Do atheists celebrate Christmas?

Question

I was just wondering. I have a Jewish friend who joins us for Secret Santa and Christmas parties all the time and I was just wondering if atheists celebrate Christmas too. Obviously not the religious part of it, but the other stuff, like Santa and decorating your house. That has nothing to do with the religous part.

You've probably seen this question a lot because it's Christmas season. I was wondering because my Jewish friend was celebrating it with us for the most part.

Answer 1

Of course. We like presents, too.

Answer 2

I celebrate solstice. We celebrate the longest night of the year because it means that every night after that will be shorter and every day will be longer. Basically, it means that yes there are several months of cold left, but the longer days are a return of hope that summer will come again and the long hard winter will end.
My family is Christian though, and I celebrate with them out of respect for their religion. I also don't mind if my kids schools have christmas parties, I even make cookies for them.
We don't decorate though, or do Santa. I don't really like that aspect of the holidays. They've become disgusting displays of personal greed in my opinion so I avoid that. Regardless of religious beliefs, it's nice to spend time with your family and have a nice meal and let the people you love know that you care about them.

Answer 3

Some do, I feel like holidays are a sham and are just like any other day. The only day we should cherish is those days like when you sit with your kid brother and read him his first book or that bbq with your dad, etc etc... Why should people get together at a specific point in the year? I feel the more smaller things more important. The only day I celebrate is New Year and it's because it is the start of something new and the birth of a new year.

Answer 4

I'm technically Jewish but actually an athiest, and yes, I do celebrate Christmas, but only for the present part.

Answer 5

Yep, pretty much exactly what you say - everything but the religious part.

I have to ask, did something come on TV about atheists and Christmas or something? This is my first day back on Answers in a while, and already I've seen this question 3 times just today.

Answer 6

Yes. The kids love Santa and the 3 Kings.

We also like Halloween.

Answer 7

Yes, we do.

It's human nature to need a break at that time of winter. I don't celebrate the religious aspects of it, but I do fill in for a coworker so she can attend Midnight Mass. It's important to her and she's a friend.

Answer 8

I see no reason either way;-} it's an individual's choice.
Santa & Christmas celebrations have little to do with religion.
The whole secular celebration replaced a Pagan festival.

Answer 9

Yep.

I celebrate a Winter Festival of warmth, light, food and togetherness that pre-dates Christianity by thousands of years.

I don't mind if Christians celebrate their thing around the same time, though.

.

Answer 10

Some do. Personally I don't celebrate arbitrary dates on the calendar. It's always seemed a little silly to say "we're going to mark a day on the calendar to be happy about something".

I tend to celebrate events that I'm actually happy about.

Answer 11

I figure if it's ok for Christians to celebrate using Pagan symbols (Christmas tree, for example), then it's ok for me to celebrate the secular, cultural aspects. It's quite the diverse holiday, isn't it?