Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Since I was a child I held anticipation for it, mum would go all out with the decorations, the tree, the meal on the day, food for that week, presents, the works, so for me it has always been an enjoyable time of year.
Now I didn't grow up in a religious household, mum prepared all this and made a big thing of it, and dad.. just sat around drinking or laying in bed after getting drunk, but anyway despite that, I still loved this time. And even now I still enjoy it. Maybe slightly more so then say a decade ago when dad was still around, since he sucked the life from anything around him and made even my enjoyment of christmas less. He's dead now, and I just get to enjoy doing stuff with mum or friends.
Even though I'm an atheist, I still love this time of year. I look around at twinkling lights and rich food and present ideas, and I don't think of this time of year in any religious sense, much like halloween where its an excuse to eat the leftover sweets for the trick or treaters and watch scary movies, this time of year just puts me in a good mood. I even enjoy shopping for presents for friends and family, something I hate doing any other time of the year weirdly.
I'm reminded of a nostalgia critic review of a bad Christmas special, where he reminded us all about how even in wartime, in 1914, when the British and German soldiers called a truce, and both celebrated christmas for that one day, exchanging gifts and learning about one another. As he said, this time of year is so strong, it brought a war to a halt for one day.
To me, this time of year isn't a religious holiday, despite Christians screeching about it being so, its a time where it doesn't fucking matter what your beliefs are, you can enjoy it. Even the theme of Christmas being christian can be debunked since it was originally celebrated as satanalia in greek/roman times before christianity stole it and made it their holiday, but that doesn't change the fact it has been going longer then christianity itself.
So yeah, not in the spirit of religion, but just in enjoying this time with friends and family and stuff, merry x-mas everyone.
It's a great day of the year to celebrate a holiday, even both my dads that were atheists put up a XMass tree and lights. It has zero meaning to me more than that, and that people gather together. In my family it was the only time of the year there wasn't arguing fighting. The Pagans celebrated XMass without Christ.
Christmas has never been a religious holiday to me or to my family. We don't really do anything other than get tome off from work. Which is nice.
Time and a half.
Zug zug.
It used to mean a lot to me, back when I looked forward to it, I used to agonize over every day you know? now putting up the tree is annoying and I look forward to the time off more than anything else, I think its because of my parents though.
I still enjoy the day itself, but the leading up to is just annoying nowadays
Christmas is the true test of a person if they can keep from eating a bullet just to escape fucking Silver Bells.
It's not Silver Bells that gets me. It's the commercials that start in October and the goddamn Lifetime Christmas movies. ARGH.
I'm with you Munch, I love this time of year. A lot of it is nostalgia. When I was a kid, my mom was Catholic so she'd drag us to church, but somehow even that was kind of fun, because it was midnight mass (even when we were really little), and half of it involved singing carols along with the choir, or sleeping through the boring bits and no one cared 'cause it was midnight. We had a tiny nativity scene at home that my mom put up every year on top of the TV. Her father had built the little manger before he died, and it was special to her more for that reason, it seemed to me.
But aside from those 2 things, Christmas was all about the joy and fun. We were semi-poor, so all we might expect would be a couple of presents, but we didn't care. Most years I got one Breyer horse (I collected), and a bunch of home sewn Barbie clothes from my gran, who lived with us (and she made awesome Barbie clothes, gowns and winter coats and cool stuff). I remember half our tree ornaments were homemade, but we always got a real tree, mom insisted. We had a tinfoil chain that we strung around the walls of the living room that my gran had been building with tinfoil she'd salvaged for decades. There was always a cheap plastic lip up Santa on our mantel, with cheap plastic holly and mistletoe around him, and I loved all that too. When I got a little older, I really got into painting ceramics, so I started a Christmas village that was added to the little wall divider in the living room, and I added something new to it every year.
My gran made fresh apple kuchen and fried klangers with powdered sugar, and mom would let us make thumbprint cookies, and we'd sing Christmas carols as a family (2 always in German) and watch TV specials and play in the 2 feet of snow we usually got that time of year.
My dad is an atheist, and can be a bit of a downer about things, but he this time of year seemed to cheer him up. Starting at Thanksgiving, dad was usually in a good mood the entire season, something we kids noticed and appreciated. I think it was all the cookies and candies, because my dad is a serious sugar addict, and he got to feed it without guilt this time of year.
