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When I was four years old, my father, mother and I [title] to California from Finland. My mother’s sister, her husband and their two boys had immigrated two years before. Coming from a very large extended family in Finland, it was quite an adjustment and made our two families very close. We celebrated every holiday together and we share a special bond between us.I have read several of these comments, and I keep re-reading the question.

The question is asking why [title] celebrate Christmas does it not? The question is not asking whether Jesus was really born on December 25th; it did not ask for a debate on whether Jesus was really the son of god; it did not request Christians to begin throwing bibles at Atheist, nor did it ask for any debate between Christians and Atheist. In fact, the question did not address Christians at all. It was directed to Atheists, seemingly trying to make sense out of why an atheist still participates in “Christmas” even when they do not believe in Christ.

There was no Jesus in these celebrations that were filled with love and happiness. When I got older, as a newly devote Christian, I decided to interject “the reason for the season,” by reading the story of the Christ child each year. The family is all Christian and were very receptive, but deep inside, I felt a hole; something was wrong.

As I turned from [title] Christian to agnostic, and then to Atheist, I had to fight off the feelings of hypocrisy. How could I participate in a holiday dedicated to a deity I did not believe in? One day I had an epiphany. There were other festivals from the past that were also celebrated on or around December 25th.

The above has [title] to do with what I may or may not believe in, but more to do with the fact that I do not need to be a Christian to celebrate family, love, devotion to loved ones, sharing gifts and goodwill on or around December 25th. There is a history of such celebrations on said day that are not exclusively Christian, and I do not have to believe in any of the cults claiming ownership of the day.

Western atheists, ones that have [title] and encultured to the fact that christmas time means time off, and some people celebrate the transitioned birthday of Jesus. The time is spent with family, some of whom are maybe slightly religious, or true believers, I don’t celebrate christmas, I celebrate Joulu, Finnish fore yuletide, or maybe i just celebrate the fact that days are finally starting to get longer. When daylight lasts 3 hours, you really want more of it.

This year, me and my atheist [title] are trying out Hanukkah, where we’ll get to have 8 days of gifts and lighting the menorah and hanging out. On the actual X-mas day, we’re going to be hanging out at home, roasting a turducken and greek potatoes for our day of food, and watching all of Star Wars in the background from 10am to 10pm. We’re going for this, because the majority of businesses are closed, and it’s cold out and bad for driving anywhere, so it’s not so easy to go places.

It’s really a mix of [title] religious and cultural traditions. Where I’m from (Scandinavia), as an example, it’s pretty much a Christianized version of our earlier “pagan” traditions of the jól midwinter-festival. That festival is most likely put right there because we only have a few hours of sunlight and the cold weather is ravaging us. On the date of the midwinter-festival (which has now changed to the date of the Saturnalia, instead, because of German Christian influence), the whole thing reverses and the days start getting lighter rather than darker.

Of the two fictional characters recently [title] to this ancient date I personally find Santa the more interesting and fun one and I have never personally sent any sort of card with a picture of a white blonde haired english looking person who is apparently really a middle eastern Jew on it nailed to a cross etc as that all seems a less happy fairytale to share with kids etc than the fat bearded old guy that gives out presents.

Christmas is about [title] making as much money as possible. Before that, it was about spending time with family, before that it was about Jesus Christ, before that it was about worshipping pagan gods, before that who knows. I think we should take the Christ completely out of Christmas and go back to worshipping pagan gods. I personally think they were way cooler and not as much as a dick as Christ’s dad is.

Thus, Christmas, as we [title] it is a mixture of Christian belief: That Jesus was born of Mary in Bethlehem, and when he became an adult, he told people who he was, and a band of believers gathered around him. He was killed by the Romans and three days later rose from the dead (Easter—which is another Christianized holiday), and now lives eternally.

