Christmas Kastom​—Hem Christian Wei?

HEM taem bilong Christmas nao. Wanem nao diswan minim for iu, famili bilong iu, and olketa fren bilong iu? Waswe, hem wanfala spiritual taem, or wanfala taem bilong party and hapi nomoa? Hem taem for ting raonem taem wea Jesus Christ hem born or for no wari abaotem olketa Christian principle?

For ting raonem olketa kwestin hia, remember hao olketa kastom bilong Christmas savve difren for difren ples. Olsem example, long Mexico and olketa nara Latin-American kantri, nem hem difren. Wanfala encyclopedia sei English nem Christmas hem “kam from wanfala olo toktok, Christes Masse, datfala Mass bilong Christ.” Bat, La Navidad, or Nativity, nem wea olketa Latin-American kantri iusim, hem minim nativity, or taem wea Christ born. Lelebet lukim samfala kastom long Mexico. Diswan savve affectim tingting bilong iu abaotem disfala holiday taem.

Olketa Posada, “Thrifala Wise Man,” and Nacimiento

Olketa party start long December 16 witim olketa posada. Disfala buk Mexico’s Feasts of Life hem sei: “Hem taem bilong olketa posada, naenfala barava hapi day bifor Christmas Eve, wea celebratem datfala gogo seleva bilong Joseph and Mary insaed taon bilong Bethlehem, and datfala taem wea gogo, tufala kasem nao kaenfala fasin and ples for stap. Olketa famili and fren hipap tugeta evri naet for actim moa olketa samting wea happen insaed tu-thri day bifor Christ hem born.”

Hem kastom for wanfala sekson karem image bilong Mary and Joseph go long wanfala haos and for sing for askem ples for stap, or posada. Olketa insaed haos bae sing go bak kasem taem olketa letem olketa wea visit hia for kam insaed haos. Then party hem start, wea samfala taemap kaleko long eye and holem stik and trae for brekem piñata, wanfala big clay pot wea hange. Taem hem brek, olketa wea stap tekem samting insaed (lole, frut, and olketa samting olsem). Bihaen diswan hem kaikai, drink, music, and dance. Eitfala posada party nao kamap start long December 16 go kasem December 23. Long namba 24, olketa celebratem Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), and olketa famili laek for stap tugeta for wanfala spesol kaikai.

No longtaem bihaen hem New Year’s Day, wea olketa celebratem witim olketa party wea noise tumas. Long evening bilong January 5, olketa biliv hao olketa Tres Reyes Magos (“thrifala wise man”) tekem kam olketa toy for olketa pikinini. Last samting nao hem wanfala party long January 6, taem olketa servem rosca de Reyes (raon cake). Taem olketa kaikaim cake, wanfala bae faendem insaed pis cake bilong hem wanfala smol dole wea piksarem baby Jesus. Diswan wea faendem mas organizem and holem wanfala last party long February 2. (Long samfala ples thrifala smol dole stap, wea piksarem “thrifala wise man.”) Olsem iu savve lukim, olketa party bilong Christmas gogo ahed nomoa.

Insaed taem hia, nacimiento (taem wea Jesus born) hem barava important. Wanem nao insaed diswan? Long samfala pablik ples and olketa church and haos tu, olketa iusim olketa dole (big and smol) wea olketa wakem from ceramic, timba, or clay for showim olketa samting wea happen long taem Jesus hem born. Olketa showim Joseph and Mary wea nildaon front long manger wea baby leidaon insaed. Staka taem olketa showim shepherd and Los Reyes Magos (“olketa wise man”). Evriting hia insaed long haos bilong animal, and samfala dole animal stap for mekem hem luk stret. Bat, main wan nao hem datfala baby wea just born, wea Spanish languis kolem el Niño Dios (datfala Pikinini God). Samfala taem olketa addim go diswan long Christmas Eve.

