Do You Celebrate Christmas?

[Tony]

As an atheist/agnostic, do you have any qualms with celebrating Christmas?

[Mercutio]

Anything that gives me a chance to celebrate, eat good food, give and receive gifts, and take time off from work is fine by me. I celebrate Xmas, Solstice, Ginkgo Day, Tet, Kwanzaa, Chanuka, Fechner Day, Girl6's birthday, and a host of others (I don't have my official calendar here). Of course, some are difficult to secularize, so I ignore them--if they are brought to my attention, I'll use them as an excuse to eat & drink (all the more fun for fasting holidays). I do not celebrate any of them in the spirit they are intended.

As Krusty says, "Have a merry christmas, a happy hannuka, a kwaazy kwanzaa, a tip-top tet, and a solemn and dignified ramadan."

[sorgoth]

I see Christmas as an occasion to meet and exchange gifts with family and friends, with a nice fire going, the break from school/work and as a chance to relax.

[Cinorjer]

I celebrate Christmas, and have no trouble even with including as an element the myth of Christ's birth. Because I see it as a myth, a powerful statement that speaks to a universal experience. Like all great myths, it operates on multiple levels. The fact that a lot of people claim this is historical truth and not mythic imagery doesn't distract from its beauty.

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by Mercutio
Anything that gives me a chance to celebrate, eat good food, give and receive gifts, and take time off from work is fine by me. I celebrate Xmas, Solstice, Ginkgo Day, Tet, Kwanzaa, Chanuka, Fechner Day, Girl6's birthday, and a host of others (I don't have my official calendar here). Of course, some are difficult to secularize, so I ignore them--if they are brought to my attention, I'll use them as an excuse to eat & drink (all the more fun for fasting holidays). I do not celebrate any of them in the spirit they are intended.

As Krusty says, "Have a merry christmas, a happy hannuka, a kwaazy kwanzaa, a tip-top tet, and a solemn and dignified ramadan."

You left out " Cinco de Mayo ".. A time to enjoy tacos...:D

[SteveW]

We celebrate Xmas too although myself and my family are athiests. We just enjoy the holiday and eating something special.

[Boo]

We celebrate in our house (small children) and because Grandparents expect it when they come to visit. Personally, if I'm not working I will go to midnight mass. The beauty, pagentry and music are enthralling and I find it oddly peaceful. There is no religious connection for me, I simply enjoy the show.



Boo

[UnrepentantSinner]

Hell yeah I celebrate Christmas, though celebrate would be a bit strong for how I observe the holiday. There are 5 holidays I would observe regardless. Memorial Day, Independance Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The first three are because I'm an American that appreciates what that means. The latter two are because they are the perfect "pick-me-ups" for the Winter Blues.

Conversely I would never celebrate Winter Solstice, first because ressurected "true" pagan holidays are stupid for an atheist to celebrate, and second because the longest, darkest day of the year doesn't deserve celebration as I see it. If there were two holidays commemorating the midpoints between Fall Equinox, Winter Solstice and Sping Equinox... I might acknowledge them because that's the perfect time of Winter.

[Dancing David]

It is a great secular holiday, the solstice is agreat time to go out in the cold quiet and have a camp fire.

halloween falls roughly between the equinox and the solstice, it is also the celtic new year and day od the dead.

Candle mass/Ladies day also fall close to the point between the solstice and the spring equinox.

[Starrman]

I am an Atheist, and I love Christmas.

I even like Christmas Eve mass (the only time I go to church now). The Church I go to is always gorgeous for the holidays and I love seeing how excited all of the kids are.

For me it is about tradition and family, not religion.

[Nyarlathotep]

I have no problem with celebrating Christmas. The holiday is religious in origin to be sure, but over the centuries it has become something more of an excuse to be with family and to have fun. I see value in that even if the holiday began as a religious celebration. You probably wouldn't find me going to Church on Christmas morning or partaking of any other overtly religious aspect of the holiday, but having a good meal, exchanging gifts and having fun is something I will accept any excuse for. Christmas is the day that my friends, my family, and society at large have chosen for those activities and that's fine with me.

Besides, avoiding Christmas, or anything else I might enjoy on the excuse, "I can't do that because I am an atheist" strikes me as trying to make a religion out of atheism, which is about the silliest endeavour I can think of.

