What is Christmas?

I understand that a lot of people view Christmas as a strictly religious holiday, and that a lot of people view Christmas as a mere marketing technique. I know a lot of people who aren't religious, but still celebrate Christmas every year because they enjoy the atmosphere and what it stands for. (also they really want those presents)

What are your views on Christmas?
Do you celebrate it if you aren't/are Christian?
Do you plan on doing so in the future?
Why or why not?

Rudolph is not religious, the Christmas tree is not religious. Putting lights on your house is not religious. Putting lights and ornaments in your yard and on your tree is not religious. Frosty the snow man is not religious.

I celebrate Christmas for you above reason, "because they enjoy the atmosphere and what it stands for."

I love Christmas. It has a transcendent quality all it's own.

I am not "religious", at least when it comes to religion.

I celebrate Christmas because it is merely a time to gather with friends and family, have fun and be happy for what we have. The ambiance of Christmas is amazing. Everything is beautiful. Laying on the couch in a warm room, with my family, on a cold night, looking up at the Christmas lights on the Christmas tree, listening to lovely Christmas songs, and enjoying the smell of delicious cookies being made in the kitchen is how I get close to "god". Or at least, it is one of the times when I feel the most content. Serene.
It has nothing to do with Jesus for me personally, even if that is where it came from. Christmas has a totally different meaning for my family. And I would guess many others feel the same way.

And yes, I suppose I will always celebrate it, since I will probably be going to my family's every year during. And I will always do Christmasy things, like eating certain foods around that time, putting lights up, etc.

Christmas has been celebrated since the time of Rome but back then it wasn't Jesus' birthday I can't remember who's it was but after Constantine took other Rome they continued to Celebrate the festival but they just slapped Christianity on it basically. I don't Celebrate it I have Festivus

I say that Christmas should be treated as a celebration of human altruism. This is of course so that I can get presents and exploit the willingness of others to be kind because I don't believe in altruism, but if you're so inclined as to believe in it, it could be argued that regardless of religion, there should be a shared time every year that humans can look forward to and be able to share some time off with each other, forget about the woes of the past year, and cleanse themselves to prepare for another year from sheer enjoyment. Unfortunately, too many people work over the Christmas period to really make this a valid argument, it's called "Christ-mas" meaning the fundies would get anal over my interpretation of it, and the creation of a web of lies for our children only for it to one day inevitably have to crumble is not altruism, but cruelty. So if we changed much of the nature of Christmas, it'd be acceptable as a "human altruism" holiday regardless of your beliefs or lack thereof.

Originally Posted by Lord Zero

I say that Christmas should be treated as a celebration of human altruism. This is of course so that I can get presents and exploit the willingness of others to be kind because I don't believe in altruism, but if you're so inclined as to believe in it, it could be argued that regardless of religion, there should be a shared time every year that humans can look forward to and be able to share some time off with each other, forget about the woes of the past year, and cleanse themselves to prepare for another year from sheer enjoyment. Unfortunately, too many people work over the Christmas period to really make this a valid argument, it's called "Christ-mas" meaning the fundies would get anal over my interpretation of it, and the creation of a web of lies for our children only for it to one day inevitably have to crumble is not altruism, but cruelty. So if we changed much of the nature of Christmas, it'd be acceptable as a "human altruism" holiday regardless of your beliefs or lack thereof.

I'm not sure what to say other than that I really agree.

Originally Posted by candc32

Christmas has been celebrated since the time of Rome but back then it wasn't Jesus' birthday I can't remember who's it was but after Constantine took other Rome they continued to Celebrate the festival but they just slapped Christianity on it basically. I don't Celebrate it I have Festivus

Hm, there are actually quite a few theories from which Christmas originated from. However a similar tradition existed before Jesus supposedly did.

Originally Posted by ValaVarda

I celebrate Christmas because it is merely a time to gather with friends and family, have fun and be happy for what we have. The ambiance of Christmas is amazing. Everything is beautiful. Laying on the couch in a warm room, with my family, on a cold night, looking up at the Christmas lights on the Christmas tree, listening to lovely Christmas songs, and enjoying the smell of delicious cookies being made in the kitchen is how I get close to "god". Or at least, it is one of the times when I feel the most content. Serene.

Food around the Christmas holiday is the best. Also, making gingerbread houses is one of the most fun group activities I've ever participated in.

Originally Posted by Flames of Valor

Rudolph is not religious, the Christmas tree is not religious. Putting lights on your house is not religious. Putting lights and ornaments in your yard and on your tree is not religious. Frosty the snow man is not religious.

