Grasshopper Green

Yes, I know it seems a bit early for a post like this, but I've become curious about this topic in the past week or so. As many of you know, I work in a grocery store. Earlier this week, we put our first Christmas display up - at the front of the store - where there is no Halloween stuff yet. The products on display are in the ad this week....and Halloween has yet to go on sale or be displayed in the ad. I went shopping two weeks ago and the department store I was in was in the middle of putting their Christmas display up. I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who has already been bombarded with holiday displays.

So, this is what I have been thinking about. Christ's birth doesn't seem to be the "reason for the season" anymore, buying stuff does. Christmas doesn't seem to be a religious holiday anymore, just a commercial one. The only religious person I really know is my mom, who doesn't really celebrate it; everyone else I know celebrates it. I personally celebrate it, even though I'm not religious; for me it is time to spend with my family. I grew up in a Christian religion that didn't celebrate Christmas, so I love it now that I make my own decisions, especially now that I have a child. However, I'm finding myself more jaded towards the holiday as mass commercialism is taking over and making everything about spending money, and not spending time. I guess I'm just wondering what everyone here thinks, particularly religious TFP'ers, about the meaning of Christmas in current times. Why do you celebrate it, or choose not to?

I found a similar thread about the commercial aspect in general, but I'm really trying to get to the religious aspect of this, and how it affects others here.

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Charlatan

I am not religious but do celebrate Christmas. I don't actually go to church, pray or spend time thinking about "Jesus". However, much of my family does.

There is also the fact that regardless of my religious beliefs it is a secular holiday as well.

If I had it entirely my way, the whole affair would be a Yuletide/Solstice kind of celebration... The end of the dark days and death and the coming of longer days and life. As I mentioned much of the rest of the family are believers so I sit quietly while they go through the prayers... and then I get on with the most important part... getting together with family and friends.

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Pip

I work in a grocery store too. I celebrate Christmas by working. My family is not religious, and once I and my brother grew up a bit and didn't need presents to brag about in school we pretty much stopped celebrating it. I had some good Christmas traditions going on with a bunch of friends in high school, but when we graduated and went our different ways, that ended too. If I ever get a li'l family of my own I'll probably celebrate Christmas again though.

Right now, New Year's Eve is my favourite holiday by far. Fireworks, tasty food, friends, champagne and a shiny new year to look forward to.

flstf

I am not a member of an organized religion but cannot say that I am totally not religious. But rather feel that there may be a grain of truth to most of them and try to keep an open mind about them. I was raised in a Christian household.

I celebrate Christmas mostly for sentimental reasons. Remembering my youth when it was one of the happiest times of the year. The smell of the Christmas tree, the lights and decorations, the music, the toys, the children's joy, the snow (sometimes), the turkey dinner with family gathered around, the good will. These things make me feel happy and content and we try to repeat/relive them every year.

The fact that your store and others seem to be starting the holiday earlier and earlier bothers me mostly because I'm afraid of getting too much of it too soon and getting burnt out before the end of the year.

cellophanedeity

I'm wholely with Charlatan on this one. I celebrate, but the Jesus thing isn't even a part of it. I'm much more into the idea of Solstice and family than God's birth.

mystmarimatt

I celebrate christmas, as most of my family is religious, even if I'm not. I kind of view it as a time of year where I get time off from school to listen to catchy songs and get presents.

No, that's completely how I view it.

I am such a heretic.

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tecoyah

This is pretty much what we do...we celebrate Yule for about a week around X-Mas....and take the Kids to Grammas for the actual Christmas celebration, because baby Jesus would cry if we didnt...actually because Gramma would cry if the Kids didnt do the Xmas thing....heh

Likely Jesus was born in the spring anyway.

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Gilda

We're not religious, but we have a tree and presents and put up decorations and such. We tend to treat it as a reminder to show those you love that you love and appreciate them. Oh, and as an excuse to give each other presents!

I like presents.

The family I grew up in is very religious, doing the whole Christmas Mass and no mention or display of pagan idols (ie, Santa, Rudolph, Frosty, etc.) thing, but plenty of reminders of how Jesus died for our sins (yeah, I know that's Easter, but you can never be reminded of this too often or too much). As you can probably guess, Christmas truly was happy fun time growing up in my home.

Gilda

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guthmund

Christmas is for the kids. If I decorate, it's because I'm expecting visiting nieces and nephews, not because I had some overwhelming urge to fancy up some forestry.

It's time off, I occasionally get some good stuff and I get to show those that are close that I care about them by buying them cheaply made things from far away countries at outrageous prices.

To be a bit serious for a moment, I've never really celebrated Christmas for religious reasons. Even as a kid, either in my own home or the homes of others, the religious aspect of the holiday just wasn't there. So, while I recognize the need for others to celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, I don't exactly....understand it? Does that make any sense?