[jimlintott]

I do not celebrate christmas. I grudgingly tolerate it. I'm not religous so the religous aspect holds nothing for me. I find the crass commercialism and overconsumption to be disgusting if not borderline offensive. I do take the oppourtunity to gather with family and friends who materialise around that holiday. I would gladly meet these people at any time however.

My children and I have started our own tradition of exchanging small modest gifts and having a small modest celebration on the eve of the solstice.

We then reset our calendar and sacrifice a small mammal. ;)

[Bentspoon]

MWF = Merchant's Winter Festival

I celebrate like most Christians do. I buy gifts and party and do not in the least acknowledge the mythical aspect of it. All my Christian friends are the same.

It is all about the fun of getting and getting gifts from thoughtful friends. It is all about partying and food and a great time. It is all about watching your kid's eyes light up at the new computer. The lights, the tree, the snowmen in the front yard.

I love it when I hit the mark - that is get a gift that the other person really appreciates. When you hear them say, "How could you have known?" then I know I hit the mark!! That is what MWF is all about to me and it is a good thing.

I balk at the people who knock the crash commercialism for that is at the heart of it all. It is what makes it fun. Imagine MWF without it - ho hum just another service - more homage to the myth.

Jesus you say? what's he got to do with it?

Bentspoon

[Silicon]

You mean the holiday where we praise the Fat guy in the red suit who comes down our chimney and gives us toys under a tree?


Yeah, we celebrate that!


I hear some religious folks have a holiday on that same date. Mere coincidence, sez I!

[Bullwinkle]

...and announcing that I have active hepatitis!

I celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. I'm a Lutheran. A liberal Lutheran, and an active member of several progressive causes -- but an active, practicing Lutheran, nonetheless.

In lieu of buying presents and making barely-educated guesses about what people might want, several years ago we started making charitable contributions in the receiver's name. There are several organizations that I support strongly: Planned Parenthood, OutYouth (an organization which supports gay and lesbian teenagers), the area food bank -- and we support these organizations by giving in the name of the person who would be receiving presents. (Our extended families are all supportive of this, and in fact started making charitable contributions themselves.)

I use Advent as a time of introspection, and as a time where I can actively help others. If there is any gift-buying which needs to be done, I try to have it done by Thanksgiving so as not to ruin the tone of the season.

Christmas Eve, for me, is the busiest day of the year. I'm music director of an ELCA church, which means additional Advent services and two Christmas Eve services. Even with that, I go to a Midnight Mass at the Episcopal church downtown: church music directors also get to enjoy the pagentry!

Christmas morning, we light a big, white candle firs thing, followed by a breakfast of blintzes, and then prepare the Christmas meal. After dinner, we open half the presents (the other half are saved for New Year's Day -- it's just a tradition in our family, nothing more).

Actually, New Year's Day is the holiday with the big, blow-out dinner: we celebrate the New Year with a 12-course dinner, champagne, wine -- and the other half of the presents!

[Mercutio]

Originally posted by Diogenes


You left out " Cinco de Mayo ".. A time to enjoy tacos...:D Oh, come on! In my garden I have six types of peppers, 7 varieties of garlic, I have onions, tomatos, tomatillos...cilantro, oregano...I own a tortilla press, for ed's sake! Cinco de Mayo? Primero de Mayo, Dia de los Muertos, Carnaval... (I know what is for supper tonight now--thanks, Diogenes!)

and USA..Conversely I would never celebrate Winter Solstice, first because ressurected "true" pagan holidays are stupid for an atheist to celebrate, and second because the longest, darkest day of the year doesn't deserve celebration as I see it. If there were two holidays commemorating the midpoints between Fall Equinox, Winter Solstice and Sping Equinox... I might acknowledge them because that's the perfect time of Winter. All good points, but they don't make the food and drink any less wonderful--and so I celebrate them...in my way...

[Teh Wiccan]

I celebrate it, as I believe it has Pagan roots.

[Bullwinkle]

In lieu of buying presents and making barely-educated guesses about what people might want, several years ago we started making charitable contributions in the receiver's name. There are several organizations that I support strongly: Planned Parenthood, OutYouth (an organization which supports gay and lesbian teenagers), the area food bank -- and we support these organizations by giving in the name of the person who would be receiving presents. (Our extended families are all supportive of this, and in fact started making charitable contributions themselves.)

