Do you celebrate Christmas?
December 25th is fast approaching. Although I don’t believe in Jesus or the story of his birth I do love celebrating the holiday. It’s festive and fun. I like baking sweets and giving them as gifts. I love decorating the tree and putting out Christmas Knick knacks. I love everything about Christmas except the Christian parts. I even get into Santa (& yes I know he’s not real).
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.No, I celebrate Yule. I have at least a dozen mini trees I put out and I hang giant ornaments and lights in my windows. I put up my decorations Thanksgiving weekend as a rule but I don't turn any lights on until the 1st of December.
sewchick57
Level 7
Sep 16, 2018
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Decorating trees is so much fun. I always buy more ornaments after christmas when they're 50-75% off.
@helionoftroy None of my trees are over 12 inches tall. Most of them are already decorated too. I just have to unpack them and plunk them down. Ta da, tree.
I've not had to worry about celebrating Christmas since I moved to Thailand in 2010, since they don't celebrate it, but they do celebrate New Year for several months-the regular one, the Chinese one, and the Thai New Year in April, which involves the entire country participating in a water fight in the hottest month of the year!
But years before I decided for sure I'm agnostic, I'd already started sending Christmas e-cards that said "Happy Holidays" and combined Christmas and New Years. I put up a tree, and set out a creche, but didn't like it, and kept reducing the decorations and things I was willing to do.
I DID love my tradition of seeing The Nutcracker Suite ballet every year..whatta thrill!
birdingnut
Level 8
Sep 16, 2018
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My niece performs in the Nutcracker ballot every year. She's 11 so it's a shortened version.
Most of what we do at Christmas comes from old Germanic customs that predate Christianity. It was cause for celebration that the days were starting to get longer, so our ancestors put up a tree, had a feast, decorated their houses with greenery, lit candles, burned the Yule log, and gave gifts to each other. They probably drank a good bit of beer and wine.
Maybe we need to take back the holiday from the Church. I propose we call it “Yule”.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Sep 15, 2018
0
I like the idea of Yule. Isn't it the winter solstice?
@helionoftroy I’m not sure but one dictionary says it was just the winter months in Old English. I think in Sweden they say Yul for Christmas.
How would you get it started? It’s hard to change such an ingrained word.
Yule could start on the Solstice and last through New Year’s Day. Christians could still have their Christmas as usual I suppose.
Sure, why not? A family holiday is a family holiday. Unless you put out a manger, almost nothing about Christmas, except some carols, mentions or even acknowledges the existence of Jesus. Its not even his real birthday. It is the feast of Sol Invitcus as historically appropriated by the RCC.
Heraclitus
Level 8
Sep 15, 2018
2
I have a blow up Snowman in a hot air balloon as my yard decoration. No mangers here 
I do in so far as it involves time off work, spending time with my family, stuffing my face, chocolate, booze and presents but god (and sprouts) isn't anywhere near it 
ipdg77
Level 8
Sep 15, 2018
1
Family time together is what I like the most about the holidays too.
@helionoftroy Indeed, I catch with my brother twice a year, so xmas is a valuable time
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