View Full Version : Christmas for atheists
I love Christmas - I love the lights. I love buying gifts. I love making gifts. I love wrapping gifts. I love Christmas trees. I love Christmas movies and cartoons. I love opening gifts. I love the parades. I love the snow (the only time I like snow). I love to indulge in holiday decorated snacks and foods. I love company sponsored Holiday parties. I love to make gingerbread houses. I love to get to get together with my family. And although I know Jesus is the reason for the season, I remain atheist - or asupernaturalist.
Anyone out there who feels the same way?
Probably more that one might expect. The Christmas traditions I grew up with are mostly not really all that religious in and of themselves. Other than the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church, most of what I do is more about a holiday designed to reconnect with family and friends, whether it's through cards, gifts, baking...
I can't deny that my Roman Catholic childhood didn't have an influence over me today. Consider ourselves agnostic perhaps not a strong as atheist. We will celebrate the sun on December 21st as the sunshine crawls across the floor in our passive solar home and let it "fill" a golden bowl think about the longest night and a turning back of the sun to spring. I guess this sounds pagan and that's okay with us but we don't believe in organized spirituality.
Read more about the history of the winter holidays and you may be surprised. Christmas is when it is because the church forefathers decided to convert pagan holidays for their own purposes. So there is a long history of winter holidays that are not Christian in origin.
see, for instance, http://www.history.com/topics/christmas
As a sales associate in a retail store, I see both the excitement and the stressed-out frenzy people get into during the holidays. As an atheist who has pretty much stopped celebrating Christmas (because it started to seem silly), I can be detached from the emotional rollarcoaster that I used to get on, trying to follow all of these randomly thrown-together traditions. I get my fill of pretty decorations and holiday music at work, too. As for family getting together, I'm all for a good meal and catching up with people I haven't seen in a while.
Not truly Athiest here, but close to that w/ Jewish background.
I am a church musician of sorts by hobby. I play at one of the local Episcopal Cathedral's (in Sacramento, CA)Christmas eve masses every year. My trio does prelude and postlude music for usually one of the early evening masses. That's a big part of my fun Christmas celebration. The Cathedral folks are good at pageantry and all that business.
my favorite part of christmas is actually the masses -- vigil and christmas morning.
i haven't attended in . . . oh, a decade? the rest of it is nice, but I can't be bothered so much.
we are discovering that we like to travel over christmas, and this christmas we are going to a beach house in northern nz. should be nice. then touring a bit before heading back home to hang out at the beach and have a "4th of July" party in January.
so, it makes for a nice holiday for us. i don't know why we aren't interested in the rest of it. Until June, when i do a little holiday dinner for our family (DH, DS, myself). DS and I go shopping for the food, DH picks up a little gift for DS, and DS and I make paper ornaments for the table. And it's done that evening and picked up. I also do an "easter" like celebration in spring (garden day), and this is summer, and in autumn, we haven't figured outselves out yet. LOL
Read more about the history of the winter holidays and you may be surprised. Christmas is when it is because the church forefathers decided to convert pagan holidays for their own purposes. So there is a long history of winter holidays that are not Christian in origin.
see, for instance, http://www.history.com/topics/christmas
Ironic, isn't it? That what started out as a pagan/secular celebration comes full circle for most people. I'm sure it gives bankers a nice warm feeling for Jesus too.
We are atheist but really like Christmas. For us it is a time to get together with family and friends and celebrate each to the level he/she wants. Our son usually makes it home for at least a little while and we have plenty of food, fires in the fireplace, music and good conversation. Other than passing on the midnight mass, it isn't a whole lot different than Christmas as a kid in the catholic church. We don't really do religious Christmas in this country, you know.
Of course, there is the midnight sacrifice of the virgin goat........what? Y'all don't do that?