My family does a gift exchange amongst ourselves and our closest friends, so it's not like we're doing a Christmas celebration sans presents!

On the other hand, one member of my extended family is a practicing Calvinist, and they actually DO Christmas celebrations -- sans presents! I guess they were predestined to do that... :wink:

We've found it's really neat to get presents on New Year's Day! And I really think the New Year ought to be celebrated with presents!

[Bullwinkle]

...and announcing that I have active hepatitis!

I celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. I'm a Lutheran. A liberal Lutheran, and an active member of several progressive causes -- but an active, practicing Lutheran, nonetheless.

In lieu of buying presents and making barely-educated guesses about what people might want, several years ago we started making charitable contributions in the receiver's name. There are several organizations that I support strongly: Planned Parenthood, OutYouth (an organization which supports gay and lesbian teenagers), the area food bank -- and we support these organizations by giving in the name of the person who would be receiving presents. (Our extended families are all supportive of this, and in fact started making charitable contributions themselves.)

I use Advent as a time of introspection, and as a time where I can actively help others. If there is any gift-buying which needs to be done, I try to have it done by Thanksgiving so as not to ruin the tone of the season.

Christmas Eve, for me, is the busiest day of the year. I'm music director of an ELCA church, which means additional Advent services and two Christmas Eve services. Even with that, I go to a Midnight Mass at the Episcopal church downtown: church music directors also get to enjoy the pagentry!

Christmas morning, we light a big, white candle firs thing, followed by a breakfast of blintzes, and then prepare the Christmas meal. After dinner, we open half the presents (the other half are saved for New Year's Day -- it's just a tradition in our family, nothing more).

Actually, New Year's Day is the holiday with the big, blow-out dinner: we celebrate the New Year with a 12-course dinner, champagne, wine -- and the other half of the presents!

[Jet Grind]

I'm an atheist, most of my close relatives fall somewhere into the atheist/agnostic category or practice some form of deism. We love celebrating Christmas.

[Skeptical Greg]

Originally posted by Bullwinkle
...and announcing that I have active hepatitis!

I celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. I'm a Lutheran. A liberal Lutheran, and an active member of several progressive causes -- but an active, practicing Lutheran, nonetheless.




You being a Lutheran, would it be out of line to assume you owe allegience to the God and Christ alluded to in the Christian Bible?

If that assumption is correct, I would assume you attempt to please those entities.

How did they make it known to you, that it would please them, if you celebrated the occasion of the birth of Christ. ( the hypotheses of how such a celebration became a tradition, notwithstanding .. )

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by Bentspoon
It is all about the fun of getting and getting gifts from thoughtful friends. It is all about partying and food and a great time. It is all about watching your kid's eyes light up at the new computer.

The older I get, the more I love to sit back at Christmas and watch the kids. They have so much fun, it is just a joy to watch them.

Everyone always says that as a parent, this is a great part of christmas. But it isn't just parents who feel that way. Watching any kids have that much excitement is great for me.

[jim_scotti]

We celebrate x-mas in our house. The rest of my crew celebrate for the traditional x-ian reasons. My atheistic celebration is aimed more at the more traditional capitalistic end with emphasis on expressing my love for my family and friends. I also prefer to claim that I am celebrating the Solstice and Sir Isaac Newton's birthday instead.

The thing about watching the various x-ian celebrations around x-mas is that it reminds me of just why I abandoned those silly beliefs as a teenager all those years ago. Between the nonsequitors and the paranoia, I really felt a needless burden removed when I finally got out from under the baggage of the superstition of christianity.

Jim.

[Azathoth]

My girlfriend and I celebrate Christmas as a time of family get-togethers and prezzies. My GF's mom is more staunchly atheist than we, so she doesn't... but she sends us solstice presents. Most of my family are Christian to some extent, so my celebration of the holiday also makes the social niceties easier.

[EdipisReks]

i love giftday, myself.

[Peter Jenkins]

I celebrate Christmas. Though I dont believe in christ and I dont celebrate it with a mass. It's a convenient time for everyone to get together. (Nearly) Everybody is off work at the same time, making it convenient for family get-togethers. It has it's wonderful secular traditions which can be celebrated by atheists, hindus, muslims, et al. And then there are the nice religious touches for the god-botherers. All in all a good time can be had by all.
Peter

[Melissa Johnson]

...the festival for the rest of us! (liberated from Seinfeld )...

