If you are a non believer do you still accept Christmas gifts? Do you still give Christmas gifts? Do you get offened when someone says Merry Christmas?
2006-11-10 04:51:52 · 18 answers · asked by Sunspot Baby 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes. No. No.
2006-11-10 04:54:43 · answer #1 · answered by TPCAN 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I give Christmas gifts to my Christian friends--and others who celebrate the secular aspects of the holiday. I also give Chanukah gifts to my Jewish friends. It doesn't offend me when people say "Merry Christmas." Sometimes I point out that I'm not a Christian to encourage them to be more aware of the diversity in their community, but usually I just accept it as a good wish, which it usually is. And while I don't encourage Christmas gifts, I also would not rudely refuse them from friends and family.
More and more, I think of late December as the time of Winter Solstice and HumanLight rather than Christmas, but I would never try to take away someone else's joy. The season doesn't just belong to Christians, but neither does it just belong to Humanists. There's room for us all.
2006-11-10 12:55:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christmas gifts haven't got anything to do with religion.
I give Christmas gifts and get them.
I don't mind merry Christmas if its meant in a good natured way, unfortunately christian nationalism is trying to turn it into a deliberate jab at nonchristians, so whether or not it offends me is a matter of tone.
Christianity is an apocalyptic death obsessed roman cult with no holidays of its own. There's no point in planning a festival three month down the road if you're supposed to be holding your breath waiting for the eminent end of the world.
All the festivals of the christian calendar are pagan holidays that were co-opted to make conversion easier.
2006-11-10 13:15:35 · answer #3 · answered by corvis_9 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Not at all -- because our culture has a great deal of judeo-christian influence, those holidays have been incorporated to the point where they have a major secular aspect to them. I celebrate easter, christmas and other holidays because I treat them as secular holidays for time with family, etc. I have no problem with 'Merry Christmas'. And note that despite some marginal, isolated stories, the vast majority aren't trying to get rid of 'Merry Christmas'. Instead, cities and stores are attempting to be more inclusive and loving by choosing more inclusive greetings in recognition of the diversity of our nation.
2006-11-10 13:03:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas? Sorry, I celebrate Yule. ;)
To be perfectly honest, actually, a LOT of non-Christians celebrate Christmas in its secular sense: Santa Claus, presents, tree, etc.
My Muslim best friend, for example, will buy small things for her friends and go about telling people "Merry Christmas" or "Blessed Yule" (if she knows the person is, like me, a pagan).
I only get offended when someone says "Merry Christmas" if they start in on that stupid anti-pagan blathering about taking Christmas back from the "evil pagans," despite US celebrating Yule, Saturnalia, etc., before Christianity even existed.
... Ahem. Anyway. I will tell people Merry Christmas more than gladly. I will tell them Blessed Yule, as well, if I know that they are open-minded (and it's not after December 21) enough to accept such.
2006-11-10 12:57:12 · answer #5 · answered by Nicky M 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I will give and receive gifts, most likely. If you wish to impose the term 'Christmas gift' on it, that's fine. As to the Merry Christmas bit, it's ironic. I don't think I got offended by it until people started making a huge deal out of it. It all has to be taken in context though.
2006-11-10 12:55:59 · answer #6 · answered by Phil 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's sort of a Christian holiday, but it's also a pagan holiday. If someone doesn't believe in the story of Christ, then they should think of it as a day to appreciate those in their life, those they love. For many people it's only about the gifts anyway, so why not accept gifts?
2006-11-10 12:57:08 · answer #7 · answered by straightup 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas isn't the only holiday in Dec. However, as a Christian, I wouldn't say no to a Hanukkah gift or Kwanzaa gift (I'd go out and get them something if given one) because the spirit in which it is presented is one of good will.
2006-11-10 13:00:18 · answer #8 · answered by sister steph 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a follower of my namesake, the goddess Isis, and therefore do not celebrate Christmas as Christians do in a religious sense. I do respect it, however, as a cultural season of all of us in practicing the very best of our faith traditions in extending love and tolerance toward all others. This is our season to be the human family. So I am never offended if someone says Merry Christma to me. I say it in return. And I deeply honor the Christian community for offering this unselfish gift of peace and hope to us all.
2006-11-10 12:56:05 · answer #9 · answered by Isis 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I still accept gifts given by my parents because Christmas and many of its traditions - including gift-giving - came from Yule, my holiday. I give them Yule gifts. It's usually four days apart, and we're both celebrating the birth of our god, so I see nothing wrong with it.
Bright blessings!
)O(
2006-11-10 13:00:15 · answer #10 · answered by thelittlemerriemaid 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
this is what weve done since i was a kid..there was no such thing as santa, it was a celebration of christ..we prayed and ate and opened presents..the way we looked at it was, we give presents to our family and friends to apprecite them and that god has blessed us with them in our lives..some people look at it as oh presents, who cares..my kids know what christmas is all about, but they just want the presents..lol..but they will understand with time..thats just my 2 cents
2006-11-10 12:59:07 · answer #11 · answered by kravenrachel1982 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