JaneV2.0
12-12-11, 10:54pm
Rosemary beat me to it. Aside from the some of the music, my enjoyment of the winter holidays is completely secular. I'm inclined to believe researchers who think the historical Jesus was born in Spring, so that "reason for the season" stuff leaves me unmoved.
iris lily
12-12-11, 11:38pm
I'm not a believer and the holiday season doesn't bother me because it is so little concerned with religion, it seems to me. I like lights and greenery and decorations and snowy wonderland etc.
goldensmom
12-13-11, 6:23am
I was in a store yesterday that sells Christmas decorations. I was looking for a specific Nativity item and found nothing religious or referring to Jesus whatsoever. Overall, Christmas is not a religious observance in the United States anymore, it has become a cultural thing we do. I am a Christian and celebrate the birth of Christ but I do not expect a non-Christian to celebrate as I do. I don’t think we need to dissect the subject.
Have fun. Enjoy. Celebrate goodwill, the scents, the sights, the food, the joy or whatever aspects about Christmas that you wish.
flowerseverywhere
12-13-11, 7:40am
The few truly religious people I know don't celebrate the commercial part of the Christmas ritual much. We celebrate some of the commercial part put not the religious part. Isn't it great to live in a world where you can decide to do one or both or even none?
One of our favorite things to do is go to the really big mall near us and walk around and look at all the displays while everyone is rushing around frantically and we are relaxed. Also, for some reason my development has so many decorated houses, one house has more than 50 of those ugly blow up balloons on the lawn, most have lights on the trees and house. The weather has been great to walk in the evening so that is great fun. I live in one of the bah humbug houses, no outside decor but we do have a tree.
"flowerseverywhere"
I love that screen name.
Like a lot of people who don't practice "group spirituality", I love the lights, the decorations, the sparklies of Christmas as practiced by individuals. I detest the marketing, the commercialism, the commercials implying that my aspiration should be to ascend the corporate ladder until I can gift someone a Lexus.
But I also have a great deal of respect for those who DO feel and celebrate the spiritual aspect of the season. I enjoy being in the company of those with a deep, abiding, but non-judgmental faith in...whatever they believe in. Such people have a glow around Christmas, and I find it beautiful.
I am an atheist but I really do not get in to xmas. It isn't because of "jesus." Most of Christmas, as you have already pointed out, is not about Jesus. In fact, the only thing about Christmas that was Jesus related was when we went to church service. But the gifts, the food, the tree, the peace on earth, the buying buying buying, that is not really religious.
I do want to add that the whole fight over "holiday" vs "christmas," in my opinion, was CREATED by the retailers. I know of no atheist group that went demanding stores sell them "holiday" trees! LOL. what atheist wants a "holiday" tree?
Instead, I think retailers just wanted to try to market their stuff to a greater number of people $$$$$$$$$. and it backfired.
I don't get offended if someone wishes me Merry Christmas. I mean, c'mon.
But, I don't celebrate christmas mostly because I do not like consumerism and I honestly do not like doing the same thing every year after year after year. I could get in to christmas more if it was like every 3 years or 5 years or something.
OH by the way, I wish Christmas was about Jesus more. I really do. It makes me sad that a religious thing has been taken over by consumerism. I do not believe in god, but I think the holiday, as a group of religoius people intended, should remain "holy' somehow. I also appreciate that it is at least one day that stores are closed!
Bastelmutti
12-13-11, 1:09pm
We celebrate it as a cultural (both solstice and Christmas) and family holiday and love all of those trappings you mentioned! The movie "Elf" was on for the second time this week at our house last night. LOL
Of course, there is the midnight sacrifice of the virgin goat........what? Y'all don't do that?
Oh it's the midnight seducion of the virgin goat herd boy for me :devil:!!
I'm agnostic and really enjoy the non-shopping, non-consumer driven aspects of the holiday. The tree, the food, the lights, the food, the music, the food, the decorations, the food, the few wrapped presents, the food, the hot toddies, the food .... :-)! I prefer to spend the day doing something active outdoors (gotta work off all that food!) like skiing or hiking. Something quiet, somewhere beautiful (a snowy pine forest), with food and a dancing goatherd virgin boy (who looks like Brad Pitt) under the misletoe :D
You and 90% of Japan!!
(I think about 10% of Japanese identify as Christians)
Christmas music everywhere since the week before Thanksgiving, all the decorations but the Illuminations are the big draw.
