This question is for atheists and agnostics only.
What if anything does Christmas mean to you? I have known only a few atheists in my life. While the all agree they don't believe in God or any higher power, there doesn't seem to be a consensus on Christmas. Do you put up a tree? Do you do lights and decorations? Do you give gifts? Will you accept gifts? Do you just do Christmas because your family expects it?
I'm not condemning, I'm just curious and confused.
Well - you know I'm neither atheist nor agnostic but I was raised in an atheist household. My family always celebrated Christmas - partly because my parents are first generation atheists and had Christmas as part of their family traditions and partly for us kids. Since they've been a parent only household they do not put up a tree but they do have a Christmas dinner and exchange presents and cards with family and friends.
As many other posters have said, the midwinter festival pre-dates Christianity by more than one millennium, so atheists having a midwinter celebration really isn't at all strange.
I'm not agnostic or atheist, but I am Jewish, so Christmas doesn't mean much to me (besides the start of persecution for my people) but since not everyone in my family is Jewish, we still celebrate it, kind of. We put up a cardboard tree and have a celebration on Christmas with the family, but it's more about the get together than anything else.
A cardboard tree? Interesting, never seen that before.
And the others are right, you know - the persecution of the Jews also pre-dates Christianity by more than one millennium- way more, unfortunately.
Nor do I agree with how we have become "politically correct" with Christmas and not offending non Christians. This is the USA and our founding Fathers built this country with Christian beliefs in mind. Sorry for the ranting :rant:
This is not the USA - this is a message board with many, many posters who are not American. NJ did not ask in an American context, I don't see why you feel the need to answer in that way. And besides, the Founding Fathers were as devoted to the separation of Church and State and they were to their various, and extremely diverse, beliefs.
I do agree that there is too much pussy-footing around Christmas being Christian - but the holiday has kind of spread past its original remit and become part of secular culture as well. So while Christians can celebrate the 'Christ Mass' I don't think it is at all unreasonable to allow non-Christians celebrate the secular side of the holiday in whatever way they like. Just not at the expense of the Christians being able to keep it Christian for themselves. There is nothing offensive about wishing someone of a different denomination a Happy Christmas. I have had Muslim friends and colleagues wish me Īd mubārak and I have always taken it as meant, a friendly and inclusive sentiment.