What does Christmas mean to you?

[Munch]

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.

[Solitary]

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.

[Mermaid]

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.

[Hydra009]

Time and a half.

Zug zug.

[GrinningYMIR]

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

[the_antithesis]

Christmas is the true test of a person if they can keep from eating a bullet just to escape fucking Silver Bells.

[Mermaid]

It's not Silver Bells that gets me. It's the commercials that start in October and the goddamn Lifetime Christmas movies. ARGH.

[Aroura33]

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. :)

[caseagainstfaith]

As a child, I certainly looked forward to it for Christmas.  Now, its pretty much just another fucking day to me.

[aitm]

I like it….about 30 days where xians are actually nice to most people..

[stromboli]

I love December 26th because its over.

[Sargon The Grape]

Time and a half.

Zug zug.

Double time and a half, biatch. :P

[AllPurposeAtheist]

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.

[aitm]

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.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

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! I had to put on a light jacket this morning!