Christmas as an athiest

[Bleakmidwinter1977]

Those of you who are celebrating Christmas, but don't consider yourself to be Christian...just wondering why you do, and what parts you opt out of/in to?

Asking as I'm interested, not because I have an opinion either way.

Atheist - raised Catholic to my frequent objections and I removed myself from it as soon as I could. We celebrate Christmas with a secret Santa gift, lights, alcohol, food, cheesy movies and meeting up with friends, sometimes we go to a carol service to support a friend who sings but it’s not really my thing. Tbh I could skip the lot but dh and the kids are keen on the above - they have me wear a black Santa hat!😂

Household of atheists. We celebrate because of tradition, because it’s great to break up the long winter months with a holiday of family, good food, presents and lights, and because it’s fun.

I do like elements of the religious symbolism of Christmas. The story of a baby sent to redeem the world is always moving to me, and I like the message of peace, goodwill and hope. I sometimes go to midnight mass for the carols and atmosphere even though I’m not a believer.

Christmas is not a soley religious festival at all.

It's a wonderful hodge podge of all sorts of things but mostly a time of hope and light at the darkest time of year.
Thrown into that is everything else. It's just a great time of celebration.

It's traditional, cultural and we enjoy it. I grew up celebrating Christmas and all that comes with it and it's my normal. We'll have a house full of atheists this year. Doubt we will go near a church for a service or watch it on TV.

I like the idea of our ancestors (potentially) celebrating their 'Christmas', the Winter Soltice, at Stonehenge and Woodhenge thousands of years ago.

This thread motivated me to research the percentage of actual atheists across the world and recent studies quote 7%
This of course takes into account the 93% who do believe in God, not only Christians. Interesting 😊
Everyone can celebrate Christmas as they wish. My family celebrate in the same way as most previous posters although we also believe in the Christmas tradition of faith 🙏😊

I'm surprised it's so low @Butterflywings18

Love this😂

This.

it’s a pagan holiday. Interestingly enough our Christian side of the family don’t celebrate it for that reason but the other side of the family who are into more occult practices do celebrate. We’re Christian also (me dh and kids) and we do celebrate but not as a religious holiday. Just because it’s nice time to spend as a family. we don’t bring religion into it for this it’s just about food and seeing family

I refer you to the Halsway carol (northern hemisphere)

And southern hemisphere but good Tim Minchin's white wine in the sun

Tim Minchin's white wine in the sun in my favourite "Christmas" song ever. I cry every time he sings about his daughter always having family waiting for her!

I am ridiculously sad about Tim Minchin having his first Christmas without his mum....

Agnostic here - Christian's pinched Christmas period, wasn't he 'born' in March!?
It's holidays, all traditions except Jesus/god etc ... love it, and Easter bunny season too

For us it’s nothing at all to do with religion. For us it’s a family day, it is about presents for us (I get it’s not for others, we don’t really do birthdays just a token gift and everything else is Christmas), food, games, having a day off together as we all work different shifts etc

Interestingly 37% of people in the England & Wales stated "No religion" in the most recent census in 2021, a big increase on the previous number of 25% in 2011. In Wales, it was 47% of people stating "no religion", which was the largest single group. Less than 50% of the E&W population stated they were Christian, at 46% which was a steep fall from the previous figure of 59% in 2011.

So, quite clear in which direction the UK is currently travelling in. 😊

we do everything except the religion part. i dont know any different, my whole family were atheist growing up so never had a sniff of religion around Christmas, not even at school.

It's all about charity, nice food, cosy nights in and films for me, as an atheist. Nowt more, I put a small fake tree up and lights for the week before and take them down a few days after. Cooking lots for me & DS and close friends.

The census results are skewed, by people putting Christian or CofE as a default. The Social attitudes surveys usually reflect the community better....

Even the badly skewed census results show a very significant trend away from religion and Christianity, with an associated increase in non-religion, CurlewKate.

It's dark and cold and miserable and people need something to look forward to.

There's almost always been a festival around this time, Christians just co-opted it.

So I celebrate it for the same reason we've always celebrated it, it keeps the dark out of our hearts for a while.

Christmas Eve:
being a Sunday this year I'll sing in the church choir at the morning service. Will put up the (real) tree in the afternoon and decorate it.
Family arrive late afternoon.
Midnight mass, again in the choir (23.30- 00.30).
Home for a glass of port or two.
Christmas day:
Prepare some veg and the turkey before the Christmas morning service. (Choir again)
Once back, continue with prep and cooking.
Eat at 3.00ish.
Presents after lunch.
Drink, watch shit Christmas TV and maybe have a turkey roll at about 9.00.
I bloody love Christmas 😁

I do everything about Christmas except the religion

The fecking Elf, pantomine, school christmas concert, nights out, decorations, shopping and then on the day itself food, family, Santa, presents, booze, and the Doctor Who Christmas Special.

My DH and kids are catholics and the only difference between them and me is that they go to church on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

To be fair my point was primarily relating to atheism. Figures state only 7% of the WORLD population are atheist. People stating no religion doesn't mean they have no faith. My DH states no religion and is a strong believer in the Christian faith, as do many of my friends & colleagues who are the same. They do not attend church although they still 'believe' Anyway we digress. The subject took my interest as I'd never looked up the amount of actual atheists globally. Almost 50% of a population stating Christian is huge considering the diversity of faiths

Thank you for all the comments. They've certainly given me a lot to think about

I'm an Eastern Orthodox Christian and our main celebration is at Easter as the entire faith only exists due to the Resurrection of Christ.

We have extra Church services around Christmas and a special meal, some gifts, wine and food. We finish our Advent fasting (40 days) on Christmas Day so are certainly glad to be having some nice food and a drink. We follow the new calendar, so celebrate on the 25th December like western Christians.

We try hard not to make Christmas a consumer based activity, but do exchange cards and some gifts. We have a Christmas tree up and visit friends and relations. I like pretty lights, candles and a real fire at this time of year.

I pray that Christ's Iove reaches everyone throughout the world via the Nativity story and that people might gain something from learning about His life, ministry and resurrection 🙏🏻🕊️☦️

I assumed the King's Speech was more or less compulsory if you're C of E (which of course not all Christians are) because he's the head of the church? Are there republican Anglicans who don't watch it?