I did visit the totally rocking lightshow at Midtown Tokyo last night, very nice...sponsored by Emirate Airlines :P
rosarugosa
12-13-11, 8:08pm
We are atheists and are not big fans of xmas. There are some traditions that we like, but we avoid most of it. I too am perplexed about this supposed controversy about the "holiday tree" and not being able to say "Merry Christmas." I think Bill O'Reilly or someone made it all up! I have no issue with being wished a Merry Christmas. It's a pretty pagan holiday after all.
Holiday actually comes from Holy Day.
I just want you all to know I don't judge however you spend Christmas or don't. It's interesting to have this forum to see what others do or don't do. I just don't want a cookie cutter one size fits all holiday imposed on me. I hope you all get whatever you want best for Dec. 25th. Peace,joy and love...
Here's a great song that sets up how i really feel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q (Tim Minchin)
Zoebird loved this and sent it off to a friend.
Of course, there is the midnight sacrifice of the virgin goat........what? Y'all don't do that?
I nearly ruined my laptop with coffee when I read that one! Thanks for the laugh!
:o) I have to say I think part of my love of Christmas is because I work from home (ie not retail) and am not at all exposed to 50's Christmas music (though I adore Lennon's "Happy Xmas") or the uber shoppers.
Xmac! thanks for pointing that out! wow, how ironic.
it just doesn't make sense that an atheist would want to be wished a happy holiday anymore than merry christmas (or rather, care about EITHER one). if they are not in to christmas, what holiday exactly ARE they in to that they want to be wished a holiday?????
i think someone other than atheists started this drama!
to clarify. . .
in the middle ages, it was against the law to fight or battle on "holy days" -- and likewise, there were certain "holy days" where work was also not allowed.
thus, "holy day" became synonymous with "day off" from work or violence. And thus a holiday is really "happy days off" and doesn't have to refer to a specific "holy day" at all.
iris lily
12-17-11, 12:53am
Xmac! thanks for pointing that out! wow, how ironic.
it just doesn't make sense that an atheist would want to be wished a happy holiday anymore than merry christmas (or rather, care about EITHER one). if they are not in to christmas, what holiday exactly ARE they in to that they want to be wished a holiday?????
i think someone other than atheists started this drama!
aethiests or not, it's those who must constantly chastise us to expand our horizons and be all inclusive or diverse or whatever who beat this drum. Good god, just say your won greeting from whichever holiday you celebrate , this aethiest doesn't care.
mtnlaurel
12-17-11, 5:50am
I love Christmas too. With the kids we've started to celebrate earlier in the year and it's been nice to 'pace ourselves' and savor all the wonderful, fun things.
I'm a Christian and just get more and more moved by the Christ child story as I get older.
It is very beautiful and meaningful to me.
Zoebird - thanks for putting up song link.... I just loved it.
goldensmom
12-17-11, 7:03am
aethiests or not, it's those who must constantly chastise us to expand our horizons and be all inclusive or diverse or whatever who beat this drum. Good god, just say your won greeting from whichever holiday you celebrate , this aethiest doesn't care.
This Christian agrees. Wish me a Happy/Merry/Pleasant/Peaceful anything. I do not wished to be cursed but even wishing me a good day or happy Wednesday will lift my spirits.
Xmac! thanks for pointing that out! wow, how ironic.
it just doesn't make sense that an atheist would want to be wished a happy holiday anymore than merry christmas (or rather, care about EITHER one). if they are not in to christmas, what holiday exactly ARE they in to that they want to be wished a holiday?????
i think someone other than atheists started this drama!
Speaking as an atheist who is VERY into Christmas (ie I started this thread) - I love being wished a Merry Christmas!
i really don't care about the greetings/etc either. if i'm sending out cards (i don't), then i use holidays because my friends are diverse in their beliefs and practices this time of year and it's general, you know?
otherwise, i'm happy with whatever greeting, though here "have a great holiday" is the main one, because people go on holiday a lot. so, it's what i use. :)
Thanks for the link to the song, Zoebird! It's funny and sweet at the same time.
I had to share this on the "Merry Christmas v Happy Holidays" question.
At the sharing of the peaice in the Xmas eve service between our prelude and postlude music, the old lady seating in the pew behind us wished me "Happy Hannukah". She probably figured out I look like a Rabbi, but really! Everybody else just wished Mrry Christmas, as you would expect in a church. Some people!
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