CHRISTmas??

[Meghatron]

I don’t personally know too many atheist or people with secular views, aside from one of my brothers. I was just curious to see how other freethinking people spend the holiday season?  I pretty much do the whole Santa thing because I have a 6 year old child. Is there anyone that does nothing for the holidays or maybe someone that does something different? I know the whole commercial aspect of xmas has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. I actually just hate Christmas and it has nothing to do with religion, but I’ve started to think it does subconsciously…maybe because of all the symbolism that goes along with it.

[Whitney]

I like secularized christmas and growing up it was about about being a time to set aside for family; hubby prefers to call it festivus around the house.  I also really just like the lights and wish there were more excuses to have them up year round without looking crazy.

Plus the holiday itself just exists because the christian church wanted to convert the pagans so they arbitrarily started celebrating jesus's birth around the winter solstice...Halloween has some christian history mixed into it yet secular people almost all embrace it as one of the best holidays.  I suspect that Christmas will not even be associated with religion in the next century, just as Halloween eventually lost it's religious connections.

[elliebean]

Just enjoy the show is what I do.

The lights, the decorations, the mus... well, some of the music.

Whatever it's supposed to represent, it's all an experience, free to enjoy.

[Asmodean]

Eh... Christmas is just another day of the year, if you ask me. Work - home - sleep.

The only thing out-of-the-ordinary that I do is buy stuff for a few people I deem deserving  

[Cecilie]

Eh... Christmas is just another day of the year, if you ask me. Work - home - sleep.

The only thing out-of-the-ordinary that I do is buy stuff for a few people I deem deserving  

No ribbe/pinnekjøtt/lutefisk?

[SSY]

I do nothing, except cook the world's most delicious roast chicken.

[ablprop]

I love and adore Christmas almost more than any other time of the year (opening day of baseball season might be the closest competitor).

I have two daughters. My wife and I absolutely do the Santa thing to the hilt. I love the Santa myth because I see it as the first step toward atheism.

There's the obvious comparisons between the big guy and the Big Guy, of course, but that's not what I'm talking about. Here's what I mean. When you're a kid, Christmas is absolutely magical. If it's done right, the transition from receiving the magic to giving the magic is a process of self-realization. The realization is this: the magic is real, but we create it ourselves. My parents loved me so much that they not only bought me all this stuff, but they refused to take credit for it, instead surrounding it in magic and mystery. The only thing they ask in return is that, if and when I have kids of my own, I continue the tradition. Santa, they taught me, is inside me!

This is the power and the joy of atheism. Life has meaning because we give it meaning. Magic exists - we make it ourselves. Love and family and special times are our creations - no one else's. We did it ourselves. How anyone can fail to find that uplifting, I will never understand.

I love Christmas, Santa, and the magic of the season - and I'm a thoroughgoing rationalist and committed atheist. I believe the Santa myth helped me get there.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Asmodean]

No ribbe/pinnekjøtt/lutefisk?

No fun to cook something like that for yourself. Takes too damn long.

I'm the julegrændis-variety of Norwegian  

[Cecilie]

No ribbe/pinnekjøtt/lutefisk?

No fun to cook something like that for yourself. Takes too damn long.

I'm the julegrændis-variety of Norwegian  

That was my fourth option. I don't blame you though, I once ate noodles at Christmas.

[Asmodean]

That was my fourth option. I don't blame you though, I once ate noodles at Christmas.

Having a thoroughly busted oven, making the julegrændis is kind of a chore though (By the following definition: 3. An unpleasant or burdensome task.)

Still, when my rats and I contemplate our lack of proper family relations and every kebab joint is closed, we prefer pizza to frozen microwave crap  

[Cecilie]

That was my fourth option. I don't blame you though, I once ate noodles at Christmas.

Having a thoroughly busted oven, making the julegrændis is kind of a chore though (By the following definition: 3. An unpleasant or burdensome task.)

Still, when my rats and I contemplate our lack of proper family relations and every kebab joint is closed, we prefer pizza to frozen microwave crap  

Grandis doesn't taste good though.

What?
I didn't say anything.

[Asmodean]

What?
I didn't say anything.

... I STILL heard you!  

[Cecilie]

Nah... Not really. A Grændis by itself is kind of... Sucky.  :drool

[Asmodean]

Only a Norwegian person would like it... Like most of Norwegian food.
 

[joeactor]

No ribbe/pinnekjøtt/lutefisk?

I'm planning on a feast of lutefisk, haggis, and agutuk for dessert...

... then I'll have a great reason to take 2 weeks off!

Mmmmm... Agutuk!