That those who follow him also have life [title] . But it also has other elements. Santa Claus is an adaptation of the story of St. Nicholas, a bishop in the 6th century (I believe, without looking it up) who was known throughout his region for his generosity and goodness to people in need. The Christmas tree, the image of lighted candles and the singing of songs are all brought into the festival over the centuries. Christmas was not celebrated in the US initially, because it was considered frivolous and questionable as a Christian event.

The combining of both [title] and pagan themes should indicate why Christmas is celebrated by non-Christians. There are many themes which speak to those who are not Christian believers. The theme of gift giving, of generosity, speaks to most people—no matter what their beliefs.

Decorations of the house and other [title] places, singing of Christmas carols and songs, are all visually enjoyable and there are wonderful foods (cookies!!!) which are enjoyed by peoples of all religions. There are universal themes of the holidays which are enjoyed by all people, and no matter whether one is Christian or not, is a fun and wonderful time. It doesn’t surprise me at all that people who are not Christian enjoy this season as well as anyone else.

I would tell your dad that the [title] of Christmas: Of sharing what we have with others, of giving gifts, and enjoying the foods and desserts of Christmas, of families and friends gathering together to share their love and friendship are worth enjoying and participating in, no matter whether you are Christian or not.

I celebrate it because I like it. I am [title] by the argument that it has a pagan origin, and that’s irrelevant to me anyway. I just like the feel of the thing; I go carol singing (in the pub – that’s a thing where I live), I eat the special foods and pull crackers and wish people “Merry Christmas!” and decorate the house with holly and ivy and have a fire and make up Christmas stockings and drink too much and play Handel’s Messiah on the sound system.

The fact that I no [title] buy into the ontology of the religious system that that gave birth to this is quite beside the point. I have no particular feeling of gratitude that James the First escaped an assassination attempt, but I still like Guy Fawkes night, and I don’t fast in Lent but I still like Easter eggs. Traditions are nice. Every other reason is superfluous.

The amount of religious [title] to give is also something to be discussed. My basic point of view is that no one should be compelled to engage in rituals they find uncomfortable. As an atheist, I have no discomfort with saying a simple pre-meal grace; I generally invite my daughter, the about-to-be-ordained minister, to do the honors. But everyone has differing sensibilities. I don’t quite see the issue in accommodating someone who says, “I will find [practice X] very unpleasant. Can we avoid doing it, or somehow exclude me from it?” That’s a starting point to see if all can reach a solution.

As my wife and I have [title] older and the kids have been busy young adults, the larger meal plans have at times been too much for us. There’s an excellent prepared holiday meal we can get at our local grocery, and the family has become accustomed to using that as our base meal, with some supplementation. But not always. Last Christmas, I prepared a rather labor-intensive moussaka. I was up for it, I got a bit of help, and everyone was happy.

Pretty much all arrangements of this sort require accommodation. It seems a waste of time to describe one particular arrangement as “unfair”; in that sense, a simple taking turns arrangement is always “unfair” to the person who isn’t choosing. But the overall system can be viewed as fair.

The decision to hold [title] at, well, Christmas was taken centuries later and was almost certainly a political and tactical decision to co-opt pre-existing pagan ceremonies rather than ban them and thereby make it easier to spread Christianity.

What? The idol [title] of baby Jesus? The rank hypocrisy of people who disown family, even their own kids, over being gay or atheist, gathering around and pretending they’re loving people when they spend the rest of the year being hateful bigots who have decided other people’s personal lives are fair targets for the government.

Christians are largely frauds as it is, [title] to make Christmas, a holiday they assimilated from Pagans… a holiday there is no record of early Christians celebrating, and certainly no mention of Jesus wanting people to celebrate his birthday… just underscores what a fraudulent masquerade their faith is.

Jesus wouldn’t disown his kids for [title] gay. Jesus wouldn’t hate trans people. Jesus wouldn’t sick the government on people he didn’t like or saw as sinners. Jesus wouldn’t hate on atheists or people of other faiths. Jesus wouldn’t harbor racists. Jesus wouldn’t worship wealth or see rich people as smart and virtuous just because they have money. Jesus wouldn’t be submissive cucks for politicians.