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Siege

I celebrate it purely for presents, big dinners and get-togethers.

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Redlemon

My wife is religous, but for her it is an inward, personal thing. I'm ex-Catholic, non-religous. We celebrate Christmas. Nonetheless, I strongly prefer the religous Christmas music to the animated specials.

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Slavakion

Plus, Easter is more important to Christians. The whole Christ Is Risen thing.

My family just gets together, has a party, gives some gifts, and has a fun time. Nothing religious about it.

JumpinJesus

I enjoy Christmas mainly because it means presents. I grew up in a very agnostic family so for many, many years I didn't even know Christmas was a religious holiday. As much as I enjoy Christmas, though, I too am very jaded on the over-commercialization of it. It used to be that Christmas only came once a year, but with the whole "Christmas-in-July" marketing scheme, it seems as though Christmas IS the year in these modern times.

There were a number of years that I didn't celebrate Christmas, but then my daughter was born and I didn't want to be one of those parents you hear about at school where all the kids get all the great stuff and there was always that one kid who would have to say, "We don't celebrate Christmas." So yeah, I guess the marketing worked very well.

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shesus

The meaning of Christmas has changed for me over the years. I really don't like Christmas anymore because of personal things that have happened over the years. When I was younger, it was a religious holiday. Then, as I grew up, it became more about the presents. Now, I don't really care about presents, I don't need or want anything really and since I don't see most of my family except at Christmas I feel guilt for receiving presents. I tell them not to get me anything, but they do anyway and it is usually junk that I throw away when I get home. I would much rather stay at home with jj and spend the day together. I hate driving because the traffic is so horrible, not to mention the weather.
Another reason that I don't like Christmas is because it's so commercialized and the marketing is horrible. They put Christmas stuff up so early that by the time Christmas arrives, I'm sick of Christmas decorations all together.
I feel like the Grinch with this response, but it's how I feel. I do like the Christmas feeling that one gets. Feeling giving and loving and all that stuff, but people should feel that way every day of the year, just like Bill Murray says at the end of Scrooged. My favorite Christmas song is by Blink 182 'I Won't Be Home for Christmas'. Favorite verse:

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StanT

When my kids were growing up we celebrated Christmas for their sake. These days, I celebrate Christmas by going skiing. No traffic on I-70, very few people on the slopes, It works well for us.

MooseMan3000

I celebrate it for the one reason I can see of any import. Presents! I love giving gifts to my friends and family (receiving them doesn't hurt, either ), and Christmas is just an excuse for that. I guess seeing family is OK, too. Heh.

snowy

I'm spiritual in a lot of ways, so the holiday season is an amalgamation of things to celebrate (the solstice, Christmas). Plus, it's a time to forget the diet, eat lots of delicious food (cook lots of delicious food), and yes! I have an excuse to go shopping. I love all the lights, the crowds, the cheer--but that might be because I live in a part of the country where people are still friendly.

My family's a little weird--my dad's family is Dutch, and so Christmas Day is a religious holiday (or at least it is traditionally). So we don't open presents on Christmas Day. We open them Christmas Eve (true Dutch tradition says kids gets presents on December 6th, Sinterklaasdag...in their shoes) instead. Because my family isn't actually religious at all, we spend Christmas Day playing with all of our new toys, watching football, and cooking a big dinner. Mm. Ham.

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amonkie

My family's big push about Christmas was that it was "family get together time". This would make sense if my dad's ENTIRE family didn't also get together for Easter, 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Birthdays, and Thanksgiving. Both parents families are religious, but I have found myself in the last few years fading into the background as the Christmas story is read before presents are opened.

If we get a chance to go to Minnesota and visit my mom's family for Christmas, I truly do look forward to the holiday because I see this side of my family probably once every 3-5 years. My gramma was horror stricken when we wouldn't let her go to church Christmas morning one year because it was so cold the car wouldn't start.

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Strange Famous

I got thrown out of my house on Christmas day, when I was 14. probably why I dont have much Christmas spirit since!

But anyway, I am religious to a degree, but I dont follow any one organised religion. I do buy people presents at xmas, and accept any presents anyone wants to give me, I like "It's a wonderful life" - I suppose I do celebrate Xmas in a secular way - although of course it is the most depressing time of year!

This year I'm meeting someone I know online and staying with their family in CT for three weeks over Xmas, and am looking forward to my first happy holidays for some years!

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maleficent

I utterly detest christmas and the opportunistic selfishness behind it.

I am so sick and tired of the greediness that accompanies christmas.

