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Boycotting the holidays

Hey guys wouldn't it be great if all of us nonbelievers could/would boycott the holidays by not buying anything on christmas, easter, hanukkah and passover? That would be a blast!! Maybe we could start a site for this which we all joined.

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Permalink Reply by no0n3 on December 27, 2010 at 9:35pm

As much as I like 4/20 I prefer the Marijuana March ... which, living in Canada, am glad isn't in April!

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Permalink Reply by Daniel W on December 5, 2010 at 6:55pm

CFI is promoting Human light / dark to light as a way of taking ownership of the holiday. (well, not holiday since a holiday is a holy day, but what else do we call it?).

Quoting from the link...

"The celebration highlights humanism's positive secular vision. In Western societies, late December is a season of good cheer and a time for gatherings of friends and families. Many events are observed. This tradition of celebrations, however, is grounded in supernatural religious beliefs that many people in modern society cannot accept. This celebration presents an alternative reason to celebrate: a nontheistic vision of a good future. It is a future in which all people can identify with each other, behave with the highest moral standards, and work together toward a happy, just and peaceful world. Come celebrate with our friends at HGP and CFI!

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Permalink Reply by Wiley Coyote on December 10, 2010 at 1:44pm

I like getting the day off and I enjoy spending time with my family, so I don't think a boycott is going to be in my deck of cards anytime soon. I see it more as a commercial/cultural holiday than a religious one. Same thing w/ Valentine's & St. Paddy's day. Just another excuse to party.

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Permalink Reply by zeeman barzell on December 10, 2010 at 2:05pm

I feel you in theory, however, we really don't need the economy to freeze up any further. That tie you buy your grampa, that desk toy you buy your co-worker, that silly tree you buy in the parking lot helps create much needed jobs. Even if only seasonal, every dollar counts. Besides, you don't have to be religious to enjoy biting the head off chocolate Santa.

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Permalink Reply by no0n3 on December 10, 2010 at 11:55pm

chocolate santa? i thought there was just easter bunny ears to decapitate! :)

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on December 11, 2010 at 12:29am

While I personally boycott Xian holidays, I don't see any kind of organized Xmas boycott working. Would have little to no effect on retailers as we are such a minority.

Other than the occasional thing I must have that is on ridiculously awesome holiday sale and mint M&Ms (only time of year they come out), I avoid stores like the plague this time of year. When I have to go into a store I go in armed with an MP3 player to drown out the holiday music, most of which sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me. Not even because it's religious, but just because most of it is that awful.

And thanks to Tim Minchin, as of last year I've found myself a new Xmas tradition: Take my RV and cats out camping, alone, blissfully away from Jesus and his devoted fans, and toast my passed on loved ones with a little white wine in the sun. ;-)

As for my still-living relatives, we get along soooooo much better when it's not under holiday stress and the veneration of the buybull.

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Permalink Reply by eric stone on December 11, 2010 at 6:19am

Agree with you about Minchin. Sounds like a good escape!

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Permalink Reply by no0n3 on December 16, 2010 at 2:04am

I also think the capitalists would take over any holiday.... Atheist monogrammed beer coasters? Bookmarks? I don't know how those things could make more than a couple dollars each, but I'm sure they'll find a way to make more than a few bucks out of it!

I'm escaping to an XXXmas party on the 25th. Living in a big city and having hedonistic freaks as friends means no short of fun, starting this Saturday with Santarchy... hope you are able to find a way to have fun :)

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Permalink Reply by Lisa on December 17, 2010 at 7:08am

I am a relatively new atheist but I have twenty years of expensive glass ornaments collected. Those suckers are coming out for sure.The rest of the extended family is mostly christian anyway, so it would feel weird not to have a holiday.

One weird thing I noticed though, is that my absolute favorite, Annie Lennox, did a Christmas album. Checked it out and the songs are all spiritual. I just couldn't get into it, the songs actually turned me off.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Black on December 17, 2010 at 12:00pm

Eventually you will be able to separate the music from the message and learn to enjoy the irony. When it really sinks in that this is your one shot at living, you will be able to enjoy all kinds of experiences and activities that you didn’t think you could do so before.

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Permalink Reply by Hiram on December 28, 2010 at 12:53am

I like having extra days off :) and we can take back the solstice (and turkey day, for that matter) and turn it into a secular holiday. Either way, the xmas tree has nothing to do with xtianity, it's a pagan symbol and all solstice celebrations have to do with lights because it's the shortest day of the year. The humanists already have a solstice celebration, they call it 'Humanlight' - it's OUR Kwanzaa. I think Humanlights or any other secular appropriation of these celebrations are healthy because they make atheism more culturally vibrant and visible. I say let's celebrate OUR holidays OUR way!