If you are an Atheist, do you celebrate Christmas?

Question

Just wondering..

Answer 1

I don't think celebrate is the word. I think that for them it is more of an opportunity to take off and be with their families. Just a reason to decorate the house, buy stuff for family, hit the sales, and listen to some pretty music. I'm not Mexican but Cinco de Mayo is fun, but for a Mexican it is more than just fun it has meaning. Christmas for Christians is more than just a paid vacation.

Yes I know that Jesus wasn't born on Dec. 25 and all the other trivial stuff about Christmas.

Answer 2

There is very little of a religious dimension left in Christmas.
It started as a pagan holiday, has had a long history of being celebrated by heavy drinking and subsequent debauchery (by medieval Europeans) and was not celebrated in the colonies for that reason for over a century & a half. Today, the commercial aspect has morphed into a kind of avalanche of Christmas consumerism with thousands of childrens' toy commercials and pre-holiday sale ads. It's hard to take seriously as anyone's religious holiday, so no, but only because there is nothing authentic about Christmas left.

Jingle-bell rock to all,

;-)

Answer 3

Christmas has become more of a secular holiday, with an emphasis on spending money. It's lost much of its religious meaning for many people. But it does still evoke feelings of good nature towards your fellow man, and brings people together for fun and merriment. You don't need to believe in God for that. I'm not saying I am or am not an atheist, but there's no reason why one should feel weird celebrating Christmas in this day and age.

Answer 4

I'm not an atheist, but I'm not Christian either, and I love Christmas, I love the music, the lights, the Christmas shows on tv, the time off, the gifts, and just everything about it. I see it as a magical time, there really is something special in the air around Christmas time and I think everyone can feel it if they want to, even if they aren't Christian, Santa Clause isn't in the Bible you know...

Answer 5

If you mean by Christmas, the birth of Christ, then atheists do not celebrate that. Christmas is the name of a holiday that has historical roots in the celebration of the birth of Christ.

While Christians celebrate that day, that does not imply that they celebrate the birth of Christ, anymore than the name Thursday means that we remember Thor.

Too, it should be remembered that Christ wasn't actually born midwinter. Christmas basically approximates Winter Solstice, when Pagans believed the God was born anew.

Answer 6

Of course. Christmas can be celebrated by everyone, not just for Christians.

Answer 7

Yes, the same way we celebrate Thanksgiving even though we're not all pilgrims. The same way Christians all celebrate Halloween even though they're not Celtics. The same way we celebrate Veteran's day even though we're not all Veterans.

The same way Christians celebrate The Pagan Winter Solstice as the birth of Christ on December the 25th despite the fact that many historians claim the he was born in March.

Answer 8

Of course. There are gifts, family and food available. Who wouldn't celebrate Christmas

Answer 9

As a day of family, friends, gifts, fun, food and togetherness yes.. As the birth of a fictional deity no...

Christmas is a co-oped pagan celebration of Winter Solistice.. Why Christians celebrate it as a day their fictional deity was born is a far better question...

Answer 10

I'm atheist, I personally don't really care. Christmas is Christmas, it's a happy time so why not be jolly?