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Holiday Celebration

Which holiday do you observe/celebrate

  • Total voters
    48
Secular Christmas and Hanukkah.

My wife's parents (RIP) are both Jewish and I'm a goy.
 
Your Star said:
Alot of things we do on Christmas has no religious overtones. I mean, Santa Clause has nothing to do with Christianity.
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Santa Claus came out of various Christian traditions (which other cultural stuff mixed in, of course). "Kris Kringle" is a variation of "Christkindle" which means "Christ child." So, it's not entirely detached from Christianity.

Still, all the traditional stuff can be enjoyed without forgetting the religious significance. Which leads to:

Though, most people do celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday.
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I agree, but Cephus thinks the "overwhelming majority" attach no religion to it at all. That's the wishful thinking of an atheist.
 
Christmas and with no religion involved.

Decorate the house
Gifts for mostly the young ones
Good Company
Good Food
Good Times
 
Harshaw said:
I agree, but Cephus thinks the "overwhelming majority" attach no religion to it at all. That's the wishful thinking of an atheist.
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I dont know about "overwhelming" and the phrase "NO religion at all" but Id certainly be wiling to GUESS that a CLEAR majority do it without religion besides very minor things. LLike if kids ask they say its when christ was born or have a nativity set or they go to an extra mass or what ever their church may do. But thats about it.

Now "I" am by no means the majority voice but I dont know one single person that does anything more than what I stated above so I dont consider that tying Christmas to religion.
 
Where do I vote for Scrooge's birthday?
 
just out of curiosity, how exactly do practicing Christians celebrate their Christmas any different than atheists and agnostics?
 
Badfish420 said:
just out of curiosity, how exactly do practicing Christians celebrate their Christmas any different than atheists and agnostics?
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I think the confusion is coming from the fact that while Christmas is a religious holiday, western society has made alot secular traditions that are tied to Christmas, and both Christians, and non Christians observe these traditions.
 
Your Star said:
I think the confusion is coming from the fact that while Christmas is a religious holiday, western society has made alot secular traditions that are tied to Christmas, and both Christians, and non Christians observe these traditions.
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well, Christmas was originally a pagan festival, but that's another story. Me being a 'non christian' remeber back when i was very small, little kids asking me 'well if your not christian, why do you celebrate Chrsitmas?' i could never think of an answer, now i can obviously it's is because of what you jsut said, secular traditions.

but what i was wondering was more about how Christians actually celebrate Christmas. i know how it always went for me. kids wake up real early, wake up mom and dad, run downstairs open their presents, mom and dad make coffee, make home videos all day, eat a huge dinner. i mean what is different in Christmas day with Christians? what do they go to church all day?
 
Badfish420 said:
just out of curiosity, how exactly do practicing Christians celebrate their Christmas any different than atheists and agnostics?
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By laughing at us believers, and when the time is up and they drew an advantage to the biggest holiday of the year, they go right back to calling people like me assholes when the biggest one would have been looking at them in the mirror the entire time.
 
Badfish420 said:
but what i was wondering was more about how Christians actually celebrate Christmas. i know how it always went for me. kids wake up real early, wake up mom and dad, run downstairs open their presents, mom and dad make coffee, make home videos all day, eat a huge dinner. i mean what is different in Christmas day with Christians? what do they go to church all day?
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For me Christmas was/still is exactly that. Besides hearing about Christ's birth, and having a nativity scene around. Though, I'm sure some Christians go to church, though I've never gone on Christmas day.
 
JohnWOlin said:
By laughing at us believers, and when the time is up and they drew an advantage to the biggest holiday of the year, they go right back to calling people like me assholes when the biggest one would have been looking at them in the mirror the entire time.
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I cannot speak for the other heathens, but I forgo the timer in my Christmas celebration, the laughing at believers is one of the best parts of the holiday tradition, why put a time limit on it?

/sarcasm

what you are saying makes no sense and is ridiculous
 
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JohnWOlin said:
What the hell does "Secular Christmas" mean? That is like saying "fat free fried foods".
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robert-cenedella-santa-claus.jpg


Secular Christmas
or
The season of Secular Consumerism
 
Your Star said:
Alot of things we do on Christmas has no religious overtones. I mean, Santa Clause has nothing to do with Christianity. Though, most people do celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday.
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Not Me! Just another thing they ripped from the Pagans:)
 
O_Guru said:
I dont know about "overwhelming" and the phrase "NO religion at all" but Id certainly be wiling to GUESS that a CLEAR majority do it without religion besides very minor things. LLike if kids ask they say its when christ was born or have a nativity set or they go to an extra mass or what ever their church may do. But thats about it.

Now "I" am by no means the majority voice but I dont know one single person that does anything more than what I stated above so I dont consider that tying Christmas to religion.
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Most so-called Christians do virtually nothing religious in their day-to-day lives. Most attend church occasionally because they think it's what they're supposed to do, but otherwise, never crack a Bible, nor do they have any genuine understanding what it is that they're supposed to believe. Most people are what I term "social Christians". They do it because they think it makes them look good to the neighbors, but it has no real impact on their lives.
 