Started out married life loving Xmas, insisting on tree, garland, lights, etc....

now it mostly depresses the hell out of me and gives me another reason to drink...hate the commercialism, hate the 'gimmee' attitude most people & kids seem to thrive on. Dislike the infinite quantity of cheap, ugly and plastic xmas decos, ditto for gifts. Work a season in retail and you'll know what I mean--it makes a Scrooge of you. Stopped sending xmas cards because I felt insincere and I hated getting the mass-produced statement on how the relatives' kids were doing in soccer. Christ has nothing to do with the celebration anymore (like no one's ever heard that before).
That said--

I do like the idea of a festive season full of lights during the darkest season in my hemisphere... I also like giving gifts to people I love, though I usually don't need a manufactured holiday to enjoy that. I love the old R.C. Latin hymns and medieval carols. I love the food and the bonhomie shared with friends over glasses of wine in a cozy room while the weather howls outside. I enjoy the time off work. And I enjoy the promise of a coming new year.

So yeah, I guess I celebrate Christmas :)

[Bullwinkle]

Originally posted by Diogenes


You being a Lutheran, would it be out of line to assume you owe allegience to the God and Christ alluded to in the Christian Bible?

If that assumption is correct, I would assume you attempt to please those entities.

How did they make it known to you, that it would please them, if you celebrated the occasion of the birth of Christ. ( the hypotheses of how such a celebration became a tradition, notwithstanding .. )

Actually, as a Lutheran, I try to do all sorts of things to please God.

On Reformation Day, we tale a Roman Catholic priest (marinated in his own wine, of course!), sacrifice him on the altar, and have a big parish barbecue. Y'all come, now, y'hear? :wink8:

Then, on Hallowe'en, we take witches, soak them in tar, and burn them on torches! We've found by adding different combinations of powdered metals (boron, calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, etc.) and the resulting colors are SO pretty. Viewed from a mile off, they're just like great big Christmas tree lights! :j1:

Last year, we sponsored a Hell House for Hallowe'en and showed some filthy little godless heathen children from our neighborhood what would happen to them if they engaged in premarital fornication, adultery, homosexuality, or birth control; or started engaging in things of this world things such as EVILution, old earth "theory", or voting for baby-killing DEMONcrats!

On Matthew Shepard's birthday (December 1) , we like to honor God by caroling through the predominantly gay and lesbian neighborhoods carrying signs made by that that nice Fred Phelps from Kansas. It's such a PLEASANT way to begin Advent!

After Christmas, it's slow going until Holy Week. That's the best of all -- we all get together and paint epithets and graffiti on synagogues. Why you'd be amazed -- just add a head to a swastika, and you've got a SHEEP! :wink:

It's not like them Jews don't deserve what they get. After all, the Good Book says their father is the Devil and we all know who it was who killed Christ! We figure once a year it's our God-given duty to remind them Jews that WE remember what THEY did.

:i:

Now that we've got all our stereotypes of Christians out of the way...

I'm perfectly open to discussion. I'm just as open to honest sharing. I'm certainly open to a discussion of beliefs.

My closest friend is a self-confessed atheist -- and that's perfectly OK with me. Actually, I've always appreciated (and counted on) his insights which help cut through layers of accumulated (and occasionally hardened) bullsh*t; and he's probably the most thoroughly moral people I know.

Now, if you really want an answer to the question: well, I would not presume to speak for the Almighty, but I doubt if He/She/It cares one way or the other what holidays we celebrate, be they Christmas, Kwanzaa, the New Year, the equinox, Passover, Good Friday, Easter, the solstice, Yom Kippur, Samhain, or my birthday.

Given that: in the future, could we agree to avoid obvious set-ups such as "How did they make it known to you, that it would please them, if you celebrated the occasion of the birth of Christ." Thanks. (Hug, hug; kiss, kiss.)

:rub:

[calladus]

Originally posted by Diogenes


You left out " Cinco de Mayo ".. A time to enjoy tacos...:D
I thought that meant, "5 Jars of Salad Dressing?'

:confused:

[Mercutio]

Originally posted by calladus

I thought that meant, "5 Jars of Salad Dressing?'

