What does Christmas mean to you?

We stopped at our favourite cafe in Exeter today, only to be surrounded by a line of charity-inspired Christmas trees. It wasn't long before my 2 year old got tangled up in the fairy lights and then started pulling at the baubles. With less than a month to go, I need to decide how I really feel about Christmas.

My family and are are Baha'is (www.bahai.org) and we believe that all of the major world religions come from the same Creator. We have our own special Holy Days. There is no problem with us celebrating the birth of Christ, or participating in the festivals of other religions such as Eid, or Divali. With some guidance, Baha'is are free to make their own decision as to how much to take part in the cultural and religious festivities of their area.

I tend to try and not make too much of a big deal of the traditions (and dare I say commercial) side of Christmas. We always give cards and happily display cards from friends. We do usually buy gifts for relatives who are not Baha'is, but so far we have not bought gifts for our own children. They get so much from other people that they haven't actually noticed, so at the moment it is only a point of principle! Last year we lived next door to a family who have a huge Christmas shop and they gave us a tree (which to be fair I absolutely loved :-).

So basically, I'm enjoying many of the fine elements of Christmas by just sponging off of others! Time to make a decision and figure out what Christmas means for our family. My husband and I agree that it is an important time of year for catching up with extended family. Most of us get at least a few days off work so it is a great time to get together. We want our children to understand the meaning of Christmas and how it links in with our beliefs, so we are also trying to do a little bit of education about God and His Messengers. My daughter is involved in the nativity play at school and is enjoying learning Christmas carols. We are planning to make little stockings for the children with tiny token gifts but not give 'proper' presents. We also want to make an effort to celebrate Baha'i Holy Days and ensure we are taking time off work to be together on those days.

What are your views on Christmas? How are you explaining the meaning of it to your children? I'd like to hear your thoughts...