Moa Savve Abaotem Olketa Kastom Bilong Nativity

Abaotem wei wea staka pipol long world minim disfala Christmas celebration, The Encyclopedia Americana hem sei: “Staka long olketa kastom wea distaem join witim Christmas olketa no start olsem, bat olketa nao, kastom wea Christian church acceptim wea start kam from taem bifor Christian taem and no from Christian Wei. Staka long olketa hapitaem kastom bilong Christmas hem followim Saturnalia, wanfala Roman feast wea olketa celebratem midolwan long December. Olsem example, wei for garem bigfala feast, givim present, and laetem olketa kandol kam from disfala celebration.”

Long Latin America, olketa garem samfala moa kastom wea join witim olketa main kastom bilong Nativity. Maet iu ask, ‘Wea nao olketa hia start from.’ For tok stret, staka wea laek for followim Bible luksavve hao samfala kastom kam from olketa kastom bilong olketa Aztec nomoa. El Universal, wanfala niuspepa long Mexico City, hem sei: “Olketa Friar mekius long wei wea olketa important celebration saed long worship bilong olketa Aztec kamap semtaem witim olketa Catholic celebration, so olketa iusim diswan for saportim missionary waka and for kasem moa follower. Olketa changem olketa celebration for rememberim olketa god bilong olketa bifor witim olketa celebration for olketa Christian god, olketa joinim olketa European celebration and samting wea olketa duim, and tu mekius long olketa celebration bilong olketa Aztec, wea from diswan tufala difren kastom join tugeta wea startim olketa niu toktok wea barava bilong Mexico.”

The Encyclopedia Americana explainim olsem: “Olketa drama abaotem datfala Nativity hem part bilong Christmas celebration from bifor kam . . . Olketa sei Saint Francis nao startim wei for showim long church datfala crèche [samting wea happen long manger].” Olketa bin actim insaed long church olketa drama hia abaotem taem wea Christ hem born from taem olketa long Spain start for rulim Mexico. Olketa Franciscan monk nao organizem olketa drama hia for teachim olketa Indian abaotem datfala Nativity. Bihaen, pipol start for savve abaotem posada. Nomata wanem nao firstfala goal bilong olketa posada, wei wea olketa duim posada distaem talem really goal. Sapos iu stap long Mexico taem olketa duim, iu savve lukim or minim samting wea man for raet for El Universal hem talem hia: “Olketa posada, wea bifor hem wei for mekem iumi rememberim gogo bilong dadi and mami bilong Jesus for lukaotem ples for Pikinini God savve born, hem distaem taem for drunk, ova tumas, ova long kaikai, olketa iusles samting, and moa and moa crime.”

Idea bilong nacimiento kamap long taem wea Spain start for rulim Mexico, hem kamaot from olketa drama wea olketa bin duim firstaem long olketa church. Nomata samfala laekem diswan, waswe, hem stret followim wanem Bible talem? Diswan hem gudfala kwestin. Taem thrifala wise man—wea really olketa man wea studyim star for savve long future—visit, Jesus and famili bilong hem lusim finis datfala haos bilong animal. Taem go pas finis, and famili stap nao insaed wanfala haos. Iu bae faendem hem interesting for lukim diswan insaed Bible long Matthew 2:1, 11. Iu bae lukim tu hao Bible no talem namba bilong olketa man wea studyim star for savve long future.a

Long Latin America, thrifala wise man changem Santa Claus. Nomata olsem, olsem olketa duim long olketa nara kantri tu, staka mami and dadi haedem olketa toy long haos. Then long morning bilong January 6, olketa pikinini lukaotem olketa, olsem for sei thrifala wise man nao tekem kam. Diswan hem taem wea olketa toy bisnis mek profit, and samfala kasem big selen from wanem honest pipol luksavve long hem olsem wanfala false idea bilong man nomoa. Distaem samfala no biliv long disfala kastom story abaotem thrifala wise man, nomata olketa smol pikinini tu. Nomata samfala no hapi long wei wea staka lusim disfala biliv, wanem nao man expectim from wanfala false idea wea pipol keepim nomoa from hem kastom and for kasem profit?