:confused: Hey, you celebrate your way, I'll celebrate mine...:eek:

[calladus]

As an Atheist, I celebrate Christmas - Lights, tree, presents, food, family, good cheer.

But my celebration might seem a bit off to some people. Sometimes my Christian friends notice it, sometimes they just feel something isn't right but can't put their finger on it. My Christmas celebration has no religion to it.

The tree has no religious ornaments on it, there is no star or angel on top - just a Santa looking decidely uncomfortable with a tree up his - AHEM.

The lights on my house, (and the occasional snowmen) are complemented by a colorful door flag of a bright yellow sun on a blue background, with the words, "The reason for the season." It's printed in such a way that my Christian friends often mis-remember it.

The Christmas cards I send out have no mention about God, or Jesus, or religion of ANY sort - and no, they don't say 'solstice' either. They usually have colorful pictures of birds in the snow, or sleigh rides, or such.

My Christmas music is often Jazz or Classical music. However, Ossai (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25960) introduced me to Cthulhu Christmas Music (http://www.cthulhulives.org/solsticecarol.html) which will definitely be played in my home and office this year, alongside of my old favorites such as, "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" and the music from the animated version of, "How the Grinch stole Christmas."

Shoot, I may even take up caroling again!! I mean, a loud, croaking, untuned voice is actually an asset when you are caroling about Cthulhu!

As for other holidays - I'm a true blue geek, Sci Fi junky and an electronics engineer. I treat Halloween as the world's largest Science Fiction convention. Gadgets and costumes are perfect. Instead of dressing as a witch or devil, I would be more likely to dress as a Star Wars or Star Trek character. If I had the money to make it I would go as a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica.

Easter is a great day to hide plastic eggs full of candy. Good Friday is a great day to go fishing. (That's MY version of GOOD!)

All of my holidays are spent with family, friends, or just me and my wife doing the road trip thing to someplace interesting.

[Eos of the Eons]

Considering it was Yule to begin with, and because it marks the time around days start getting longer again, heck ya.

You have to have some fun in the middle of winter, or it would be too grim. The cold Jan. and Feb. are a little more bearable then.

[kuroyume0161]

I think that you nailed it, Eons. No matter WHAT you call it, there are more celebrative rituals at this time of year for a reason much removed from Christianity. This is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the progressive lengthening thereafter. The season is usually cold and dismal, such that the cyclic inversion of day lengths signals something of a new hope - new year - new life - return of the Sun. Celebrations on solstices have been ongoing for millenia; Christians don't have a trademark on any of them. They borrowed several traditions that eventually became Christmas, for some odd reason denoting Dec. 25th (or whatever it was with the Gregorian Calendar) as J's B'day.

I celebrate Christmas in a traditional, secular way. No references to Christianity - which allows the inclusion of the Yule tree. Personally, I tend to put emphasis on the Winter Solstice instead, since it embodies an actually phenomenon of interesting significance.

[Yahweh]

I'm an atheist, I celebrate Christmas.

I dont see Christmas as having any religious significance. Sometimes I even forget that Christmas is supposed to be a religious holiday. Its the drive through the neighborhood and small Nativity scene that keeps me vaguely reminded that Dec. 25 is J-man's birthday.

As an atheist, I feel I have absolutely no restrictions or limitations preventing me to from celebrating any holiday I want. Sometimes I celebrate Jewish Holidays (because I was born into a Southern Baptist household and I feel celebrating Jewish Holidays is the most effective way of disappointing my parents...).

I also enjoy Easter because I enjoy all Pagan holidays. Apparently Easter is more than the end of Lent, it celebrates the rebirth of the human soul (eggs are a symbol of reincarnation) and fertility (rabbits... durk!).

[c4ts]

Jewish holidays rule.

[Q-Source]

I hate christmas celebrations. It is just hipocricy in the highest level, it makes me vomit.

However, there are different levels depending on where we live. For example. I am living right now in the UK and last year I really have a very nice time because here people don't become crazy with Christmas. They don't transform their houses in a circus and don't sell so much christmas rubbish.

I know it sounds boring, but let's face it, to an atheist these celebrations are meaningless and are based on lies and self delusion.

[kuroyume0161]

Originally posted by Q-Source
I hate christmas celebrations. It is just hipocricy in the highest level, it makes me vomit.

