Why I, as an Atheist, still celebrate Xmas

[Magicjax]

I still celebrate Christmas because to me it's never really been about anything religious. I grew up in a family that really didn't talk about religion. As far as I know I'm the only one that doesn't believe in god anymore. But it's just not a topic my family talked about very often.

To me when I was growing up. Christmas equaled Santa clause, presents from Santa and family and friends, candy, cookies, snow, sledding, family and friends getting together, good food and fun times with people I love and care about.

I'd do those things any chance I can. It would be great to do them all year round but if there's a day of the year that's basically devoted to those things then of course I'm going to enjoy it. So to me it has nothing to do with religion. It's a day that's traditionally spent doing these kinds of things in the country I happen to have been raised in.

Happy holidays.

Edited December 13, 2011 by Magicjax

[__Kratos__]

Nicely written.

I see it as just family time like other times of year as well. Nothing I could really do to get out of it if I wanted to anyways. Plus I'm a sucker for ham and pie.

Edited December 14, 2011 by __Kratos__

[rashore]

I'm not an atheist, I'm a pagan agnostic.

But yeah, I think the celebration of a spring birth is complete BS in the middle of winter. I don't need a rape, murder, and theft of one religion of many others to tell me it's awesome to have people in my life, no matter what commercialism or those murdering thieves tell me.

It's a celebration of yay, get to get together with people I love and eat a lot of good food. I feel it's a mandatory celebration in midwinter because crap, the days are now going to be getting longer and greener instead of colder and browner... But personally, I take many, many occasions throughout the year to tell my loved ones I love them.

I tell them I love them and I am thankful for them often, and almost every time I have a phone call, text message, email, and social page opportunity. If I make or find a tidbit in the middle of no where on the calendar, I send it off.

I don't need a religious stolen holiday in the depths of snow to let people know I am thinking about them.

Don't need a special guy dropping down to deposit presents either. Every single day, my loved ones are a present, nature gifts me.

Honestly, I still celebrate christmas because it's a national pass time. If I could completely skip the lies and commercialism, I would.

If I were allowed socially, I would celebrate the shortest day to the lengthening of days with a nice little feast that the worst of darkness is gone, and it's time to start thinking of green days ahead.

[libstaK]

My niece is an atheist, she has no issues celebrating christmas though .. it is a great time to get together with loved ones and share a good meal and good will, if that's all it is for some people, thats still alot and enough.

[Cassea]

Is there a reason you need to sort of crap on someone else's holiday by equating the Immaculate Conception to rape? I mean I don't necessarily believe in it myself, I think Jesus was a pretty special dude, but why try to be ugly about it and upset people.

I don't think anyone out there is telling people that they can't celebrate Christmas if they are not Christian. So what, ignore the ugly, listen to music, drink some egg nog, deck the halls, find some mistletoe and share love and warmth.

[ShadowSot]

Is there a reason you need to sort of crap on someone else's holiday by equating the Immaculate Conception to rape? I mean I don't necessarily believe in it myself, I think Jesus was a pretty special dude, but why try to be ugly about it and upset people.

Who did that?

I was raised Christian, and much of my family is Christian, so I join my family on celebrating various holidays like Christmas. I also celebrate other holidays, mostly due to my area and again much of my family being culturally Christian.

the only time I take issue with it is when the government celebrates the season in a way that gives clear preference to Christianity, to the exclusion of other faiths.

[The Puzzler]

As a Christian country it really doesn't matter if you believe in the Purple Unicorn, Christmas should be celebrated in a Christian way, which includes references to Jesus, Christmas trees and yes, Santa and Christianity. I'm sick of political correctness in the religion arena trying to steal Christmas, what next, our flag or our national anthem? Offensive to sing about Christmas in Australia? Freakin' ridiculous, I will be singing my carols louder than ever.

Angry parents have accused a Sydney school of stealing Christmas, including banning references to Santa, carols and Christianity.

One dad, who wanted to remain anonymous told the Daily Telegraph he would pull his daughter out of the inner-Sydney Montessori School in Balmain.

The school has removed the word Christmas from songs, with students singing "we wish you a happy holidays" instead of "we wish you a merry Christmas".

"There were about five songs and not one of them mentioned Christmas," the father told the newspaper.