If it was about peace on earth good will towards men I'd be all over it. But it's not about that anymore. It's all about the fucking presents and what'd you get and how much debt did you go into to get those stupid gifts.

presents are overrated. If you want something go out and get it. Don't wait for pretty boxes under a overdecorated tree to get destroyed in 10 minutes.

If Christmas must be about presents then make it about giving to those less fortunate,(and even that will launch me into another rant based on how i'd seen some of the less fortunate behave)(

hate christmas. Hate presents. Hate fa la la la la. Scrooge has a major point. BAH HUMBUG.

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maleficent

Work in retail for more than one christmas.. you will change your mind pretty quick. People are anything but cheery.

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Lebell

In my experience, Christmas becomes for you what you focus on.

If you focus on the commercialism, then yeah, you'll become jaded/greedy/whatever.

For myself, we celebrate Advent and focus on the true meaning of Christmas in the Christian tradition; the coming of hope to a world without.

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mrklixx

I voted "other".

I am opposed to all public organized holidays.

No joke.

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Val_1

I'm not regious, but I celebrate Xmas. To me, it's a time for family to come together. I look forward to Xmas and spending time with my family every year. I cherish the time together. I do think it's a little sad that people get all bent out of shape about Xmas, focusing on the merchandise rather than the spirit, but it's up to them to do so. I'm exposed to all the same pressure, but it doesn't get to me. Of course, I go out of my way to make Xmas more relaxed. I focus on small gifts, do 90% of my shopping on line (to avoid the overcrowded stores), if it's at my house I usually wind up making a non-traditional meals for everyone (like lasagna or stir fry), and I take time out to just relax and watch the Xmas lights.

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martinguerre

both, maybe... I celebrate the now "traditional" notion of christmas...it's important for me to be home and see family, give gifts, etc.. but that has little to no bearing on concurrently celebrating advent and Christ's Mass.

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Anxst

I'm religious, being a Druid, and I celebrate Solstice and Twelfth Night through some home brewed traditions I came up with, some of which are based on old traditions. So, I guess I sort of celebrate Christmas, since so many of the Christmas traditions are the same as mine, having the same pagan roots. But overall, I think most christian families would probably say I don't.

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la petite moi

I'm not religious and for awhile, I wasn't celebrating Christmas. I was a practising Wiccan from about 13 years old until 16 years old. I was trying a new religion and hence, new celebrations. Before that, I tried Christianity, and I thought it was a bunch of hypocrisy, even as a child (I just didn't know that word...haha).

Now I am not religious at all, but I still celebrate Christmas, because even if it's origination came from celebrating Christ's birth, it will always be about family getting together to try and get along.

la petite moi

No kidding!

raeanna74

Not strongly religious. Christians can be so extremely hypocritical about so much more than just a holiday. We're religious when it comes to our personal relationship with our creator, beyond that we show very little of the religion outwardly.

As for Christmas - hubby and I celebrate it as a reason to get with family and give gifts. I enjoy the enthusiasm of my daughter over the decorations, lovely lights, and anticipation of gifts. She's 5 this year and just last year she began to show more enthusiasm about GIVING gifts. This is special to see her develop that aspect of it.

I really enjoy making as many of the gifts that we give as I can. One year after we got married we didn't have much money. I made nearly ALL the gifts that we gave and all the recipients seemed to appreciate the effort and the gifts. I feel like I'm giving more a part of myself when I make the effort to make a gift than if I were to just toss them storebought junk.

I grew up in a family who's mother guilt tripped anyone who bought a gift for her by saying that they were wasting money or that the best they could do was grab something off the shelf. Also there were many Christmases during which she declared that no one would give gifts to anyone. Finally my brother and I roped her into helping us at least send Bibles and books to Russia (during the cold war).

Christmas was a constant disappointment in my home. I am determined not to let it be that for my child and family.

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HedwigStrange

I celebrate Christmas, despite having no belief in God. My favorite part of Christmas is going to get our tree and my uncle's property in the mountains. My sister and I are very strong athiests and my mother is agnostic. My uncle and his family, on the other hand, are fundamentalist Christians (I get the "I'm worried for your soul" and "you must save your virginity" speeches regularly). Yet before Christmas, my cousins, aunt, uncle, mom, sister, and I head out into the snow together, freeze our extremeties off finding the perfect tree, climb said tree and chop off it's top, then head back to the house for a huge dinner (turkey or roast beef, gravy, mash potatoes, yams, corn, greenbean casserole... the whole nine yards). While my sister and I have to try desperately not to burst out giggling during the insanely long grace, we all have a wonderful time. How could I not celebrate Christmas when it brings my family together like that?

I do like the "end of the dark days and death and the coming of longer days and life" idea of celebration though.

Cynthetiq

One Lent I gave up Chrismas...

One Advent I gave up the Catholic church.

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