Why do some people celebrate Christmas if they don't believe in God?

Question

Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ yet people still join in the festivities when they don't follow Christianity.
I have many colleagues who tell me they don't believe in God, that they want proof of his existence yet when Christmas rolls round, they start planning their parties and buying their presents.

I don't want to ask my colleagues this question because I don't want to insult them.

Answer 1

I think you know the answer to this question.
Christmas is about Christ, to a small handful of Christians.
To the majority of the world, it has become about greed.

And that is very sad.

Answer 2

A holiday at the winter equanox had been celebrated many centuries before Christ was born. The very early pagans called the holiday " the return of light" because at that time of year, the days begin getting longer.
They considered the evergreen tree to be the favorite of the Gods because it stayed green all winter while the other trees lost their leaves. The most holy was mistletoe because it was suspended between the sky and ground, but was not connected to either.
The use of evergreen and mistletoe at christmas time was barred by the church until the last one or two hundred years because of the pagan connection.
Ancient people all over the world celebrated the "return of light" even if they gave it a different name like Christmas.

Answer 3

Because Christmas is also a very important tradition. If someone grows up in a christian surrounding, Christmas becomes a metaphor for gifts,celebration, joy and family gatherings, especially if your friends have children. Try to explain to children that they're denied the right of gifts, carols and a Christmas tree just because you don't believe that Jesus was that important. Christmas has long ago past Jesus, the only thing that they have in common is the morning trip to the church. If you don't believe, explain to yourself or anyone around you the connection between Santa Claus, rain deer and decorated elk trees.

Answer 4

Christmas is more of a syncretic holiday than it is a Christian one. Many of the traditions within the celebrations are taken from celebrations that predate Christianity such as Saturnalia - where the exchange of gifts is derived. Other aspects such as the Christmas tree, mistletoe and so forth were taken from older religions.

It was because of this that the Puritans banned Christmas for a couple of decades. Christmas resides around the winter solstice and many celebrations of this period in time can be found in many cultures and societies. The decision to put Christmas on that date was motivated by having a Christian holiday to try and overshadow the other pagan celebrations.

Answer 5

Winter Solstice has been celebrated in cultures the world over for thousands of years. This start of the solar year is a celebration of Light and the rebirth of the Sun. In old Europe, it was known as Yule, from the Norse, Jul, meaning wheel.

Today, many people in Western-based cultures refer to this holiday as "Christmas." Yet a look into its origins of Christmas reveals its Pagan roots. Emperor Aurelian established December 25 as the birthday of the "Invincible Sun" in the third century as part of the Roman Winter Solstice celebrations. Shortly thereafter, in 273, the Christian church selected this day to represent the birthday of Jesus, and by 336, this Roman solar feast day was Christianized. January 6, celebrated as Epiphany in Christendom and linked with the visit of the Magi, was originally an Egyptian date for the Winter Solstice.

Most of the customs, lore, symbols, and rituals associated with "Christmas" actually are linked to Winter Solstice celebrations of ancient Pagan cultures. While Christian mythology is interwoven with contemporary observances of this holiday time, its Pagan nature is still strong and apparent. holly, ivy, mistletoe, yule log, the giving of gifts, decorated evergreen tree, magical reindeer, even the christmas tree was borrowed from earlier religions.

So, to answer your question, everyone celebrates at this time of year in some way or another. You certainly do not need to be christian in order to celebrate "Christmas"

Answer 6

Because traditionally pagans celebrated the days getting longer (it gets pretty grim in England at the end of December) with feasting and stuff but the christians hijacked it and called it Christmas, moving Jesus's birthday from spring to midwinter.

You still need a party and holiday in the middle of winter whether you are Christian or pagan, but by rights it is the pagans who should be celebrating around December 22nd-ish and the Christians should be celebrating a few months later.

Answer 7

Jesus was not born in December! :)

You are really celebrating a pagan festival intertwined with the birth of Christ.

Why do Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on the 25th, 6 and some on the 12 of January?

Answer 8

Christmas is no longer just about the birth of Jesus. There is now a religious side and a secular side to Christmas. A lot of people have very fond memories of Christmas, and it's a huge part of our culture. Those who have moved away from Christianity don't want to abandon this wonderful holiday, so they adopt the secular aspects of Christmas: Christmas trees, wreaths, the yule log, dinner with friends and family, gift-giving, stockings, Santa Claus, etc.

Answer 9

You can't beat the music, merriment and libations of a good party!.

Originally, Christmas was not originally about the birth of Christ at all. The church just took over the existing roman holiday of Sol Invictus, the climax after the whole weeklong Saturnalia celebration.

Festive lights, gift-giving, and even Jesus' halo are all marks of this ancient Roman holiday.

Peace. On Earth, even. Pass the wine, could ya?

Answer 10

You ever try not celebrating Christmas? In a country where the majority of people are Christians? And a good portion are Christianist?
First, no one ever thinks that you won't celebrate Christmas. What are you doing for Christmas, Here is your name for "Secret Santa" what are you wearing to the Christmas party, yadda yadda. When you say--Well thanks but it's not my holiday, I'm not a Christian they look at you like you threw a turd in the punch bowl.
Everybody assumes you are in on all the festivities. I took a long lunch one day in December and came back to find my cubicle tarted up with silver garland and red bulbs. Oh. Thanks.
And if you know someone is going to get you a present, you can't not get them one.
I am getting so I hate Christmas and would like to spend the month of December in Saudi Arabia.
Christians- cut your Jewish/atheist/Muslim/Buddist/Hindu/whatever friends some slack next december.

Answer 11

christmas has only become an almost universal celebration pretty recently. The reason for this is because conservative christians (even as late as the 1800's) refused to celebrate it as they believed it to be too materialistic and secular in nature. However, as many people have previously pointed out, christmas became associated with a pagan festival that took place in december in an attempt to convert people to christianity.