What do Atheists do during Christ-Mass Time?

1. 57

   Sprinkler Manposted 15 years ago

   Do you have a tree in your home and decorate it as the heathens do? Do you exchange gifts? Do you make up ignorant remarks like, I just wanted to get you a gift but its not for Christ-mass!!!
   
   Please tell...

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   1. 57

      oldman1941posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I am a Christian but I am a thorn in the nest of Christendom in my parish.  I do not decorate my dwelling with bright lights and share few presents and call it a "Holiday" and not a Holy Day.  Christians have murdered far too many for me to celebrate the birth right of their titular head.  I wish His teachings were more specific about the evils of capitalism.  He did say a few words about that if you look deeply into what he was reported to have said.

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   2. 74

      KeithTaxposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I have atheist clients and they celebrate solstice, December 21st, and have a good time at it, too, as I hear it. They meet family and exchange gifts. My understanding is that atheists don't hate religious people, they just don't believe in god and don't want theology forced down their throat.
      
      My experience has always been good with atheists. Of course, I get along with jewish, Muslim, and Christian clients too.

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   3. 59

      DogSiDaedposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Do you want to be a prick about it?

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   4. 86

      Marisa Wrightposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Go out in the street and point out to the average person that there's a "Christ" in Christmas, and they'll be surprised. 
      
      The original Church was very clever - it chose dates for all its festivals that were already the dates of existing celebrations.  Christmas Day is one of those.  So it's not purely Christian, for one thing.
      
      Besides, take a look at today's Christmas and ask yourself how much of it has to do with Christianity.  Santa Claus was invented by Coca Cola.  The only thing Christian about Christmas is if you go to church.

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   5. 57

      Gustavo Magnusposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Do some research before you blurt out stuff like this.
      
      Almost all aspects of Christmas have absolutely nothing to do with Christianity, in fact... nothing has!
      
      The only thing Christmas and Christanity have in common in the name, and the fact Christians claim it as their own.
      
      Please check your facts in the future before posting stuff like this:
      http://www.redcode.nl/blog/2009/12/athe … christmas/

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   6. 60

      Paul Wingertposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      On Christmas Day, store owners who are atheists, Jews, Muslims, and any other non-Christian, go to their place of business and look at all the empty shelves and say, “What a friend I have in Jesus”. Christmas can be celebrated as a traditional holiday. We celebrate Halloween even though we’re not Druids or Celts.  How many of us non-Irish folks have one too many on St. Patrick’s Day?

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   7. 67

      AdsenseStrategiesposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yes. Yes I have a tree in my home and decorate it as the heathens do. I then sacrifice it to the Norse god Thor.

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   8. 60

      Paul Wingertposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Atheists and Agnostics use the usual evergreens (pagans decorated their home with evergreen since it was tough enough to survive the brutal European winters), mistletoe, Yule logs (which symbolized Mithras, the pagan sun god who was born on December 25th) and ornaments (which originated with the pagans use of fruit). Most of us may know that Jesus Christ was not born on the December 25th, but the Winter Solstice was celebrated by the Ancient Romans which was followed by the festival of honoring their god, Saturn, known as Saturnalia, which was celebrated from December 19 - 23rd.  Don’t forget the caroling which is an ancient Rome tradition were groups of costumed singers and dancers, called mummers, who would travel house to house entertaining their neighbors. So Atheists and Christians celebrate December 25th just like the pagans did.

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   9. 68

      pylos26posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The non-fairy belivers I know never miss a chance to celebrate and party.

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   10. 69

       Rod Marsdenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Most atheists are in reality either Agnostics or have some other religion. The true atheist is actually a rare bird... 
       
       
       

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2. 78

   sabrebIadeposted 15 years ago

   In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'
   - Dave Barry, author and columnist

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3. 66

   Mishaposted 15 years ago

   Nah, atheists just sprinkle on the snow

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4. 87

   Len Cannonposted 15 years ago

   is this a parody thread or something?

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5. 60

   tantrumposted 15 years ago

   I do nothing
   Why should I do something ?

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   1. 60

      neysajasperposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Because you are an athiest and so you should do something like stopping people njoying themselves:P

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      1. 61

         BobLloydposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         or
         
         So may folks think that anything opposed to theism is necessarily kill-joy.  For real kill-joy they should take a look at catholic guilt!  No there's a splendid mixture of fear, guilt, and personal insecurity institutionalised into overpowering ritual.  Fun?  Only if you stop following your own sense of fun.
         
