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]

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.

Originally posted by TruthParadox
I don't see why an atheist wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas.

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]

Originally posted by AshleyD
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.

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.

In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.

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.

Originally posted by AshleyD
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.

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

Originally posted by AshleyD
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.

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]

Originally posted by AshleyD
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!

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

Originally posted by AshleyD
(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

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

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.

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.