Olketa firstfala Christian no celebratem Christmas, or datfala Nativity. Abaotem diswan, wanfala encyclopedia hem sei: “Insaed olketa first handred year bilong Christian church, olketa no celebratem olketa samting olsem, from Christian wei long datfala taem hem for celebratem dae bilong wanfala important man and no taem wea hem born.” Bible hem joinim wei for celebratem birthday witim heathen pipol, no witim olketa tru worshiper bilong God.—Matthew 14:6-10.

Bat hem tru, diswan no minim hem no important for savve and rememberim olketa samting wea happen long taem Son bilong God hem born. Trufala story from Bible givim moa savve and leson wea important for evriwan wea laek for duim will bilong God.

Wanem Bible Talem Abaotem Taem Jesus Born

Iu bae faendem trufala information abaotem taem wea Jesus born insaed olketa Gospel bilong Matthew and Luke. Tufala storyim visit bilong angel Gabriel long wanfala young woman wea no marit, Mary, long taon bilong Nazareth long Galilee. Wanem message nao hem talem? “Lukim! iu bae garem pikinini insaed long bele bilong iu and bornem wanfala son, and iu mas kolem nem bilong hem Jesus. Diswan bae kamap nambawan and olketa bae kolem hem Son bilong Most Hae; and Jehovah God bae givim hem throne bilong David, dadi bilong hem, and hem bae rul ovarem haos bilong Jacob for olowe, and kingdom bilong hem bae no savve finis.”—Luke 1:31-33.

Disfala message mekem Mary sapraes tumas. From hem no marit, hem sei: “Hao nao diswan bae kamap tru, from mi no sleep witim eni man?” Angel ansarem hem olsem: “Holy spirit bae kam long iu, and paoa bilong Most Hae bae stap long iu. Dastawe, olketa bae kolem diswan wea bae hem born holy, Son bilong God.” Mary, wea luksavve hao diswan hem will bilong God, hem sei: “Lukim! Slave girl bilong Jehovah! Letem samting wea iu talem happen long mi.”—Luke 1:34-38.

Wanfala angel talem Joseph abaotem mirakol wei wea Jesus bae born mekem hem no divorcem Mary, wea hem plan for duim taem hem herem hem babule. From diswan nao hem willing for acceptim responsibility for lukaftarem Son bilong God.—Matthew 1:18-25.

Then Caesar Augustus givimaot wanfala law wea forcem Joseph and Mary for go from Nazareth long Galilee go kasem Bethlehem long Judea, taon bilong olketa laen dadi bilong tufala, for register. “Taem tufala stap long there, hem kasem taem nao for hem bornem pikinini. And hem bornem wanfala son, wea hem firstborn, and hem pasolem hem long kaleko and putim hem insaed long box for kaikai bilong olketa animal, from no eni rum stap for olketa long haos.”—Luke 2:1-7.

Luke 2:8-14 storyim samting wea happen bihaen olsem: “And tu, long datfala sem kantri samfala shepherd stap long aotsaed and lukaftarem sheep bilong olketa long naet. And seknomoa, angel bilong Jehovah hem stand klosap long olketa, and olketa lukim glory bilong Jehovah, and olketa fraet tumas. Bat datfala angel sei long olketa: ‘No fraet, from, lukim! Mi talem iufala gud nius long wanfala big hapi wea evriwan bae garem, bikos long tuday wanfala Man For Sevem iufala hem born, hem nao Christ disfala Lord, long taon bilong David. And diswan nao wanfala saen for iufala: iufala bae faendem wanfala baby wea olketa pasolem long kaleko and putim insaed long box for putim kaikai for olketa animal.’ And seknomoa wanfala bigfala army long heven standap witim datfala angel, and olketa praisem God and sei: ‘Givim glory long God wea stap antap, and long earth peace stap midolwan long olketa man bilong gudwill.’ ”

