Anyone practicing Christmas??

[Anymouse]

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Hello. Around Christmas time last year I began questioning the fallacies of the bible. I began to make a transition towards atheism and by March of 2011 I came out with my atheism to my family and to my at-the-time girlfriend (we broke up due to my atheism among other things). Since then I have received only a couple snide remarks from my family concerning my lack of faith (my family is general pretty accepting). However, as the holiday season approaches I am concerned about things getting heated over religion. I certainly do not want to observe Christmas as seriously as I have in the past, however there are certain aspects I will miss about it. Having been a worship leader in my previous church for 4 years, I have grown fond of many of the Christmas songs I used to play and despite the fact that I don't believe in the songs' message, I still think many of the them are quite beautiful. I am not sure how to approach this Christmas season since it will be my first atheist Christmas.

Do any of you atheists/agnostics have any similar feelings towards Christmas? Do you guys completely ignore the holiday all together? If you celebrate it, what sort of things do you cut out? I am just interested to hear your thoughts on Christmas

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Having finally let go of the trappings of Wicca recently, I will not give up Yule (we do not celebrate Christmas, as there is more empirical evidence for the Solstice than for Jesus).

My wife, long an atheist before I met her, celebrates Yule with me, as any party is an excuse for itself.

My atheist mother celebrates Yule; the die-hard Christians in the family have disowned us both anyway over religion, and the more moderate ones don't really care that much. We send presents and secular solstice cards out (yes, you can buy them), and generally get presents and Christmas cards back.

Christmas (a religious holiday) in the USA is of course a Federal holiday, despite any mention of the Establishment Clause to the contrary, but the only way around it would be either to abolish the Federal holiday (and the Christians would really howl to tear down the I Amendment then), or establish -all- religious holidays in Federal law (and we would have so many Federal holidays we'd never get anything done, but would be the most celebratory nation on the planet).

I like celebrations, and see nothing wrong with decorating the house or yard. I do not have a tree in my house (but have two huge firs out front). Getting ready to put up such decorations after Thanksgiving, and I am waiting to see what my new neighbours think of the atheist and Wiccan decorating for the holiday: will they understand Christianity does not have a lock on Winter Solstice?

[Darth]

We're having our first Festivus this year =D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8g4Ztf7hIM

[Minimalist]

If you celebrate it, what sort of things do you cut out?

I stay out of fucking churches but then I make a point of doing that all year long anyway.

It was the Roman Saturnalia before obnoxious xtian asshats stole it for their fictitious godboy. I can enjoy the food and drink without thinking a bit about fucking jesus.

I have one holiday ritual though - I always watch Life of Brian and jesus does worm his way in there as a minor character.


"Blessed are the cheese makers."

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Well, I exchange gifts with my family,have a bang up lunch with them, doing my best to leave before first blood. The day is consider a splendid success if I manage to do that and get home without being maimed or killed by some drunken troglodyte.



I do not put up a Xmas tree or any other decorations.THE thing is the time with my family. I'm indifferent to the rest .I ignore Easter,except for being peeved that everything is shut on Good Friday and because my newspaper is not printed.

[Diamond]

"Blessed are the cheese makers."

I always fall asleep during Life of Brian. I've only been able to stay awake through the stoning scene. "Jehovah! Jehovah!"

Until I turned 18, I usually went to my dad and stepmom's place in Chicago. On Christmas eve, we'd go to my aunt's house (or step-aunt, I guess. She's my stepmom's sister) for a family gathering and we would unwrap gifts.

Then last year, I stayed in here in Virginia, went to church and sang "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon(they asked me to sing so I picked a song I liked. They liked it, too. Makes me wonder if they were even aware that I was singing John Lennon). When church was over, someone gave me a bible which I have since corrupted(more than it already is) by drawing graffiti, placing the bible warning sticker on the cover, and replacing every use of the word "knew" with "fucked".

[AthiestAtheist]

I dont need practice, this is my 26th go.

Yeah, I was about to say... Practice? I thought I was pretty good at it by now.

[IATIA]

No trees or decs since I left home 40 years ago, but time off is time off and a party is a party. Eat drink and make merry.

[travaldinho]

We recently hosted Tom Flynn at Oregon State who gave his lecture "The Trouble With Christmas" and encouraged atheists to not only refrain from celebrating Christmas, but also every other pagan ritual that occurs at the same time, like winter solstice. I would recommend everyone here read his book by the same title as his lecture. Although I agreed with all of points and I would want to stop celebrating the holiday, the implications of doing so far outweigh my perceived hypocrisy. Neither my girlfriends family nor my family could possible understand why I wouldn't want to fly around the world to visit them during this time of year. I will continue to celebrate the holiday for the appeasement of those I care about. When I have true freedom of choice then I will revisit the issue.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Practice? I thought I was pretty good at it by now.

I know just what you mean; I practised sex for years,until I considered myself an expert. Then got a girlfriend,and discovered I was not.

[Rev. Rye]

If you celebrate it, what sort of things do you cut out?

I stay out of fucking churches but then I make a point of doing that all year long anyway.

It was the Roman Saturnalia before obnoxious xtian asshats stole it for their fictitious godboy. I can enjoy the food and drink without thinking a bit about fucking jesus.

I have one holiday ritual though - I always watch Life of Brian and jesus does worm his way in there as a minor character.


"Blessed are the cheese makers."

I have a Christmas ritual, too. on the last weekend before Christmas, I re-read The Catcher in the Rye. This may seem left-field, but it is set around Christmastime.