Did we ever go to the [title] service or Christmas morning service? No. Not even when Dad was in the Army, although I do remember a few of the, ‘you will attend’ services being held for special events and we all trooped into church to sing a few hymns (notable because none of us could hold a tune in a bucket!).

My parents were both [title] Church of England but the only time any of us saw the inside of a church was for hatchings, matchings and dispatching. However, we would always have a christmas dinner and give presents. The same goes for Easter when kids received eggs.

I enjoy the festival [title] to break up the grim Northern Hemisphere Winter which in this epoch is know as Christmas. I enjoy the Christmas lights which relieve the darkness which falls at 5.00 in the afternoon. I enjoy the parties with my colleagues. I enjoy that all my family come home and reunite for at least one day. When those of my family who wish to, go to Christmas Eve Mass, I stay home make the stuffing and mull the wine. I enjoy meeting my extended family in the days after Christmas.

I’d say it’s fairly common because [title] and Easter are *traditional* holidays. Particularly Christmas. For the month of December, merchants are putting up holiday displays to get us to spend our money. Traditional music is brought out of storage for this one month of the year. Candy canes, Christmas lights, pine trees, et cetera, are everywhere to see. And we get a day or two free from work.

In America, Christmas is a secular [title] and has been so at least since the 1970s. And evangelicals have complained about that for at least as long. They want us to “put Christ back in Christmas.” But you don’t need to be a Christian to celebrate Christmas.

Your question makes me [title] if you are assuming that atheism is like Christianity, only reversed; just as Christians are supposed to avoid anything they deem to be Satanic, atheists are presumed to avoid anything Christian. Or so people appear to think. If you think so, then you are mistaken. It is not so.

Still, I imagine you must have had a particular reason for asking me, so let me add a little personal commentary on the subject. Personally, I consider myself to be Wiccan, a nature-based faith much older than Christianity. I always have, and expect I always will, celebrate Christmas.

My first husband, now deceased, was [title] . We celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. We acknowledged the traditions of his family, my family, and our community. As traditions, as celebrations, as occasions to enjoy friends and family with good food, and yes, presents. Who doesn’t like presents? I attend all manner of religious services and have always been welcomed.

I believe that what is divine in the [title] goes by many names bestowed by many different people. What I do not believe in is requiring others to agree with me in order to be a part of my celebration. My tradition is to include anyone and everyone who wants to be included.

The only [title] that is unfair in the question posed is expecting the mother to conform to someone else’s idea of who she should be and how she should act. Cook your own Christmas dinner, or get some KFC! Make sure she knows she is welcome to celebrate with the family but not required to do so if she is not comfortable with it.

Christmas Eve dinner, either the [title] leg of lamb or the moussaka. A group of 14 or so family and friends. If my daughter’s there, she’ll say a quick grace: she’s a minister. Repeated rounds of passing around the grab bag of oddball gifts, the rule being that they must cost $5 or less, followed by dramatic negotiations as people try to trade. Although we’ve told people not to, we end up with three or more pies and fresh gingerbread from one regular guest.

I don`t get the question. Does your [title] have a passage where it states that mothers have to cook for their Christmas dinner and if they don’t they will go to hell for eternity? Yes, well, according to your religion women are some sort of servants that should be stoned to death if they are not virgins on the day they marry so, of course, you expect them to do everything for you.

[title] is a business holiday more than anything else. If a mother does not want to cook, religious or not, she does not have to cook for anyone even if it is christmas. There are plenty of places you can get readymade food.

And I am sure the family already [title] out what, when and, who, should do what, regarding their life. Your concern regarding your hypothetical scenario will not change their lives so why worry so much about what other people do with their lives.

Let’s be honest. There are some [title] wacko, cray-cray Christians out there. There are the members of the Westboro Baptist Church to start with. There are the evangelicals who will support a man who has cheated on all 3 of his wives, who lies an average of 10 times a day in public.

