To ask what do you do if you don't "do" Christmas

[InsanityOf2020]

Me, I burn candles on 21st december and thank the Goddess for the gifts she has given us for the year. The candles are a mix of colours symbolising different energies. I usually go for peace, health and properity.

Thats it, no big feast, or huge family gatherings.

Christmas day is just like any other day here.

What do you do?

Whilst I celebrate Christmas, it's never been a big deal or particularly enjoyable due to a very dysfunctional family. I've always volunteered to work so that someone else can have the day off with their (hopefully less dysfunctional) family

Work

We're Jewish - we might go to family for a meal usually. We now have a sort of boxing day tradition where my mum makes a selection of curries!

I stopped celebrating Christmas more than 25 years ago. I'd happily go to work in Christmas Day (I've done so before) so I have something useful to do but it's seldom possible. It's a waste of a day really and I'm running out of ways to pass the time. I hope I come up with an idea soon.

I do these days, but in the past I spent one Christmas on a week-long silent retreat at a Buddhist centre, and once I spent most of Christmas Day on a flight to India. Once I climbed a mountain with some friends.

I have a fair few friends who don't celebrate it because they're from a faith tradition that doesn't -- often they work as usual (shops, family businesses etc).

I’m working this year but I've still got some ‘winter presents’ for the kids so they don’t miss out which they can have on Boxing Day when my parents pop by in the garden this year. I think I’ll stock up on some of the nice frozen party food available at this time of year too for some easy no cooking dinners.