to wonder why non-Christians celebrate Christmas

[MissMashMissMash]

Am not trying to offend anyone here but am interested to know what others think.

I often think that if I wasn't a Christian I wouldn't celebrate Christmas as it wouldn't mean anything to me. I just don't really why people spend so much time, money and stress on something which is meaningless to them.

As it is I don't actually spend much money at Christmas as it isn't about that for me. If it was completely meaningless for me I would just treat it as any other day I think, not sure though what do others think?

[PrematureEjoculation]

cake.....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

drools<

jesus would have cake at Xmas, those puritans had it all wrong.

[HannahHack]

I am a practicing Catholic and enjoy the religious, church-going part but I have realised that I just have a different appreciation of Xmas to my friends who do Xmas secularly. They have to spend their time off work doing something! Plus the presence of festivities in all major world religions suggests there is a human need to get together and do these kind of things surely?!

However, I do wonder how people manage without an hour or two at Mass where everybody just has to shut up!

[MickyLee]

I was brought up C of E but don't have any faith. DH is Muslim and so DC's are muslim.

But we have to have christmas!!!!!

Anyway Muslims still believe in Jesus, just not that he was the son of god, so why not? (oh yeah, I believe in Islam, you are not supposed to worship the prophets, just Allah.. I think!)

Well Christmas is part of my culture so we have it.

[MotherofHobbit]

I'm an atheist but I love Christmas. For me, it's all about family and tradition.

[activate]

maybe you should start by asking why Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th and look at the pagan roots

there's always a festival in midwinter to celebrate the prospect of new life

that's what 'christmas' means to many

a feasting and celebration with family and friends

and that's why

Christmas as a Christian festival is totally meaningless

[anonymous33]

I'm like many of the atheists - enjoy the family celebration which is more about celebrating midwinter than anything else. Have to say that two hours of silence sounds like bliss tho :o

[badfairy]

All sorts of cultures and religions have mid December festivals and celebrations. Some people celebrate the 25th December as Jesus's birthday but according to Historians, if he existed, it's probably more likely he was born sometime in September. Some people believe that 25th December was probably chosen back in the 4th Century by the Pope to make it easy for Pagans to convert as it was a big Pagan celebration and meant that Christians could celebrate the birth of christ without being detected and possibly persecuted.

Personally, not being Christians, we don't go in for the whole nativity thing but see it as a midwinter festival that is part of the tradition of our society. A time for being with family, eating good food , and the giving and receiving of gifts.

[MinkyBorage]

lol at "Am not trying to offend anyone here" but if you're not christian, christmas is meani9ngless to you!

1. Christmas is a great opportunity to take time off work/school and spend it with family.
   
2. Great time to catch up with friends
   
3. Human nature dictates the need for occasional celebration, and the middle of winter is a great time for this.
   
4. Thinking about people, and truly thinking about what they would like or might need as a gift which shows that you care. This is a win win situation, and doesn't need to cost much, or anything. (although I am not suggesting for a moment that this is the only way of showing that you care about someone!).
   
5. I am in the process of exploring my own spirituality and I don't believe that Jesus was the son of God (whatever God is, but that's a whole other thread), but I do believe that Jesus existed, and that he was a force for good. The spiritual aspect of Christmas is a very personal one for many people, and I don't reckon you Christains can monopolise it any more.
   
6. 
   

[AnnieLobeseder]

Tradition, meeting up with family, good food, presents, sweets, chocolates, wine..... why not celebrate it! Everyone loves holidays!

Besides all that, as others have said, it was a Pagan festival long before it was a Christian one. Most faiths have a mid-winter festival of lights, because it's dark and miserable and we all need cheering up!

[MinkyBorage]

8. As others have said, it's so much about tradition. It makes folk happy, it's a good thing innit?!

[Firawla]

they probably just enjoy it as a family thing, but in a non religious way. they are not really harming ne1 if they do so, its their own choice
i can understand why athiests would celebrate it because they dont have any festivals as a part of athiesm? so being in the uk xmas is a big one so they might aswel go with it?
but personally we dont celebrate xmas in our house cos we are muslim

[ItsJustMyOpinion]

IMO There were pagen festivals in Europe around the same time of year that Christmas is celebrated before the time of Jesus and the religious aspect of it. There is little evidence that Jesus was born at this time of year and Christmas is more likely to be a religious festival connected to other festivals that were already happening.