However, there are different levels depending on where we live. For example. I am living right now in the UK and last year I really have a very nice time because here people don't become crazy with Christmas. They don't transform their houses in a circus and don't sell so much christmas rubbish.

I know it sounds boring, but let's face it, to an atheist these celebrations are meaningless and are based on lies and self delusion.

I hate the commercialization and religiousness myself. Celebrations around that time, though, can be directed towards Winter Solstice and New Year's. So, you can still celebrate as you like, but without dependency upon Christmas.

As an atheist, it can be fun to wish Christian friends and family a "Happy Mithra's Birthday!" and watch the puzzlement wash across their faces. ;)

[Eos of the Eons]

I know it sounds boring, but let's face it, to an atheist these celebrations are meaningless and are based on lies and self delusion

I know, I used to look at it that way until I started learning the real origins of most holidays. The winter solstice is one of many. You can attach your own meaning and enjoy it any way you want. That can mean rejecting all the frivolities and just enjoying a cup of cocoa. Whatever you want. Then at least you can look forward to the days you have free to do whatever you want to. I used to work. Now I have kids, and I don't want to depress the little munsters :)

[Yahweh]

Originally posted by Q-Source
I hate christmas celebrations. It is just hipocricy in the highest level, it makes me vomit.
What! What about presents! And decorations! And christmas trees. And food. And presents... and... Santa... *weeping*

to an atheist these celebrations are meaningless and are based on lies and self delusion.
I'm dont think many people celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday anymore (thank God/Yahweh for reckless abuse of commercialization). It has the same religious significance as Independence Day.

[jj]

Originally posted by Tony
As an atheist/agnostic, do you have any qualms with celebrating Christmas?

Well, we're glad to celibrate a holiday on the darkest day of the year. That does sometimes put us 3-4 days early, but so it goes. Sometimes we stick to the one on the calendar because the school system insists on memorializing the non-birthday of an alleged prophet instead of something based on orbital mechanics.

Please understand, just because we don't choose to celibrate an artificial holiday placed on 12/25 just so the previous religion's holiday on 12/21 or 12/22 would be converted from a feast day to a fasting day, doesn't mean we don't approve of having a great big party in the middle of the winter.

Parties (in some moderation, not too much moderation) are good for people, so why not?

[DoubtingStephen]

As an atheist/agnostic, do you have any qualms with celebrating Christmas?

I'm not completely satisfied with the labels agnostic or atheist, as I fear they might fail to communicate my lack of belief in all imaginary bearded sky daddies, past, present, and those not yet imagined.

Someone here exposed me to the term polyatheist, which is very nice, but I still worry one or more imaginary deities could still escape.

I'd like to say I'm an Omniatheist, but maybe UltraMegaAtheist does a better job.

And to answer the question, we celebrate Seasonal Holiday Gift Man Day on the winter solstice at our house. I do believe in winter, I was just there earlier this week, a day before it officially started.


No Christmas here, no virgin births, a noticeable lack of any type of virgins, really.

[hankalme]

We have been shifting towards some sort of solstice celebration, but mostly as a reaction against the Xtian hegemony in the USA: probably a bad motivation.

I also admit some degree of selfishness: I enjoy giving my son some neat stuff around this time of year. I feel better from watching him enjoy getting gifts than I ever remember feeling when I was the one getting stuff, but I want him to know where it came from. I also view it as a chance to have an age-appropriate talk about how we should reflect from time to time on how we are all victims of a series of accidents[1], and that our family's accidents have turned out pretty well: we have resources to piss away on junk we don't need.

I also see no reason to try to get him to believe in mythical creatures like Santa Claus. It promotes muddy thinking, and is not needed. Some in my family are aghast at that, but I figure that is just from our having different visions of what is important about childhood.


We have, for the past two years, exchanged some gifts on the 21st, and my son thinks that's great. I enjoy seeing an odd glance or two when he mentions the gift he got for solstice. I must like the attention.

