Non Christian and xmas

[NordicPrincess]

If you are not christian or athiest do you still celebrate xmas, tree pressies etc.. if so, how do you reconcile xmas celebration with your personal faith?

As a person living in Britain I share in national celebrations and think everyone should, we don't pray but we accept the nativity.

LOVE Christmas but don't get bogged down with all the Religious stuff. Mid winter is just a great time to eat drink and be merry!

I love the idea of a midwinter celebration - though tbh I'd rather it was at the end of Jan, when you've really had enough - and we enjoy ourselves with presents and food and family.

Christmas/Yule/Midwinter/whatever - it's been a fixture in Britain for a very long time, longer than Christianity.
And I think we need it to cheer ourselves up and say goodbye to the year.

Similar to what Unprune said.

Some of the traditions are from Christianity, a lot aren't. The tree and pressies have really nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, do they? Neither does eating turkey.

Its just not a problem. There was a recent thread about nativity plays, I think all the non-believers were perfectly happy about their kids participating in this cultural event.

Anybody else? Anyone going to say they are behaving hypocritically?

I dont celebrate xmas

My dd has in the past taken part in the nativity at school and i wouldnt pull her out of an assembly/carol concert/xmas party

Totally agree with unprune. Think you will find there was a midwinter festival that was ahem hijacked by Christianity so no guilt here thank you very much. Although perhaps we are misunderstanding your post are you really asking people who are of other faiths who are not Christian say Hindu or Jewish whether they celebrate Christmas?

I'm a hypocrite, I put up a Christmas tree and eat turkey, even though I'm a Christian :o

What should you be doing, MaryBS?

I'm an atheist who celebrates 'Christmas' which is what the midwinter festival is generally called in this country - I don't do the church bit, but eating, drinking, decorating the house, lighting candles and lamps, seeing family, and exchanging presents are all elements shared with midwinter festivals in all sorts of religions and cultures all over the world.

When I was living in China and Japan I also joined in with Chinese and Japanese new year celebrations (and other festivals) without feeling hypocritical about not actually subscribing to buddhist/shinto/taoist beliefs. The Japanese are also very keen on Christmas these days, though very few of them are Christian...

Polishing my halo?

Do you have special tinsel for that?

Nah, might get tinselitis! :o

It's so much easier being an atheist. We get to do the whole range of things without guilt. :)

I do wonder though how christians manage with all the pagan stuff at xmas and easter. Won't you all go to hell for giving easter eggs and hanging mistletoe etc?

I'm even more hypocritical than Mary - I actually have FUN at Christmas, even though I'm a Christian

Imagine that!

exexpat - Christmas is HUGE in Japan, isn't it?

They imported it as a holiday from the US, and tweaked it to suit the modern national character (Kentucky Fried chicken and strawberry creamcake for Xmas dinner, anyone??)

There is no mention of nativity, though - it is purely commercial.

Dec. 24/25th are just normal working days, and any sign of Christmas is then swept away to make room for New Year celebrations, which are focused on very traditional Shinto beliefs.

We're Pagan and start celebrations on the winter solstice...small gift for the DCs and the usual Christmas food (except roast turkey dinner - don't think I could cope with doing it twice!).

But, we wait until Christmas Day for the main event...

(Disclaimer: other Pagans may do it differently )

TanteRose - yes, it's huge in Japan, though not quite Christmas as we know it, is it? It's a big commercial thing, but because they have traditional new year celebrations a week later, which is the big family meal etc, Christmas is mainly marketed as being about children, santa, Christmas cake (which is sponge cake with strawberries) etc.

But what seems really weird to Westerners is the idea that Christmas Eve is the big romantic night of the year when couples should go out to dinner or stay in a fancy hotel and give each other diamonds and so on.

Perhaps the marketing types thought there was a gap in the market for a 'romance festival', as Valentine's Day over there has been taken over by the chocolate manufacturers, who have decreed that it is all about women having to give all the men they know chocolates and the men return the favour a month later on the invented 'white day'.

I only ask because Im muslim although not practising at the moment...and I was wondering how people of other faiths celebrate christmas if at all.

We are jewish and like to do the food thing, ie eat a turkey/ brussel sprouts/etc on Xmas day.

No tree here though; tried to introduce a small one last year and DH got very upset.

I find Xmas very hard though as I do believe the DCs are missing out (the magic of Santa, the build up).

We gice them quite a lot of presents for Chanukah but it's not the same.

I am Muslim,very flexible.do my prayers ect...
my oldest son is 5,i always tell him about islam in simple way that he can understund.he often join me when iam praying.As we live here,i think we should be open minded,despit our religion.My son still gave Christmass cards to his freind,iam not doing any Chrismass tree or anything,but still my son will get a present,he's only 5,i don't want him to feel different from his freinds when he goes back to school,also he gets present for Aid as well.Just keep it simple and don't take things too hard.

My friend is a Jehovah's Witness and won't have anything to do with Christmas, won't even come to the office Christmas party. She doesn't have kids yet, but it will be interesting to see how she handles it.

Yule..as a Pagan . Dec 21st is the main event