Christmas trees in houses of Sikhs

[Singh559]

It is indeed a capitalistic holiday rather than dharmik. Some Punjabi people do it for the decoration and "culture" though. We haven't put up our artificial tree in yeeeaaaaars lol

[bluespace]

Fateh.. With the xmas tree make sure you have the turkey lunch with a glass of red..... Dont pick an choose... You saying xmas is about the xmas tree is like saying vaisakhi is like dhol and bhangra..for all. The ppl who gonna say dont compare vaisakhi with xmas etc im not and check your living room....even if goreh take the piss out of their own dharm dont jog along ppl... Jesus was a matry and one who personally i would not hesitata to do bhagti with...goreh that have an x mas tree an get pisssed are no different to those who get pissed at nagar kirtans... And yes it does happen at nagar kirtans...

[Only five]

Pagan worship the Christmas tree by putting gifts underneath it. The Hindus put food in the stone idols mouth and then also give it gifts. Yet the latter is cursed at by those who put up Christmas trees

The father takes a big bite out of a somsa with chutni dripping from the side of his mouth.........stupid hindus and there idol worship..........bunty can you get my tea bottle from under the Christmas tree your mom needs it for work..............but daddy its not christmas morning...........okay son........wait till tomorrow.........opens his newspaper and sees a picture of RSS.............stupid bloody fools and their jai mata jai mata.............in the backgroundthe kids have a Christmas song playing........

That is what you call education in punjabi homes

I know many of you were having fun with this thread and by doing so concealing the seriousness of this thread, but why curse one idol over the other. Either accept both or deny both.

We know Satguru did not accept idol worship; example don't put them in your house. Idol worship is idol worship, whether that is of a stone or of a tree.

Also for those that say the tree has become a marketing tool. Well so has idols of Hindu Gods. I have heard many times from punjabis mouth that we don't worship the idol..........it looks nice. The christmas tree becoming a marketing tool is not a valid point. An aware Sikh would not just think of it as a marketing tool, but will understand the deeper reason of it. Intentional ignorance does not mean we do idol worship of a tree.

But from last year, I see many have moved away from the tree and caught on that it is a form of idol worship. :biggrin2: One step forward and Satguru moves a thousand steps closer to you.

[buddasingh]

[Singh559]

I have a thaal and deeva whenever I take out my artificial Christmas tree heehee

Seriously, this is the first I've heard of worshipping a tree lol. I do like to think of myself as a tree hugger, but never a tree poojaer

What if you just have a decorated tree without presents, does that also constitute of pooja?

[VanHelsingh]

I have a thaal and deeva whenever I take out my artificial Christmas tree heehee

Seriously, this is the first I've heard of worshipping a tree lol. I do like to think of myself as a tree hugger, but never a tree poojaer

What if you just have a decorated tree without presents, does that also constitute of pooja?

I can see the logic behind equating pooja of a tree with pooja of a stone idol. Both represent symbols of something bigger in the mind of the "poojee" and therefore you could argue, as OnlyFive Ji has, that we are replacing one form of idolatry with another because we seem to think the "western" idolatry (of the Christmas tree, and by extension the observance of Christmas) is a lesser crime. It's a pretty salient point if I'm being honest.

[chatanga]

these days im not sure that a christmas tree represents anything. Probably most parents have one just to keep their kids happy. Cos kids, christian or not, like and want, or even demand presents. So when they with their friends and stuff they dont feel left out.

it a case of just going along with the tide when it comes to trees and presents. If you look at the way xmas is thrust upon society, it is all about selling goods to people who should know better.

Is it ok to not celebrate xmas but be first in line for the xmas sales?

[Jonny101]

these days im not sure that a christmas tree represents anything. Probably most parents have one just to keep their kids happy. Cos kids, christian or not, like and want, or even demand presents. So when they with their friends and stuff they dont feel left out.

it a case of just going along with the tide when it comes to trees and presents. If you look at the way xmas is thrust upon society, it is all about selling goods to people who should know better.

Is it ok to not celebrate xmas but be first in line for the xmas sales?

Chatanga jee, today in India if you see Sikh celebrating Hindu holydays, they say the same thing, "I'm not sure this day really celebrates Hinduism I just do it because it's fun and the children enjoy it", if this type of thinking will not confuse one's children then what will?

Maintaining Sikhi in the west is not easy. Everything is going against us. We are literally going against the flow. We need to give our children as much Gurmat Sanskaars as possible. How can we possiblly be cheerful and put up a Christian tree while our Sahibzadaas and Mata Gujri Jee were Shaheed during this time of the year? and still hope that our children will grow up with Gurmat Bibek Budh?

Secondly why is celebrating Christmas okay and not celebrating Hindu holydays? As only five jee mentioned, I myself have also seen some sikhs who say RSS this and RSS that yet they act like hypocrites and celebrate Christmas! why is one AamMat holyday okay while a holyday from another AanMat not acceptable?

Buying your children stuff during this time of the year one should give it to them like it is any other time of the year. Don't make it look like something special by gift wrapping it like you are giving it to them because it's Christmas. Don't confuse your children by making them think Christmas is a special day.

[chatanga]

Chatanga jee, today in India if you see Sikh celebrating Hindu holydays, they say the same thing, "I'm not sure this day really celebrates Hinduism I just do it because it's fun and the children enjoy it", if this type of thinking will not confuse one's children then what will?

Jonny Bhaji, the difference is that no-one is actually celebrating xmas ie the birth of the Lord, whereas in india they are actually celebrating the hindu festival. If Sikhs are going to church and singin hallalujah, then somnething has gone wrong. Whats happeneing is that those sikhs are (like most) just participating in the most showy-sparkly aspects of xmas, that is putting up trees, giving presents and stuff.

If you took Jesus Maharaj out of the whole equation, do you think that Xmas still wouldnt be celebrated?

[VanHelsingh]

I think most of us had a laugh yesterday regarding this topic, but in all seriousness I do agree with what Jonny Ji is has posted. It's swimming against the tide and popular opinion but since when has following the right path ever been easy? Yet we must ensure that our own choice to follow our particular path isn't coloured by hate and ego for those who don't perhaps wish to do so. I think we must educate and then allow Sikhs to make their choice. All this must be done without a hint of judgmentalism and superiority. It may seem like a trivial topic to get our collective kachere into a twist over something as meaningless as a tree, but these things have a habit of snowballing. This current generation of Sikhs go the whole nine-yards with their trees and baubles (and neglecting to educate their offspring when Sikhi smagams come around), the next couple of generations begin attending midnight mass with the justification that "I don't really believe in Jesus but it's a tradition". It could happen!