Who sues anyone he can if he feels slighted in the least little bit, who wouldn’t know Jesus if he tapped him on the shoulder, but if he’ll support anti-abortion bills, they’ll just ignore the rest of that. Hypocrites much? So yes, there are some Christians I consider to be nuts.

And you know what? There are [title] who are just as nuts. I couldn’t give a rat’s behind what someone believes so I don’t pay a lick of attention to it. I also couldn’t care less about the personal lives of celebrities. But I’m sure there are some blowhards out there who also happen to be atheists. I just couldn’t name one.

The only thing [title] share is a lack of belief in god(s). We come from all nations, all races, all genders, all walks of life. Some believe in ghosts, some don’t. Some believe in an afterlife, some don’t. As long as you don’t believe in a god or multiple gods or goddesses or any sort of senior management spiritual being, you can call yourself a card-carrying atheist. (The secret handshake comes at the initiation ceremony.)

Having said all that, I would consider a mom who [title] so far as to refuse to cook Christmas dinner to be an outlier. She’s got some anger issues to figure out. Every historical interpretation states that Jesus was born in the summer. Appropriation of the winter solstice was done by political figures in the middle ages trying to convert pagans and heathens. Christmas is really only a holiday of consumerism dedicated to the celebration of a jolly fat man who flies in a magical sleigh led by a red nosed reindeer.

I don’t see marriage as only a contract between two [title] . There are feelings involved. There needs to be compromise. There are assumed agreements and expectations at the time the words “I do” are said. If one half of the partnership makes a drastic change – like changing their religion and all the trappings included in it – the couple needs to discuss it because it’s going to have a huge effect on the relationship and daily life. Sometimes the couple can get past the change, other times it will lead to a dissolution of the marriage.

Again, this mom sounds like she has anger issues [title] to Christmas, not about her religious beliefs. That or she’s ignorant of history and what the holiday is really about – as far as what an informed atheist thinks.

I like turkey on Thanksgiving (yes, I’m American). I like ham on [title] and prime rib on New Year’s, because that’s what I grew up with. I haven’t actually made a ham on Christmas in over a decade, nor a prime rib on New Year’s, so I have no need for either, but if I had the choice – and someone to share the meal with – those would be my go-to’s unless he/they had a different preference. To me it’s all meh. (Although at least one turkey during those holidays is a must.)

If mom is breaking hard and fast rules [title] with the family’s traditions without discussing it first, I say the family kicks her to the curb. Not because she’s being a beeyotch (though she is), but because she’s making a universal decision for the whole family without being willing to compromise.

Seriously, atheists are just people who don’t gullibly follow the dogma of religious organisations. And many realise that the idea that 25 December is a Christian Celebration was A) tacked on at a later date to absorb pagans B) not really the main reason it is celebrated today.

If you actually read the bible you notice [title] the night Jesus was supposedly born ‘the shepherds watched their flocks by night’. This won’t happen in late December. Late December is pretty much the peak of winter. Flocks would all be in barns lest they freeze to death.

Europeans loved 25th of December a long time [title] Christianity came along. It was the Solstice (approximately) and from then on days would be getting longer and warmer. So they’d decorate a fir tree and burn a Yule log. And when everyone went all Christian they continued to celebrate the Solstice. So the leaders said if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em and turned the celebration in to the birth of Christ.

My brother and his wife [title] , and his former wife became a Jehovah’s Witness, taking their children with her. My parents were fearful of not seeing the children, so they stopped observing our family’s Christmas traditions. They stopped decorating and stopped wrapping Christmas gifts even to the rest of their children and grandchildren.

I tried hosting the [title] in my home, however, it didn’t seem to hold the allure that celebrating at mom and dad’s had for them, and they all started doing their own things. My parents would come over, and leave early to wait to see if the other grandchildren would come to visit.

I was disappointed in my parents for [title] our family’s traditions because of the actions of an in-law. I was disappointed in my brothers for giving up on family traditions so readily. After all, their children all had the opportunity to enjoy the family celebration and my children, the youngest, missed out. There were no other grandparents or other relations to celebrate with.

