Just wondering what happened to the Scripture here. Is it not our freedom to celebrate or not to celebrate?

As to Church councils, they do have the authority to impose schedules of observances. The governmental structures that are mentioned in Scripture do not disalow it. And, where the Scripture is silent we need to bow to preference and discretion. What we cannot do is make the observance a sacrament necessary to the attainment or the maintenance of the faith. On the other hand, churches are allowed to structure the means by which they teach the Scripture around anything that is done, decently and in order. If a calendar of Scriptural events is the means by which a church uses to guide its adherents in the teaching of Scripture, and finds it the most effective, they should not be discouraged.

What can be observed is that any programmed device in worship can become tradition that willfully or not, can be layered with more traditions until they no longer resemble the truth. For example, December 25th, no matter the reason that it was established has obscurred our understanding of the season of our Lord's birth. Consider for a moment what season of the year are lambs born? In the book of Ruth we have perhaps one of those imbedded prophecies. It just so happens that Naomi heard that the Lord had visited her people with bread. She was from Bethlemhem. It was the beginning of the barley harvest. The firstfruit would have ripened March or April. If we include the Law, then Jesus was presented in the Temple in the month of Nisan also called Abib. If the Passover was late that year, then it is possible that Jesus was born in March. There is also the curious actions of Simeon when he took Christ in his arms. Could this be the wave offering, two loaves, two natures? There is much in Scripture, I believe that commend the idea that Christ was born during the same season that he was crucified.

I also have become disenchanted with this holy day as it is, for many reasons. The greatest of these is the lack of the pursuit of and proclaimation of truth. We may not be able to come to an agreement upon when, but we should surely teach what the Scripture says about the event, and as closely as we can, so that the revelation is not veiled by our traditions.

This year the Lord has made it impossible that we should have a "commercial" Christmas, but we will (that is my wife will)still indulge many of our desires. I love to see the joy on my children's faces. However, with a 17, 13, and 10 year old, I have already seen that there is a carelessness about the gifts that they receive. When I relate that to the knowledge of the gift of God, I shudder.

My memories of childhood, I cherish too, and I grew up in a non-Christian home. The one thing that Christmas provided even in that environment, was a taste that the Lord was good. Even in the obscure, in the darkness, a little light is a beacon.