"There was no Santa or Christmas decorations or a Christmas tree or any reference to Jesus."

The dad, who did not understand whether it was an extreme form of political correctness, said some of the children were so confused that they sung the forbidden lyric anyway.

"They should not force this on young kids. Christmas is meant to be all about Santa and presents," he told the Daily Telegraph.

The school’s principal, Cathy Swan, said the parent had misunderstood what happens at the school.

"We look at all cultures and the particular ways that people celebrate such as Easter, Christmas and Hanukkah," she said.

Ms Swan told the the Telegraph that the banning of Christmas references may have been an attempt by the teacher to address the fact that she has Hindu and Jewish children in her class.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8389344/sydney-school-accused-of-stealing-christmas

[docyabut2]

Right its not about religion but of a man jesus who the gave the greatest gift of all, love.

[Timothy]

It's about the spirit, not the religion.

[dreamgoddess11]

The holidays r a fun time no matter your beliefs. Plus a Great excuse

to give to people u love, visit family & simply be.

[Paracelse]

About two or three times a week I'll go for an "Americano" at the local tavern (here they call it a "rallonge", expresso with extra hot water). The place is owned by a Frenchman of Algerian ancestry. He has a Xmas tree in the window, all sort of Xmas decoration throughout, and yet he is a non-practicing Muslim (meaning it's OK to read the Koran but he drinks and smokes).

Edited December 14, 2011 by Paracelse

[Rlyeh]

As a Christian country it really doesn't matter if you believe in the Purple Unicorn, Christmas should be celebrated in a Christian way, which includes references to Jesus, Christmas trees and yes, Santa and Christianity. I'm sick of political correctness in the religion arena trying to steal Christmas, what next, our flag or our national anthem? Offensive to sing about Christmas in Australia? Freakin' ridiculous, I will be singing my carols louder than ever.

Guess what, Jesus wasn't even born around the date. What does the tree have to do with his birth?

Sounds like someone else stole "christmas"

[willowdreams]

I still celebrate Christmas because to me it's never really been about anything religious. I grew up in a family that really didn't talk about religion. As far as I know I'm the only one that doesn't believe in god anymore. But it's just not a topic my family talked about very often.

To me when I was growing up. Christmas equaled Santa clause, presents from Santa and family and friends, candy, cookies, snow, sledding, family and friends getting together, good food and fun times with people I love and care about.

I'd do those things any chance I can. It would be great to do them all year round but if there's a day of the year that's basically devoted to those things then of course I'm going to enjoy it. So to me it has nothing to do with religion. It's a day that's traditionally spent doing these kinds of things in the country I happen to have been raised in.

Happy holidays.

i got some flack from some people and finally in able to answer their questions about my being agnostic and the holiday... and to get them off my back on saying i am insulting them as well because i say happy holidays and not merry christmas.. i wrote this and posted it in my lj for them to read.. it did silence them, one said they read it and said they were sorry that they rode me so hard on it...

*****************

I freely admit that I take Christ out of Christmas, and I most likely always will.

I live in a world of mixed faiths. Some people like myself are agnostic, some are athiest, some christian, many are jews.. there are those that celebrate Kwanzaa and I even know Jehovahs' Witnesses (my family actually) and I know a lot of pagans.

People seem to forget that December is not just about Christmas, it is a religious celebration month for Jews with Hanukka, They celebrate for I believe 8 days! Then of course there is Kwanzaa which is a week long celebration, and Pagans have Yule.. which is of course why there is Christmas, Yule was a celebration of birth of the sun, and the Christians wanted to make it easier to infiltrate peoples customs to change them to their God.. so they made birth of the son.. though most people know there is no way Jesus was born in dec..

I mean what do you want me to do? If I say Happy Yule, many will feel insulted.. if I say Happy Hanukkah most will be insulted.. if I say Kwanzaa time.. most will be confused.. and Merry Christmas is almost an insult, how dare I show respect and honor to one faith over all?

So people, I do what is the right thing to do. I either say nothing about a holiday or.. I say Happy Holidays! This way everyone in included no matter what your faith.

As for those who say 'If you are going to take Christ out of Christmas then don't celebrate it!' I say this..

I really do not.