We do gather with family on Christmas; lately with my in-laws. That's more about them getting some grandson time, which is just fine with me. Our talk about 'Solstice' (or 'Giftmas', when my wife is feeling cynical), gets a mixed reaction from family, but -- with one or two exceptions -- religion has never been that big a deal in our families anyway

Cheers,

Hank

[Godmode]

I LOVE Xmas!! I don't consider it a religious holiday. I consider it a family and friends holiday. I celebrate the Santa/xmas tree/holiday lights version. You won't find any nativity scenes, lol.
It's a wonderful way to bring some color and cheer during the cold winter. :)

[Flange Desire]

... It's a wonderful way to bring some color and cheer during the cold winter. :)

It's always a little strange celebrating it down here in oz.
Usually it is scorching hot with a blazing sun.
Just luuuuuv cooking up a chrissy roast with all the trimmings!
Even though you do tend to melt - but the cold beer really helps!
Then head down to the beach at sunset.

[kurious_kathy]

I hate christmas celebrations. It is just hipocricy in the highest level, it makes me vomit.


I know it sounds boring, but let's face it, to an atheist these celebrations are meaningless and are based on lies and self delusion.Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!

[Ragutis]

Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!


* Ragutis sits back with a beer and some popcorn... puts his feet up... giggles in anticipation*

[DoubtingStephen]

Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!

I agree that it is funny that you thought that :D

[Jorghnassen]

Well duh. With a tree, nativity scene, and gifts and food and all. Religious aspects, whether pagan or christian, secular aspects, commercialism can all mix for all I care, as long as it's fun.

/except no crummy recent Christmas songs. I only enjoy good interpretation of Christmas hymns and carols, and the occasional Christmas song (if performed by, say, the Vince Guaraldi trio).

[Ducky]

I do not celebrate the birth of christ.

But, I find the "Airing of Greivances" portion of Festivus to be very amusing.

[Ducky]

Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!


Added to my list of hateful and nasty things Kathy has said to us on this forum.


One more piece of evidence showing she is a bigoted jerk.

[kmortis]

Added to my list of hateful and nasty things Kathy has said to us on this forum.


One more piece of evidence showing she is a bigoted jerk.
Well, you know, basing your life on the things you can see, touch, taste and hear is self-delusion, my friend. Only when you turn you life over to THe Big Daddy in the Sky, are you being truthful.

[Roadtoad]

I celebrate Christmas by ignoring bigoted, hateful imbeciles like Kurious Kathy, and thanking God for the friends I have, regardless of what they choose to believe.

[Ducky]

I celebrate Christmas by ignoring bigoted, hateful imbeciles like Kurious Kathy, and thanking God for the friends I have, regardless of what they choose to believe.


Cheers, man.

[Dogdoctor]

:xfight Yeah I do celebrate it in a very secular way. It's a family thing. Our relatives get together and exchange gifts and share a meal. Then we go to the beach and throw sandballs at each other :)

[Terry]

Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!

pot. kettle. black.


PLONK!

[hankalme]

I celebrate Christmas by ignoring bigoted, hateful imbeciles like Kurious Kathy, and thanking God for the friends I have, regardless of what they choose to believe.

Good way to be. I for one hope you will celebrate by writing more of your interesting posts!

A merry/happy Xmas/solstice/Bhlorrrgh/<insert other winter holiday> to all!

Hank, currently in rural Arkansas on dialup (how spoiled I have become with DSL)

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Giving up god does not require giving up the trappings. I'm with Merc: any excuse in a storm.

Huh?

~~ Paul

[Flange Desire]

Funny I thought being an athiest was based on lies and self delusion!

C'mon kathy, come back and play!
Or are you just a hit-and-run kinda person?

[arias]

My family never celebrated Christmas, so I don't feel any compulsion to myself. Now, being a foreign student in North America, I just spent my Christmas snugly in bed.. ; ) If I had the social acquaintances and obligations to celebrate Christmas, I would have no problem in doing so.

[David Swidler]

Jewish holidays rule.

You mean, "They tried to kill us; we won. Let's eat!"?

:)

[Fungrim]

Agreeing with what seems like the majority.

There's been partying going on for longer than X-ianity anyway, and where I live it is still called yule (swedish: "jul"), not christmas. An excuse to ligth candes, meet friends, give gifts and eat great food? Yeah, bring it on.

If I get a family at some point I think I might resurect the "julbock" ("yule goat") instead of santa. Basically the goat have been around swedish yule celebrations as long as we know, probably starting as a reference to the goats used by Thor to drive his wagon. Today goats of straw are used as decorations. In the 19th century a man dressed up as a goat was used playing the role santa later usurped. In my mind, a man dressed as a goat is far more funny than any bumbling santa claus...

[kmortis]

Agreeing with what seems like the majority.