TheGirlNextDoor said:
Which do you observe/celebrate?

Christmas
Hanukah
Kwanza
Other
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My family celebrates Christmas. What we used to do is have it on two days. On the 24th we go to our grandparents and have Christmas over there. We open presents from our grandparents,aunts and uncles and they would open the presents we got them. Usually the youngest able body person in the family would sort through and give everyone their presents. On the 25th we have Christmas at our mother's house,we open our presents from her, she opens the from us and just like the grandparents house the youngest able body person sorts through the presents and gives everyone their presents. Then we have Christmas dinner later on that night.Christmas dinner could be anything from Lasagna,Turkey or barbecue fall of the bone ribs.
 
Cephus said:
Most so-called Christians do virtually nothing religious in their day-to-day lives. Most attend church occasionally because they think it's what they're supposed to do, but otherwise, never crack a Bible, nor do they have any genuine understanding what it is that they're supposed to believe. Most people are what I term "social Christians". They do it because they think it makes them look good to the neighbors, but it has no real impact on their lives.
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I agree 100% but again Im no majority voice but what you state above is definitely what Ive encountered with friends and family

seems that other poster thinks you have "wishful thinking" lol I totally disagree, while I acknowledge you or I could be wrong what we both said is not crazy or wishful thnking it very well could be reality.
 
I'm getting a kick out of people trying to wear their agnosticism like a badge of honor.

Everything about Christmas smacks of religious overtones. I believe it was Harshaw earlier that explained the origins of "Kris Kringle". One would have to be blind to not see how gift-giving plays a part. Remember gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Mangers are typically made of wood, being a subtle indication of how a tree played a part in the nativity of Jesus.

I'm surprised nobody broke out the "winter solstice" card. That's what the louder atheists and agnostics do. Apparently you're all amateurs.
 
Gipper said:
I'm getting a kick out of people trying to wear their agnosticism like a badge of honor.

Everything about Christmas smacks of religious overtones. I believe it was Harshaw earlier that explained the origins of "Kris Kringle". One would have to be blind to not see how gift-giving plays a part. Remember gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Mangers are typically made of wood, being a subtle indication of how a tree played a part in the nativity of Jesus.

I'm surprised nobody broke out the "winter solstice" card. That's what the louder atheists and agnostics do. Apparently you're all amateurs.
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JMO but I think more people are just saying how more commercial or tradition christmas is than religious and that seems to be very true for the most part

also I am religious myself, dont celebrate christmas in a religious manner nor do I wear my religion like a badge of honor BUT whats wrong with people wearing their agnosticism like a badge of honor vs any other "ism" theres no difference?
 
Gipper said:
Everything about Christmas smacks of religious overtones. I believe it was Harshaw earlier that explained the origins of "Kris Kringle". One would have to be blind to not see how gift-giving plays a part. Remember gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Mangers are typically made of wood, being a subtle indication of how a tree played a part in the nativity of Jesus.

I'm surprised nobody broke out the "winter solstice" card. That's what the louder atheists and agnostics do. Apparently you're all amateurs.
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Right idea, wrong religion. Gift giving, the decorated tree, the feast... all of these practices derive from Yule as celebrated by pre-Christian Germanic and Scandinavian people.
 
JMO but I think more people are just saying how more commercial or tradition christmas is than religious and that seems to be very true for the most part
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I saw that too, but I also saw a number of people distinctly attempt to point out that they're just anti-God like it's something to be proud of. I'm spiritual by nature and abhor organized religion, but I don't feel a need to point it out in a haughty manner like a handful of people seem to be in the course of this thread. Then I see the "I do this, this, and this but I don't believe in Christmas". If you don't believe in Christmas, stay home. Watch football. Get a to-go plate from those suckers who believe a child born in Nazareth saves the world for millenia to come. You're doing a disservice by paying lip service to a bunch of other people by acting holier-than-thou, no pun intended.

also I am religious myself, dont celebrate christmas in a religious manner nor do I wear my religion like a badge of honor BUT whats wrong with people wearing their agnosticism like a badge of honor vs any other "ism" theres no difference?
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It's wrong regardless. I dismiss Christian zealots just as much as agnostics. I've done some things to Jehovah witnesses that I won't repeat on here.

Agnostics tend to walk around like they need some damned form of vindication, that they're persecuted for their beliefs and need some sort of outward invocation to thrust upon the mainstream to justify their manner of thinking.

Reminds me of extreme gays...and I know every time I hear of a gay pride parade I want to turn loose a flesh-eating virus.
 
What do you mean? I haven't met any agnostics (myself included) that need any vindication for... what exactly? And what exactly am I supposed to be pushing onto someone else...?

I simply don't know if there's a God or heaven/hell... so what's wrong with admitting you don't know. :confused:
 
Christmas. I even got some holiday movies to make us all get all gooey inside with spirit and family pride. :p
 
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