Why do you celebrate Christmas?

[lawrocket 3]

I celebrate Christmas because it is an opportunity for me to celebrate with my family. During the rest of the year it can be difficult for me to take a few days off from work to see family in Los Angeles or even Colorado. Christmas allows me to do that.

Christmas and Easter and Thanksgiving (come to think of it, pretty much every Sunday) are the opportunities to feast. We gather, we share, and we pay homage to each other.

Now, I don'y celebrate Channukah (hey, that's 7 days and 8 nights of some partying, sister!) or even kwanzaa. It seems as though the Christian holidays are the ones I celebrate.

I don't even celebrate Lent. I did once. Back in college, a girlfriend wanted me to do Lent. She gave up Diet Coke, and told me that I have to give up something I really like for 6 weeks. I said, "See ya in six weeks." She was not pleased. Here I was, loving her enough to give her up for Lent, and she was all pissed at me. I guess she loved Diet Coke more than me.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[ReBirth 0]

I think this guy said it best...he seems like a genius...and handsome, too.

Why I, as an Atheist, celebrate Christmas

[tmontana 0]

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Your historical view is correct, but the question was why do YOU celebrate CHRISTmas

I thought i answered that here:

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Because that's a day/time "almost everyone" celebrates. I use the word christmas because it's convienent, and i don't think Frank Costanza's Festivas will ever catch on.

So Merry Festivas. "Which is to say Christmas, as in Yule. Yule log. Not a log. I don't have a log, but I mean, you know, if I had a log. Not in the sense you think you think I said I did. Good golly"

___________________________________________
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -Benjamin Franklin

[GTAVercetti 0]

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***
So Merry Festivas.

AND NOW FOR THE AIRING OF GRIEVANCES!!!

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[wmw999 2,517]

I celebrate Christmas as a marker for the event of Christ's birth; also as an opportunity to focus on the good of togetherness with family (well, except for that Christmas in Eloy ).

Also as a great time to eat a whole lot of cookies. When I'm home, I make hundreds and hundreds of cookies, homemade sausage, bread, pickled eggs, pickled herring, homemade Irish cream, mulled wine -- man oh man! I'm already looking forward to it.

And it's my turn to do Christmas!!!

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[rehmwa 2]

Even if it's just a story, some poor guy about 2000 years ago got nailed to a tree and stuck with a spear for saying we should all be nice to each other. It's still a pretty good message, so if we can celebrate a few presidents, MLK, dead veterans, arriving in the US, ghosts, love and trees.....

Then celebrating the birth of a decent guy with a better message than any of the above, and then the death of that person because he stuck to his guns in stating that message (we should all be nice to each other) is pretty much a no brainer.

As an agnostic, I still appreciate the intent. And it's a good reason to see family and give presents to people I like and love. It also boosts the economy in many ways.

Heck we can even treat as a celebration of free speech. This guy stuck to his message and got killed for it. We're luckier.

If someone can't find something good in it (I can be cynical about anything and I have my share for Christmas commercialization and preachy stuff too, but there can be good in it also), then they have real issues to resolve.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Wopelao 0]

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Christmas: to celebrate the birth of pine trees
Easter: to celebrate the revival of eggs

Did I win anything?

Dunno, a bar of soap and deodorant?

[Wopelao 0]

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His actual birthdate is subject to much debate, but is probably closer to Jan 6.

Actually Jan. 6th is just the day that greek orthodox churches celebrate the epiphany. Which could mean christ's nativity or his baptisim.

I had always heard that if you look at the accounts of Christ's birth in the bible, it was most likely in the Fall

Figures! 9 months after Valentine's day.

*ahem* 9 Months? Come on, did you actually do the math Feb 14 + 9 months = - + Nov. 14....

[GTAVercetti 0]

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I had always heard that if you look at the accounts of Christ's birth in the bible, it was most likely in the Fall

Figures! 9 months after Valentine's day.

*ahem* 9 Months? Come on, did you actually do the math Feb 14 + 9 months = - + Nov. 14....

November 14 is in the Fall.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[Lindsey 0]

Christmas is celebrated near the time of winter solstice. Whether you're celebrating the birth of Jesus or the lengthening of the days, or whatever people may celebrate this time of year, it's the togetherness that is the heart of the celebration. It feels good.

linz

[windcatcher 0]

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Another few hundred years and i predict there will be little to no mention of Christ on christmas, but the holiday will still be celebrated as a day for putting corporations in the black while we put ourselves in the red

You mean things aren't already this way?

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[freethefly 6]

No time to celebrate! Very busy this time of year polishing brass casings in anticipation that jollyboy will be on the business side of the crosshairs. Yup, still gunning for saint dick as I have not nor will I ever forget the major blunder of 1968 when I did not get my Super Scientist kit with all the good chemicals included.That fat ass velvet boy will wish he stayed put with his queer deer Rudolph and the elfs. Last year was a bust and sleighboy got through unscathed. It WILL be differant this year. I have been in touch with the R & D boys in a clandestine weapons lab south of Fort Wayne, Indiana. They have assured me that this year I will be mounting a team of reindeer heads and burying one very fat sleigh pilot. I know what this means to the people south of me. They are sure not to get a visit from the king of sweatshops if my shot is true and it will be. This years weapon of choice is a cold ass seeking round. In the past I used heat seeking technology to blast that deer loving bastard out of the sky to no avail. My sources have informed me that for years Santa has been on to me. All this time I believed that I have fell off of his radar. The intelligence report tells me that he has been shoving ice cubes up his ass to fool my heatseekers. He has also been stuffing them up the butts of his reindeer so as not to lose a deer to a missle. My god he has to be stopped. What kind of sick fuck shoves ice cubes up the ass of a deer? Well, time is nearing and the new cold ass seeking technology will soon allow me peace at last. Yup, when that fat bastard comes ho-ho-ho-ing across my sky... it will look more like the 4th of july than christmas. Candyboy will wish he never had shorted me on my share of the loot back in 68. SANTA YOU CHEAP, UNION BUSTING PRICK!!!! I'll mount his head along with the reindeer. I feel better already.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[kallend 2,106]

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Christmas: to celebrate the birth of pine trees
Easter: to celebrate the revival of eggs

Did I win anything?

