Why do many Atheists celebrate Christmas?

Who cares? It is just another day that you should be glad you are alive.

Im not religious.
I hate Christmas it has no meaning for me anymore...mostly since my divorce.
People turn crazy all around me around this time of year.
It makes me depressed....when people care more about the gifts.
I dont want anything from anyone yet my house is full of gifts from freinds and family.

I dont want to open the gifts and perpetuate the madness.

Am i turning into scrooge?

Well that was better than trip to shrink.

Edit:Oh and everyone i know goes in opposite directions anyway to be with there family's ect.
I prefer to chill out at home.

[edit on 22-12-2008 by SvenTheBerserK]

reply to post by SvenTheBerserK

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OH man! I totally agree. I want to get gifts from people but not because they feel obligated to just cos it's christmas, so I say I don't want anything and won't be giving anything and will be sitting at home playing video games instead of seeing the circus that is family. People think I'm an asshole but I'm just sick of the madness.

Its hard to explain to people but there it is.


Greetings from across the ditch in Kiwiland

[edit on 22/12/2008 by Good Wolf]

maybe they just celebrate 'Holiday'...

if the family has children, it is much easier to join-the-crowd and act
as if your celebrating Christmas Holiday...or else the peer pressure on the kids at school, etc. would be counter-productive to the point of destructive

i say, go along with outward appearances with participating in the pop-culture festivities.
heck, i've even watched the televised Catholic Mass, out of respect for the father-in-law...after all, i can 'invest' an hour of unpleasantness for a year of harmony ...


Its pretty well understood that Athiests also participate in the Christian prompting to: "be fruitiful and multiply"....why not X-Mas too?!

Some great points made in this thread and I'm a little surprised that there are so many agnostics and atheists on the board.



Interestingly, I stopped celebrating Christmas (and ALL holidays, birthdays, etc) BEFORE I "claimed" the title of atheist. I stopped celebrating, NOT because I don't believe in God, but because of the insanity, commercialism, obligation and "group think" involved with the season and holiday.

Just FYI.

I still say and wish people a "Merry Christmas", though! LOL "Cause of the fun!

[edit on 22-12-2008 by Benevolent Heretic]

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

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I can understand that.
I just don't get why someone would choose not to celebrate Christmas simply because they don't believe in God. It has so little to do with Christianity .
I mean, I don't believe in Santa Claus either, but that's not going to stop me from drinking eggnog and eating fudge .

reply to post by fooffstarr

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Interesting thread. I was considering starting something similar but was afraid people would assume I had antagonistic intentions.

The thing is, Christmas as we celebrate it today is a Christian/religious holiday. With as much as 'separation of church and state' is screamed by the country's atheists, you'd think they'd have issues with a religious holiday being a federal holiday.

Although it is true in the last 50-70 years Christmas has become more secularized and commercialized, it does not change the fact it has religious roots. Should we abolish Christmas as a federal holiday?

I don't see the winter solstice as a pagan federal holiday, Hanukkah as a Jewish national holiday, Kwanza as an African national holiday, etc.

The devil's advocate in me says to abolish Christmas as a federal holiday and have it become a private holiday for Christians. Not going to happen but it would only be fair under the strictest definition of removing religion from the government.

And yes, I am being somewhat tongue and cheek. We should also stop having 'Good Friday' as a day off in schools and only let Christian students have that day off. I don't see the atheists rallying to have these religious holidays stopped but my goodness they want 'In God We Trust' taken off of money and the 'Under God' part of the pledge amended.

reply to post by fooffstarr

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If you what to put labels on people then I am agnostic, meaning I don't believe in the world religions, but can't deny the evidence and personal experiences of the afterlife. And I celebrate Xmas. You should know Christmas is a mix of traditions, it was originally a Druid holiday of the winter solstice celebration.

But, I believe those who don't "believe" celebrate it because of the "togetherness" and family orientation. It is more like an American tradition now than a religious holiday, Hell, I have Muslim friends that celebrate it for just that!.

My 2 cents

reply to post by fooffstarr

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Speaking as an atheist i can tell you why i celebrate christmas.

I celebrate it simply because it's a tradition. We share presents (although that part isn't important), have fun, tell stories and generally have a good time. The religious part of it has no significance for me. I just treat it as a time to have fun and be with those i care about most.

I wouldn't call it a Christian holiday (though it is painted to be). A majority of the traditions and stories (and origins) have absolutely nothing to do with Christ.
The name "Christmas" is of catholic origin.
And the idea of Jesus' birth is a Christian/Catholic story.
That's about it.
I could see how you could call it a Christian holiday, but to non believers, it's not.