         As for atheism, it's fun as usual

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6. 66

   awareposted 15 years ago

   nothing? you gota do something. or do you sleep the whole day? no wait that would be doing something. cus well... you know sleeping is something

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   1. 60

      tantrumposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Are you aware, that's meaning, I don't do anything 'special' on Christmas ??

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7. 83

   wychicposted 15 years ago

   Maybe they adopt their own celebrations for it, just like the Christians did when they renamed the day Christmas to encourage their own thinking while trying to obliterate the traditions that came before it.

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   1. 53

      (Q)posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Well said.

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   2. 60

      Mitch Rappposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah maybe, but they usually just drone on and on about those damned Christians and their beliefs.

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      1. 87

         Len Cannonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Here's something a lot of people don't realize. Athiests actually care far less about Christians than you think.  No one cares about having a round table discussion about how much they want to murder all that is good and loving on Christmas. They like to eat and exchange presents and watch football.

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         1. 60

            Mitch Rappposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I believe you, Atheist aren't the ones trying to get "under God" stricken from the pledge of allegiance, thats the Jews. Atheist aren't the ones constantly bringing lawsuits for having Nativity scenes on public property, thats the Mormons! No, Atheist don't care about Christianity they just wanta watch football!

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            1. 59

               Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               Actually, many Christians advocate these things.  They realize that co-mingling government and religion is detremental to both.  It's very amusing that evangelical knuckleheads pretend to speak for virtually all Christians so often.  (not calling you one, don't know nor care about your religion, that's each person's personal business)

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            2. 87

               Len Cannonposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               lol that's what they do on Christmas day. Excuse me. Christ Mass. You are so put upon.

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8. 66

   awareposted 15 years ago

   no special k cereal ? well you take the day off work dont you?

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   1. 60

      tantrumposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I don't work !

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9. 66

   awareposted 15 years ago

   dont work?  you retired?

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   1. 60

      tantrumposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      never worked. I will never be retired. I'm free.

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      1. 66

         Mishaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         And it shows

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10. 61

    BobLloydposted 15 years ago

    Atheists have a holiday the same as everyone else.  They give presents, visit family, have parties, eat food, etc.  What else would you expect?
    
    There really is no great lacuna in the lives of atheists simply because they do not believe in deities.  By virtue of the fact that such deities are immaterial, invisible, undetectable, and therefore inconsequential, nothing happens to your life if you don't believe in them.
    
    Christmas is a holiday, originally of religious significance to some religious people, but now every bit a secular holiday.

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    1. 59

       Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       lacuna?  Wow! I learned a new word.  Maybe the forums aren't such a waste of time after all.

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11. 74

    Bill Manningposted 15 years ago

    Since even the religious have made Christmas into nothing more than a big shopping and gimme gimme event, why shouldn't atheist celebrate it?
    
    Kids today don't think about what the day is really about, no matter what religion they are. It's all just one big day for everyone to show up everyone else and try to outdo each other with worthless crap that will be broke or discarded in a month.
    
    After which they spend the rest of the year trying to pay it all off. So the holidays today fits any religion or believe, it's just a day to eat a lot and give presents nobody wants.
    
    As an Atheist I'll gladly say Merry Christmas and all that if your going to give me a gift. I'll take mine as a blond, 5 ft. 4", 38C bust and no wrapping required please!

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12. 60

    dfunzyposted 15 years ago

    As one who believes that good works gets you into Heaven and not just faith, I expect to see many so-called, life-long, atheists sitting up there with the Lord, while many of us so-called Christians are spending time in purgatory. Of course, once those who were atheists see the Lord, they will be former atheists. Anyway, my point is: which man is living the better life? One who does good and does not expected to be rewarded in an after-life, or one who does good, working for an eternal reward? So you see, I don't knock a good man just because he is a non-believer.

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    1. 60

       tantrumposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Agree.
       Interesting hubs !!

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13. 61

    Gregg Biancciposted 15 years ago

    I'm an atheist, I give people the gift of my presence, which is more than more of them deserve!
    
    However, I think it has been a long time since Christmas has been considered a "holy" day.   It's a purely consumerist driven holiday now a days, not much how much you try to polish that turd.

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    1. 0

       sneakorocksolidposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Hey man! Are those muscles lick-um-ons?

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       1. 0

          Justine76posted 15 years agoin reply to this

          

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14. 65

    Lady Guinevereposted 15 years ago

    I hate to tell you all this but there is no religion in the after-life on the other side.  None whatsoever.

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15. 67

    torimariposted 15 years ago

    ^?
    