Easter is a pagan fertility festival named for Eostre, goddess of the dawn.www.thaliatook.com/eostre.html

Nothing at all wrong with celebrating pagan fertility festivals, IMO.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 2,106]

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I think this guy said it best...he seems like a genius...and handsome, too.

Why I, as an Atheist, celebrate Christmas

Phillykev a genius and handsome? - wow, your standards are way low! I bet you say the same about yourself.

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The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[ReBirth 0]

Nahh...I'm a dumb toad. As are all who compare themselves to the legendary PK.

[AlexCrowley 0]

For those who arent ameri-centric Xmas/Yule is pretty much the universal 'go home and see family' day.

I'm still trying to get my head around Thanksgiving.

TV's got them images, TV's got them all, nothing's shocking.

[Lindsey 0]

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Nahh...I'm a dumb toad. As are all who compare themselves to the legendary PK.

Oh my....the cogs are turning....

linz

[shropshire 0]

Chocolate ... in both cases Chocy eggs and Chocy Santas.... yum....yum...yum.
What possible other reason could one need?



P.S .... For those of you that say it's a time of year for your family..... What about the rest of the year? Families (like dogs ) are not just for Christmas!!!

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[peregrinerose 0]

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For those of you that say it's a time of year for your family..... What about the rest of the year? Families (like dogs ) are not just for Christmas!!!

Very true. But Christmas is the only time when most people have off of work, so families can get together in one big bunch rather than smaller groups getting together during the year as schedules permit.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[kelpdiver 2]

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-- The 25th December was celebrated in ancient days as the birthday of the unconquerable SUN god, (variously know as Tammuz, Mithra, Saturn, Adonis or BAAL) centuries before Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

Was that intended to be the winter solstice, which is just a couple days before? That would be the most suitable day for the birth of the sun.

Easter was very annoying this year. All the wineries in Livermore were closed. I guess we should have called ahead.

Christmas is fine as a secular holiday for eating and exchanging gifts, but I've been trying to get away from the latter part. Seems better to give gifts to friends when you find something they'd genuinely like and use, rather than force a best guess as we often do. It would be a nice time to go ski, but unfortunately half the population of California has the same time off to do it.

[tbrown 26]

Some years I've been very spiritually motivated. Others years, not at all. There's nothing wrong with having a warm cozy celebration in the darkest depths of winter (even in So. Cal).

Ever watch a little kid checking out their first Christmas tree ? The sense of wonder on their face is priceless. And I don't think it ever goes away.

The Puritans in England were SO religious they even outlawed the celebration of Christmas in their day. And by Charles Dickens' time, Christmas was in ill repute because it had become like a Halloween for hooligans - caroling was a form of trick or treating for booze. So I guess over the years, Christmas is what you make of it. It can be the celebration of Christ's birth, or Santa Claus coming to town. I like both. And Merry Christmas to all.

P.S. - The Dylan "Ten of Swords" project is almost done.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[windcatcher 0]

thanks TBrown, I can't wait~!

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[ReBirth 0]

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caroling was a form of trick or treating for booze.

Now THERE'S a tradition we need to bring back!!

[jenfly00 0]

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Some years I've been very spiritually motivated. Others years, not at all. There's nothing wrong with having a warm cozy celebration in the darkest depths of winter (even in So. Cal).

Ever watch a little kid checking out their first Christmas tree ? The sense of wonder on their face is priceless. And I don't think it ever goes away.

The Puritans in England were SO religious they even outlawed the celebration of Christmas in their day. And by Charles Dickens' time, Christmas was in ill repute because it had become like a Halloween for hooligans - caroling was a form of trick or treating for booze. So I guess over the years, Christmas is what you make of it. It can be the celebration of Christ's birth, or Santa Claus coming to town. I like both. And Merry Christmas to all.

P.S. - The Dylan "Ten of Swords" project is almost done.

Christmas even started out controversially in North America. Reverend Rel Davis writes:

The festival of Christmas has always been a controversial one in Christianity. The Puritans banned Christmas altogether and during the Cromwellian period in England, anyone celebrating Christmas was jailed for heresy. Probably the most hated of all Puritan laws was the one abolishing Christmas and probably led to popular acceptance of royalty (nb: the Restoration) -- at least the King allowed the masses to celebrate Yule!

In America, Christmas was generally outlawed until the end of the last century. In Boston, up to 1870, anyone missing work on Christmas Day would be fired. Factory owners customarily required employees to come to work at 5 a.m. on Christmas -- to insure they wouldn't have time to go to church that day. And any student who failed to go to school on December 25 would be expelled. Only the arrival of large numbers of Irish and northern European immigrants brought acceptance of Christmas in this country.

Christmas did not even begin to be a legal holiday anywhere in the United States until very late in the nineteenth century CE, with Alabama being the first state to make it so.

http://www.locksley.com/6696/xmas.htm

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"O brave new world that has such people in it".

[TrophyHusband 0]

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Im not religious but got used to celebrating christmas and enjoyed all the family coming together and wouldn't want my kids missing out on that.

i am in line with you. christmas was always my favorite time of year when i was a kid. the excitement and the anticipation is something i don't want my kids to miss out on. now that i'm almost an adult, i appriciate the family gathering as well.

"Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama
www.kjandmegan.com