Any excuse for a holiday is a good excuse. No need to be bothered by the religious reason, just enjoy the family get together time etc.

I personally think most people wouldn't if it weren't for the social aspect of it. It's an excuse for people to get together.

I love Halloween, but I don't believe in ghosts or that the dead's "spirits" roam the earth. I get a kick out of St. Patrick's day, but I don't believe in saints. Same with "Saint" Valentine's Day. The story of Jesus's birth, to me, is on-par with the story of Santa Claus (though less interesting and fun.) Easter and Christmas are a part of my culture and my family tradition and I enjoy them even though I don't buy into the magical elements that are embedded.

Usually for the sake of family, and maybe friends. If I didn't have family and friends who value these things and want me around for them, I wouldn't celebrate them all.

Besides, these holidays were stolen by christians anyway...

Any day off from work is a good day to spend with family. You can put all the rituals and bs stories to the side and just enjoy good company.

Because they are fun!

Well unfortunately if you want to have a party and be with family ya kinda have to..the entire Christian faith is basically stealing pagen and other religions holidays so to convert them to Christianity...and people refused to convert and obey if they were not allowed to still have their celebrations and festivals...it was the only major entertainment of those times..also how people socialized.

You may not believe that there was a god, you had a son, born in Christmas and rise from dead again on Easter. However Christmas and Easter are still part of the culture in Christian majority countries. And sharing that culture may mean for you something. So you may not believe in Christ, but you can be culturally Christian, liking Christian culture, at least partially. Same thing may apply to Islamic holidays.

It's an excuse to visit family and friends. Often peopel are too busy to visit as often as they feel they should, and this gives an excuse.

If you bother to do some research BOTH festivities was about SUN AND LIFE.... Hence the astrological coincidence...The Christians that stole it because they had no leg to stand on.
The more research you do before speaking without knowledge...the more intelligent you sound and
That's a Fact!

Apart from their Pagan inception, and planetary alignments, they're a break from the mundane. But notice both those days you mention are very ancient sacrificial days, and Roman days to gather people together in their Coliseum, or amphitheatres. Interesting links if you search through all the false leads.

a day off coz the corporations sure wouldn't give you one if they didn't have to

They are generally agreed time to gather with family and friends.
About chocolate, presents and meals together, rather than the birth and death of middle-eastern dissident and revolutionary. (Complex to get everyone to agree on alternate days.)
Halloween used to be All Hallows Eve.
Christmas and Easter are going the same way, becoming secular.

Presents and candy!

I do not celebrate Xmas as a religious event I celebrate it with friends if I can because to a certain extent we are all likely to be not at work sometime over the period. I will wish people Merry Xmas back if they greet me but it is just another way of saying Good morning in my mind. Friends and family try to remember my thoughts but there is no way I wish to spoil their time

Well... Hey Friend,
Watch the movie, The Christmas Carol. The older version. It has a story line that helps people be kind and generous. Wow! How about the Wizard of Oz. Its so perfect in helping people see the good, bad ,and the ugly. At the end of the movie, everyone realized something special in themself. I celebrate life and people, and love, and laughter. I just don't beleive theres a god of my understanding. Im saying i don't know it all. But i know the happiness of giving myself to others. Love you man.
Oh yes. Im not telling you what to do Sir. Im sharing my insight.

I somehow feel that the holiday is worth celebrating. I like to put up a tree and decorate it. I mean, the holiday WAS a pagan holiday at one time and the Christians just took it over. Gift giving is another fun aspect and so are the parties. You don't need a god to be merry and bright!

Dear Jewel,
Would you like to meet for coffee?
Michael

for the feast

About three years ago my son (12 then) and my daughter (14 then) asked me not to ever give them anything on xmas anymore. I have raised my children to be logical thinkers, to have and express their opinions, to put fact before fiction, and to not follow anyone or anything mindlessly. They both do this in a very respectful manner. For a time their mother (we have been divorced for quite some time) tried to force them to go to church, to think the same way she thinks, and to honor all of her catholic customs. Needless to say, they chose to live with me and have been doing so for the past two years. In short, if my kids do not want xmas (with all the bells and whistles it brings with it) and since they do not believe in rabbits pooping chocolate eggs in honor of a jewish zombie . . . I have absolutely no reason to celebrate either.

Christmas has two aspects for me,
One is paid time off of work,
The other Is that my concept of the commercialism of it is that it is a time for buying people you don't like things they do not want.