What does Christmas represent to the WW?

[Jospehine]

No: HPFGUIDX 95381

Geoff:
I'm not religious in the popular sense. My Christianity is expressed 
through my faith which isn't necessarily the same thing.

<snip> it is one of those times when families turn 
out to come to church or so it is in the church to which I belong. 
The UK may, sadly, be less religious than the US but it is one time 
in the year when many folk can be persuaded to think about the 
meaning of things. 

I think Harry would be quite aware of what Christmas is all about. He 
went to a Muggle school prior to Hogwarts and therefore will have had 
RE lessons and, however liberal or unwilling the teacher may be, the 
topic will have been covered.

jozoed now:

I certainly wasn't knocking what Christmas means to different people 
around the world. I completely agree that Christmas is a time when 
people comtemplate their stance in life.  All I was trying to express 
is that there are people, of which I would expect the Weasleys to be 
a part of, that enjoy Christmas as a time for family and who have no 
wish to celebrate it in the Christian sense. I think we went off 
track a little and I really don't want this to turn into a debate 
about such a sensitive issue!

I went to school and was taught about the 'real' or 'Christian' 
meaning of Christmas in RE (along with all other faiths and 
celbrations around the world). So did all of my friends. Yet we all 
celebrated Christmas in very different ways, all of which were more 
dependant on how our families taught us to celebrate it rather than 
the school. So I do think that Harry, although aware of the story of 
Christ, would not have been brought up to celebrate Christmas in the 
traditional sense (he was probably in his cupboard all day!). 

jozoed- not wanting to offend anyone