I do give gifts, but you will find in my home most gifts are given all yr round and those purchased for holidays are given long before December 25.

I do have nice dinners with family and friends and why not? It is the one time of the year that sometime during that week MOST pple will have a day off work! You dont have to play games on 'oh i will be off this day.. oops sorry, scheduled for overtime.. lets reschedule'.. it is like.. in summer you can usually plan on a few days off for vaca.. so after fall.. going into winter.. it is darn nice to have another break to visit.. mingle and enjoy yourself.. and you can pretty much guarentee sometime in the holiday is a day or two off.. then of course if thats busy you have new years off..

It is a time to enjoy family and friends, a time to gather together without stress... it is a time to enjoy foods cooked from friends garden harvest.. or food cooked with herbs my daughter grew and dried over the summer/fall.

It has nothing to do with religion or faith for me.. but it has everything to do with friends and family.

So I leave you all with..

Happy Holidays!

[Imaginarynumber1]

Guess what, Jesus wasn't even born around the date. What does the tree have to do with his birth?

Sounds like someone else stole "christmas"

Pagans used to decorate trees, gift giving and the date of christmas comes from the Romans, jesus was born (if he existed, mind you. I wouldn't mind some proof of that one.) sometime in the spring..... I don't see much of christ in christmas.

Personally, I could care less. It's a stupid holiday that I could do without.

[hetrodoxly]

I'm not an atheist, I'm a pagan agnostic.

But yeah, I think the celebration of a spring birth is complete BS in the middle of winter. I don't need a rape, murder, and theft of one religion of many others to tell me it's awesome to have people in my life, no matter what commercialism or those murdering thieves tell me.

It's a celebration of yay, get to get together with people I love and eat a lot of good food. I feel it's a mandatory celebration in midwinter because crap, the days are now going to be getting longer and greener instead of colder and browner... But personally, I take many, many occasions throughout the year to tell my loved ones I love them.

I tell them I love them and I am thankful for them often, and almost every time I have a phone call, text message, email, and social page opportunity. If I make or find a tidbit in the middle of no where on the calendar, I send it off.

I don't need a religious stolen holiday in the depths of snow to let people know I am thinking about them.

Don't need a special guy dropping down to deposit presents either. Every single day, my loved ones are a present, nature gifts me.

Honestly, I still celebrate christmas because it's a national pass time. If I could completely skip the lies and commercialism, I would.

If I were allowed socially, I would celebrate the shortest day to the lengthening of days with a nice little feast that the worst of darkness is gone, and it's time to start thinking of green days ahead.

pagans never sacrificed people chopped of heads rapped and tortured did they, no one was ever laid on an alter and had their heart removed on a solstice what's the words, pot, kettle, black, come to mind.

[hetrodoxly]

The Pagan rituals associated with Christianity are an amalgamation of religion, nothing was stolen when people were converted they didn't like to let go of the old religion completely, kings often kept symbols of the old and new side by side

ie edging their bets, churches in the UK are full of pagan symbols, a lot of the stored harvest crop would be coming to it's shelf life date and had to be used up this converging with the shortest days of the year was a good time to have a feast, Christianity whether you like it or not is very deep in our culture, did everyone believe in the deity's our ancestors paid homage to over 2000 years ago? probably not they just enjoyed the festival that went with it.

[The Puzzler]

Guess what, Jesus wasn't even born around the date. What does the tree have to do with his birth?

Sounds like someone else stole "christmas"

Nobody 'stole' Christmas.

Christ's Mass is what the word means, it's a Christian celebration.

The word "Christmas" originated as a compound meaning "Christ's mass". It is derived from the Middle English Cristemasse, which is from Old English Crīstesmæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038.

Christmas is certainly about Christ, no matter what anyone tries to make of it.

Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, literally "Christ's mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ,[5][6] celebrated generally on December 25[2][3][4] as a religious and cultural holiday by billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide.[7] Christmas is a civil holiday in many of the world's nations,[8][9][10] is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians,[1][11][12] and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season.

