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Worst time of year to be an atheist?

I loves me some Chistmas! Iv'e never been approached by someone trying to console me, but I love it so much, I doubt they would ever see a need in my mannerisms.

For me, it is all about family, friends and having good times. I never really feel left out, simply because it is so secular nowadays. (We won our war! lol)

We get together and eat and exchange gifts and celibrate our lives. I don't hink we ever even mention religion at our gatherings.

I love Christmas decorations, and all the rest of the stuff that goes along with it. Just seeing the wreaths go up on lamp posts in our town makes me feel good.

This may be a shocker coming from an atheist, but I have even been known to display a little model nativity scene in my home. It doesn't mean much to me, except for being a symbol of family, and that I love models and miniatures.

...and we have a traditional game of seing how many times I can help the infant Jesus sneak a camel ride on Christmas day. I will subtly walk through and move him from manger to hump. My wife (a deist) always tells me I'm being bad for placing a tiny baby on a camel, and I defend the practice by saying that he redeemed all of mankind, and so is deserving of at least a measley camel ride. Strange, probably blasphemous, yet we and our guests enjoy the game. :)
 
Marduk said:
christmas is derived from "christs mass"
for the people who invented all the various celebrations at this time of year down the ages, having a festival at this time of year was generally to ensure that the Gods returned, thats got quite a lot to do with religion
what you probably mean is xmas doesnt have to be about religion because the vast majority of religions who celebrated the period down through the ages are now extinct
now thats progress
:p
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I've found it odd that protestants who hate the RCC are the most adamant in promoting a Catholic term.
 
It's a freakin' great time to be an atheist in China...here, Christmas has become quite popular, but is mostly just used as an excuse to have more parties! Plus, I discovered years ago that, for some unexplainable reason, Chinese women find Santa Claus sexually irresistible. None of this 'little children sitting on Santa's knee' thing...in China, I dress up as Santa, and have attractive young Chinese women fighting for the opportunity to sit on my knee for a photo, kiss me for a photo, and/or drag me onto the dance floor for some up-close-and-personal Santa action. I've even been known to invoke the names of Jesus and God in such situations (albeit not in a terribly holy context).
 
I put up pretty colored lights, give gifts to my loved ones, eat cookies and don't go to church.

Just like all my Christian friends.
 
I've never had anyone say that to me.

And why would you- look at what it has to offer: sunny days, surfing, shopping, drinking, eating and copious public holidays that don't count against your vacation entitlement.
 
ChristineR said:
An atheist can take or leave whatever she likes from the season
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Ray Brady said:
I put up pretty colored lights, give gifts to my loved ones, eat cookies and don't go to church.

Just like all my Christian friends.
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I started a conversation with my BF last week or week before last, I can't remember exactly, about my changing opinions about celebrating and recognizing Christmas. He calls it Giftmas, by the way, haha. We're both atheists, but I'm just at the point now where I'm starting to come out about it a little (after 20+ years...sheesh), and that process is making me think about better aligning my outward expressions with my inward thoughts/values/opinions. ChristineR, I like your comment about the atheist taking or leaving whatever s/he likes from the season, and that seems to be a theme for a lot of people here on this thread, and it makes me feel better about the process I'm going through and how I'm thinking about it.

Mostly because I still really, really, really want to put up a tree. :D

My only conclusion so far was that I wanted to research the history of the tree's presence at this time of the year, and also the Yule tradition, to see if that would be a framework that would be more in alignment with my values. I still want to celebrate, and I love having a lit tree in my living room with a nice fire in the fireplace. So cozy. I just want to reframe it all so that it has more meaning to me personally. Hope that makes sense.

The point of this post, and sorry for not getting to it sooner, was to thank you all for your thoughts to the OP, it has helped me focus my own thoughts a lot better during this process.

HG
 
My ultimate position on this...

...why the hell would I let a bunch of Christians (or any other theist group) ruin my opportunity to enjoy myself, because they claim a particular holiday for themselves? I say %^$&* them! I'm gonna' have fun, I'm gonna' celebrate, and I'm gonna' call it by whatever term I want to. If I want to call it Christmas, I will...I don't give a damn if some Christians call it the same thing.

Honestly, it seems incredibly stupid and petty for atheists to object to Christmas because of its religious roots; what they're really doing is surrendering power to the theists, saying that the theists get to define what the holiday is, and what it is about...and that if you won't abide by their definition, then you can't celebrate it.

Screw that! Christmas is a lot of fun! It is a time to see family, and to spend time with friends. It is a time to relax, enjoy yourself, and look back at your past year. It is a time to show love and gratitude towards others, both through giving gifts, and through expressing yourself verbally. It is a time for parties, for flirting, for drinking, and for stuffing yourself like a pig with great food that you usually won't take the time and effort to make.

And no theist is gonna' take away my enjoyment of that holiday. It is MY holiday, to celebrate the way I want.

If you wanna' let a bunch of theists ruin it for you...I'm quite frankly sorry for you, but the issue isn't with the theists...the issue is with you.
 
Wolfman said:
It's a freakin' great time to be an atheist in China...here, Christmas has become quite popular, but is mostly just used as an excuse to have more parties! Plus, I discovered years ago that, for some unexplainable reason, Chinese women find Santa Claus sexually irresistible. None of this 'little children sitting on Santa's knee' thing...in China, I dress up as Santa, and have attractive young Chinese women fighting for the opportunity to sit on my knee for a photo, kiss me for a photo, and/or drag me onto the dance floor for some up-close-and-personal Santa action. I've even been known to invoke the names of Jesus and God in such situations (albeit not in a terribly holy context).
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When I lived in Saigon I was surprised to find xmas celebrated as if it were New Years. For 2 weeks people dressed in cheap Santa suits, the streets were decked in xmas lights, and on xmas eve they have a midnight countdown with a massive crowd in the heart of Saigon with lots of drinking and festivities.

Then they celebrated our New Years, and then the next month they have their real party, Tet, the lunar new year.
 
I've no problems with religious persons celebrating Christmas at all. As long as they don't get all hissy about my dumping in their manger when hammered on egg nog.
 
Skepticemea said:
I've no problems with religious persons celebrating Christmas at all. As long as they don't get all hissy about my dumping in their manger when hammered on egg nog.
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There's inspiration for a new and festive euphemism for defecation in there somewhere.

"Pardon me, I need to drop the savior off at the manger."

"Excuse me, I need to see a wise man about a camel."

"Be back in a minute, Gabrial just ennunciated another virgin birth."


Something along those lines would be blasphemous enough, I think.
 
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Halfcentaur said:
When I lived in Saigon I was surprised to find xmas celebrated as if it were New Years.
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A few years ago I spent a night in Singapore a day or two before Christmas. It seemed to be big there too, although I don't know their exact celebratory practices. The cab driver who drove me to the airport claimed not to know that it's a religious holiday in some parts of the world.
 
I dislike Christmas not for religious reasons, I dislike it because I feel gift giving should be spontaneous and inspired, not scheduled.
 
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