Now a days, my hubby is an atheist and so am I, but we still put up a tree and lights and all the little decorations around the house. Starting Thanksgiving Day, while I'm cooking in the kitchen, I turn on the Christmas carols and sing along, even most of the religious ones. I don't care, I know it's fiction, so to me it's just because they are lovely. We put up our fake tree (no real ones for us, though some years we get a real wreath, for the smell), and happily do our shopping. We usually set a vey small limit for ourselves, and spend most of our budget on our daughter, who is 7 this Christmas. All the relatives get homemade things every year. This year we made a special photo card for each individual (and a photo mug for grandma, 'cause she's 80 and gets more). Most years though I make cookies and fudge and send that out, or I sew something small. I sent out zipper pouches and mini Kleenex holders to everyone one year, aprons another year (BBQ style for the guys, 50's style replicas for the ladies). Sometimes I think how cheap people must think we are, but then it seems they really DO appreciate the homemade gifts, though it is hard to tell if someone is just being nice.
Just last night we went to a very little local Light Parade, and our little girl got to ride on the Girl Scout float, and I walked behind with my dad and brother, chatting and singing. Monday we are going caroling with a couple of other troops. Next Saturday I'm taking my daughter to a local CC version of the Nutcracker with a little friend of hers and another mom, followed by a little Girl scout holiday party where they are making snowmen ornaments and decorating their own cookies. Then we are going on the Polar Express (courtesy of my brother) the following week, and taking not just our daughter but 80 year old granny with us, as she LOVES the Polar Express!
So yes, I love Christmas. It's an excuse to drink too much, eat too much, and get time off work and school. Most people seem more cheerful too, strangers are more likely to smile or even chat with you in the grocery store line or some other random public place.
There is a good reason why early winter had a celebration in many cultures (especially the more northern pagan ones). When it is cold and dreary outside, you NEED an excuse to celebrate and get out of the winter depression. It's just good for everyone. :)
As a child, I certainly looked forward to it for Christmas. Now, its pretty much just another fucking day to me.
I like it….about 30 days where xians are actually nice to most people..
I love December 26th because its over.
Quote from: Hydra009 on December 07, 2014, 12:07:15 PM
Time and a half.
Zug zug.
Double time and a half, biatch. :P
It's meaningless to me, just a lot of guilt for being broke this time of year. I stopped buying shit for anyone even when I'm not broke. Other than that it's just a real annoying time and it's fucking cold out.
I'd love to have you come down and stay with me down here in sunny florida, but yer feet probably all stanky so fergit it.
Quote from: aitm on December 07, 2014, 04:08:47 PM
I'd love to have you come down and stay with me down here in sunny florida, but yer feet probably all stanky so fergit it.
I'm in sunny South Carolina, but it still gets chilly.. It's a bone chilling 58 now! :eek: I had to put on a light jacket this morning!
(http://www.explosm.net/db/files/Comics/Dave/comiciwannagrowupnew1.png)
Am I the only one who wish they had just left Ebineezer alone?
Christmas is an excuse to make my parents fork over their money for this "special" event. Huge plus for my birthday on the 22nd, meaning everyone has to give me gifts twice! It's good to keep track of, and I don't need to save up much for whatever I want
I actually just did a facebook status talking about the season and how I love it. I'll just ctl-c+v it here so to save time and my fingers from typing.
QuoteTis the season!
As many of you know, I'm an atheist. I don't believe any of the gods or other claims of religions.
That being said, this time of year is my favorite. It's the season of giving and a season where everyone seems to be a little nicer to each other. The humanist in me loves that. I love love and when people are feeling good. I wish this feeling and degree of charity and overall niceness people display could last all year. (not to mention that I simply LOVE snow)
I think it's important for me to clear up that even though I don't believe in the faiths such as Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Norse, etc... I love being included in festivities. I'm a person that loves a gesture of inclusion for a good time. So if you tell me Happy Hanukkah or Merry Christmas, I will surely not be offended. A nice gesture is a nice gesture; simple as that.
For the most part, unless I know for sure which holidays you celebrate, I just say Happy Holidays. I live in a diverse area (NJ) where at any given time you could be in a room with 5 people that belong to 10 different faiths, not including the one that's an atheist. So happy holidays for me is the easiest. It includes everyone and there is less figuring out on my part.
So to every one of my friends on here, some I know personally, some only through facebook, Happy Hanuka, happy Yule, Merry Christmas, happy Jul, happy New Year, happy Thursbolt, happy Feast of Neith, Happy Saturnalia, happy Solstice, happy Imbolc........
I know I left a bunch of people out still, even though I listed all those holidays, soooo....
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :biggrin:
Merry almost Christmas
No doubt. Everyone is so nice to each other this time of the year.. except when......
It's this time of year
The Worst Black Friday Disasters: http://youtu.be/9ZOTo1K_Kp0..
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Christmas is a day for me to get so drunk that I actually enjoy the same lame Christmas cartoons that I've seen over 2 dozen times.
