Do you celebrate Christmas

[PureX]

Main question.... If you celebrate Christmas, what is the reason or reasons why you celebrate it?

Being Christmas is both political and religious I wasn't sure which one to put this in.. So general debates won

As a collection of family and friends we try to use the holiday to celebrate having each other in our lives.

Whatever religious significance wany one of us might attach to it is our own business. My clan does not proselytize or argue about that stuff.

Gifts are kept to a minimum and usually exchanged just between immediate family members. For the larger group, we do a gift trading game that only requires each person to contribute one moderately priced gift. And it's all in fun.

I personally get easily grossed out by the giant greed-fest that capitalism has turned the Christmas holiday into. But I try not to mention it to others because I understand that some people really enjoy that aspect of it. So I try to stay focused on the good side of it, and keep quiet about the horrible capitalist stench.

 

[Jainarayan]

I don't personally celebrate it anymore. I did as a Christian but I don't as a Hindu. I just go along for the ride with my family, who are Christian. I say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. I don't usually say it first but I'll respond with whatever the other person says. Yesterday or the day before a customer said to me "Have a happy holiday". I took it to mean he was Jewish and referring to Hanukkah. I said "Thanks, you too". I didn't deem it necessary to say "Oh I'm not Jewish" and to **** in his Rice Krispies.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yes. Thai Pusam isn’t very far after it. I hope that it is a great occasion for you, yours, and your community.

Siwaratri on the Balinese Saka Calendar is also not far after it. This year, Hari Raya Saraswati will come shortly before that Greek holiday.

Are you in Bali now? (I must have missed something.) The last day of the Tiruvembavai festival, (a festival for Natarajah) also called Ardhra Abhishekam is the 27 of this month. It's traditionally a morning event, so the homa here starts at 5:30. It's massive at Chidambaram, the largest abhishekham of the year by far.

 

[Jainarayan]

Btw, trivia ... the "merry" in Merry Christmas does not mean jolly, happy. It means "peaceful". The word merry originally meant peaceful, quiet, calm. "Merry Christmas = "peaceful, quiet Christmas". The song is "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" to mean may God give you peaceful rest, not "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen".

 

[RabbiO]

No.

 

[Secret Chief]

In the UK it is a criminal offence not to be jolly at Christmas.

 

[metis]

Unless I know the person's religion if any, I say "Have a nice holiday".

 

[Revoltingest]

 

[mangalavara]

Are you in Bali now? (I must have missed something.)

No, I am still in Korea. I have been learning about Balinese Hinduism for a while, and how I understand and practice Hinduism has been becoming more like the Balinese form rather than the Indian form that we from the West are familiar with.

The last day of the Tiruvembavai festival, (a festival for Natarajah) also called Ardhra Abhishekam is the 27 of this month.

I’ve just looked it up. I hope you have a wonderful Thiruvathirai.

 

[InChrist]

Main question.... If you celebrate Christmas, what is the reason or reasons why you celebrate it?

Being Christmas is both political and religious I wasn't sure which one to put this in.. So general debates won

I celebrate Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, Immanuel…God who became flesh to be the Savior of the world.

 

[JustGeorge]

I don't observe it for myself. I don't have any celebrations, or buy presents for the kids. I seem to be required to attend the extended family's gathering(which is secular), though.

My kids wanted to put up a tree this year. I allowed that. I'm thinking of collecting Ganesh ornaments for it.

 

[RestlessSoul]

In the UK it is a criminal offence not to be jolly at Christmas.

Whereas for the other 11 months of the year, failure to grumble endlessly about everything will see you ostracised.

 

[vijeno]

Main question.... If you celebrate Christmas, what is the reason or reasons why you celebrate it?

Yes, I celebrate it. I am an agnostic atheist, and I struggled with the whole thing for a while, but ultimately I realized that not everything is about me-me-me-me-me, it's nice to get together with my family (we managed to "fight towards peace" in recent years), and I have no issues with what people call it and how they interpret it. "Merry christmas" is fine, and I will happily wish you a happy channuka, chag sameach, merry yule, Odin's blessings, may Satan take your soul... whatever floats your boat.

I minored in Jewish sciences. At uni, we used to celebrate "nukkamess" in december. (Actually we called it "Weihnukka", but that doesn't translate well.) It was fun and charming, there was good food, and everyone had a laugh.

 

[bobhikes]

Main question.... If you celebrate Christmas, what is the reason or reasons why you celebrate it?

Being Christmas is both political and religious I wasn't sure which one to put this in.. So general debates won

As Christmas goes. I like Santa Claus, decorating the house, baking cookies and getting gifts for children. I dislike exchanging gifts with adults, the pressure to visit all the relatives and to attend mass. I also dislike the conflict the holiday brings up between family and friends. It is the most stressful holiday.

 

[Rival]

Yes.

 

[RestlessSoul]

On Christmas morning this year, I'll take my mum to mass. And I'll take some time to contemplate the birth of light into a world of wintry darkness.

 

[Yerda]

I really enjoy seeing everyone. There's often at least one mad party night and several days of seeing family and friends, gifts and games and bad telly. Love it.

Good time for that love that loves to love

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Main question.... If you celebrate Christmas

I do

, what is the reason or reasons why you celebrate it?

A multitude of reasons.
First of all, it's fun. Gifts, twinkling lights, dinner parties with friends / family, decorating the home,...
Second, cultural tradition. It's hard to not get into a christmass mood when everywhere you go there are twinkling lights, santa themed festivities / decorations, christmass trees,...
Third, for the kids. "magical" times is an important part of the psychological development of a child.
Fourth, a bit more personal: any excuse for party is a good excuse


Christians sometimes tell me it's "hypocritical" of me to celebrate christmass as an atheist. I disagree. There's nothing religious about our festivities. There's no church involved, there's no praying and in fact in reality there is nothing "christian" about santa claus and christmass trees.




As for what we say to eachother, it depends on context.
When at christmass (so, the 24th/25th), we say "happy christmass" - especialy if we will see these people again before new years eve.
When around the holidays and we don't expect to see them again before new years, we say "happy holidays" since there are multiple festivities between then and the time we'll see them again.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

For me it's perfectly secular for my daughter and granddaughter.

I even dress up as Santa. Here's a photo from last year...

View attachment 85357

You look fantastic!

 

[metis]

My wife and I have a routine we've used for many years now. We go to Christmas Eve mass, then come home, sit facing our fireplace that we turn on, listen to a Dan Fogelberg Christmas CD, and sip Asti Spumante while saying very little for an hour. It's relaxing but all so meaningful for us.

On Christmas Day, it's with family, which ain't so quiet but oh so enjoyable.