Exhaustion

[AnimatedDirt]

I don't forget the reason Christians celebrate Christmas, they aren't my reasons though.
In most of the world there is no Thanks Giving, so Christmas is the one day many families get together.
No god is mentioned at my families Christmas gatherings, the guy in the red suit is popular though.
You work a couple of hundred days and you get a few off as public holidays, I don't begrudge the Christian label on the day, but the day is mine.
I suspect families got together and exchanged gifts before baby J made his appearance, seems kind of natural.

Christmas is celebrated in Japan, Jesus doesn't seem to rate a mention though.

The mention is in the name of the holiday.  Until the holiday's name is changed, even if everything about it becomes secularized, the name still "rates a mention" to it's origin.

[Whitney]

The mention is in the name of the holiday.  Until the holiday's name is changed, even if everything about it becomes secularized, the name still "rates a mention" to it's origin.

I think you are being really silly just to try to win an argument . . . or maybe you just want to see how much you have to annoy people before they tell you bugger off.

Next thing you'll be telling us we are hypocrites for using the days of the weeks (which would put you in that boat too), saying goodbye, and even drinking beer.

[AnimatedDirt]

The mention is in the name of the holiday.  Until the holiday's name is changed, even if everything about it becomes secularized, the name still "rates a mention" to it's origin.

I think you are being really silly just to try to win an argument . . . or maybe you just want to see how much you have to annoy people before they tell you bugger off.

Next thing you'll be telling us we are hypocrites for using the days of the weeks (which would put you in that boat too), saying goodbye, and even drinking beer.

I suppose that is what you are waiting for, but no, I'm not going to give the "AH-HA" you're waiting for.  The point of CHRISTmas is valid in that Magic Pudding said,

Christmas is celebrated in Japan, Jesus doesn't seem to rate a mention though.

To which I simply say the mention is at the beginning of the sentence in the name of the holiday.  I'm not trying to win an argument, I'm out of my league here with the caliber of debators and knowledge base here against my point of view.  I have no delusion of grandeur here that I'll "win" an argument.  What value is there in that anyway?  I'm simply giving my point of view in a forum, apparently open to all to give.  It's called discussion.  I've made points and asked questions.  I believe this is a valid point to which Magic Pudding and others are free to counter as they see fit.  If they do, are they also in "my boat" of "being silly just to try to win an argument"?

The Truth and Fact of the matter which goes against what Magic Pudding mentioned is that CHRISTmas does and forever will "rate a mention" as long as it is called Christmas.  The Atheist likes to deal with provable facts.  The fact is the holiday is called Christmas.

I made no mention of the days of the week, of which they are not even Christian names, but rather pagan names for their gods.  I don't get your point at all.  Celebrating Christmas, you are right and I've acknowledged early in this thread, is a point of hypocrisy in my eyes, but it is not the main point here.  It's a lesser point here.  A valid point in a thread specifically speaking about Christmas and the Atheist however.

[Velma]

Christmas's roots are found in pagan Solstice celebrations which were co-opted by the Catholic church in order to ease the transition of communities from pagan to Christian.  For centuries, Christmas was a Catholic celebration - Christ's Mass - to celebrate Jesus's birth.  Later, Protestants wanted nothing to do with it and many Protestant communities outlawed the celebration.  Also, the way Christmas is celebrated today began in the Victorian Era, up until then it was a rather rowdy holiday hardly focused on family and family togetherness at all - so the Christmas you are so wrapped up in, Animated Dirt, has really only been around about 150 years.

[The Magic Pudding]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_%28liturgy%29

The term "Mass" is derived from the Late Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: "Ite, missa est" ("Go; it is the dismissal").[1][2] "In antiquity, missa simply meant 'dismissal'.

I can live with this, a dismissal of Christ.
Christ be gone, you are dismissed, that's a holiday I can celebrate with enthusiasm.

[Stevil]

Christmas is often forced upon society within Countries with historically Christian roots. These become Annual holidays where it is is illegal to open many businesses and illegal to enforce employees to work. Businessess make the most of the Christmas present giving tradition because it becomes a huge profit windfall for themselves. With many sales and exciting advertising as well as TV programmes getting into the tradition it becomes difficult for parents not to join in the celebrations. Simply put, the little kiddies expect some decent presents.
The family tradition of getting together over the holiday period transcends the origins of the tradition and make a new life for it. Christmas it the time of year for families to take some time out and reconnect, to enjoy each others company and to give the economy a bit of a boost with mass spending.

I do think it is unfortunate and unfair that many Countries enforce Christian based holidays on the people. It would be much fairer and tolerant if countries would recognise all religions and non religions and let each person decide which holidays they would like to participate in. e.g. Chinese people could list themselves to celebrate Chinese New Year, Indians to celebrate Diwali, Muslims and Christians their own traditional holidays, atheists could choose a few days a year (maybe longer new year celebrations). But regardless, those that live in a Christian rooted country are pretty much forced to work around the annual holidays and festivities of that country. For Atheists who don't have any reason to ignore these holidays they simply make the most of the time off and pickup on family traditions rather than religious aspect of this time.

[Sophus]

Christmas is celebrated in Japan, Jesus doesn't seem to rate a mention though.

Christmas is quite a spectacle in Japan. It's more like Valentine's Day to them.

[Ihateusernames]

I'm so unhappy about my country forcing me to celebrate christmas with a paid vacation.  Those freaking jerks!!!!!

Although I follow the philosophic points... Sometimes some of them just seem so silly... : P

-ihateusenames

Ps: I actually live in japan ATM and, yeah Christmas is more a passing holiday of "oh Christmas? Oh.. Yeah what's that? Oh yeah.  Oh yay it's new years!!! Hurray! Happy new years!"