Ok, you hardcore atheists, be prepared to disagree with me.
I like Christmas. As a vocal atheist, I am often asked why I celebrate Christmas. And for me, it is simple.
Christmas is not a Christian holiday.
For some people, yes, it is. The very name implies that, I realize this. But that doesn’t mean that the holiday itself is inherently Christian. If you ask the average person what they think of when they hear the word Christmas, I sincerely doubt that the baby Jesus is on top of the list. Decorated trees, Santa Clause, Frosty the Snowman, presents, wreaths on doorways, family, parties, turkey - none of these have anything to do with Christianity. Their origins vary from mid-winter feasting festivals that have been going on for thousands of years, to advertising gimmicks created by marketing companies. Some people might think of the manger scene - but that has more of a connotation with silly endearing children productions than the actual birth of a deity. And the original attempt at creating a Christian version of an already popular winter holiday focused on silent fasting, spending days alone trying to connect with God. Does this sound very Christmas-y to you?
Maybe it doesn’t matter that some people celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday. Just because our image of a friendly, roly poly, rosy cheeked Santa Claus was invented by a marketing company to sell Coke does not mean that when I smile at a Santa or put an ornament depicting his image on my tree that I am declaring my devotion to only consume Coke products for the rest of my life.
The same goes for Jesus. I can happily sing Christmas carols, feeling utterly unthreatened by them. They are songs. Some of them are beautiful. I associate them with hanging out with my family, having snowball fights, eating an insane amount of food and just relaxing with people I love.
I have never been Christian and I have always celebrated Christmas. For me, Christmas is a time to hang out with my family and friends, some of whom I only see once or twice a year. Christmas is a time to pick out a few simple presents I know my family would like, to eat a lot of food I would not normally eat, to have fun with people I care about. My family has so many little traditions that mean a lot to me, makes me think fondly about my childhood and how lucky I am to be where I am today. There is a power to that.
I don’t get angry when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. Think about it, people! When someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, they are not trying to convert you. They are not implying that, based on their simple greeting, that you should now bow to the baby Jesus and confess your sins. No. They are thinking of you cheerfully in a holiday setting that they enjoy and they hope that you have a good day. Is that really so offensive?
I know a lot of people get angry because they think that the person wishing them a great holiday is implying that everyone should be Christians. I think that atheists who bite back at every word and get angry are just solidifying the public image of the grumpy atheist who seems to hate everything that makes people happy. This is not an image I choose to adopt.
Do I therefore want the manger scene depicted in front of City Hall? No. Definitely not. And I consider that to be a completely separate matter. I will always fight for a secular government and thus no government should ever choose any religion (or lack thereof) over any other. But this does not translate to hating the holiday itself, or the people who celebrate it. People need holidays. It gives us something to look forward to, something to plan for, something to unwind to and have fun with. People get too bogged down in details sometimes. Relax, drink some eggnog, pet a kitten.
Sometimes, I admit that I am bothered by the fact that Christ is specifically mentioned in my favourite holiday. I’ve experimented with alternatives - Happy Winter Solstice, etc. Doesn’t really seem right, Christmas is just too entrenched into me, into my memories. But, sometimes words are given more power than they deserve. Back in time, Christians literally attached their religion onto a popular mid-Winter festival. They figured that since people are already partying, they might as well try to convert them while they were at it. So they randomly declared it to be the birthday of Christ and tried to get people to switch off the booze and get drunk off God. With some success, admittedly.
In my opinion, by refusing to celebrate Christmas because it is Christian, you are letting them win. Frankly, I don’t condone plagiarism.
So, Happy Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Holiday Greetings, Happy Monkey, to everyone.
Regardless of how you choose or choose not to celebrate it.