Christmas is now more a cultural festival than a religious one (although im sure there are thousands who still celebrate the religious side of things)

I work a lot of Christmas days but when I don't have to work its just a good excuse for the hole family to get together, exchange gifts, eat and drink lots.

[hairytriangle]

OP I celebrate the winter festival (which is currently called Christmas in this country), I'm not a Christian, and I don't do anything related to Christianity - but I do celebrate the winter festival, i do buy charitable Christmas Cards, I do dontate to children's charities etc at Christmas, and I do celebrate.

It's the Winter Solstice, and midwinter feast.

[LightlyKilledCrunchyFrog]

As an atheist, I celebrate it because Winter is long and cold, and Midwinter is the turning point when we start heading back towards Spring. So I like to partay.

Also, the whole Christian thing is part of my children's cultural heritage, so I would be denying them their history if I didn't educate them about it, even if I do accompany it with "Some People Believe..."

[dizietsma]

Secular Christmas.

Christmas is simply the assimilation of the pagan midwinter feast anyway.

[BonniePrinceBilly]

""I don't think you have to believe in a deity to appreciate that Christ got it bang on when it came to his teachings""

you do though, if you don't believe in "christ" how would you believe in "his teachings"
And the teachings of the possible person you call Jesus were hardly new to humanity....be nice, don't steal, go to church..its sort of a no shit sherlock kinda idea.


Christians don't own Christmas, you just appropriated an established holiday and added your own bits to it. None of what I celebrate at Chritmas has anything to do with Christianity.

[Fennel]

We celebrate the whole ancient midwinter festival idea. People have celebrated this time of year for many centuries so we join in. whether you call it samhain or yule or Christmas doesn't matter too much to me.

You could in return ask why Christians celebrate easter bunnies or Christmas trees, pagan innovations which are now linked to Christmas and Easter.

[BlackBag]

We're athiests here but we celebrate 'Christmas' as a festival, a chance to come together as a community, take some time off work. We'll have friends round on Xmas Eve, meet down the beach xmas day for the great local swim and back for a family lunch.
I don't find it particularly unpleasant hard work, I like getting cards from people I've not seen for awhile and finding presents for the important folk in my life and remembering friends and relatives that have had a tough year.

I don't like the emphasis the media put on 'finding the perfect gift' or 'stocking fillers for under £50 or the supermarkets endless push.

My decorations go up during the week before hand and come down generally on New Year, it's not supposed to be a whole month of celebration despite what the marketing departments of the multinationals will have you believe.

I object to DDs state school presenting the Christian story as a fact (the whole fact and nothing but this fact) and not talking about the variety of traditions, from many ages, that make up this much needed festival in midwinter.

[Unrulysun]

Christ 'nailed it'????

[POFAKKEDDthechair]

That's a bit silly unruly.

[Blu]

I celebrate Bonfire Night, but I don't hate catholics.

And if you are a Christian, why do you celebrate Christmas with images of snow (on Christmas Cards etc) Nordic pine trees, tinsel, mince pies etc, none of which have anything at all to do with the birth of Christ?

[ThatVikRinA22]

some people who regard themselves deeply christian (ie J witnessess) dont "do" xmas at all. the op is flawed. religion is open to so many differing strains i dont think its as easy as saying if your christian do christmas and if your not dont celebrate it. christs birth wasnt in december anyway. apparently.

im not religious. and i love christmas. so there. (needs a tongue sticking out smiley)

[POFAKKEDDthechair]

Because you can celebrate both the christian and the pagan festival.

[pointydog]

It is a fantastic mid-winter festival with wonderful stories and traditions connected to it.

Same as it ever was, really.

[PrematureEjoculation]

ah bless, the time of year for this thread again..
seems like seconds since last year....