Atheists/Agnostics - Do you still celebrate christmas?

[_Who Knows]

This is something I'm struggling with right now - but to be honest - I love christmas - especially as a kid. Nothing beat that feeling christmas morning, checking under the tree to discover what some mysterious fat old man had brought you. I want my kids to experience that same feeling.

However, being agnostic, it seems like i'm sending the wrong 'signals' by celebrating christmas. (well, that, and my wife is still TBM, so of course we're celebrating christmas)

I'm just trying to make it more commercial i guess - just enjoy the season, the lights, the gifts, etc. - I figure I'm just trying to take the 'Christ' out of christmas - ha! - but still celebrate and enjoy it.

What do all the other agnostics/atheists do?

[_asbestosman]

I don't qualify for your thread, but you might want to consider celebrating Saint Nicholas Day instead:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_nicholas#Saint_Nicholas_the_festive_gift-giver

[_truth dancer]

I personally don't want anything to be more commercialized. :-)

Here is a quote I found (quote of the day on my Goodness Graciousness blog, yesterday), that helps me deepen my care and concern during this time of year.

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.

~Agnes M. Pharo

In other words, why not focus on the idea of peace, goodwill toward humankind? Why not bring into our homes a greater sense of care and a reminder to help one another?

:-)

~dancer~

[_OUT OF MY MISERY]

I am not sure of your point but yes as an atheist family---or A family that chooses not tp participate in organized religion

I guess we celebrate Christmas I have a white tree this year small..I bought some new ornaments...some very personilized ornaments...my cat likes to lay under the tree with his toys...we are going shopping after Christmas ....because that is when the presnts are on sell....my children are older ...and I have taught them how to be god shoppers...we will have a nice dinner...we wil have a few presents to exchange....we did get a new dryer for our family Christmas present.....and we will probably go on a family vacation in the spring...so I guess it depends on what you mean by celebrating?????

Christmas=Christ=love=family=time together=peace=joy=whatever you want is to be....just because we do not believe in God we do believe in each other.....is that what you are getting at???

Do we believe ina higher power

[_Bond...James Bond]

This is something I'm struggling with right now - but to be honest - I love christmas - especially as a kid. Nothing beat that feeling christmas morning, checking under the tree to discover what some mysterious fat old man had brought you. I want my kids to experience that same feeling.

However, being agnostic, it seems like i'm sending the wrong 'signals' by celebrating christmas. (well, that, and my wife is still TBM, so of course we're celebrating christmas)

I'm just trying to make it more commercial i guess - just enjoy the season, the lights, the gifts, etc. - I figure I'm just trying to take the 'Christ' out of christmas - ha! - but still celebrate and enjoy it.

What do all the other agnostics/atheists do?

Here's my thinking on Christmas:

If you're Christian= a chance to worship your savior's birth, celebrate another year with friends and family, eat good food, and give loved one's gifts
If you're not Christian=a chance to celebrate another year with friends and family, eat good food and give loved one's gifts

Bond

[_Mercury]

Came acrost this today:

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=285

[_MormonMendacity]

I consider myself a weak atheist and I love Christmas! The holidays have a special feeling for me -- one I love. I'm not offended by the mythology. I often entertain myself by changing the words to Christmas songs to reflect my doubts about the accuracies of ancient texts and religous stories.

For example, I sing,

Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of Humanity's birth!
Long lay the world in myth and error pining
Till facts appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Rise to your feet!
Oh speak with reasoned voices
Oh night sublime
Oh night when truth was born
Oh night sublime
Oh night , O holy night!

Not much of the ritual offends me. I find myself put off by Christians who demand Wal*Mart greet them with "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays". I find it a typical Christian theme to expect others to act the way they want them to. In other words: They want me to celebrate Christmas with their meaning...instead of mine.

I'm glad to be alive in a period of time when many people are emerging from the darkness of oppressive religion. Some still suffer under the weight...but many are being freed.

Merry Christmas!

[_Mister Scratch]

This is something I'm struggling with right now - but to be honest - I love christmas - especially as a kid. Nothing beat that feeling christmas morning, checking under the tree to discover what some mysterious fat old man had brought you. I want my kids to experience that same feeling.

However, being agnostic, it seems like i'm sending the wrong 'signals' by celebrating christmas. (well, that, and my wife is still TBM, so of course we're celebrating christmas)

I'm just trying to make it more commercial i guess - just enjoy the season, the lights, the gifts, etc. - I figure I'm just trying to take the 'Christ' out of christmas - ha! - but still celebrate and enjoy it.

What do all the other agnostics/atheists do?

I think that the bulk of Americans---whether they be Christian, atheist, or agnostic---tend to approach Christmas as more of a material ritual, rather than a legitimate religious holiday. (Easter strikes me as being far more religious in flavor than Christmas.) Contemporary celebrations of Xmas, in my view, are really more about being with your family, giving and receiving gifts, putting up decorations, listening to holiday music, eating large quantities of food, and just generally feeling good about life in the midst of Winter. For most people, in my opinion, the fact that the holiday coincides with the birth of Christ is a side issue at best. Even in the LDS Church, for example, it seemed to me that the 200th b-day celebration of Joseph Smith tended to put a damper on Christ. In other words, the focus tended to be more on Joseph Smith, rather than Jesus, in my opinion.

[_Who Knows]

Thanks for the responses.

And I guess there's always Festivus for the rest of us!

[_Tal Bachman]

Yeah man, you better believe I do. I love Christmas. The thing is, you can do everything without making a big deal out of the "this dude was actually God" thing.