You mean these things... aren't religious? My childhood! You've ruined my childhood! Just kidding.

Originally Posted by ValaVarda

I am not "religious", at least when it comes to religion.

I celebrate Christmas because it is merely a time to gather with friends and family, have fun and be happy for what we have. The ambiance of Christmas is amazing. Everything is beautiful. Laying on the couch in a warm room, with my family, on a cold night, looking up at the Christmas lights on the Christmas tree, listening to lovely Christmas songs, and enjoying the smell of delicious cookies being made in the kitchen is how I get close to "god". Or at least, it is one of the times when I feel the most content. Serene.
It has nothing to do with Jesus for me personally, even if that is where it came from. Christmas has a totally different meaning for my family. And I would guess many others feel the same way.

And yes, I suppose I will always celebrate it, since I will probably be going to my family's every year during. And I will always do Christmasy things, like eating certain foods around that time, putting lights up, etc.

I'ma totally take this standpoint because I adore Christmas and she explained it rather well. Although, may I bring up one more aspect; ****in' Christmas Classic movies. Totally.

Originally Posted by kreebby

Hm, there are actually quite a few theories from which Christmas originated from. However a similar tradition existed before Jesus supposedly did.

and they would all be lies except for the one I presented.

I read somewhere that the day of Christmas was the holiday of light or something, before Jesus. And when the Christianity came, they only changed the name of the day.

Though, I'm catholic, so we celebrate it as a catholic holiday. But I think the most important is the feeling of happiness what that holiday can give you.

Christmas actually originated from the Vikings and people of their beliefs.
As did football and a lot more stuff. Anyways,
I believe Christmas is a marketing technique. I'm Christian and everything but I don't believe Christmas is christian. It's only associated with Christianity because people somehow connect Christianity with it. I don't really understand but whatever the case, I do enjoy it. It's my favorite of all the holidays. =]

[EDIT
I deleted the source because I realized it was Wiki answers and I don't think they're reliable. =p
I'll post a new source soon.
[/EDIT]

Ah, I seem to remember writing up something regarding this last Christmas. I'll go find it.

*finds*

So many people use "Xmas" as a secular version of "Christmas" it's not funny. I would like to start by saying one reason why this idea is stupid: The word "christ" in Greek starts with Χχ (chi), and this has been moved into the English language as Xx (ecks).

ie. Christmas and Xmas MEAN EXACTLY THE SAME THING.



Next: The commercialisation of Christmas and why this is not necessarily a bad thing.

As I see it, Christmas - December 25th - is two holidays rolled into one. The one which most people celebrate is the older, and more interesting one. It is what I deem "the secular Christmas". This Christmas is everything you know about Christmas except for what the other holiday pertains to. This other half is "the Christian Christmas", and is, in its entirety, going to church to celebrate the birth of Jesus (which, mind you, was not really in winter anyway. Try spring.). Yes, even the spending time with your family for a day thing is part of the secular Christmas.

Related to this, I always see decorating anything with the scene of Jesus' birth very trite except when in or in front of a church, as odds are the scene was bought - a tradition of secular Christmas.


...Gah; I've got more I could say, but I'll leave it 'til later. I've got stuff I need to do now.

EDIT - My more stuff to say (Or at least some of it):

If you celebrate the secular Christmas (ie. the one with all the presents and family togetherness), then please, PLEASE don't confuse it with the Christian Christmas. The reason you celebrate the secular Christmas is _completely_ different from why you celebrate the Christian one. I mean, sure you may celebrate them because that's just what you've done all your life, but really, when you get down to it, the Christian one celebrates the anniversary of someone's birth (who, as I see it, may or may not have existed in the first place anyway) 2000+ years ago, while the other is even older, and has distinctly pagan ritualism at its origin (which later, before Christianity stole the day, evolved into a day of family togetherness as well).



Ah yes, and my next point: "Happy Holidays"

Average Christians don't think it gives enough due credit to Christmas

Most Non-Christians do not find offence at being wished "Merry Christmas", atheists and theists alike.

The politically correct are being asses thinking that the above is not true.

.'. Call it Christmas, Xmas, or whatever particular holiday you personally celebrate, or don't call it anything at all, but if you say Happy Holidays purely because you don't want to offend anybody or leave anybody out, you're an idiot.



That is all. </rant>

So yeah. That's my take.

Originally Posted by Midnafan1

Christmas actually originated from the Vikings and people of their beliefs.

I deleted the source because I realized it was Wiki answers and I don't think they're reliable. =p
I'll post a new source soon.