I guess the best way I can describe this is:
Santa Claus is a myth and I celebrate Christmas.
The story of Jesus is a myth and I celebrate Christmas.

None of that is what it's about to me.




Do you celebrate Christmas because of the Son of Isis?
Do you celebrate Christmas because of Santa Claus?

No.
Likewise, an atheist doesn't celebrate Christmas because of Jesus.
It's simply a tradition.




Many of it's roots are counter to Christianity .
The Christian spin was added to it just as the idea of Santa Claus was.



That's because our government should not be cheering for a specific deity on the side lines. However, a holiday which is more a tradition than a religious statement is fine with most atheists.
I think it already is seperated in a sense.
Christians celebrate Christmas because of Christ.
Atheists celebrate Christmas because we want to and it's a tradition.

Edit to add: I'm sure you're not offended by the myth of Santa Claus, however, I'm sure you would be very much offended if on the back of a dollar bill it said: "In Santa Claus we trust" lol.
Just a different perspective to think about.

[edit on 22-12-2008 by TruthParadox]

reply to post by TruthParadox

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That's why I also brought in the word 'religious' and not just Christian and also referenced the solstice. You atheists just want to have your cake and eat it too. Admit it!

(Yes, I'm totally kidding. This post as well as my post above is facetious just in case anyone missed that disclaimer lol). I would NOT want Christmas abolished as a national holiday. lol

[edit on 12/22/2008 by AshleyD]

Well in this case it's fudge, but yes.




Good - me neither.
I don't know what I would do without my annual eggnog spree .

reply to post by AshleyD

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It would be a bit strange if I had gotten a cake and didn't want to eat it. What a stupid saying, everyone wants their cake!

Just an unrelated rambling.

reply to post by Good Wolf

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LOL! Yes. It is pretty weird, isn't it. I used to contemplate it as a child. You'd think they'd have a better saying to express what that adage means.

reply to post by AshleyD

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It's like that one "you've made your bed, now you have to sleep in it."

Yes, the meaning is clear but the saying is still warped and silly. I never make my bed, but even when I do, it doesn't make me need to sleep in it, it's the other way round. I need to make my bed because I slept in it.

[edit on 22/12/2008 by Good Wolf]

For me, it's a time to think of loved ones, to spend time with them even to taking great lengths to gather together. To sing and drink and eat and enjoy life. To give gifts to show our love and enjoy making other people happy.

It's never been about Church, or Religion and I rarely even think about that aspect of it unless someone is singing some xmas carol or I happen to see a Nativity display somewhere.

reply to post by fooffstarr

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I celebrate Christmas out of (hey I just discovered firefox got spell check cool) compassion.

You see I genuinely believe the retailers and brewers etc, need my support this time of year, as I assume the xtians don't get involved in all the material aspects of their human sacrifice memorial.

I also make myself available to (out of charity of course) help alleviate any christians of all the goodies they can't take to heaven.

So, all you xtians out there, when heathen bastards give you presents and make a mockery of what you are celebrating. Don't burn or destroy the satan inspired blackberry or i Pod , send them on to the Moocowman, i will enjoy them for you and burn in hell instead of you. Instead of spending weeks reading instruction manuals you can use your time more effectively by nipping over to africa saying a few prayers and stopping the wars and eradicating disease.




MY SON - "Dad, why don't Jehovas witnesses celebrate christmas?"

MOOCOWMAN - " Because they know jesus is imaginary"


MY SON - " So why do we celebrate christmas ?"

MOOCOWMAN " Sometimes it's nice to have a few days off from reality"


Ho ho ho



[edit on 22-12-2008 by moocowman]

reply to post by fooffstarr

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I celebrate Chirstmas cause everyone else does as it is a part of western civilisation. And it's alot of fun...nothing more is needed for me.

Like many holidays its just an excuse to get far to *merry* for my own liking...the mince pies,big christmas dinner etc just soak up the alcohol so i have something to throw up in the morning.

An atheist friend of mine refuses to call it christmas. Instead he calls it "December celebration time". This just goes to show that extremists of any idea are a bad thing

I don't believe in god, Jesus being a son of god, a virgin birth or any of the other religious nonsense connected with christmas. That however doesn't stop me gathering with friends and family to eat a ritual sacrifice (turkey), drink to much, have fun, talk a lot and bask in the warm glow of togetherness.

Long live the tradition of christmas...............although i hope the religious aspects are forgotten soon.