I would never leave anybody out who wishes to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but if you do not believe in him, than what are you celebrating?
We don't. But it's traditional and we end up having to "do the family thing" even if we'd rather not.
In reality, it's probably the wrong day to celebrate the birth as nobody really knows what day it happened on. I know Christians don't like to hear this but what the church has done so often is to hijack previously existing pagan celebrations to make it easier for pagans to convert to their religion. This is certainly true of Christmas, which coincides with the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, the British Celtic festival of Yule, and comes close to the winter solstice celebrated by Druids and many other kinds of pagans, not to mention Satanists.
Easter is the same - that name actually comes from Eostre, an ancient pagan goddess of the spring. In other languages it's called something completely different - Paques in French, for example. The whole business of Easter eggs has far more to do with celebrating new life and planting crops than it does with the resurrection, though it's easy to see how you can relate the two.
The way most people celebrate Christmas actually has more in common with pagan celebrations. Here in the UK, England has an established church and is officially Christian (that's what "establishment of religion" in the 1st Amendment means, by the way) so the days marking the birth and death of Christ are public holidays by common law and have been for centuries, so I have no choice but to have the day off and join in with it as I'm a public employee. Plus I couldn't get to work anyway as all public transport in the UK closes down on Christmas Day.
Just to really throw the cat amongst the pigeons, during England's short-lived and disastrous experiment with being a republic, Christmas wasn't a celebration but a solemn day of fasting and religious observance. The more strict Scottish presbyterians still don't like celebrating it at all, and I saw a news story some time ago of their objection to nativity plays in schools, which I would provide a link to if I could find it again. They tend to hate catholics and will refer to Christmas as "papist".
Many of the people who answered this question is not actually answering the question... Yes, they are right that Christ's true birthday is not December 25th. It is unknown exactly when Jesus was born. However, we do celebrate his birthday on December 25th because of several reasons. One of them being that many people were already celebrating a Pagan holiday on that particular day... But this doesn't answer why Atheists celebrate Christmas... Although Christmas is truly a religious holiday meant for followers of Jesus to celebrate the day he was born, Christmas also has other meanings for many people as well. Personally, I am a Christian. And therefore, I celebrate Christmas mainly to honor the birth of my savior. But Christmas is also a great time for friends and family to spend time together. And no matter what you are, Christian or Atheist, you like to be around the people you care for. And Christmas is a perfect time for people to come together and honor each others' friendship and love for one another.
i grow to be raised Christian. My mum and dad (now one million former-xtian and one million Lutheran) have a pair days of the 12 months set aside to take excitement in eachother's company (generally), have a effective meal, and each now and then replace presents or basically sit down around the hearth sipping whiskey for some hours. what form of an fool does not connect in the festivities? i'm unlikely to church, hell we infrequently went on trip journeys besides- we basically celebrated presently considering the undeniable fact that grow to be custom and it grow to be exciting. i don't have a faith telling me i'm not allowed to the two :) so i will occasion it up any way i % to. On Christmas or Easter, i might desire to rejoice ANY sort of trip journeys, with the aid of fact the dates and a large sort of of the traditions from those trip journeys have been form of borrowed from a number of different cultures. Wanna comprehend the humorous challenge approximately this question? the individuals who heavily ask it, never take think of approximately Christmas bushes, colored eggs, Easter bunnies, Santa or the different holiday mascots and traditions you will be able to desire to think of of that originated from in the previous cultures and throughout the time of years of custom have been branded new meanings and given new names and practices. i think of once you're gonna ask something, you will discover extra assistance there. Asking that's enormously pointless, heresy does not practice and atheists do not possibly have all people to offend by getting exciting on "somebody else's" holiday. How dare we.
Christmas was originally the ancient Roman holiday called Saturnalia which was not based in Christian teachings or gospels. Saturnalia actually pre-dated Christianity.
I am not a atheist but I know history and I also don't have a problem with a religion adopting a tradition from another religion. I also don't have a problem with someone without a religion celebrating a holiday I observe. I see no harm in that.
Well, I personally don't however I do go to my family xmas's to spend time with them etc.
Haha... you religious folk. You don't see me complaining that you're celebrating a holiday of stolen traditions etc do you? Why do you celebrate a holiday that was put in place to help convert people easier?
Since when do people remember what Christmas is about??? Come on now-a-days only want to know what they are getting for it!!!! I am Atheist and I do it for my Grand Kids... They don't any better right now. My daughter is religious but that is her right to make that decision not mine. In other words don't force religion on someone who doesn't believe in you god!!!
They will observe any religious holiday as long as it gets them out of work and they can sit at home and get paid for it. If they truly wanted to live as they profess, perhaps they should voluntarily go in to work and earn the pay they are receiving for that holiday.
For the same reason Christians celebrate holidays that were originally pagan (Easter, Halloween, and Christmas). Because they love to have a f*cking great time.
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So, by your question, you DO want to leave us out?
