# Any other atheists out there who love X-mas? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 13, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881 "2007-12-13T18:22:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/1 "2007-12-13T18:22:14Z")
I know I do. šŸ™‚ I love the songs - I donā€™t even get tired of them when theyā€™re beaten into me for two months straight. I love the imagery, the memories, the nostalgia. And, perhaps because Iā€™m not Christian, I donā€™t even bristle at the commercialization of Christmas; losing the ā€œtrue meaningā€ of the season is not a concern for me. Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/2 "2007-12-13T18:26:06Z")
Iā€™ll admit I havenā€™t been in the Christmas spirit in years but I have been in the past. Iā€™ll say my ā€œHumbugā€ moods of the past few years/decades are not in any way connected to my atheism- itā€™s the hypocrisy and commercialism and bad associations. Personally I donā€™t even consider Christmas a religious holiday any more than I do Halloween or Thanksgiving, so religionā€™s not an issue. That said, my favorite things about the season are the carols, and my favorite carols tend to be the religious ones. _O Holy Night_, when sung correctly [and powerfully], is one of those songs that actually makes me wish I did believe (especially the ā€˜Fall on your knees/Christ is the Lordā€™ verses.) šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/3 "2007-12-13T18:27:32Z")
Iā€™ll say this for it - when I was in high school, I always loved seeing the band camped outside the cafeteria, playing songs that were absolutely secular and positively not Christmas-related at all. Nope. Heck, Iā€™m grinning now just remembering it. Our school knew how to start the day with _style_. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/4 "2007-12-13T18:28:35Z")
I enjoy Christmas with my family. I enjoy the presents, the tree, the food, the lights, and so on. I enjoy classy Christmas carols and hymns, but not the usual crap that you hear in the mall (e.g. Jingle Bell Rock). What I donā€™t enjoy is the totally over-hyped nature of the holiday. I hate going to the mall and listening to the worst Christmas music on a 5-song loop, I hate the crowds, I hate the pressure to overbuy, and I am strongly suspicious of business that feels the need to get all aggressive with ā€œJesus is the Reason for the Seasonā€. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/5 "2007-12-13T18:31:50Z")
I donā€™t know that I qualify as an atheist, since I attend and am involved in the local Episcopal church, but I certainly donā€™t buy into a literal meaning of the Nicean Creed. On the other hand, I think Richard Dawkins is a hateful jerk, so wherever that puts me, thatā€™s where I am. Having said that: Yes, I love Christmas. I love the story of the humble birth of an innocent baby into a cynical, hateful world, and the spiritual message of hope that attends it. Itā€™s a warm, fuzzy story, and is one of the more romantic (in a Western Civilization sense) myths of human redemption. Singing ā€œSilent Nightā€ in the candle-lit sanctuary of a little country church, as my wife and I do on Christmas Eve every year, still brings tears to my eyes. I enjoy the emotional jolt and euphoria that comes with that ā€“ and no drugs are abused! Beyond that, of course, who doesnā€™t like getting presents? Except for a few poop-heads whoā€™ve posted on SDMB in recent days, that is. I love the decorations, the music, Santa Claus, the wreaths, the family gatherings, all of the traditions. Itā€™s a huge, festive celebration, and people who bitch about the stress need to just not do the things that cause all the stress. Merry Christmas, everybody! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/6 "2007-12-13T18:33:29Z")
But of course! I have a tree, lights, a wreath on my door, and am flying to Ireland to see my wifeā€™s family for Christmas Day. Weā€™ve got a Christmas CD in the stereo, and we even go to Midnight Mass if weā€™re at my parentsā€™ house, to keep 'em happy. From experience, Christmas over here is a _way_ bigger deal than it is in the US. Itā€™s a gathering time, like Thanksgiving is for you guys. I and most of my colleagues are taking 10 days off over the holidays. Love the carols too, and sometimes go to carol services just to sing. Though I do distinguish between carols (religious) and Christmas songs (secular). ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/7 "2007-12-13T18:38:47Z")
Yep, I love it. Love to decorate for it, love the lights and an excuse to give my spouse presents. For me, Solstice matters emotionally more, but Iā€™ll celebrate with everybody else on Dec 25! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/8 "2007-12-13T18:48:35Z")