I have been an atheist my entire 47 years on this [title] and have enjoyed celebrating Christmas for all of them. Christmas is a cultural tradition as much as a religious one. In fact I’d argue it’s more cultural than religious. What do tinsel, decorated trees, houses bedecked in lights, reindeer and a jolly fellow in a red suit, a big lunch, exchanging presents and plum pudding with sixpences in it (our family tradition) have to do with celebrating the birth of Christ?

If someone in the family suddenly refuses to [title] Christmas (no matter how unlikely that is) then celebrate without them. I’m sure your mum is not the only person in the family with working arms and legs. Pitch in, cook together, bring a plate. Maybe mum isn’t an atheist at all; maybe she’s just gone on strike to protest the selfishness of her family.

Christmas and Atheism are two separate [title] . I’m an Atheist and I like Christmas just fine. As a matter of fact I will be acting in our local production of A Christmas Carol and singing lots of Christmas songs and wishing lots of people Merry Christmas.

Your mom has decided she doesn’t [title] to do Christmas, you should respect that. Cook your own meal, even if it’s not as good. You might learn something. It’s really unfair to be mad at someone for not wanting to do one holiday, I mean she still talks to you and feeds you on other days I hope.

I grew up a Jehovah’s Witness and my [title] won’t have anything to do with me, not just Christmas! So be glad you still have a mom. If you want to celebrate Christmas on your own then ask her to join in. If she doesn’t want to don’t be mad, It’s her right. I assume You don’t want to be forced to do things you don’t want to do either.

Absolutely it’s unfair. Christmas is a [title] for the celebration of love and hope. If you are lucky enough to have a family, then it is a time to be grateful for that and to teach your children how to be generous to others. There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, other than the religious way, and making it a special time for your family is one of the best ways.

You don’t have to go crazy with gifts [title] , but I cannot imagine not sitting together with family, and perhaps friends who don’t have family to celebrate with, and enjoying a nice meal with all the traditional foods. My family is not at all religious, but we certainly celebrate Yule, hope that Santa doesn’t bring us coal, and pray that there may be peace on earth and goodwill towards men.

Although I’m a non-believer, I [title] the church choir to force myself to go each Sunday, so that my kids could go to church in order to be educated in that part of our culture, and make their own decisions later based on real knowledge, not because I brainwashed them. Whatever they decided was fine with me, as long as it wasn’t harmful, or damaging to them in any way. My mother and brother were believers, my father and I, not. We respected each other’s beliefs, or lack thereof.

Unfortunately, the mother in this [title] is showing a total lack of respect for what the other family members believe, and for their established traditions. I’m afraid my intolerance begins with this kind of selfishness. She’s obviously trying to prove a point to herself, or others, at their expense.

Most likely to herself, and it’s [title] precedence over everyone else’s needs. This is just plain wrong, lacking in common decency, religious or not. People like her give good atheists like me a bad name. A caring, respectful mother would carry on the traditions for the sake of the family, but keep her own behavior secular. It’s quite doable, believe me.

However, since that seems [title] with this “rebellious woman without a clue”, I’d celebrate the holiday without her, establishing new traditions, like going to Christmas dinner at a special restaurant, at the home of friends, or with other family members. Travel to be with family, if necessary. It’s Mom’s choice whether she joins you or not, but she may not demand that you do as she does, or ruin your good time.

It’s about respect for the rights of [title] , and she seems to be lacking that. Carry on without her. If she’s being honest about her new beliefs, she shouldn’t mind, at all, because you’ll be showing respect for them. Lack of belief in a deity does not mean lack of respect for your family. You’re welcome to quote me.

BTW, the proper wording of your [title] is “is that unfair to the family”, not “on the family”. “To” would be the correct preposition in this case. Similarly, it’s “by accident” not “on accident”, as so many young people incorrectly say today, my own son included. Did they stop teaching correct grammar in schools.

