Do you think Christmas is a pagan holiday shaped to drive consumerism?

The Invisible Hand/Illuminati: Do you think Christmas is a pagan holiday shaped to drive consumerism?
I have already read the history of Christmas, the legends of it, and the various origins of it. But I want to know what you think.

Do you think Christmas is merely a pagan holiday sprinkled with legends of the birth of a boy named Jesus?

Is Christmas a phony pagan holiday to drive consumerism?

Provide your insight but please you don’t have to explain every technical detail of the holiday because I have already done my research on it. This is an opinion gathering question.

Answers and Views:

Answer by Silver Moon
I think the meaning of today’s Christmas is much different from Christmas’ long, long, long ago. Things now have been blown out of proportion and turned into big spending holidays for which people do not have the money.
Instead of it being a time of thanks and family it has turned into presents and lots of high expectations like: I want a Nintendo Wii, I want a Guess purse..” It has turned into a material holiday instead of being a time of memories and time together.
I think the original intentions were good, just like any other holiday we have. People have just turned it into something all about material possessions.

I think a Christmas without presents is a good thing. It makes you realize how lucky you are to have your family and friends. You don’t need all those gifts underneath your tree. What matters is your family and friends.

Answer by Number
x-mas came from europe ,they changed the date from the 5 to the 25 of december so it has nothing 2 do with jesus,,so yeh its just a commercial thing.

Answer by Kirra Blackhart
I think it was originally a Pagan holiday, that was been perverted to convince the Pagans to convert to the christian religion. However, christianity itself is based on the pagan religions it tried to destroy.

As for the consumerism, I think big business will use any excuse to make a quick buck. Why else do they start stocking Christmas stuff in the shops in August?

Answer by Cassidy
Christmas being a holiday started by Christians as a way to cover up or to overshadow the Winter Solstice celebrations of long ago, is definitely a pagan holiday sprinkled with legends of a boy named Jesus. Which makes no sense, since the Winter Solstice is a celebration of nature and the new growing season…umm….reality. But actually, where I come from, it’s more than a sprinkle, it’s a whole bucket full of legend dumped on top of the whole holiday.

Ok, that being said, consumerism…I do still celebrate Christmas in the spirit of giving. Plus, it’s just fun! But yes, I do think it’s a time when people go overboard; especially when it comes to children. So, it really teaches kids about receiving more and more and more. I hear parents all the time talking about how during the holidays it is their tradition to go to the shelters and help those “less fortunate”. But what are they doing for the rest of the year to help others? That in itself sends the wrong message to kids. It’s very fake.

Another sign that it’s about consumerism is that it’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year”, yet, I hear people grumbling about the whole thing and how they can’t wait for it to be over. People trample each other in stores just to get the latest, best, new toy!

My favorite gift to give is my time. Instead of buying gifts, I will often take a friend out for coffee or invite a group of friends over for dinner. I took my daughter to Disney World one year and it was the best day of our lives. She will remember that Christmas more than the Wii she got last year; which, by the way, she only played with for like 2 months.