I guess Iā€™m an atheist by default, since Iā€™m affiliated with NO religion, not even Buddhism, but Iā€™ve always enjoyed the Christmas season. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/9 "2007-12-13T18:51:57Z")
Iā€™m an atheist, and maybe ā€œloveā€ is too strong word, but I like it a lot. Seeing family, taking some time off work, presents, all good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/10 "2007-12-13T18:56:57Z")
Count me in. I put up lights on my apartment building. I have nothing but xmas music on my ipod. I have a tree up. I even put up a nativity set. It is the set that my family always put up and itā€™s quite nice. Now I did add The Headless Horseman to the scene. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/11 "2007-12-13T18:59:26Z")
I like it. Of course itā€™s not a religious or spiritual event for me, but itā€™s still the main gift-giving family-get-together event of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/12 "2007-12-13T19:04:59Z")
Those who donā€™t celebrate Christmas are heathens! I consider myself agnostic, but love everything about Christmas except for the songs. They get old the day before Thanksgiving. I dig the decorations, the gathering, the time off to see family, etc. [QUOTE=jjimm] \From experience, Christmas over here is a _way_ bigger deal than it is in the US. Itā€™s a gathering time, like Thanksgiving is for you guys. I and most of my colleagues are taking 10 days off over the holidays.\ [/QUOTE] Whoah, where the heck did you get the idea that we donā€™t? Every place Iā€™ve worked that wasnā€™t a fast food place basically _required_ us to take off from Christmas Eve to New Years Day. I get every other Friday off, so itā€™ll be 12 days off this year. Most people only get 4 days off for Thanksgiving. Granted, all of my jobs besides fast food have been either through a university or the federal or state government, but most offices that donā€™t sell stuff close down between the holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/13 "2007-12-13T19:25:19Z")
Atheist, and just check my user name. Of course, my B-day is December 25th. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/14 "2007-12-13T19:31:14Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] **Any other atheists out there who love X-mas?** I know I do. šŸ™‚ I love the songs - I donā€™t even get tired of them when theyā€™re beaten into me for two months straight. I love the imagery, the memories, the nostalgia. And, perhaps because Iā€™m not Christian, I donā€™t even bristle at the commercialization of Christmas; losing the ā€œtrue meaningā€ of the season is not a concern for me. Anyone else? [/QUOTE] Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! Me! Trees, presents, candy canes, hot cocoa, carols, I luurve Christmas. God, Christianity, all that stuff can go hang. The real ā€œtrue meaningā€ of Christmas is: itā€™s cold out there, weā€™ve got nothing much to do until the spring plowing, we need to kill off some of the cows before we run out of hay, letā€™s have a party! Everyone can get with that šŸ™‚ JRB ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/15 "2007-12-13T20:09:59Z")
Yep. I loveā€¦ LOVEā€¦ Christmas carols. ā€˜ā€˜The Little Drummer Boyā€™ā€™ reduces me to tears every time. Itā€™s a very nostalgic holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/16 "2007-12-13T20:16:49Z")
As far as this atheist is concerned, Christmas is a midwinter celebration of the spirit of giving. Love it. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/17 "2007-12-13T20:24:27Z")
Iā€™m 99.9% athiest, and I enjoy Christmas, especially because I have children. Christmas is just a co-opted pagan holiday (several, actually), anyway. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/18 "2007-12-13T20:32:06Z")
Yes, even the churchy parts. It was just too big a part of my childhood to shake, even if I wanted to. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/19 "2007-12-13T21:04:15Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] Itā€™s a very nostalgic holiday. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I think thatā€™s it. Itā€™s beautiful too. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881/20 "2007-12-13T21:06:31Z")
There are a series of family get togethers and great food. I love Xmas and am an atheist. I can do without the 8 week preamble. It gets a bit much. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-other-atheists-out-there-who-love-x-mas/429881.md?page=2)