What are your Christmas traditions if you are not Christian?

[Thistledew]

DH and I have both admitted to feeling very flat about Christmas. We are atheist, so don't celebrate it as a religious festival.

We put up decorations in the house, usually around the 21st December. We have a Christmas meal with various family members. We exchange more presents than we really need- not an excessive amount by any means and we are fortunate to be able to afford to do so, but the presents seem to be the main event, and to a large extent we give them just for the sake of doing so. It takes a lot of time and effort, to no real purpose apart from getting more 'stuff'.

So my question is, if you do not celebrate Christmas as a religious festival, how do you give it meaning? What activities or traditions do you do and why? How can we do Christmas better next year so that we don't feel like it is just an expensive annoyance.

We have DC aged 1 and 5 so for their sake don't want to give up the present giving/Father Christmas coming side altogether, otherwise I think we might be tempted to just go on a nice holiday instead.

Embrace the conviviality of it! Go and sing the carols, fill your house with lights and evergreen foliage and preserved foods. Give to the foodbank and spend some time being grateful for what you have and make plans for what you would like to do in the year ahead. Cloak yourself in the darkness of mid winter and use the short days to nest, heal, replenish and reflect. Treasure those you love and make sure you make the most of times you can spend together. Dress up really warm against the elements and the cold - invest in wool and layers that you can store year on year. Go for big long walks outside and observe how nature hunkers down and slows during winter.

Katherine May(I think?)'s book Wintering is very good about embracing Christmas and winter and learning to love this time if Christmas itself is not central to your thoughts.

Ps the religious side of Christmas was tacked on by the Romans (I think?) Much much later. Christmas itself was a pagan festival about light and hope and togetherness. So even if you're atheist there is still lots of symbolism you can reflect on.

There has always been a celebration at this time, way before Christianity was foisted on us. Create the traditions you want and celebrate those.

Christmas films only Mupoets and Die Hard. Lots of cooking. Some nice things (charity and neighbour gifts). Make things for people we love. Presents, lights and green things.

And a crap ton of mince pies and Baileys.

As an atheist I frequently took the Christmas shifts in homeless shelters. Makes you appreciate the care and kindness and making the place beautiful. You don't need religion for that.

I see it as a midwinter festival, with the aim of bringing people together during a miserable time of year!

So I love putting up decorations, they make me feel joyful and hopeful (especially Christmas lights)
I love catching up with friends, seeing family (especially extended family I don’t see often) and sharing good food and drink.
I don’t buy for a lot of people, but I love buying and wrapping gifts, and the feeling of anticipation of receiving some from people I love (even if honestly that’s often better than the actual gifts lol)
I love giving to various charities, feeling that I am able to do some good in the world.
And I like getting to new year, taking stock of my life, being grateful for what I have and thinking about changes I might want to make.

What I have really come to love, the last few years, is the feeling that it’s something everyone does together, in their own way. Some people have big gatherings, some small, some people buy lots, some people are religious… but it’s such a big cultural shared experience and that to me is important and meaningful in itself.

We have our own traditions and we celebrate the magic of Christmas and being with the people we love.

Nowt too with religion

A festival at this time of year is human nature and it predates Christianity.
It's a glorious mish mash of all sorts of things and I expect a natural desire to help those struggling during lean cope months?
Apparently the Romans were supposed to help those less well off?

It's a mark in the season changing and a celebrity of light to keep sprit up.

I love all the different layers of it.
It's about atmosphere, making the house look different and like a grotto! Break from usual decor...

Music.. Twinkly lights.
Really the gifts are and shoud be last things to male Xmas

I am atheist and Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. For me, it is a celebration of love, family, charity, abundance and being able to give in to that mid-winter urge to stay home and snuggle. I love breaking the darkness of the short days with pretty lights. I love the smells - Christmas trees, Christmas spices. Mulled wine, sloe gin, roast turkey, cheeses and chutneys. The one time of year we get the best we can afford of everything. My kids excitement and reaction to their presents, watching them play. Finding out Father Christmas has been - I live for that moment. We have loads of traditions that aren't religious but I have definitely been known to go to Carol services at church because they are so festive!