Not everyone celebrates Christmas

[FourChimneys]

Semi lighthearted but is anyone else exasperated and irritated by the assumption that you celebrate Christmas? If you were obviously from another culture it might be easier but otherwise the default is Christmas.

Nothing I do or say suggests this is the case but people persist. Eg in the supermarket today, getting some basics "Oh, hello Chimneys, doing your Christmas shopping?" Or "What are doing for Christmas?" Or "Finished your Christmas shopping yet?".

I know people are making conversation and I usually just smile and move on but it's as though an alternative viewpoint doesn't exist.

It’s the British was sadly! DD’s school is very multi-cultured so Christmas isn’t the default and we tend to say happy holidays here as almost half her class do not celebrate Christmas.

I definitely slip up myself because it’s what I’ve always known, but will correct myself and apologise. I don’t mind people pulling me up on it at all and rather they did.

Would you be comfortable just saying “oh I don’t celebrate but have a great time” or something similar?

The thing is Christmas in the UK for most people is cultural rather than religious so even if you are not a Christian the assumption is usually that you will be doing something even if it is a lot lower key than most. I know people from a variety of religions and different cultural backgrounds and they all do something for Christmas.

Ostryga I tend to say something like "We don't really do Christmas but I hope you have a good time.

" People are either fine with that or look amazed. One child, aged about 10, said "But I thought it was the law"!

Hellocatshome you are right, it has permeated our culture and there's no avoiding it.

On a different note, our local convenience shop was putting out Easter eggs yesterday...

It is part of British culture I don't see the problem. It's like if I emigrated to the netherlands and then expected everyone to cater to me they do their own celebration, I don't have to join in, but most people do and why bother moving somewhere if you aren't gonna bother with their traditions? Sometimes i feel.the inclusion thing is a bit too namby pamby and coddling

But even if you don't celebrate the religious elements, it's still a shared holiday. Kids off school. Most of us on holiday. It's a reasonable and not insensitive question.

As I observed to a close friend many years ago, her (Muslim) daughter would have celebrated Hanukkah if she knew anyone Jewish! Said daughter is now 25 and is still true. If you don't want to celebrate, fine, do what you want. But don't be a misery guts. I'm not sure what "obvious culture" doesn't celebrate Christmas - Christians cross many cultural divides - but I am a Christian, and I celebrate Eids, Diwali, Hanukkah and many other HOLY days. God is bigger than our petty divisions.

“It’s the british way sadly”

my goodness! This is our culture and shared, communal celebration. The default in the U.K. is celebrating Christmas, which is both and either cultural or religious. But definitely a historical part of British identity. I’m not one for the mad flag waving, but this “sadly” to describe a celebration of light and generosity at the darkest part of the year is truly awful.

the intention behind wishing someone a merry Christmas is good will and I’m very sad for you if you feel you have to apologise.

I think you are being culturally insensitive @FourChimneys It’s a huge part of British culture and you are going out of your way to reject that.

If I moved to India I would expect to participate in celebrations of Diwali, and to be surrounded by and immersed in the preparations and community chat about the festival. Well, it’s the same in the U.K. with Christmas.

Quveas but I don't believe in any god.

More than happy for people to celebrate whichever festivals they want, and I am not a "misery guts". My main celebrations of the year are the winter and summer solstices.

Ive not set foot in a church dont believe in god but always celebrated christmas it isnt really a religious thing most brits arent even religious haha

@FourChimneys I also don't believe in God and my Christmas (and I suspect many others) has not one single thing to do with religion.

Unless you are working all through the holiday days, don't we all 'do' Christmas in a sense even if spending it alone with beans on toast? To me it's not much different than being asked what I have planned for any other bank holiday.

How do you celebrate the winter solstice then? I only ask as that is what we celebrate and it is an easy reply to people when they ask about Christmas, given that it's almost at the same time with many similar elements

Totes. Christmas is just the winter solstice with a sprinkling of other stuff on it. It's not wholly or even slightly Christian. At least not to most of us. It's food, gifts, lights, evergreens, warm fires and lovely family feeling. The Jesus birthday thing is really only Christians. Good for them but that's not Christmas to me.

I often say I'd turn up to any festival with a knife and fork. I LOVE Hanukkah, Eid, Diwali and anything else I can get an invitations to.

You don't want to, that's great.

You live in Britain. A nominally Christian country. It’s one of the most religiously important festivals for Christian’s, and also one of the most widely celebrated secular day.

Do you want that to stop existing just because you don’t celebrate?

Shall we pop off to a majority Muslim country and complain when they’re all observing Ramadan or celebrating Eid?

Of course not.

"It's the British way, sadly"
Why is it sad? Why do people think they can bash Christianity and British customs?
You wouldn't do it to anyone else's religion and customs so why do you feel entitled to bash the British who are just a tiny part of a world where millions also celebrate Christmas?

There’s also an implication that we’re uniquely poor in this regard, whereas I would imagine that inquiring about someone’s Christmas or wishing them a happy Christmas without first checking whether they celebrate it is very common in many, many parts of the world. I was wished a merry Christmas by someone in China the other day. Should we be offended that they assumed (correctly) I (an atheist) celebrate it?

I am happy to enjoy most festivals.
I spent a year in Thailand- locals made me feel very welcome to join in their festivals.
I am an atheist- I celebrate christmas, Solstice, Yule- and come to that Imbolc, Beltane- and quite a few more.

PollyEsther where did I say other people shouldn't celebrate Christmas (or any other festival)?

mongoosebaby a nice meal and time spent outdoors, mostly in our woodland. Maybe a bonfire. The main thing is it is on 21 December not 25th. 25th & 26th are just a midwinter Bank Holiday here. Time to climb a mountain or two if the weather is good. Time to start redecorating the dining room if not.

YABU

Pinewoodscent Thank you for your very succinct reply 😁

I have a couple of Muslim colleagues who are very into Christmas. I used to work with a Jehovah's Witness who is the only person I know who actively dislikes people talking about Christmas around her. Because I think it's quite a key part of her faith. That she doesn't worship to a schedule. People could be more sensitive I think, and we do normally try to avoid the word Christmas in official emails at work as well. We say holidays or festivities or whatever. But generally most people do something over Christmas even if it isn't the traditional Christmas

Perhaps we should add it to our pronouns and wear badges so as not to offend anyone.

Flairband (she/her, Christmas/Easter)

I appreciate that you've said this is light hearted. It's pretty ridiculous to feel exasperated by the assumption you're celebrating Christmas. And making the specific point to show you're oh so different is a bit annoying as well.
People from all different religions appreciate the celebration of cultural festivals of the country they live in. You don't have to snub people by making a special point about it. If someone wishes me Eid Mubarak it would be incredibly rude for me to say 'oh I don't celebrate Eid but you have a good one'

This.

Unless you are in one of the jobs where you have to work BHs, then it is a time when almost everyone gets 2 days off together, so is a chance for most families to make the effort to meet up and do something together even where is has nothing to do with religion.