Celebrating Christmas as an Atheist

[jraejen]

How do y'all (those with Christian families) celebrate Christmas?

I still go to the Christmas celebrations with my family because I enjoy seeing them, but at the same time I feel weird "celebrating" something I don't believe in. Kinda feel the same way about Thanksgiving but on the ethical side of things.

Also, I'd be interested in hearing from those with kids and how they handle the holiday season.

[ohokaythen]

Christmas has not been Christian in Sweden for at least 60 years maybe. And its never really fully been, its still called "Jul", as in yule, the pre-xtian pagan holiday the Christians stole. Just celebrate it as a winter solstice festival as it used to be. Yule or Saturnalia dressed as "Christmas" by the new christian Romans.
If you are of non-European origin idk. Be an awful awful cultural appropriation person and engage in the pre-christian winter solstice celebration. We won't hold it against you

[brimstoneSalad]

Like ohokaythen said, celebrate yule. The word "christmas" certainly makes me feel weird. I don't see anything Christian about it.

Interesting fact: Did you know the bible actually forbids Xmas trees (quite explicitly, before they were called that, of course)?

Jeremiah 10:2-4 King James Version (KJV)

2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

[jraejen]

Be an awful awful cultural appropriation person and engage in the pre-christian winter solstice celebration.

Like ohokaythen said, celebrate yule.

Yep, I have never really heard of this. Shall google now...

[EquALLity]

Whatever you do, be sure to wish people 'Happy Holidays'. It really riles up the crazy people who believe in the 'War on Christmas'.
And call it a holiday tree, and holiday music, etc..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqG1Hafyhhk

Anyway, I don't really see celebrating Christmas as an issue.
Christmas has pagan origins, and modern-day, it's really just a holiday that celebrates friends and family (with 'Santa' thrown in there etc.). I think mainstream Christmas is secular, and I think it's good to promote it that way, so that people won't feel like being atheists means that they have to stop that celebration with their friends/families.

If you're not convinced, though, you can always celebrate Festivus... ;D
https://theveganatheist.com/forum/viewt ... f=15&t=633

[jraejen]

Whatever you do, be sure to wish people 'Happy Holidays'

lol i love doing this (especially in Texas), people get so booty hurt. People telling me "Merry Christmas" really bothers me though. Like when I go to the store to get something and the cashier says it. I just dont get why everyone assumes they share the same religious beliefs.

[EquALLity]

Whatever you do, be sure to wish people 'Happy Holidays'

lol i love doing this (especially in Texas), people get so booty hurt. People telling me "Merry Christmas" really bothers me though. Like when I go to the store to get something and the cashier says it. I just dont get why everyone assumes they share the same religious beliefs.

I don't think that should bother you. They're likely just trying to be nice.
There's probably not much thought behind them saying that, and mainstream Christmas is secular. I doubt the cashiers are saying 'Merry Christmas' to 'put 'Christ' back in Christmas'.

Best 'War on Christmas' clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XlxgnEJlZg

[jraejen]

There's probably not much thought behind them saying that

I think that is exactly why it bothers me though...they don't think about it. i know they dont do it to be mean but at the same time they aren't necessarily being courteous either.

I doubt the cashiers are saying 'Merry Christmas' to 'put 'Christ' back in Christmas'.

Actually, i think some in Texas definitely do do this

[Red]

Interesting fact: Did you know the bible actually forbids Xmas trees (quite explicitly, before they were called that, of course)?

Good that you brought up Xmas. The X actually comes from the greek word "Christ". Luckily for you you got a greek right here. It begins with a greek letter that looks like an x, and it roughly pronounced hre-stos.

[brimstoneSalad]

Good that you brought up Xmas. The X actually comes from the greek word "Christ".

Chi, yes. It's just a common abbreviation. Χριστός/Khrīstós
It's funny how some people think it's ex-ing out Christ from the word and making it secular. I use it because I don't like typing out the word and it's perceived as more secular (even though it isn't in tradition, I don't want to propagate the full word more).

it roughly pronounced hre-stos.

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure it's pronounced with a Kh sound, and the K is not silenced. Kind of guttural. "Hre" is very soft.

In English, the h was silenced, the "eee" sound became "eye" and the -os at the end was lost, but otherwise it's the same.
Christ = "kraɪst"