when they don't believe in god or jesus ect ??? what are they celebrating?
2006-11-22 23:36:48 · 30 answers · asked by makemesmile 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
i was just wondering cause we don't all do every other faiths holidays and clame them as an excuse for booze and presents thats all
2006-11-22 23:52:07 · update #1
I believe that Christmas is all about our Lord Jesus Christ being born to take away the sin of the world. And if it isn't obvious, Easter is about him dying for our sins and being raised from the dead! My point: Christmas isn't about presents, and Easter isn't about candy!!!!!!!
2006-11-23 02:19:29 · answer #1 · answered by No, You. 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
We've been celebrating around the winter solstice since long before Christianity. We have no idea what day Jesus was born - in fact we're a bit unsure of the year.
Originally, it was all about survival. Iron age man could not preserve food for more than a couple of months. So by the end of December, last autumn's harvest was getting near it's sell-by date. The best chance of surviving the worst of winter was to eat and drink yourself silly and sleep it off for a few weeks.
The pagan religions in the Roman empire had two feast days in December. Saturnalia on 17th when you ate and drank a lot, and the birthday of Sol, the sun god on December 24th. When Christianity became the state religion in 321 AD, they had to come up with an alternative, so Christmas was invented.
So if atheists and non-christians want to celebrate Christmas, don't criticise. We only pinched it from the pagans.
2006-11-22 23:50:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why do Christians celebrate Christmas when it's actually a Pagan holiday?
The thing is, people were celebrating something at this time of the year long before Christianity. It's been a part of many religions and simply been a tradition in a lot of places to come together in the middle of the winter (when days were starting to get longer again) and celebrate. When Christianity spread they adapted and started celebrating at this time too so it would be easier for converts to adjust. They claimed it was the birthday of Jesus so they'd have something to celebrate at this time (Jesus is actually thought to be born in September).
So it's not really a Christian holiday, just so you know. People have various reasons to celebrate at this time of the year. I'm an atheist and to me Christmas is the time of the year when the whole family comes together and spends quality time together and when we put up a whole lot of colorful lights to brighten up our days in good ol' dark Iceland.
2006-11-23 00:19:51 · answer #3 · answered by undir 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Whatever your believe, it is an opportunity to meet those you care about, enjoy a bit of warmth and fun together and have a bit of a break from routine. It comes at a dismal time of the year in the northern hemisphere (where Christmas celebrations originated and supplanted the festival of lights and the turning of the year). I must say I cannot visualise Christmas celebrations with a picnic on a sun drenched beach.
2006-11-22 23:53:45 · answer #4 · answered by WISE OWL 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably because the children have been born in uk and although are from a different faith they go to school and adopt a lot of christian traditions and so put up the christmas tree and give each other presents because it plays such a big part in our lives nowadays. The shops have christmas stuff in from september so its a bit hard not to be involved in it.
Chritmas trees and decorations are a pagan festival anyway and i think a lot of people nowadays have forgotton why we first started to celebrate christmas anyway
2006-11-23 02:34:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They celebrate the fact that for an entire month you can got out and live to excess and not feel guilty. It is not frowned upon to come in with a hangover in December because it is just the festive season.
They are also celebrating crass commercialism. Who will buy / receive the best present.
That said it is also a good time to get together with your family as everybody has a couple of days off.
2006-11-22 23:43:16 · answer #6 · answered by helphesaidineedaprofilename 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christians celebrate Christmas it Jesus Birthday.
Other religion celebrate because its a holiday
2006-11-23 02:35:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tradition. Until 50 or 60 years ago, most people in this country were practising Christians. While today much fewer people are, it's an opportunity for a break, presents and lots of booze.
2006-11-22 23:47:25 · answer #8 · answered by Chris W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Family
2006-11-22 23:44:52 · answer #9 · answered by Just Thinking 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think its just that people need something to look forward to, like a summer holiday, but Christmas with the giving of presents etc., gives us a warm feeling and a chance to say thank you to people that matter.
The problem starts when people start getting into debt, over it or buying presents for someone cos they think they should. For me its about sharing time with the people I love and gifts are great if you can afford them.
2006-11-22 23:48:48 · answer #10 · answered by b7jac 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't know the exact reason but I've heard that there was a pagan festival around this time prior to Christianity. Anyway, why not have a celebration around this time of year anyway? It's not like we have much else to celebrate!
2006-11-22 23:48:08 · answer #11 · answered by kpk 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