A Sincere Question about Secular Christmas

[Anonymous]

Spin-off from a deleted part of another thread where it was off-topic...

I completely understand the appeal of secular Christmas for cultural Christians (for lack of a better phrase). It's fun and the decorations are pretty and there is a lot of family tradition that can still be passed down without all the religious components for those who have left Christianity. Truly, I'm happy for everyone who finds meaning in this iteration of Christmas.

What I don't understand is the insistence that the rest of us should celebrate it too. I understand that it's secular for you. I understand that you don't understand why the rest of us still call it a Christian holiday when you've divorced so much of the religion from it. But still, why do you insist that we all understand it the way you do and push and push people to celebrate secular Christmas (and I don't mean inviting us to your Christmas party, but really pushing us to teach our kids about Santa and decorate our own houses, because it will be fun and, really, it's not about Jesus)? I don't care that it's fun or that it's not about Jesus; it's just not my holiday, and I have plenty of my own holidays. You can just have Christmas to yourself. I'll wish you a Merry Christmas on December 25 and everything.

[Anonymous]

Not sure who your target audience is. I've literally never met anyone like this, with the "insisting".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spin-off from a deleted part of another thread where it was off-topic...

I completely understand the appeal of secular Christmas for cultural Christians (for lack of a better phrase). It's fun and the decorations are pretty and there is a lot of family tradition that can still be passed down without all the religious components for those who have left Christianity. Truly, I'm happy for everyone who finds meaning in this iteration of Christmas.

What I don't understand is the insistence that the rest of us should celebrate it too. I understand that it's secular for you. I understand that you don't understand why the rest of us still call it a Christian holiday when you've divorced so much of the religion from it. But still, why do you insist that we all understand it the way you do and push and push people to celebrate secular Christmas (and I don't mean inviting us to your Christmas party, but really pushing us to teach our kids about Santa and decorate our own houses, because it will be fun and, really, it's not about Jesus)? I don't care that it's fun or that it's not about Jesus; it's just not my holiday, and I have plenty of my own holidays. You can just have Christmas to yourself. I'll wish you a Merry Christmas on December 25 and everything.

Are you bored? We don’t insist on you celebrating it. Frankly, you seemed obsessed.

[Anonymous]

I don't think anyone is pushing you. Who is pushing you and how are they pushing you? I don't think there is a mandate going on here. You do you. Perhaps you can explain(?)

[Anonymous]

Never heard anyone do this, maybe ask whomever in your life acts like this because it’s not normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spin-off from a deleted part of another thread where it was off-topic...

I completely understand the appeal of secular Christmas for cultural Christians (for lack of a better phrase). It's fun and the decorations are pretty and there is a lot of family tradition that can still be passed down without all the religious components for those who have left Christianity. Truly, I'm happy for everyone who finds meaning in this iteration of Christmas.

What I don't understand is the insistence that the rest of us should celebrate it too. I understand that it's secular for you. I understand that you don't understand why the rest of us still call it a Christian holiday when you've divorced so much of the religion from it. But still, why do you insist that we all understand it the way you do and push and push people to celebrate secular Christmas (and I don't mean inviting us to your Christmas party, but really pushing us to teach our kids about Santa and decorate our own houses, because it will be fun and, really, it's not about Jesus)? I don't care that it's fun or that it's not about Jesus; it's just not my holiday, and I have plenty of my own holidays. You can just have Christmas to yourself. I'll wish you a Merry Christmas on December 25 and everything.

Did you overlook the fact that the Christian Right is actively banning books and attempting to dictate our thoughts, while also undermining our rights? That directly relates to what you’re expressing.

No one forces you to be a secular Christian however Bible thumpers sure do like to impose their views on all of us in the US which was established for the sole purpose of freedom of religion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure who your target audience is. I've literally never met anyone like this, with the "insisting".

Agree. Catholic-raised atheist here who still celebrates a secular version of Christmas but I certainly would never expect or suggest anyone else to celebrate it. Also my holiday cards always say happy holidays, never merry Christmas, though sometimes there is a red and green color scheme or my kids are pictured in from of the tree or something. I’ve never met anyone who pushed Christmas on anyone else.

[Anonymous]

Want to start a fight about Christmas in June?
Really, OP.

Do you know that cultures who are not remotely Christian celebrate Christmas? My Japanese family in Tokyo does, even though they're Buddhist-Shinto syncretists like most Japanese. Same in Korea. My cousin sends me a Christmas card every year with traditional Japanese backdrops and multiple tiny Santas. Apparently it's a thing over there.

No one is forcing you to do anything, no matter how desperately you want to be a victim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure who your target audience is. I've literally never met anyone like this, with the "insisting".

Same. I assume it’s your relatives. Just tell them thanks I don’t celebrate. Hope you have a wonderful holiday season I’ll see you in the new year. Christmas is fun for kids. They like getting gifts and making gingerbread houses and eating cookies. Why can’t you understand that?

[Anonymous]

I'm an atheist who was raised Muslim. And one of maybe... 2-3 Muslim kids in my school. The other was my brother. And there were maybe like 5 Jewish kids, and 2-3 "other" kids. Sometimes it was hard going through Christmas-time as a kid, but I ignored it and just could not believe how dumb some of my peers were (about Santa). Then you move on.

OP, you seem really, weirdly sensitive. You don't have to do anything or like anything. Just say "no thanks" or "it's not part of our tradition." And then move on.

Just because someone talks about lights and trees and stuff, it's not a personal offense to you.

[Anonymous]

It’s…June: there’s no way someone is pushing this on you now…

[Anonymous]

Clearly a bored troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s…June: there’s no way someone is pushing this on you now…

Yeah, too early. The only people pushing are the advertisers: buy buy buy! It will start in October.

[Anonymous]

Imagine how comfortable your life would have to be to care about something like this in JUNE.

OP, find a charity to pour your energy into or something.

[Anonymous]

Well, OP, you're certainly getting chastised for saying that people in your life appear to be insisting that you celebrate Christmas.

There's also New Year's to think about. Do you realize that it's the Feast of the Circumcism? THat's right -- Jesus, like all good Jewish boys at that time, was circumcised a week after his birth. New Years day is the feast of the circumcism, meaning it's a holy day of obligation for Catholics, which means you go to hell if you miss Church that day, which means a lot of Catholics are going to hell, unless they confess missing mass that day. I was shocked to learn that New Years day was also a Holy Day.

Luckily I'm not a Catholic anymore -- am an atheist who celebrates a secular Christmas.