Dear Y.E.S.S.,

I know many Buddhist families who celebrate Christmas but I thought that Buddhist do not believe in Christmas. Can you explain why Buddhist celebrate Christmas.

Dear Puzzled Protestant,

Buddhists enjoy the Christmas Holiday as many Christians do but not so much in a religious sense as in celebrating the birth of Jesus. Buddhists have fun during the holiday in much the same way by exchanging gifts and getting in touch with loved ones to extend good cheer, and children no matter what religions enjoy the anticipation or waiting till Christmas to open the beautiful gifts under the tree.

Christmas is a beautiful time of the year when people of any religious belief can get into the spirit of giving and maybe carries it throughout the rest of the year and into the new year as well.