Celebrating Christmas

[MooMooMotherfucker]

I'm new to this forum, so excuse me if I'm placing this in the wrong subforum.

Do you think it is okay(we can't judge, but do you think it's strange) for an Atheist(or any non-christian for that matter) to celebrate Christmas? Only the last few months have I been looking at religion, different believes and such, and I've been noticing people saying that they are going to celebrate Chirstmas. Yet, when I ask them if they believe in God, the anwser is often ''No, why?''.

I have to say, my family still has a Christmastree and everything each year, while we don't really believe in God as far as I know. I'm having such strange feelings about the whole thing, I feel as if I'm fooling myself.

What are your thoughts?

[Annik]

It's a family holiday and a great excuse to buy people gifts. I have no problem with getting together with family and opening gifts/eating large amounts of sweets.

[MooMooMotherfucker]

Haha, true. But my grandma is a christian, and before we go to her place for Christmas, we used to go to church. I didn't go the last 2 or 3 years, because I don't believe, but she still goes. Don't you feel like you are kind of fooling yourself? Or telling yourself a lie..?

[Dee Dee Ramone]

I never knew Maria gave birth to Jesus under a christmas tree.

[Annik]

Haha, true. But my grandma is a christian, and before we go to her place for Christmas, we used to go to church. I didn't go the last 2 or 3 years, because I don't believe, but she still goes. Don't you feel like you are kind of fooling yourself? Or telling yourself a lie..?

Nope. My parents know that I'm not a Christian. I had a buddy get really drunk and go to the Christmas Eve service at his mom's church. He enjoyed it because you could sing really loud and no one cared. I remember similar services (sans alcohol) being very beautiful and all lit by candles. Even with all that side, it's a wonderful reason to see family and spread some good ole fashion good-will. I really enjoy the holidays.

[Cyberman]

In a lot of societies, Western ones particularly, any religious trappings to Christmas or indeed other similar festivities were dissolved long ago to the point where if they're on the list at all, they typically place so far below the more important and/or more fun elements that you'd need drilling equipment and potholing experience just to find them. To all but those inside the bubble, such holidays are less about celebrating anything other than time with family and friends, letting your hair down, and generally being nice to people. Which is no bad thing. So there's nothing wrong or hypocritical with doing something fun, even if there are superficial overtones of something you don't believe in; there's no obligation to accept or even acknowledge those things.

[Corvus]

Ditto on most of this. The original meaning of christmas has more or less been beaten into submission by commercialization in most western cultures. So I celebrate the holidays as a chance to get together with family, exchange giftcards and make myself sick drinking eggnog.

[Minimalist]

Do you think it is okay(we can't judge, but do you think it's strange) for an Atheist(or any non-christian for that matter) to celebrate Christmas?

Not as long as they leave all the jesus crap out of it. As a purely commercial holiday xmas is fine. Maybe they should change the name.

[Zen Badger]

It's mainly an excuse to buy weapons of mass destruction for the grandkids, get pissed and celebrate the Solstice(which is the original meaning of the festival before the christians stole it)

[FallentoReason]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. "Christmas" isn't even 100% Christian in its formulation. The early Church fathers chose the 25th because it coincided with the Pagan celebration of the Vernal Equinox. Sure, the message of the holiday is Christian, but as you can see it's not even grounded in any true history that relates to Christ. Hell, even the tree selected comes from a medieval cult that practiced some sort of witchcraft (as far as I know). Now Christmas has been revolutionised again to fit our consumerist society. I'm sure Jeebus is facepalming at all his followers that endulge in materialism at this time of year, if only he had an existing face to be palmed that is.