Ireland is already gearing up for Christmas, as the last major holiday, Halloween, has passed. My Irish colleagues here have told me that normally the Christmas Season begins on Dec. 8th,* which is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception here in Catholic Ireland. Due to commercialization though, it now starts pretty much after Halloween (and even before!). So, we’ve started our Christmas decorations early this year:
The area in the middle of the mantelpiece is our Buddhist altar of course. The Santa and reindeer decorations, as well as the Golden Christmas Tree,** were both purchased here Ireland. I think Ireland has a lot of beautiful vintage Christmas decorations that I miss as a kid, so it’s kind of nice to go shopping.
Now, one might ask, why would a Buddhist celebrate Christmas? We have plenty of Buddhist holidays of our own, but I think there are a few reasons why:
- Most Western Buddhists grew up in Christian backgrounds, so it just seems normal.
- Christmas is about peace and goodwill toward mankind. That’s Buddhist “mettā” in a nutshell. I never did like the translation “loving-kindness” as it’s kind of sappy or sweet. Goodwill seems a more suitable term in my opinion.
- I grew up with friends who were Sikh, or Hindu, or Chinese Buddhists, and they all celebrated Christmas as well just because it’s a nice holiday. I still to this can’t understand why some people want to spoil Christmas because it offends their own sense of religion. Instead of trying to supplant it, better to just adapt it to your own lifestyle.
- Speaking of which, Buddhism as it moves into new cultures, tends to adapt well, because it does not insist on certain cultural norms, other than common-sense moral behavior. Thus, Buddhism has adapted very well to disparate cultures in India, China, Central Asian steppes, Japan, and now the West.
In Blog 2.0, my previous blog, I had written a fake Buddhist sutra called the “Maha-Santa-Claus Sutra”, but when I deleted that blog, I forgot to back things up, so the sutra has been lost, but I recently rewrote it for everyone’s enjoyment.
Namuamidabu
P.S. The photos on the right are of my dog, Napoleon, who passed away in early 2007, just after Baby was born. He was an 11-year old pug, who had been suffering for months from colon cancer before we finally had to put him to sleep. 
P.P.S. More on Buddhism and Christmas here.
* – Coincidentally, Bodhi Day among us Buddhists. Har-har!
** – Or “Christmas Bodhi Tree” as I like to think of it. I need to find one of my Buddha statues to place underneath sometime soon.
This blog is the reflection of my efforts to explore fatherhood, Buddhism and my love of Japanese culture. Anything useful I can pass along makes the Internet hopefully a better place.
Noticed that you were reading a commentary on Dogen’s Shobogenzo. My teacher is a big Dogen fan. He introduced me to Flowers Fall. I’d like to recommend it to you.
It’s a wonderful fresh, commentary on Dogen’s Genjokoan by Zen Master Yasutani. Merry Christmas. My Sangha has a Christmas party each year. Why not?
Hello Mary and welcome to the L8B! I actually finished the book and it was pretty good. I do have some differences from what Dogen teaches, as Pure Land Buddhism differs from Zen in some key ways, but I also find Dogen’s sincerity in practicing Buddhism inspirational and his advice on practical matters interesting.
I’ll take a look at your book recommendation. Thanks very much!
I love Christmas!
As much as I’m a Buddhist, come Christmas and, if I’m back home, I simply have to go to church! The carols! The singing! The candles! The message of hope and love and kindness and warmth. I adore it.
And the baby Bodhisattva Jesus!
Most random, I was looking online for Buddhist Christmas decorations. Partly, well mostly, doing it because I thought it would be fun to see what Google would dig up. Low and behold, your blog. I am a westerner and very Buddhist. Raised in a Christian family and deeply reverent of the Christian religion. However, I just am not of that faith. I have enjoyed reading your blog and wish you and yours the merriest of holiday seasons.
With joined palms, Melissa
Hi Melissa, and welcome to the JLR. I wish I had done a better post on the subject (more into how our Christmas was more Buddhist), but I will try again this year.