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christmas gifts. Should an Atheist exchange gifts on this christian holiday?

I am curious how many people here participate in buying and receiving presents at christmas time? Personally I give my wife and son christmas gifts. Am I selling out to a christian tradition? I feel im bowing down to societal pressure. Is there any way around this?

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Nicole on October 1, 2011 at 1:14am

Really, what is Christmas nowadays? The Whos in Whoville in Dr. Seuss illustrate it perfectly. It is about community and materialism. Neither of which belong only to a religion. So feel free to enjoy both.

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Permalink Reply by AgeOfAtheists14 on October 1, 2011 at 7:57am

depends on the economy and the depth of the 'spirit' of the season LOL
what if a new toy comes out waaaay before or after xmas!?
btw dig that lowercase xmas and upper case Atheist LOL

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Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on October 1, 2011 at 3:03pm

Let's see: Does the Bible say Jesus was born on December 25th? Nope.

Does the Bible say anything about putting up a tree and decorating it with lights? Nope.

Does the Bible say anything about a fat man in a red suit and flying reindeer? Nope.

Does the Bible say anything about singing Christmas carols and drinking eggnog? Nope.

Coca-Cola has more to due with Christmas than Jesus does. I like Tim Minchin's take on atheists celebrating Christmas:

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Permalink Reply by Becca on October 1, 2011 at 8:00pm

Family, good food, presents, silly but fun decorations in the middle of a dull and dark season. Christmas in my family was never about religion it was always about family and giving so I see no reason why I shouldn't continue to participate.

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Permalink Reply by lady beekeeper~SC on October 1, 2011 at 10:38pm

I say go ahead and celebrate. I find that it's my favorite holiday!! It's a time for family, friends and comfort foods. My birthday is on Dec 25 and I'm the youngest of 8 kids and both my parents are gone, but when I spill turkey juice in the oven and it smokes up the house it brings my mom right back to my heart. I'm not so big on the gifts part but everything else is wonderful. So go ahead and don't worry about it just enjoy the holiday!!

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Benbow on October 1, 2011 at 10:55pm

We used to be fundamentalists . . . . I was in the ministry. When my wife and I told the kids we had become atheists they were ecstatic that they would not have to go to church or sunday school any more. Then we told them we would not be celebrating christmas and I thought they would mob me. So, yes . . we celebrate, though in my mind the whole thing (Xmas and new year) are really wound up on the 21st.

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Permalink Reply by Nick on October 2, 2011 at 9:34am

Sure if you receive gifts, nothing wrong with giving gifts its all a feel good activity never mind the occasion.

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Permalink Reply by Tara Benson on October 3, 2011 at 6:58pm

Christmas has become very secularized and commercialized. It's not just for Christians any more (and really never was considering it was originally a Pagan holiday, Yule). If you want to exchange gifts with others and participate in other festivities you shouldn't feel bad about it. Conversely, you shouldn't feel pressured to do, if you don't feel comfortable with it, so just because "everyone else is doing it".

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Permalink Reply by Lois on October 3, 2011 at 11:01pm

I like a few aspects of Christmas, but really hate others, so I kind of dread it. I get presents for a few people, and I like having dinner with my friends, and I always put up a few decorations. I even have a Nativity set! It was a cheap one that reminded me of the one my mother had, so I bought it. Last year, I put Darth Vader in it. :o] I don't see the harm of enjoying what you can of the holiday while ignoring the religious stupidity.

Otherwise, Christmas pretty much sucks. The stores will be ridiculously busy, traffic will be a mess, people generally will be at their bitchiest, and nobody is really very happy. Worst of all is the horrible Christmas music that I'll be hearing for nearly two solid months. I HATE Christmas music! Almost all of it is stupid, annoying, childish, and unimaginative, yet for some reason millions of people actually enjoy it, and stores feel compelled to play it nonstop over their in-store music system. It is that, more than anything else, that puts me in a bad mood when I have to shop any time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

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Permalink Reply by mistercliff on October 3, 2011 at 11:16pm

I stopped giving gifts on Christmas several years ago and it's made the holiday much more enjoyable for me as I do not have to be part of the shark-like feeding frenzy of consumerism. The only trouble I have had is external as people do not understand it, and they think that I am boycotting Christmas completely which I am not. Many people tried to give me "winter gifts" and I had to explain to them that I was still celebrating Christmas, I just wasn't giving or receiving gifts. It's like an addiction to many people. My sisters also gave me a serious guilt trip when they decided to buy large presents for the parents that we would all go in on together assuming that I would too, I caved once but instantly regretted it. I say cut out the gifts on Christmas, not on religious grounds, but for sanity's sake!

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Permalink Reply by fairytales on October 4, 2011 at 2:21pm

Its not "merry christmas" its "fairy christmas". a holiday based on the holy birth of a fairy. had to be during the snowy season because thats what its based on. geting snowballed by religion. i do like getting gifts. that part is fun fun fun. so i see no problem there. as long as we call it by its true name: Fairy Christmas!