Quote from: MagetheEntertainer on December 07, 2014, 09:11:55 PM
Christmas is a day for me to get so drunk that I actually enjoy the same lame Christmas cartoons that I've seen over 2 dozen times.
What You don't love Frosty? And Rudolph?
:axe:
Boy howdy, some coal in YOUR stocking!
(http://i1.cpcache.com/product/330489683/humorous_tvs_shit_christmas_greeting_card.jpg?height=460&width=460&qv=90)
When I was a kid, Christmas was the presents, the food, and the vacation time. Now it's about friends and family.
Jebus has never been a part of it.
I'm the Grinch. Christmas the holidays has never been anything for me but depressing. Poor growing up and seeing all the cool shit I didn't get, 2 times out of four on patrol in the Navy, cooking meals for others. After that when married, working overtime or dealing with finances to get my family presents, nothing but labor. I've never done anything that was "christmasy". Mother sick during the holidays, yada yada. Really don't have any good memories.
To me Christmas, or more specifically Christmas Eve, is associated with amusement and horror as I witness lines backing up into the aisles and snaking around the departments.
Quote from: stromboli on December 07, 2014, 10:34:01 PM
What You don't love Frosty? And Rudolph?
:axe:
Boy howdy, some coal in YOUR stocking!
From the time I was a kid and still to this day I always thought of the story of rudolph to be a dark messed up story. Basically you have this deformed freak with a glowing nose who is ostracized for the other reindeer until his deformity actually comes in handy for navigating through a foggy night. I always picture Rudolph being cast away in some dark cold basement for years on end until a foggy Christmas rolls around and Santa yanks him back out to do the one job that gives his life any purpose. As far as frosty goes, I'm pretty sure those kids were just on shrooms or something and talking to a snowman.
Quote from: AllPurposeAtheist on December 07, 2014, 09:06:19 PM
No doubt. Everyone is so nice to each other this time of the year.. except when......
It's this time of year
The Worst Black Friday Disasters:
.
Well, those people are fucking animals, and in a way this goes to help prove the science of evolution, since we're seeing such primitive mindless behavior from the masses.
My wife used to do Black Friday. But now she uses a cane when she's mobile and not that much, and I told her no way in hell am I taking her anywhere on that day, short of something we need. I avoid it anyway because I plan my purchases and expenses as far ahead as possible.
The only good thing I'll get is my grand kids from Colorado will be here for 2 weeks with their dad, and we get them for a few days. 2 fine young men and we have a great relationship with them. They email me fairly regularly and send me pictures what they are up to, and that is pretty special.
Quote from: AllPurposeAtheist on December 07, 2014, 06:57:55 PM
Am I the only one who wish they had just left Ebineezer alone?
Nope.
Frankly its just another time of year to me. Like summer but cold. No big deal either way.
I especially like the "feats of strength" and "airing of grievances."
Free gifts and double pay.
Edit; and an ungodly amount of shitty music that is passed off as "traditional" when many of the songs weren't Christmas themed until about 40 or less years ago...
To me, now, it's nothing more than a family gathering where we eat in excess and give a few presents to each other.
as an atheist I love christmas! It isn't about the religion for me it;s the whole season to be jolly and gift giving that I Love. I like getting gifts but I like giving them even more (when I can). I usually donate to a charity or do a book drive or secret santa type of thing. I also always donate that extra dollar they ask for at the cash register. Any how I really also love the decorations. Every one loves my tree or when I help refurbish theirs.
Christmas is a keeper just get rid of the religious part and every thing is fine with me.
Quote from: doorknob on December 12, 2014, 11:42:45 AM
as an atheist I love christmas! It isn't about the religion for me it;s the whole season to be jolly and gift giving that I Love. I like getting gifts but I like giving them even more (when I can). I usually donate to a charity or do a book drive or secret santa type of thing. I also always donate that extra dollar they ask for at the cash register. Any how I really also love the decorations. Every one loves my tree or when I help refurbish theirs.
Christmas is a keeper just get rid of the religious part and every thing is fine with me.
You sound like my wife.
I'm not a sentimental type but she keeps me happy about Christmas because she loves it so much it just rubs off.
Christmas means having to look at my friends in their stupid Christmas Sweaters.
Just a time to celebrate and have fun with friends and family. Don't really care for the religious significance or the various stories.
