I’m not sure that the star tree topper is not recognizable as Christian. I’ve always assumed that it represented the Star of Bethlehem.
I think that there’s so much Christianity (and other, more pagan, traditions) woven into the holiday that it’s sometimes hard to see them. Isn’t the tradition of gift-giving based on the gifts of the magi?
The days of the week have the names of pagan gods right there in the titles : SUN day, MOON day, THOR’S day. WODAN’S day, SATURN’S day. That doesn’t make them pagan.
Chistmas existed before Christianity anyway. It was “heathen” before it was Christian. Christians just adopted a holiday that was already popularly celebrated and imposed their own meaning on it. It’s really a solstice celebration at bottom.
We’ve always had a star at the top of our tree. Yes I understand at it’s basis it’s a religious holiday, but my family celebrates in a completely 100% non-religious way.
Its about the ham.
Yes, but as Freddy the Pig notes, Christmas itself (and, indeed, the nativity myth) is an amalgamation of various pagan beliefs and practices, so if we’re going to “credit” it as a religious holiday, it makes as much sense to call it a celebration of the birth of Horus as of Jesus.
ETA: that was a response to tdn.
Excuse me, you’ve got your Christmas into my Winter Solstice.
Seriously, I have no objections to either, but yes, it’s important to me to elebrate something at this time of the year. Christmas is everywhere! And it is completely secular to me, to the point that I refuse to put angels* on my tree or anywhere in my house. I do have a giant star as my tree topper, but hell, it’s just a star and it only has meaning if you chose it to.
*Angels aren’t supposed to be these girly little things anyway, with long locks and curly hair. When I think of my angels, they are big tough guys like Michael or Gabriel, or hell, Lucifer. Coming with a flaming sword for vengeance. If they made those kinds of angels I might put on one my tree.
No, the gift giving goes back to the Roman Saturnalia.
I’d say that it’s about 10% religious for me and 90% secular I usually only think about the religious aspect occasionally and only when I’m alone. I spend much more time thinking about how the lights are making the dark nights much more enjoyable and getting to spend time with my family and friends. I enjoy both giving and receiving presents so that is fun to both think about. If I was actually an atheist instead of a Christian I think I could easily divorce Christmas of all religion.
You have to wonder how Yeshua of Nazareth, the devout Jewish teacher and prophet, w0uld feel about people eating pork to celebrate his birthday. 
It’s nearly 100% religious for me. I mean, I participate in all of the traditions that have been adopted from pre- and non-Christian sources, but the actual holiday for me is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It would seem relatively meaningless apart from that.
I also try to focus on Advent and try to really avoid thinking about the actual Christmas season until it starts on Dec 25.
It doesn’t bother you that the birth of Jesus didn’t actually occur on December 25?
True. But it has been in the hands of Christians for, what, about 1700 years now? You can’t unweave Christianity out of it any more than you can unweave yule out of it.
That’s one thing I love about the holiday. It’s such a rich tapestry of traditions, and it’s being added to all the time. Christmas just isn’t Christmas anymore without mention of the Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time. In a few more years, Will Farrell’s Elf will be as much a part of it as much as the manger ever was.
Here you go, Mika. Put that on your tree.
I don’t do Christmas at all. Every day is a holiday at my house, but if there are days that we really overdo it to a frenzied pitch, it is Holloween and birthdays.
No, not a whit. That’s just the day the church has chosen to celebrate it, since we don’t know the actual date.
I did not know that. Thank you.
We’re not Christian but we still celebrate Christmas. We’ve adopted and adapted the holiday to our family. That said, it’s silly to say it doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity. That’s just not why it’s important to me. It would be as if we celebrated Hanukkah and said it wasn’t about Judaism.
Not really. Most people in the US celebrate Christmas. Most people do not celebrate Hannukah. As I said, though, most people (including Christians) do not bother with the special religious observances of Christmas. Plus, it’s a federal holiday.
It’s more like saying that pizza is not Italian food. Sure, it may have originated in Italy, but to the average American, pizza either comes from Chicago or New York.
Wow. You really be dropping the knowledge on me about Christianity! I always thought Moses brought the law, but Jesus released them from it. I vaguely remember something about Peter being told he can eat of all the things on the table now? Or some quote about it not being what goes in a body that defiles it, but what comes out? I’m sorry to hijack. Please straighten me out though, even if it is by PM. Did Jesus actually frown on eating pork?
4 Romans:
10 Acts:
So, Jesus woulda loved him some bacon, right? Well…
…maybe not.
Um. Ick. Thanks love, but I don’t want an UNDEAD ANGEL haunting my nightmares, either.