The precise day of Jesus’ birth, which historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown.[13] In the early-to-mid 4th century, the Western Christian Church first placed Christmas on December 25, a date later adopted also in the East.[14][15] Theories advanced to explain that choice include that it falls exactly nine months after the Christian celebration of the conception of Jesus,[16] or that it was selected to coincide with either the date of the Roman winter solstice[17] or of some ancient winter festival.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Sure, I know many of the associated traditions such as the Yule Log etc are older pagan traditions but "Christmas" is about Jesus Christ and his birth, whether it was then or not. The Queen was really born in April but we celebrate the Queens Birthday in June. It's not about when they were exactly born, it's the day we celebrate their birthday.

Point being, as a Christian country one should accept that Christmas is part of it and celebrate it, if you don't want to, don't, but let's not stop it from being celebrated by those who regard it as their national religious holiday is all I'm saying.

[Beckys_Mom]

Nobody 'stole' Christmas.

Christ's Mass is what the word means, it's a Christian celebration.

True it does mean that......But ironically.. not one can show and prove when Jesus was actually born.. It is not in the bible....So the date was taken from the pagans I believe...and most likely from older faiths who had saviours born on Dec 25th...Who knows? ....... All I know is.. Jesus is not confirmed to have been born on Dec 25th..but the Christians took it anyway regardless.................

...Not that I mind.. I like Christmas.. not because of Christians.. but because of the same reasons everyone likes it.. Presents, dinner, getting together.. drinking.. relaxing.. spending time as a family.and so on....

[The Puzzler]

True it does mean that......But ironically.. not one can show and prove when Jesus was actually born.. It is not in the bible....So the date was taken from the pagans I believe...and most likely from older faiths who had saviours born on Dec 25th...Who knows? ....... All I know is.. Jesus is not confirmed to have been born on Dec 25th..but the Christians took it anyway regardless.................

...Not that I mind.. I like Christmas.. not because of Christians.. but because of the same reasons everyone likes it.. Presents, dinner, getting together.. drinking.. relaxing.. spending time as a family.and so on....

[Rlyeh]

Nobody 'stole' Christmas.

No one is stealing it now.

Christmas is certainly about Christ, no matter what anyone tries to make of it.

Besides the name, you really need to stretch to make it all about Jesus.

Sure, I know many of the associated traditions such as the Yule Log etc are older pagan traditions but "Christmas" is about Jesus Christ and his birth, whether it was then or not. The Queen was really born in April but we celebrate the Queens Birthday in June. It's not about when they were exactly born, it's the day we celebrate their birthday.

And he was born under tree aswell. Thanks for clearing that up.

[TheBanana]

im an atheist and i celebrate christmas too. i just see it as an excuse to get together with family, decorate the house and give and recieve gifts. christmas is such a big part of our culture, and most people celebrate christmas here, so it makes sense to celebrate it. if we lived in a country that was mostly a different religion, we would probably celebrate their holidays instead. no use in cutting yourself out of the celebrations while everything is going on around you.

[randym23]

I've got news for you all, this holiday was STOLEN by the Christians. It's much older than Christianity--it's based upon ancient sun worship which, by the way, the original Christianity, was just another form of

before people started taking it literally.

This holiday is about the darkest day of the year and being born

because 3 days after the solstice (dec 21) the days start getting longer.

[theGhost_and_theDarkness]

A little off topic, but I saw so many "Put Christ back in Christmas" bumper stickers around town that I went and got one that said "Put Odin back in Yule". And I will freely admit I did it to be a devious little jerk. . . Although I do think Odin deserves his fair share of credit as well.

That outward display of hostility aside. . .I do enjoy the season.

[Magicjax]

A little off topic but something kind of related in that it's about the origin of a holiday. I believe it was Paul Rodriguez that talked about how Mexicans said they wanted a holiday. When asked what they wanted to celebrate they said… "TEQUILA!!!!!".

[GoldenWolf]

I've got news for you all, this holiday was STOLEN by the Christians. It's much older than Christianity--it's based upon ancient sun worship which, by the way, the original Christianity, was just another form of

before people started taking it literally.

This holiday is about the darkest day of the year and being born

because 3 days after the solstice (dec 21) the days start getting longer.

You shouldn't have to worship just to celebrate xmas.

I heard some time ago (on t.v. or a different site) one reason they chose that was because it was the d.o.b. (I don't know where they got that from) of another god: Mithra

I think it is nothing more then speculation.