    Anyhoo, I go to Christmas Mass with my family. I enjoy how the Church looks all done up, even if I don't believe in what it represents.
    
    It's a family tradition that I am happy to respect because it makes everyone happy.

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16. 0

    lyricsingrayposted 15 years ago

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    1. 59

       Ron Montgomeryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Christmas dance?

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17. 75

    Uninvited Writerposted 15 years ago

    We eat, we drink, and we try to be merry

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18. 60

    Gale Forceposted 15 years ago

    I can't speak for other atheists, but for myself, I don't care about the phrase Under God, or nativity scenes, or anything of that nature, being displayed, even on public property.
    
    But then, I'm am individual. I didn't realize all Christians felt the same way about any given subject, any more than all Jews did, or all Muslims, or all Buddhists, etc.
    
    As for Christmas, as I think someone else in this thread said... it's a pagan holiday grafted onto a Christian one, in an effort to prosletyze to the pagans.
    
    And it has been such a commercial holiday for so long, now that the "reason for the season" is not supposed to be talked about, so I'm surprised you're even asking this question. 
    
    More to the point, what do *Christians* do during Christ-Mass time? DO you celebrate his birth, or do you spoil your kids with gifts, decorate a pine tree that was never seen in Isreael or anywhere else in the Middle East, I don't think, pretend there's a Santa, etc?

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19. 61

    mikelongposted 15 years ago

    Having not read every post in this thread, I don't know if what I'm about to write has already been said,
    
    Regardless....it is inaccurate to assume that all Christians even celebrate December Christmas.
    
    To begin with, many Christians, my own background included, do not celebrate this holiday because to celebrate someone's birth can be a form of idolatry, this being strictly forbidden by the 10 commandments.... In fact these sects do not celebrate any birthdays for this reason.
    
    Secondly, there are many Christians, Eastern Orthodox mostly, who celebrate Christmas in the spring of the year. The December date has more to do with the pagan deity who's birthday celebration Christmas replaced...
    
    Though I am not a Christian in any way, if one is to celebrate Jesus supposed birth I would do so in the spring as well....it is ludicrous, in my mind, to do so in December.
    
    Yet, there are still other Christian groups who do not believe that Jesus was divine or in any way the son of a deity...and they do not celebrate any Christmas...
    
    There is no one idea of Christianity, just as there is no one concept of Islam or Judaism....it is inaccurate to try to lump them together.
    
    While not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish I am not an atheist either. Yet, December 25th is just another day to me.

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20. 60

    double_frickposted 15 years ago

    christmas and all its traditions are actually rooted in paganism, not christianity. it is to celebrate the solstice, essentially. almost all observed holidays are pagan.
    
    and aren't heathens non-christians? or not practicing? something of that nature?
    
    seems to me like the christians make themselves heathens by celebrating a pagan holiday with pagan rituals, even if unknowingly.
    
    peace.

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21. 70

    earnestshubposted 15 years ago

    Whatever we friggin like!!!

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22. 0

    ralwusposted 15 years ago

    My sister-in-law, whom I love dearly, is an atheist. She chooses to spend Christmas with us as her family is all gone. She brings gifts and her love and bows her head when the blessing is said over dinner. No discussions of religion ever. She does love the season and since my brother is long dead now, she comes here.

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23. 90

    Will Apseposted 15 years ago

    I'm not only an Atheist but had universally lousy experiences as a kid at Xmas (a mother who was always in a screaming fit during that season). So I try to keep out of it. New Year is different. Xmas is for the misery of family. New Year is for the joy of friends.

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24. 49

    The Paulposted 15 years ago

    You know how when, as a child, you found out there was no Santa Claus and it was really traumatic for like a minute... but then you carried on and did Christmas anyway and it was still exactly the same and afterward you realized pretty much nothing had changed?
    
    Works the same way when you find out there's no Jesus.

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25. 70

    earnestshubposted 15 years ago

    Atheists fart. During Xmas time they fart more.

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26. 54

    wudieposted 14 years ago

    christmas.....just anotha day.its an excuse for people not to go to work.oh,its january now,i forgot that id just missed last years chrismas.i will keep awake this year so i wont miss it again.just 11 months to go..........

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27. 61

    theirishobserver.posted 14 years ago

    celebrate the fact that Jesus was not born or then they would have to do something else....

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28. 71

    ddsurfscaposted 14 years ago

    my son claims to be an athiest, and when I asked him this question he had the answer right away.  He says that they all pray to Santa Claus so bring them what they want....   

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29. 76

    skyfireposted 14 years ago

    All hail santa.
    
    
    Santa and Galactus FTW.

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