Christmas or Winter's day

I am curious to know how many of you avid GW players feel about the event being called Winter's day and not Christmas. I know everyone has thier own religion and and beliefs and some have no religion at all and thats all good. I pass no judgment. But, I personally find it offensive (in spite of the fact I intend to have fun at this year's Winter's day event) that its not called Christmas.

I know other countires are involved which don't celebrate Christmas but, can't anet provide a name for the event for each country?

It seems to me like God and the fun of the holiday is being slowly removed from society and our cultures. Political correctness is getting out of hand. I don't have anything against any creed or life style but geez! Don't take mine away.

Please don't start flaming if you disagree with me. I understand your point of view. You have your beliefs and don't need Christmas shoved down your throat, but I don't need your beliefs shoved down mine either. If you say that no one is shoving thier views at me then that's false. Consider the guy in the news recently who demanded the Christmas trees from the mall decorations be removed or he would sue. How about hey can you put up some decorations for my belief too so I can join in the fun insted of take it down or I will sue.

I think 20 years ago Anet would have called this event the Christmas event.

Thanks for not flaming - in advance.

I was under the impression it was named Wintersday due to ingame lore?

The Tyrians celebrate the new year and the battle between Dwayna and Grenth -
Dwayna to bring the spring and Grenth to bring eternal winter.

Athough it may make sense outside of the game to call it Christmas i dont see how it would make sense inside of the game since the Tyrians do not share the same religions as us. But thats just my view.

Wintersday is the first day of the year in Tyria. Much like Christmas and New Year's Day in many parts of the world, Wintersday is a day deep in winter that marks the celebration of the new year and the spirit of giving. In the world of Tyria, it's not all warm and fuzzy though... There is a conflict between Dwayna, the goddess of life, who wishes this day to be a day of giving and warmth, and Grenth, the god of death and cold, who wants this day to be a reminder of his cold grasp over mortals.

Human lore indicates that whenever the spirit of one god triumphs over the other, the new year is shaped with this triumph. If the day was a day of giving and joy, then Dwayna triumphs and spring comes early. If Grenth triumphs then winter's cold embrace lasts longer into the new year.

During the Wintersday festivities, many activities take place around the major cities of Tyria. Please see the Wintersday 2005 update for details.

It is not exactly clear which day of the Mouvelian Calendar Wintersday maps to. Since the season for Grenth is the season of the Scion (Water) and the season for Dwayna is the season of the Zephyr (Air), then it's most likely in the season of the Colossus (Earth).

EDIT: Got the story wrong

That, and because Christmas is, for the most part, an American holiday, and Guild Wars is multi-national.

You're offended by that ? o_o

Halloween wasn't called Halloween either.

It wouldn't make sense for us to be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, or Santa Clause in Guild Wars. Seeing as we worship Grenth, Dwayna, Balthazar, Melandru and Lyssa, I don't think we'd worship the Christian God.

I'm sorry that it offends you, but that'd make absolutely no sense in a fantasy game.

Also, the holiday is not seperated by country, there are millions of people in the US who do not celebrate our Christmas, in fact, I probably don't celebrate it the same way you do. I don't believe in God or Santa, so whats the point of celebrating Christmas to me? How about my neighbor? He doesn't believe in any of that either, but the guy across the street is a Christian, so he celebrates it differently as well.

They're giving us a way for all of us to celebrate together in a unique way, despite our different beliefs. I'm fairly certain that most of the people playing GW realize that Wintersday does not equal Christmas. It actually took place on December 31st/January 1st, Wintersday is a longer more drawn out, New Years celebration.

I was kinda under that impression too. You know the whole no such thing as Christianity in GW because Jesus never existed and there's 6 damn Gods, not the one true one :O

I wonder where America, Korea, Europe, Japan and Taiwan are in Tyria
On a serious note it's best it is an independant in game holiday as everyone can join in. It does'nt even happen on Dec 25th, but on New years eve I think.

I didn't think about it being because of in-game holiday's. That makes me feel much better and I am no longer disappointed.

In the spirit of the Winter's day event.
I love you man!

How about all of the players south of the Equator? They get to celebrate "Wintersday" in the middle of the summer. That's worse than Anet not calling it Christmas.

Keep religion out of video games. If you need god, go to his house, or wherever.

I was implying that Christmas in on the American calendar, and not the calendar of all countries, thus "American." I didn't mean that all American citizens celebrate Christmas.

erm actually its a Christian holiday in all Christian Countrys not just america. Personally i find it being called Wintersday is ok, its fits with the in game lore and doesnt offend any one (well aside from a few, but the worlds full off different oppions there is nothing that everyone in the world agrees on, that individuality all over )

May the 5 Gods bless u all, Long live Winterday

I love it. One way to bring in-game lore to the player.

I couldn't care less if it's named Christmas, after a fictional character, or Wintersday, to go along with game lore.

Spydergst1, you must be kidding. If you're really that serious about your Christian religion then you shouldn't be playing Guild Wars in the first place. You know worshipping the Five Gods of Tyria is a violation of the 2nd commandmend, right?

This thread should be locked, asap.

I'm sorry, but this is a disaster just waiting to happen.

I realise that arguments of a political and/or religious nature are sometimes inseparable from points, but there are rarely such discussions that won't lead to an unproductive flame war, and this is no exception.

If this is an important issue to you, I suggest you gather individuals of a similar opinion and put together a polite letter and send it directly to Anet, or at the very least, shift it to another forum that is more lax in these regards.