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Philosophy/religion

Atheists - do you just go along with Christmas or do you do something different?

14 replies

Hallgerda · 07/11/2006 11:51

And, if you do something different, what?

(I'm looking for ideas!)

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bluejelly · 07/11/2006 11:55

I think a winter celebraton of feasting and presents probably predated Christ so happy to celebrate xmas for all it's worth!
We don't go to church obviously though

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Marina · 07/11/2006 11:56

Am practising Christian but fully aware we nicked a lot of what we do from Britain's pagan heritage
Could you do Saturnalia and the Feast of Misrule Hallgerda (I would love to hit my MIL with a pig's bladder)

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lemonaid · 07/11/2006 11:57

We go along with it -- present it more as a midwinter festival about renewal and family and so forth, but I'm perfectly happy to use terms like "Christmas".

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Hallgerda · 07/11/2006 11:58

bluejelly, I'm not knocking atheists who celebrate Christmas - I've done it myself for years! I just feel it's not really working for us, and would like to explore alternatives.

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Tortington · 07/11/2006 11:59

christmas isn't about religeon anymore its about santa and capitalism

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Quootiepie · 07/11/2006 12:02

Custardo - Im with you.

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Hallgerda · 07/11/2006 12:13

Marina, thank you for your suggestions - I'll investigate further. LOL at the pig's bladder idea - unfortunately we're vegetarian and very unlikely to convert MIL to the idea of celebrating any alternative festivals!

custardo, I'm not too keen on the santa and capitalism side of things either. My biggest problem is with the way Christmas is built up into an occasion which has to go perfectly, where all families have to be happy, and one is not allowed to be oneself. I feel miserable, DH comes close to clinical depression and I struggle to put on an act for the children, who probably derive no benefit whatsoever from the whole charade. So I think it's time to try to do something positively different.

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DominiConnor · 07/11/2006 12:32

As someone who is not fond of Christianity, I think Christmas is great. Couldn't have thought of something that undermines it better myself.

In any case, isn't the "meaning" of Christianity is all the stuff around Easter, death, resurrection, nice dinner with the boys from work that sort of thing ?

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ludaloo · 07/11/2006 12:46

i do christmas because I love the decorations and giving my kids pressies! I am a hype addict where xmas is concerened! Wasn't santa an american invention?
I don't think my kids even know the religious reason behind xmas!...I've never told them and they are not old enough to do it at school...its all about santa in our house.

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Hallgerda · 07/11/2006 12:51

DominiConnor, I think Oliver Cromwell took the same view

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Iklboo · 07/11/2006 12:52

Since Christmas is essentially a version of the pagan winter festival of "Yule" (holly & ivy are pagan symbols, as is decorating tree with gifts, candles etc), I celebrate, for peoplw who know me well I wish them "Good Yule" - cos they think I'm a bit mad

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DominiConnor · 08/11/2006 08:32

One bloke who used to work for me really hated Xmas.
So much that he demanded the right to work then. He was on a daily rate, Xmas was costing him money.
Had a word with the nice people in security and they let him in on Christmas day (or so his timesheet said).

Didn't pay him extra though...

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Hallgerda · 09/11/2006 08:38

All very interesting - thank you everyone! DominiConnor, I'm very definitely not after extra work - something involving less, not more, would suit me down to the ground. Marina, I've given careful consideration to Saturnalia/Feast of Misrule, but I don't think a quiet family one would entirely work. (I could do with someone being prepared to give their top job to someone like me for the day, ideally ). There may be elements I could work with though.

I'm quite attracted to the idea of celebrating the winter solstice (nice natural event with no rituals required). It seems to be quite big among American atheists but not to have caught on here. I think I'll start a new thread and see if the MN pagans are prepared to help me... in a non-spiritual where-can-we-see-something- really-good sort of way of course.

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meowmix · 09/11/2006 08:49

we celebrate family rather than the christianity bit. FIL is muslim, I'm aetheist, DH is very lapsed christian sort of, MIL is a traditionalist, DF is a presbyterian, BIL is a Jew, SIL is a pain in the backside. So all very multi-cultural round our way.

We do the traditional UK Christmas - turkey etc but try to limit the gifts to just 1 per person from each person otherwise MIL goes wild with her unerring ability to buy tat with no discernible function. All round the table, talking, long walks that kind of thing. The God issue is NEVER raised.

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