If my mother become an [title] but she isn’t nothing will change! First, thing my mother has stopped Christmas dinners and church for over 10 years ago when my father was 90 years old. Mostly the church members came to see my Dad. We celebrated smaller Christmas. My father died just last year after his 100 years birthday party. My mother is too old for any type of celebration.

I’m an agnostic [title] but I love her so much I do anything for her. Yes indeed when I able to drive her to Church, I do. My wife is also a Christian and I do the samething but she is very disabled. I rarely get do anything with Church service or religious fellowships. I tell people who I’m an agnostic atheists but my Religious beliefs are mostly love, kindness, and free will. They all look at me and start laughing. Perhaps they don’t believe me because I made a joke I’m here earning my tail and horns.

And, face it, most Christians do not [title] Christmas as a ‘religious event’; they decorate their yard with tons of lights and, really, non-Christian stuff, set up a plastic tree, and make sure their friends and family has more and better new toys than the neighbors do. But they never give a dime to the Salvation Army or any other charity.

Personally, I don’t really care how others [title] it. Well, yes, I do. When I see a lot of ‘hard core Christians’ not really doing anything ‘Christian’ during the holidays, but instead fighting each other over some kid’s toy in Walmart, I just shake my head.

But I do the basic stuff, just to [title] conflict here in the Bible belt; I decorate my yard with the classic manger scene (normally the only one on the block) and I say “You, too” whenever anyone wishes me a Merry Christmas.

There are other religious holidays that [title] week, and I respect them all. I really do not like it when someone all-but forces THEIR holiday down my throat. This is probably what Mom is upset about. Personally, I get real tired of people trying to ‘save’ me every damn day. Whatever Mom wants to celebrate is up to Mom.

Perhaps she’s just sick and tired of seeing some priest or preacher getting headlines for molesting kids or stealing the money every week. There are probably a LOT of reasons why Mom no longer believes. So what? The harder you push, the worse it will get. You are only pushing her away.

I don’t know why any atheist [title] enjoy Christmas. I certainly do. There is no atheist purity test. And Christmas is more secular than not. At my house, everyone contributes to the cooking on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It isn’t just my wife’s responsibility. It’s a shared responsibility.

In view that there have been so [title] gods born on, or around, Dec. 25th, it would be logical to change the name of the holiday to All Gods’ Day. Sorta like we did with Presidents Day. A slap in the face to two great men, if you ask me. Nevertheless, I’ll take the holiday off work, and give Mr. Washington and Mr. Lincoln the credit. Fuck the rest of them. I see absolutely no reason to celebrate the likes of Bill Clinton and GWB, unless there is tar and feathers involved.

I say that she has the [title] to her beliefs. While it may impact the family Holiday traditions, the rest of those who do wish to continue on as before or as planned can do so. Do not expect her to help with any preparations, nor to partake of the food, festivities, etc. If it makes it any easier,the rest of the family can go out to a “Special” dinner.

There will be no [title] and sadly no leftovers. When it is time to open gifts, she may feel left out. I’m thinking that this is the 1st year that this has come about. It may be awkward if she chooses to be in the midst of the family, however this is what she had chosen and she may decide to separate herself during festivities. There are stores that prepare Thanksgiving meals and you can order & purchase in advance. Might want to check & see if this is also done during Christmas. Hope you are all able to come up with a solution for all involved.

As an atheist, I [title] assign no religious significance to the holiday, however many in my family are Christians of one flavor or another. I see no reason to lose out on quality time spent with people who I care about that I don’t get to see very often.

That being said, if this newly-minted [title] is refusing to celebrate Christmas on purely religious grounds, my first reaction is that it’s kind of a dick move. My family has always accepted my atheism without question, and likewise I leave them to their faith.

However, [title] said that, the truth is that she may well suffer consequences for her loss of faith, depending upon the caliber of her relatives. If she knows that she is going to be censured, lectured, criticized, demeaned, diminished or made to feel unwelcome or no longer one of the family any more (and let’s face it, that’s life for many atheists) she has every right to tell them to fuck off and cook their own goddamned dinner.

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