AIBU to ask why you only go to Church at Christmas?

[LeilaDarling]

Ok, prob going to get roasted here BUT out of slight annoyance and curiosity please can you tell me why you go to Church at Christmas yet not the rest of the year?
Have had various texts from friends saying they are going to Church services tonight yet some either a)are atheist/do not believe
b) don’t step in a Church at any other time in the Year.
I was brought up strict Catholic and attended Church weekly for my whole childhood. Have left the faith behind as an adult and therefore do not go to Church just because it’s Christmas.

Our church is delighted to welcome people today and tomorrow, even if Christmas is the only mass they attend, something is better than nothing!

Because I’m at home, so I go with my family (my mother goes every week). It’s the church I belonged to as a child, and I see lots of familiar faces from that period of my life.

I don't. My church attendance is strictly a family events only affair, and out of respect for the family. And it's attendance only, not observation/participation.

Maybe it's time to clear your own unresolved issues about faith it other people's attitudes to it get you so wound up. It's not really about them, is it?

My mum was brought up in a strict Irish Catholic family, her, her mother and her grandmother would go to church every Sunday (my mum still does). They always made a point of going for a nice meal and then to midnight mass on Christmas eve. When my mum lost her Mum I took her place and now my sister and I go along to church on Christmas eve. It's really lovely.

I just really like the atmosphere at christmas. I like the carols, and it makes me feel close to my nana.
Im not religious, but its cultural and I also like my children to know about the different reasons people celebrate christmas. We will be doing christingle this afternoon, and the other day we did a little yule log and a candle for the solstice. These sort of things are what I like best about the whole season.

Catholic guilt that's more pronounced at Christmas/Easter but easier to ignore the rest of the year?

'cos they want to.

The only reason there would be anything wrong with it is if the churches didn't welcome them, but they do, so it's all fine, people can go to church whenever they want for whatever reason.

Because I like carols. I am an atheist.

Why is that a problem? The local vicar is very clear they welcome everyone at christmas.

Because I love singing Christmas carols

Tradition, mostly. I'm not a believer, but my parents are, so we go with them. Their church is very child orientated, and my kids go most Sundays. They run events, and outings all year for the kids. It is quite nice to see it at Christmas, and there's a sense of community.

I dont. I dont go to church at all.

because the church is part of my culture, even if not my faith. Singing carols and celebrating christmas is part of our social fabric. There are lots of things we do, where the reasons have been lost, we accept is as tradition

For carols and the atmosphere.

I love singing Christmas carols, especially in the atmosphere of a candlelit church. I am an atheist and the local vicar knows this (he is a dad at school) but he is welcoming of everyone.

I’m not wound up nor do I have any unresolved issues, I just wanted to hear reasons out of curiosity why people do go, that’s all.
Thank you for the nice responses, it’s made me think IWBU.

I think a lot of people like the ceremonial and/or traditional aspects of Christmas services. I can't really see an issue with that.

When I was doing confirmation classes I was taught that the church is not a building but a body of people be it 1, 100, or 1000.
Just because I don’t attend a building doesn’t mean I don’t have faith or thank/praise/as for guidance, I do if daily but in my own church of one

I'm not religious at all, but I do enjoy carols and would go to a carol service to sing along at Christmas. I like visiting old churches too, particularly in other countries.

We go to church most weeks and think it's great to get extra people esp. Kids at Christmas

I’m an atheist but it’s a beautiful service and the message resonates with believers and non believers alike. The last time I went to midnight mass the story was about a poor shepherdess girl to poor to even buy shoes. The shepherdesswanted to visit the new baby but thought she’d be turned away as she had nothing to offer. Her father gave her some flowers and told her to go. She went to the barn and saw Mary with her new infant and Mary smiled at her and invited her to see the baby. The message was it doesn’t matter if you have bare feet or diamond shoes you were welcome to worship. I thought that was really nice and as the bible says, everyone is welcome.

Maybe some people go because it's easier to rock up at Christmas than any other time when you'll be more obvious?

Fluffyears lovely, thanks 🌸

My SIL does and my DB goes with her. She was raised catholic but doesn't feel strongly enough about it to go weekly, but Christmas is a time of traditions so she goes. I find it exceptionally easy to comprehend.

To see people we know, to sing carols and listen to readings and the choir, to familiarise the DC with how to behave in a church because it's part of our culture, to enjoy the beauty and peace of the church for a couple of hours amidst all the mad activity of Christmas.

It's more about nostalgia for me but there's something about the Christmas story that is very touching.

Brings back childhood memories. It feels like a sanctuary from the chaos of Christmas. Gives me a chance to reconnect with my faith. I’m a partially lapsed Catholic- that’s the only way I can describe it!
I’m very thankful that the priest is very welcoming to people who don’t normally attend.