That is correct I study Norse beliefs in as much detail as I can in my free time and it does indeed come from the Norse celebration of Yule. The celebration of Christmas was intentionally put on the same time because people seemed to refuse to give up the holiday so the church made it Christian. For example they used to put presents under a tree outside as a gift to “land spirits” or more accurately land wights, when the church refused to allow them to do this they brought the tree inside

I’ve not read the wiki source on it but I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t go in to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

Personally, I view X-mas (as I do Valentine's Day) as a marketing scheme. It's almost as if you're expected to give someone a present and how unfortunate if you don't meet or exceed the number of presents that the giver brings to you, then you just look like a douche. Anyways, other than that I have and will continue to celebrate as a time to be with my friends and family(when I'm not deployed overseas), to give in to the whole gift-giving concept, and really to enjoy the atmosphere that comes with this holiday. Nothing...except Thanksgiving, can top the foods that are prepared, the drinks, the decorations and just the feeling you get being out in fresh snow. Oh, as a personal weakness of mine, I can't think of anything better than walking downtown with a White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks with that special someone and just taking it all in--the music, the frantic last minute shoppers, the smell in the air (cold and crisp)....

Good times.

I used to be Catholic, now I'm Atheist, so my family still celebrates Christmas. While I don't like the religious background of Christmas, I do enjoy getting gifts, getting off school and all of the happiness around that time. So, I still celebrate Christmas and enjoy it, just not for the religious purposes.

Originally Posted by Jonny

That is correct I study Norse beliefs in as much detail as I can in my free time and it does indeed come from the Norse celebration of Yule. The celebration of Christmas was intentionally put on the same time because people seemed to refuse to give up the holiday so the church made it Christian. For example they used to put presents under a tree outside as a gift to “land spirits” or more accurately land wights, when the church refused to allow them to do this they brought the tree inside

I’ve not read the wiki source on it but I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t go in to it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

That's the perfect source. The one I had was talking about stupid **** and the people were arguing about what was true. This is straight to the point and I enjoyed reading this. =] Kudos to you for putting up a very nice looking source.

I can second that it's from here, in Swedish, Christmas Eve is called "Julafton", which basically means "Yule Eve".

Black Friday is the real day that businesses and Corporations look forward to, merely because that's the day when most of them usually have black numbers as opposed to the red ones. (red means they are still not making profit).

So as far as a collective society, black friday-dec 24th is one giant communal spending-working spree. Getting our collective economic **** together, which benefits everybody really. The stores and malls are packed, many people are working more hours a week (making more money) people are shopping more (spending more money), there is a larger-scaled and more fluid transfer of monetairy energies involved with the shopping season.

once all that is over we all get to spend a nice day or two with the immediate family and maybe even some out-of-town relatives. Those of us still in school might get another good 2 weeks break after that.

The Christians get to hear sermons and affirmations of why Christ was born and what he did.
The pomp and circumstance is all about, yet everything manages to take on a more serene quality about it. The weather is also quite nice where I am at.

Well, as far as the Yule = Christmas part, technically Christmas falls upon the Winter Solstice, and many cultures have celebrations on those days.

Since Christmas is seen in it's most popular incarnation, an American holiday, the reason why people equate it to Yule is because the Scandinavians and Northern Germanic peoples had so much influence on English culture, and thus they had an influence on American culture.

So, Christmas's placement on the date was meant to replace many of the holidays already celebrated, Yule being one of them, although it was one of the more important holidays Christmas replaced.

I don't celebrate Christmas, although I do enjoy all the benefits of those celebrating Christmas around me (days off, the atmosphere, etc).

Yes, I celebrate christmas. Not as a religious holiday though. For starters, a big portion of my family is Muslim. Seondly, with how big of an even Christmas is, it's hard not to be somewhat a part of it. There isn't much hiding from christmas. Though, when we do celibrate it, (because as I already said, we don't celibrate xmas as a religious holidy) we just celibrate it because its a good excuse to be extra happy and nice to people.

Originally Posted by TheBattler

Well, as far as the Yule = Christmas part, technically Christmas falls upon the Winter Solstice, and many cultures have celebrations on those days.

Since Christmas is seen in it's most popular incarnation, an American holiday, the reason why people equate it to Yule is because the Scandinavians and Northern Germanic peoples had so much influence on English culture, and thus they had an influence on American culture.

So, Christmas's placement on the date was meant to replace many of the holidays already celebrated, Yule being one of them, although it was one of the more important holidays Christmas replaced.

I don't celebrate Christmas, although I do enjoy all the benefits of those celebrating Christmas around me (days off, the atmosphere, etc).

And technically the solstice is on the 21st, but you've still got a point.