To celebrate Winter Solstice instead of Christmas?

[Parsley65]

No-one in our family is religious, the kids are in late teens and I don't see the point of celebrating something that means nothing to me or anyone else in the family.
However, I would like to celebrate something.
In the past I have thrown my efforts into making Christmas a special occasion, so this year think I'd like to do something similar, but with a non religious twist and not on the 25th.
I haven't mentioned it yet. What do you think?

Go for it op. I've always wanted to celebrate the winter solstice. I think i am a closet pagan .....

The bottom line is no one will actually care. Call it what you like do what you like.

I do hope this thread isn’t just an attempt to be goady.

Do .what you want plenty of people celebrate Xmas without the religion

The Winter Solstice has a religious "twist" in the sense that it is marked and celebrated by various faiths. It is also not a coincidence that various religions (including Christianity with Christmas) stuck a festival around then as mid winter is bloody depressing. Celebrate whatever you like, however you like. If for some reason you find labelling your time something other then "Christmas" then do so, why should anyone else care?

I celebrate the Christmas Season as a Winter festival, since my children were older teens and after my Catholic DH died.

My youngest (22) prefers it as that.

When i was younger, decorations were more nature themed. Plastic mistletoe, holly etc. So it isn't new to me, as such.

I like the idea of celebrating the solstice because i come from a multi cultural background and my family for generations have the solstice in common.

We usually do our family meet up on the solstice because we can't all do Christmas day.

This year it's the Sunday 22nd, so it works out well.

I celebrate Yule my husband celebrates Christmas and that basically means we bunker down for days with candles food and drink and spend it all together. The dcs couldn't care less what it is as long as food, sweets and presents appear at some point

I really wanted to do a proper yule, but apparently sacrificing goats in my garden while having a bonfire qnd sing along is antisocial🙄

And we all know that the guy called Jesus ( I believe he was a man who existed, just not the son of God for me) was born in the summer!
^^ Typical Capricorn though....

Call it what you like of course and celebrate how you like.

There is a whiff of pretentiousness about it imo so I wouldn't make too big a deal of saying "oh we're celebrating the solstice". Not if you're middle class anyway.

In Brighton they burn the clocks at the solstice which is pretty cool. However you probably can't get a place more.pretentious than Brighton! But it's a fun thing.

I think it might be a bit inconvenient to have your main celebration on a different day to the main public holidays (unless you have to work, in which case you could make yourself v popular with colleagues by requiring the earlier date)

Add perhaps a solstice specific celebration; and on 25th, celebrate Yule

Jesus, rather like the Queen, has two birthdays. His real one, which nobody knows, and his official one.
We celebrate the official one at midwinter, because Christ is regarded as “the light of the world”, and it seemed appropriate to celebrate as the light begins to return and the days to lengthen again.
OP, if you’re not a Christian, then of course you have no reason or wish to celebrate Christmas. By all means go ahead and have a pagan or solstice celebration - it’s up to you what you want to do.
I feel a bit sad for you though - that you’re missing out on the joy of community worship at midnight in the Watchnight service, when the whole village,( including the drunks from the pub!) all hug each other and exchange Christmas wishes, or the sheer magic of going carol singing together, with Silent Night floating out on a frosty village street.

For me, the celebration of God’s loving gift of Himself in sacrifice for the world is the whole point of the festive season.

Well, it’s still going to be a kind-of religious event - it’s just a Pagan-based festival rather than a Christian one.

But celebrate whatever you like - I’m Pagan but still celebrate Christmas as well as the Solstice!

Agree with quince.

Whatever it is however you brand it, I think we all need something to focus on to get us through the dark days!

We celebrate the official one at midwinter, because Christ is regarded as “the light of the world”, and it seemed appropriate to celebrate as the light begins to return and the days to lengthen again.

I heard different version. That winter celebrations were taken over by Church and proclaimed Christ's birthday because it was the most celebrated festival.

I am not religious. For me Christmas are not about God, but about family getting together and being merry in the winter when the weather is usually miserable. It's about relaxing and having fun for few days and even getting few presents. Everything is cosy with green and fairy lights, Christmas candles burning, nice food, good company.

I bloody love solstice! Always good to be reminded that the dark days are about to turn. Ancient 'religious' ceremonies actually had a point and a meaning to them originally, they weren't just some tripe dreamed up to keep the plebs under control.

We celebrate on the winter solstice, it's our main winter celebration.
With a small stocking from Santa on Christmas Day, as a compromise with my OH. 😁 feasts on both days.

Thanks all. It's good to get some ideas about what other people do.
To some it might feel like l'm just re-branding, but this is a big deal for me.
I really like the idea of customising the celebration to fit our family and the pp who said that it takes the pressure off having one perfect day, is spot on.

We celebrate both. And Epiphany. And, frankly, the opening of a passing envelope. Go for it!

Winter Solstice is a great idea. So too is celebrating the 12 days of Christmas - only really doable if you can organise your life around that though. Fortunately that is what we are doing this year. Christmas ends on 6th January. The last days from 1-6th January are magical. One year we were staying near marshes and each day was a brilliant clear blue sky and we watched geese and waders fly in and out, among snow flurries. Even at that time in the Winter you can sense the darkest days are behind us.

It's all one. The solstice is when the sun stops moving ('dies') for 3 days, the 25th is usually the day it starts moving ('is born') again. The 'son' is the SUN ;)

I celebrate Yule, but think people can celebrate whatever they like to. I don't know any Christians now but they all celebrate with presents, food and drink and as long as they're happy, fair enough.

What will you on xmas day itself?

@Babdoc, the date was hijacked, as was Easter because it wouldn't have been popular to end the pagan celebrations.

In regards to the light of the World, surely that is the Candlemas celebration?

I don't take my wreath off my door and the last of some of the decorations until 2nd of February. We'll usually have a drink and watch something by candle light.

You've summed it up beautifully safety . I'm sure the OP feels like I do that I don't want your pity babdoc, there is nothing to feel pity for, and I don't appreciate the hint of condescension because some of us don't share your beliefs: other let you have yours in good faith, let non-believers have theirs. I hate that snobbery!

I think it's honest. Why would you (or anyone else) celebrate the birthday of a deity you don't believe in?