives (meant for my neighbor :P ), I'll send it post haste!

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Because the Christmas tree is nothing to do with Christianity (Norwegain Spruces weren't native to the Middle East), and is, if its origins could be tarced back to anything beyond the 19th c., if anything a pagan symbol.

i suppose people be clamouring for the whole thing to be called "Winter Break", to avoid Offending anybody next. Or perhaps Festivus.

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The White House has several Christmas Trees inside. What do stars at the top symbolize? There is no way that past Presidents when this tradition began, and has been upheld...when this was a "Christian" Nation, that the tree was in any way meant to be pagan. Its (that is our National Christmas Tree) history is traditional, its symbolism is Christian. Citizens pay for it, I wondered how long it will last?

Most people aren't actually offended by the notion of "Christmas", probably because not many people give any thought to the religious associations. of all the things that the Citizens might be tempted to take up arms against, the fact that there's an annual tradition of sticking a tree up with the word "Christ" atatched to it would be unlikely to be very high on many people's lists.

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Why is this even under discussion? :no:

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And why do we have a "White" House.

Perhaps it should be re-coloured in a rainbow motiff. (being sarcastic)

Look, changing American traditions to "appease" and "non-offend" is just getting rediculous.

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