<p>To quote the eminent Rev. Lovejoy - &quot;Santa doesn't leave presents under the Bodhi Tree!&quot;  ;-)</p>
<p><a href="https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/1dfa24e6-d8cf-48c2-9f6d-2f5eaef9209e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/1dfa24e6-d8cf-48c2-9f6d-2f5eaef9209e</a></p>
<p>Of course it's acceptable!  If Buddha isn't merriment, then what good is it?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-13T15:07:47.380Z
I don't disagree with the overall message. I only want to encourage to keep the fourth prescrept in mind to not lie. My advice would be to handle it like you would theater or movies. Play and act your role but don't get caught up in lies.
user19838
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-13T15:21:01.240Z
@user19838 Thanks for the advice!
Lotus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T00:08:21.100Z
@user20010 Why are you talking about an *anti-Buddhist* TV show? This is a *serious* Buddhism Q&A. Please refrain from talking about this kind of stuff. Note: I accepted the answer at first since I didn't know that what you were talking about was an anti-Buddhist TV show. "*Rev. Lovejoy*" is *not* a real person, he's just a dude from a TV show.
Lotus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T02:13:41.540Z
An old woman built a hermitage for a monk and supported him for twenty years. One day, to test the extent of the monk’s enlightenment and understanding, she sent a young, beautiful, girl to the hut with orders to embrace him. When the girl embraced the monk and asked, “How is this?” He replied stiffly, “A withered tree among frozen rocks; not a trace of warmth for three winters.” Hearing of the monk’s response, the old woman grabbed a stick, went to the hermitage, beat him and chased him out of the hut. She then put the hermitage to the torch and burned it to the ground.
user20010
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T02:14:28.990Z
Now step aside.  I've got a torch for that thatched roof over your head.  X-D
user20010
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T11:38:57.467Z
Um, what do you mean? (Sorry if I've offended you; I didn't mean to do that. :)
Lotus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T12:04:32.780Z
Its a koan.  What's represented in the story is a monk who is super serious about his practice.  So serious, in fact, that he basically becomes a dead hunk of stone.  Someone sitting with this koan would say "no warmth" on their out breath and investigate those places in their lives where the burdensome seriousness of their practice is keeping "the warmth" of life from reaching them.
user20010
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T12:31:28.493Z
I just moved this conversation [to chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/117255/discussion-between-the-tech-expert-guy-and-user20010). Thanks!
Lotus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-15T08:55:48.333Z
The original text makes no mention of the woman instructing the young girl to embrace the monk to test him, nor about the girl being attractive. She instructs the girl to - the closest approximate translation is "to wait on him" as in "to serve him food and drink". The koan is as much about the old woman's reaction as it is about the monk's. The monk's answer is in the form and includes the mandated seasonal theme of a Haiku. It symbolizes by contrast the summer (of life) now long passed. From that perspective there is warmth and wisdom in the hermit's response, but not in the old woman's.
Codosaur
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-15T11:57:09.277Z
I'd be curious to see that version if you could provide it. Mine is from Entangling Vines c. 1689 and its that one that my line of Rizai works with.  Frankly, I'm not sure how the version you're talking about is particularly useful.  But again, without seeing the text, I can't really comment.
user20010
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-15T12:19:26.710Z
Interesting.  It's in my copy of the Record of the Transmission of the Lamp too.  That dates to about 1007 CE.  Same basic text though.
user20010
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-15T14:48:04.220Z
@000 If you want to continue the discussion, please use the chat link I provided above. Thank you.
Lotus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-13T00:46:21.137Z
2020-12-14T20:21:20.657Z
2020-12-14T20:21:20.657Z
user20010
<p>I'm a lay Buddhist and it's almost Christmas, and I would like to know if it is acceptable for Buddhists to celebrate Santa Claus. I have children and want them to be happy. Does anyone know the answer to this question? Thanks! P.S. My question is somewhat related to <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13248/20191">this one</a>.</p>

<lay-buddhism><traditions><holidays>
Is it acceptable for Buddhists to celebrate Santa Claus at Chistmas?
# Is it acceptable for Buddhists to celebrate Santa Claus at Chistmas?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-13)

I'm a lay Buddhist and it's almost Christmas, and I would like to know if it is acceptable for Buddhists to celebrate Santa Claus. I have children and want them to be happy. Does anyone know the answer to this question? Thanks! P.S. My question is somewhat related to [this one](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/q/13248/20191).

**Tags:** lay-buddhism, traditions, holidays


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-13. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

To quote the eminent Rev. Lovejoy - "Santa doesn't leave presents under the Bodhi Tree!" ;-)

<https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/1dfa24e6-d8cf-48c2-9f6d-2f5eaef9209e>

Of course it's acceptable! If Buddha isn't merriment, then what good is it?

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I don't disagree with the overall message. I only want to encourage to keep the fourth prescrept in mind to not lie. My advice would be to handle it like you would theater or movies. Play and act your role but don't get caught up in lies.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Thanks for the advice!  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Why are you talking about an *anti-Buddhist* TV show? This is a *serious* Buddhism Q&A. Please refrain from talking about this kind of stuff. Note: I accepted the answer at first since I didn't know that what you were talking about was an anti-Buddhist TV show. "*Rev. Lovejoy*" is *not* a real person, he's just a dude from a TV show.  
> **username_1**: An old woman built a hermitage for a monk and supported him for twenty years. One day, to test the extent of the monk’s enlightenment and understanding, she sent a young, beautiful, girl to the hut with orders to embrace him. When the girl embraced the monk and asked, “How is this?” He replied stiffly, “A withered tree among frozen rocks; not a trace of warmth for three winters.” Hearing of the monk’s response, the old woman grabbed a stick, went to the hermitage, beat him and chased him out of the hut. She then put the hermitage to the torch and burned it to the ground.  
> **username_1**: Now step aside.  I've got a torch for that thatched roof over your head.  X-D  
> **username_0**: Um, what do you mean? (Sorry if I've offended you; I didn't mean to do that. :)  
> **username_1**: Its a koan.  What's represented in the story is a monk who is super serious about his practice.  So serious, in fact, that he basically becomes a dead hunk of stone.  Someone sitting with this koan would say "no warmth" on their out breath and investigate those places in their lives where the burdensome seriousness of their practice is keeping "the warmth" of life from reaching them.  
> **username_0**: I just moved this conversation [to chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/117255/discussion-between-the-tech-expert-guy-and-username_1). Thanks!  
> **username_3**: The original text makes no mention of the woman instructing the young girl to embrace the monk to test him, nor about the girl being attractive. She instructs the girl to - the closest approximate translation is "to wait on him" as in "to serve him food and drink". The koan is as much about the old woman's reaction as it is about the monk's. The monk's answer is in the form and includes the mandated seasonal theme of a Haiku. It symbolizes by contrast the summer (of life) now long passed. From that perspective there is warmth and wisdom in the hermit's response, but not in the old woman's.  
> **username_1**: I'd be curious to see that version if you could provide it. Mine is from Entangling Vines c. 1689 and its that one that my line of Rizai works with.  Frankly, I'm not sure how the version you're talking about is particularly useful.  But again, without seeing the text, I can't really comment.  
> **username_1**: Interesting.  It's in my copy of the Record of the Transmission of the Lamp too.  That dates to about 1007 CE.  Same basic text though.  
> **username_0**: @000 If you want to continue the discussion, please use the chat link I provided above. Thank you.  

---

