# Atheists and other nonchristians: what do you do when you get Christmas cards? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043 "2002-12-20T16:32:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/41 "2002-12-20T22:39:47Z")
Receive them? Heck I send them. But I am late this year so we will do what we do every year write them while waiting in the airport to fly home for Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/42 "2002-12-20T23:16:00Z")
Yep. Cozy. I have a confession to make: I think Christmas Eve services rock. Darkness and cold outside, warmth and candlelight inside the church, Christmas hyms, and no Communion. Christmas Eve is the only time I happily attend church with my family. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/43 "2002-12-20T23:32:33Z")
Me, I shriek and drop them. Anything even vaguely holy burns my skin. It’s really quite unpleasant. The last time I went to a church wedding, as soon as I walked in the door, the holy water started boiling and a booming voice from behind the altar intoned “ **Get out! GET OUT!!** ”. So I left. I tell you, being an atheist is no picnic, what with all the evil. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lynn73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lynn73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynn73)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/44 "2002-12-21T00:13:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*His4ever > > Wow! You’re an “atheist and other nonchristian” now! Thanks for dropping in. 🙂 \*\* Nope, fraid I’m still a Christian. Was just looking at the thread and decided to comment. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/45 "2002-12-21T00:40:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by His4ever \* > \*\*Uh, what do you think Christmas is about? It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus so yeah I’d say it has everything to do with Christianity. \*\* Like Valentines Day is all about St. Valentine? It seems to me a holiday can be about different things to different people. To me, Christmas is an opportunity to express appreciation and affection for friends and family, and Christmas cards are one way of doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/46 "2002-12-21T00:52:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\*Are you happy to be in someone’s thoughts? Are you angry that someone was presumptuous? Does it make a difference if the card is a general “Seasons Greetings” as opposed to a “Merry Christmas”? > > How do you respond? Throw it away? Display it on your mantle? Sigh wearily? \*\* For me it is such an established part of life that I don’t think twice about it. Heck, most of the people that send me cards are either not religeous at all, or only slightly religeous, sending cards and the whole palava is so established for them as it is for me that everyone sends cards to each other. In fact! I suspect the religeus issue didn’t even enter their/my heads when cards were being bought/written on/sent. I would go so far as to say I didn’t used to be aware that christmas was a religeous thing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/47 "2002-12-21T00:58:55Z")
I wasted a joke oportinity by posting that load of obvious drivel. ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/48 "2002-12-21T01:20:52Z")
Um, I never was an atheist, and I’m not really agnostic anymore (thankfully – I always hoped that was just a transitional thing because I really _wanted_ to believe in something) but, I generally do not appreciate Christmas cards for the same reason as **koawala**. I mostly only get cards from my family, and they pretty much ignore me the rest of the time. Or worse, they ignore me and then yell at me for supposedly ignoring them. They never even call me, and then when I call them (maybe once a month), I get a lecture for not calling more often. Then at Christmas or on my birthday I get this sappy pre-printed card with nothing handwritten but their names. It makes me feel very sad and unloved. So, yes, I have thrown away all but one of my christmas cards this year. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thylacine/32/1143_2.png) [@Thylacine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacine)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/49 "2002-12-21T02:14:50Z")
I am always happy to be in people’s thoughts but the fact is that nobody who is close to me would ever send me one as my difficulty with the season is known. That tends to mean I just get them from old neighbours and distant relatives and I have no objection to finding out those folks are still alive somewhere. I usually respond with a brief note and a picture of the cat or something. The cards sit on a shelf in their envelopes until I find and toss them a year later when I want a spot for the next years supply 😉 [sub]Nothing from great-aunt Myrtle yet, I wonder if she included me in her will…?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/50 "2002-12-21T02:40:59Z")
I’m agnostic. I send Christmas cards and enjoy receiving them. I was raised by parents that can best be described as atheist fundies. They send Christmas cards. We snort, snicker, and roll our eyes at the especially religious ones we receive, but it’s not a big deal. I think it’s nice that once a year, people I know take the time to write me a note and maybe send me pictures. It’s a nice way to reconnect with people I haven’t heard from in a few months, or who I regret having lost touch with. I don’t have friends who just drop a card in the mail–every one I’ve received has a personal note inside. That takes time and to me, the effort speaks of caring. I don’t see the point in being cynical about it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/51 "2002-12-21T02:58:36Z")
I’m Jewish, and I’ve gotten a couple Christmas cards from Dopers/LiverJournalers this year, and I am just touched that they thought of me. I don’t send cards out, but I like getting them. I like to send out cards and tchotchkes at random times throughout the year. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/52 "2002-12-21T05:03:54Z")
I’m Pagan, but I do keep quiet about that within my family, really. Not that they wouldn’t understand (my mom & sister know, and they both think it’s exceptionally cool), but I just don’t want the rest of my family feeling like they have to treat me differently because of my beliefs. I celebrate the holidays the way I always have–spending time with my family, exchanging gifts, and snarfing down food until I explode. But I also do my own private Yule thing now. As for Christmas cards, I’m with the majority of folks here. I appreciate that someone thought enough to send me a card, and I tape it up with the rest of them. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/53 "2002-12-21T11:56:04Z")
Cessandra If it isn’t prying too much, why did you keep the one card? ---
**Author:** ![Osakadave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f07891/32.png) [@Osakadave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osakadave)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/54 "2002-12-21T12:50:05Z")
I enjoy all kinds of Christmas stuff even though I’m Buddhist. It may be due to the secularization of Christmas, especially here in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/55 "2002-12-21T13:17:49Z")
I stick em up where I can see em. Look what I got this year: “With best wishes for Christmas and New Year” “God Jul och Gott Nytt År önskar” “To wish you happiness at Christmas and every day of the New Year” No mention of God or Jesus or anything (not sure about the Swedish one). Christmas is a secular holiday. There’s a tree, I give presents, the idea of some kid who is apparently god doesn’t crop up. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/56 "2002-12-21T13:33:42Z")
Hmm… I think it might be reasonable to say that mention of Christ is implicit in Christmas. That’s not to say that Christmas can’t be secularized, but no amount of fiddling with it will change its etymology. It’s from the Old English, Cristes Mæsse, or Festival of Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Witch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Witch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Witch)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/57 "2002-12-21T17:15:29Z")
I hang up my Xmas cards with my Yule cards. We share alot of the same traditions. No surprise considering the Christians “borrowed” all our Yule traditions and made them their own 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/58 "2002-12-21T17:30:02Z")
I receive them happily and place them on top of the tv and send them out. I’ve also received this year a happy new years card from someone but not a christmas card. I think that was her way of skipping the sending out christmas card tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/59 "2002-12-21T18:25:40Z")
**Lib** : I think it’s been so secularized etymology doesn’t really matter at this point: Xmas is simply something to do in the middle of winter, no matter what you think about Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/60 "2002-12-21T19:05:15Z")
It’s just a fun thing to do. Some of us try to find the most irreverent cards to exchange. I’d rather get an xmas or holiday card than a bunch of forwarded emails without any personal message to me. 😛 MERRY CHRISTMAS! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043.md?page=4)