# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/61 "2002-12-21T19:08:35Z")
I smile and enjoy. Got a very nice one from a Doper yesterday. Thanks. ---
**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, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/62 "2002-12-21T19:26:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > **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.** And mention of St. Valentine is implicit in Valentines Day, and mention of an Anglo-Saxon goddess is implicit in Easter. The meaning of any holiday is determined more by the intentions of the people celebrating it than it is by etymology. ---
**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, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/63 "2002-12-21T20:41:33Z")
Your points are well taken. I’m learning a lot in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/64 "2002-12-21T23:47:27Z")
I love getting _and_ giving Christmas cards. I feel that the ones I receive are from people that wish me to have a happy holiday, and I try to send out cards that are artistic or humorous in a non-offending way to people that I like. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/65 "2002-12-22T09:21:02Z")
I guess I’m technically semi-Christian. Kinda-sorta. Eh…iffy. Meh. It doesn’t offend me. I’m glad that the person thought of me. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/66 "2002-12-22T10:44:16Z")
I dislike xmas from both a christian and secular standpoint. Cards get opened then chucked in the bin. Anybody who knows me well enough that they may consider giving me a present also knows me well enough that it wouldn’t be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043/67 "2002-12-22T15:29:04Z")
**gex gex:** The Swedish one doesn’t really say anything specifically about Jesus or God. Loose translation is “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.” It’s more like “Good Yule & Good New Year,” IIRC. When I was 18, I spent a month is Sweden, at Christmastime. I never did learn to speak the language, but I picked up a couple of things. I’m surprised I remember them at all… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-and-other-nonchristians-what-do-you-do-when-you-get-christmas-cards/144043.md?page=3)