What does the Christmas festival mean to you?

[MOB Karen]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_85v.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm824YYUS) Let us know what it means to you. http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/36/36_16_1.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm824YYUS)

[MOB Karen]

For me, it's a bit of both. It's definitely a religious holiday, but I enjoy Santa Claus, trees, presents, and everything Christmasy like that. lol :candycane:

[SerendipityCrafts]

As we age and as we see more and more commercialism & early holiday marketing (gimmee, gimmee, gimmee), we try to focus on the real meaning.

It is back to basics for the both of us - Jesus is the reason for the season.

[jeni740]

I am not religious at all so it is mainly about Santa and presents and being with our families

[LizabethDavis]

Combination of both. Because of the kids, even though we always remind them what it is really about, it somehow always falls back to being about gifts.

[katieandalex]

I grew up in a not very religious family, so generally for me its a secular holiday. For Alex, its probably more a combination of both because they were much more religious than my family was growing up.

[lea m]

To me its all about father christmas and the kids faces when they open their gifts! to my kids it presents and jesus' birthday!

[mariaandmanish]

I grew up in a non-religious family, and my DH is a different religion entirely, so for us, it's mostly about being with family and santa and the trees and deccorations and presents. I look at is as literally "the season of giving." I love the way faces light up as they open their presents... the feelings of joy are the best part of the holiday to me.

[WhiskeyGirl]

I said other, for me it's about being with the ones you love and celebrating another year of love, life and happiness! It's about laughing and loving and putting smiles on everyone's face during the holiday season. We don't just celebrate Christmas but in our German family we celebrate the Christmas child coming on December 24th, Our canadian family celebrating santa clause and our family celebrating being together.

[BriansBride07]

I voted both, I was brought up to be very religious even though I don't carry it on as an adult. I still think that it's a combo of the birth of Jesus and the celebrating with your family. Even if it means that you hand out gifts to make other's happy, it makes my heart swell, another reason why me and my FH don't exchange gifts with each other we are more giver's than takers.

[Kacie_bride]

When it all comes down to it for me, Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus. I still do the Santa thing, but that's just part of it, it's not a reason at all for me. Without presents it would still be Christmas. Justin is very passionate about believing we are celebrating the birth of Christ. He finds it very disheartening how commercialized it has all become.

[rainbowtreat]

For us it is both. THe kids know Santa and they know about baby Jesus.

[Jenn060306]

It's both and a bit more for me. I belive in celebrating the birth of Jesus. But i also belive in having a Christmas tree and celebrating family and friends and the spirit of giving.

[WebLady]

I guess it's a bit of both ... For me it's definitely a religious holiday first, but I enjoy the tree, gift giving and all that. I personally don't care for the whole Santa thing, but my family does.

[SaralovesMike]

A little bit of both for us.