It used to have such a strong religious (Christian) meaning to it, for me. I loved Advent, and the preparation of the 'birth of Christ.' A few years ago when I deconverted from Christianity, I realized that Christmas is what we make of it. It is almost like a rebirth of sorts. The sky is clearer at night, temps are cooler...it gets darker quicker. There is something different about this season, and it feels special. I consider myself an atheist, but honestly...lately...I find myself missing how I used to feel when faith enveloped me. I'm going to church for the first time in a long time, with my dad this Christmas. We have been strained, and this isn't the reason I'm going...but, I'm looking forward to just going to church, for some reason. An atheist going to church...guess there's weirder things than that. ^_^
Quote from: Deidre32 on December 16, 2014, 11:22:41 PM
It used to have such a strong religious (Christian) meaning to it, for me. I loved Advent, and the preparation of the 'birth of Christ.' A few years ago when I deconverted from Christianity, I realized that Christmas is what we make of it. It is almost like a rebirth of sorts. The sky is clearer at night, temps are cooler...it gets darker quicker. There is something different about this season, and it feels special. I consider myself an atheist, but honestly...lately...I find myself missing how I used to feel when faith enveloped me. I'm going to church for the first time in a long time, with my dad this Christmas. We have been strained, and this isn't the reason I'm going...but, I'm looking forward to just going to church, for some reason. An atheist going to church...guess there's weirder things than that. ^_^
I have done this, gone back to church after being an atheist. At some point you will go WTF am I doing here?
Quote from: stromboli on December 16, 2014, 11:27:21 PM
I have done this, gone back to church after being an atheist. At some point you will go WTF am I doing here?
haha! I don't miss the fairy tale...I miss the way the fairy tale made me feel ...
I kept going for a bit with my wife, until she finally understood the hypocrisy of it all. It just seemed so ridiculous after realizing what a fraud it was. More than once I wanted to stand and yell "bullshit!" But I kept my cool. :biggrin:
Might be tantamount to yelling ''fire'' in a crowded movie theater haha ^_^
Quote from: Deidre32 on December 16, 2014, 11:22:41 PM
An atheist going to church...guess there's weirder things than that. ^_^
Dr. Robert Price says he likes church, he goes to church regularly. I think he has called himself an "atheist Christian". Seems weird to me. I used to go to church, but, I have no desire at all now.
Quote from: caseagainstfaith on December 17, 2014, 09:56:42 PM
Dr. Robert Price says he likes church, he goes to church regularly. I think he has called himself an "atheist Christian". Seems weird to me. I used to go to church, but, I have no desire at all now.
haha an atheist Christian. hmmm...
I will say, that while my mind would be open to the possibility of a deity, it will never be open to Christianity, again.
Hey I have a friend who claims he's an atheist yet prays and offers meat to the Devil
don't let the apparent sanity of the religious fool you into a false sense of security now
Who else is going to the abortion clinic for their roast baby this Xmas? I want to know if I can carpool
Sent from your mom.
I'm finished with my Christmas shopping except for a gift card that I need to get, went to look under the tree and saw no wrapped presents, a lot of baby clothes, and some diapers. And then my folks said they had to budget hard this year because of unplanned expenses, so no presents besides the turkey and a booster box of cards.
Strangely not bothered by it at all.
Also tired as hell since I went to bed at 1 and woke up to go shopping/get car inspected and didn't get home until 4. Besides getting pulled by a cop and there being like no presents, decent day
So essentially, Christmas is going through a bunch of BS to get a few nice things for a few people
Because there as a cock up with the christmas tree delivery (as in it didn't arrive because the asshole garden centre it was brought from left it waiting in a depo for 5 days straight, so it got cancelled) I had to put up the old fake christmas tree brought some years ago. Its an ok tree but a bit to uniformed shaped to make it look real.
But anything, tradition is every year me and mum decorate the tree while listening to christmas songs, she's not religious herself, but she likes some of the classic christmas songs, even christian themed ones, which I was gagging to, but despite that it was nice, was glad to just get a tree up since it was so late this year.
tip to any brits here, don't order your christmas trees from homebase, their delivery system sucks.
I could live without Christmas. It's mainly just an annoying obstacle in the middle of the year where I have to worry about buying gifts for people and coming up with things they could buy for me. I would like the time off from school without the holiday.
Ugh, and the cheerfulness. Always with the cheerfulness.
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Christmas to me means yet another Pagan festival (Winter Solstice) that was hijacked by Christianity in order to convert and gain more followers.Christmas and all it's decorations and festivities are so Pagan that the Puritans outlawed it. It means we will to be bombarded with Christmas twenty four seven right before Halloween ends, all the while hearing from the 'persecuted' Christians how there is a 'War on Christmas'. It means having to put up with extra traffic, larger crowds in the stores, and people going insane and being jerks because they've waited until the last damn second to go out and by a bunch of crap. It means corporations make huge profits and continue to pay their employees shit wages. I could go on but you get the picture.
Here's what it means to Corporate Jesus...
(http://s12.postimg.org/uvlusa771/10375483_972268442800768_918090014627390601_n.png)