There's been partying going on for longer than X-ianity anyway, and where I live it is still called yule (swedish: "jul"), not christmas. An excuse to ligth candes, meet friends, give gifts and eat great food? Yeah, bring it on.

If I get a family at some point I think I might resurect the "julbock" ("yule goat") instead of santa. Basically the goat have been around swedish yule celebrations as long as we know, probably starting as a reference to the goats used by Thor to drive his wagon. Today goats of straw are used as decorations. In the 19th century a man dressed up as a goat was used playing the role santa later usurped. In my mind, a man dressed as a goat is far more funny than any bumbling santa claus...
But "Bad Goat" conjures up WAY worse connotations than "Bad Santa" does.

[Jorghnassen]

Fungrim: Don't the swede have jultomten, a tomte (sort of gnome)-sized gift-giver instead of Santa (more of an ogre-sized dude)?

[Roadtoad]

Agreeing with what seems like the majority.

There's been partying going on for longer than X-ianity anyway, and where I live it is still called yule (swedish: "jul"), not christmas. An excuse to ligth candes, meet friends, give gifts and eat great food? Yeah, bring it on.

If I get a family at some point I think I might resurect the "julbock" ("yule goat") instead of santa. Basically the goat have been around swedish yule celebrations as long as we know, probably starting as a reference to the goats used by Thor to drive his wagon. Today goats of straw are used as decorations. In the 19th century a man dressed up as a goat was used playing the role santa later usurped. In my mind, a man dressed as a goat is far more funny than any bumbling santa claus...

I read about some of this. Peggy and I even went so far as to put together a Swedish Christmas one year, (a friend of ours is from a very Swedish family, and we've known her for next to forever), though my parents and siblings spent the whole time bitching about it. Needless to say, we haven't done it since, though I miss the cookies (which I can't eat anymore because of the sugar content...)

[Fungrim]

But "Bad Goat" conjures up WAY worse connotations than "Bad Santa" does.
Of course, that's half the fun. There's a very annoying christmas song here (dunno if you have it too) called "I saw mommy kissing santa claus". Now imagine what you can do with a song like that, with mommy kissing a strange goat? :D

[Fungrim]

Fungrim: Don't the swede have jultomten, a tomte (sort of gnome)-sized gift-giver instead of Santa (more of an ogre-sized dude)?
Erhm, no, I think. Tomte is indeed a gnome-like kreature (a nisse for any norwegian here). And jultomte is the swedish name for santa ("jul" == yule). But the traditional tomte myth has nothing to do with gifts. He is a small creature, varying in size from a hand height to a meter, with a terrible temper, and was traditionally attached to a farm or a home (and is also commonly referred to as hustomte, "hus" == house). Having a hustomte who liked you was a good thing and people tried to please him by giving him food and not annoying him. Being very strong he'd keep the trolls and other bad kreatures away and act as a kind of guardian angel in your houshold. But as far as I know he was never involved in gift-giving, you gave him gifts, not the opposite. Thinking about that, there's still a tradition in Sweden of putting out a bowl of porridge for the tomte at christmas, that sounds like a left over of the old tradition of giving the hustomte his share.

[Lisa]

I'm an atheist and gave a very good jewish friend of mine holiday cookies.
We're both fans of irony.

[Freakshow]

Of course, that's half the fun. There's a very annoying christmas song here (dunno if you have it too) called "I saw mommy kissing santa claus". Now imagine what you can do with a song like that, with mommy kissing a strange goat? :D15 years of therapy to get over what I saw when I was 6, and you have to go and open up the wound. Thanks a lot...

[username]

As an atheist/agnostic, do you have any qualms with celebrating Christmas?

None whatsoever.

I don't teach my kids jebus nonsense nor do I teach them santa claus nonsense, but we still do the tree and presents thing. That is fun for all of us. On top of that, my employer gives me some paid time off work and there is no way I am passing that up.

If it were up to me, every day would be christmas.

If I had no kids then I would wish for every day to be New Year's Eve where we would party like it's 1999 and my employer gives me January 1 off so I can deal with the late bedtime and hangover.

Holidays kick ass and as far as I am concerned all stupid religions should push for holidays to be recognized so I can get more paid time off work. I don't care what the religion is, if I get paid time off work I am a believer.

My religion is holidayariast.