I celebrate a time of good will and peace, so by that one can tell I am not a Republican.
We don't. But it's traditional and we end up having to "do the family thing" even if we'd rather not.
In reality, it's probably the wrong day to celebrate the birth as nobody really knows what day it happened on. I know Christians don't like to hear this but what the church has done so often is to hijack previously existing pagan celebrations to make it easier for pagans to convert to their religion. This is certainly true of Christmas, which coincides with the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, the British Celtic festival of Yule, and comes close to the winter solstice celebrated by Druids and many other kinds of pagans, not to mention Satanists.
Easter is the same - that name actually comes from Eostre, an ancient pagan goddess of the spring. In other languages it's called something completely different - Paques in French, for example. The whole business of Easter eggs has far more to do with celebrating new life and planting crops than it does with the resurrection, though it's easy to see how you can relate the two.
The way most people celebrate Christmas actually has more in common with pagan celebrations. Here in the UK, England has an established church and is officially Christian (that's what "establishment of religion" in the 1st Amendment means, by the way) so the days marking the birth and death of Christ are public holidays by common law and have been for centuries, so I have no choice but to have the day off and join in with it as I'm a public employee. Plus I couldn't get to work anyway as all public transport in the UK closes down on Christmas Day.
Just to really throw the cat amongst the pigeons, during England's short-lived and disastrous experiment with being a republic, Christmas wasn't a celebration but a solemn day of fasting and religious observance. The more strict Scottish presbyterians still don't like celebrating it at all, and I saw a news story some time ago of their objection to nativity plays in schools, which I would provide a link to if I could find it again. They tend to hate catholics and will refer to Christmas as "papist".
Many of the people who answered this question is not actually answering the question... Yes, they are right that Christ's true birthday is not December 25th. It is unknown exactly when Jesus was born. However, we do celebrate his birthday on December 25th because of several reasons. One of them being that many people were already celebrating a Pagan holiday on that particular day... But this doesn't answer why Atheists celebrate Christmas... Although Christmas is truly a religious holiday meant for followers of Jesus to celebrate the day he was born, Christmas also has other meanings for many people as well. Personally, I am a Christian. And therefore, I celebrate Christmas mainly to honor the birth of my savior. But Christmas is also a great time for friends and family to spend time together. And no matter what you are, Christian or Atheist, you like to be around the people you care for. And Christmas is a perfect time for people to come together and honor each others' friendship and love for one another.
i grow to be raised Christian. My mum and dad (now one million former-xtian and one million Lutheran) have a pair days of the 12 months set aside to take excitement in eachother's company (generally), have a effective meal, and each now and then replace presents or basically sit down around the hearth sipping whiskey for some hours. what form of an fool does not connect in the festivities? i'm unlikely to church, hell we infrequently went on trip journeys besides- we basically celebrated presently considering the undeniable fact that grow to be custom and it grow to be exciting. i don't have a faith telling me i'm not allowed to the two :) so i will occasion it up any way i % to. On Christmas or Easter, i might desire to rejoice ANY sort of trip journeys, with the aid of fact the dates and a large sort of of the traditions from those trip journeys have been form of borrowed from a number of different cultures. Wanna comprehend the humorous challenge approximately this question? the individuals who heavily ask it, never take think of approximately Christmas bushes, colored eggs, Easter bunnies, Santa or the different holiday mascots and traditions you will be able to desire to think of of that originated from in the previous cultures and throughout the time of years of custom have been branded new meanings and given new names and practices. i think of once you're gonna ask something, you will discover extra assistance there. Asking that's enormously pointless, heresy does not practice and atheists do not possibly have all people to offend by getting exciting on "somebody else's" holiday. How dare we.
Christmas was originally the ancient Roman holiday called Saturnalia which was not based in Christian teachings or gospels. Saturnalia actually pre-dated Christianity.
I am not a atheist but I know history and I also don't have a problem with a religion adopting a tradition from another religion. I also don't have a problem with someone without a religion celebrating a holiday I observe. I see no harm in that.
Just another day off. I do not actually celebrate Christ. I hang out with friends and family.
Well, I personally don't however I do go to my family xmas's to spend time with them etc.
Haha... you religious folk. You don't see me complaining that you're celebrating a holiday of stolen traditions etc do you? Why do you celebrate a holiday that was put in place to help convert people easier?
Since when do people remember what Christmas is about??? Come on now-a-days only want to know what they are getting for it!!!! I am Atheist and I do it for my Grand Kids... They don't any better right now. My daughter is religious but that is her right to make that decision not mine. In other words don't force religion on someone who doesn't believe in you god!!!
They will observe any religious holiday as long as it gets them out of work and they can sit at home and get paid for it. If they truly wanted to live as they profess, perhaps they should voluntarily go in to work and earn the pay they are receiving for that holiday.
For the same reason Christians celebrate holidays that were originally pagan (Easter, Halloween, and Christmas). Because they love to have a f*cking great time.