Merry Christmas everyone!

[Joseph]

Merry Christmas to you all.

Even though this blessing is usually reserved for the liturgy, I'll say it anyway:

Krisdos ee mech mer haydnetzav: Orhnyal eh haynootyoonun Krisdosi.

[Hovik]

Shnoravor Surp Tsnund yev Nor Tari!

[Kharpert]

Merry Christmas!

[bell-the-cat]

And a happy and prosperous New Year!

[Joseph]

Right back at you!

[Steph]

Firstly, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Very Prosperous New Year to all !!!

Now then, excuse my English prose here. I read recently of the apparent dilemma facing the Armenian Diaspora with regards to assimilation into the host nation to the point of disappearance. I believe the quoted example was the Armenian community in Poland during the Middle Ages (?).

Seasonally adjusted, the article discussed the trend for Christmas to be celebrated on 25th December opposed to 6th January.

What are your thoughts on this ?

Personally, with 2 youngsters of Armenian/English parents, we simply enjoy both dates.

It would be nearly impossible to ignore the pressures of 25th December, whilst we can still celebrate, mostly on long distance phone lines, on 6th January. I believe that here in England all creeds and faiths, including followers of Islam and Judaism celebrate, to a degree, 25th December.

Just interested in your thoughts and how you guys cope with this.

Cheers.

[bell-the-cat]

"Christmas" was originally a pagan winter solstice festival.
I don't think that the 6th January date has any real importance beyond the decision a few hundred years ago of the Armenian Church to keep on using the inaccurate Julian calendar. The 25th December date also matches the winter solstice far better than the January 6th date.

[Joseph]

"Christmas" was originally a pagan winter solstice festival.
I don't think that the 6th January date has any real importance beyond the decision a few hundred years ago of the Armenian Church to keep on using the inaccurate Julian calendar. The 25th December date also matches the winter solstice far better than the January 6th date.

It's also been speculated that the birth of Christ actually occured in the month March.

[Joseph]

"Christmas" was originally a pagan winter solstice festival.
I don't think that the 6th January date has any real importance beyond the decision a few hundred years ago of the Armenian Church to keep on using the inaccurate Julian calendar. The 25th December date also matches the winter solstice far better than the January 6th date.

The Roman Catholic church indeed moved the holiday to Dec. 25th to take away emphasis of the pagan winter solstice celebrations that were still very much a part of peasant life. This is another discrepancey, albeit a small one, between the Catholic and Protestant sects versus the Eastern sects (mainly Orthodox).

[bell-the-cat]

It's also been speculated that the birth of Christ actually occured in the month March.

That's the traditional date of the "Annunciation". So is not birth, but "conception" (though I'm not quite sure what the religious concept of "conception" is in this context - and for all I know, it might well be the core reason for the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion and contraception).