Olketa wea Studyim Star for Savve Long Future

Story bilong Matthew talem hao olketa bilong East wea studyim star for savve long future kam long Jerusalem for lukaotem ples wea datfala King bilong olketa Jew hem born. King Herod barava interest long diswan—bat for nogud goal. “Taem hem sendem olketa go long Bethlehem, hem sei: ‘Iufala go lukaotem disfala young pikinini, and taem iufala faendem hem, kam bak and talem long mi mekem mi tu savve go and baodaon long hem.’” Olketa man wea studyim star for savve long future faendem datfala young pikinini and “openem tu olketa samting wea garem hae price and givim hem present, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Bat olketa no go bak long Herod. “Olketa kasem warning from God insaed long wanfala dream for no go bak long Herod.” God iusim wanfala angel for warnim Joseph abaotem nogud goal bilong Herod. So Joseph and Mary ranawe go long Egypt witim son bilong tufala. Next samting, for killim disfala niu King, King Herod givim order for olketa killim dae olketa boy long Bethlehem. Wanem kaen boy? Olketa wea no winim tu year.—Matthew 2:1-16.

Wanem Nao Iumi Savve Lanem From Datfala Story?

Olketa man wea studyim star for savve long future wea visit hia—nomata haomas long olketa nao go—olketa no worshipim trufala God. Wanfala footnote insaed La Nueva Biblia Latinoamérica (1989 Edition) Bible, hem sei: “Olketa Magi no king, bat pipol for talem future and olketa priest bilong heathen religion.” Olketa kam followim savve bilong olketa abaotem olketa star, wea olketa faithful tumas long hem. Sapos God laek for gaedem olketa go long datfala young pikinini, olketa bae go stret long datfala ples and no need for go firstaem long Jerusalem and long haos bilong Herod. Bihaen, God duim samting for changem gogo bilong olketa for protectim datfala pikinini.

Long Christmas, olketa savve extram disfala story witim false idea and story for muvim feeling bilong man, wea haedem moa important samting: hao disfala baby hem born for kamap nambawan King, olsem olketa announcem long Mary and long olketa shepherd. Nomoa, Jesus Christ hem no baby distaem, hem no pikinini tu. Hem King wea rul long Kingdom bilong God, wea klosap nao bae finisim evri rul wea againstim will bilong God and hem bae stretem evri problem bilong olketa man. Diswan nao Kingdom wea iumi askem insaed long Lord’s Prea.—Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:9, 10.

From wanem olketa angel talem long olketa shepherd, iumi lanem hao chance for salvation hem open for evriwan wea willing for herem message bilong gud nius. Olketa wea God hapi long olketa kamap “olketa man bilong gudwill.” Olketa nambawan hope for peace long full world anda long Kingdom bilong Jesus Christ hem stap, bat pipol mas willing for duim will bilong God. Waswe, Christmas taem hem encouragem diswan, and hem taem wea pipol wantem olketa samting hia? For staka honest pipol wea laek for followim Bible, ansa hem klia.—Luke 2:10, 11, 14.

[Footnote]

[Box long page 4]

SAMFALA BAE SAPRAES

Long buk bilong hem The Trouble With Christmas, Tom Flynn talem wanem hem faendem bihaen staka year wea hem studyim Christmas:

“Bigfala namba long olketa kastom wea join witim Christmas garem faondeson long olketa heathen kastom from taem bifor Christian taem. Pipol distaem wea garem savve and tinghevi long olketa kastom bilong olketa maet lusim olketa kastom hia wea garem mining saed long living, sex, or samting long saed long olketa star taem olketa savve gud long really story bilong olketa.”—Page 19.

Bihaen hem talem staka samting abaotem diswan, Flynn go bak long main point: “Samting wea no fitim wanem iumi expectim hem hao staka samting abaotem Christmas no kam from Christian wei. Bihaen iumi aotem evri part wea olketa addim from bifor long taem bilong Christian wei, big haf long wanem hem stap hem olketa part wea olketa addim go bihaen, and no from trufala Christian wei.”—Page 155.

[Piksa long page 7]

Datfala announcement hao Jesus bae born hem markem future waka bilong hem olsem King wea God chusim