How do I deal with Christmas? Stab it in the face until it leaves me alone!

All the fun, none of the dogma

Christmas falls close to the old celebration of the solstice which was celebrated by the pagans. Solstice occurs usually on the 21st and 22nd December. There is no need for expenditures. Just remember the old celebration days of the pagans and enjoy it. By the way, history indicates that Jesus was born in April and was executed 30 years later. I do not celebrate the birth or execution of criminals.

if someone cannot enjoy a holiday without some religious superstition has not much brain power

I try to see my Mom and my Aunts. I don't have a lot of family left. I see friends too. That's what it's about for me, seeing good and important people in my life. I like the Winter Solstice as well. It can be lonely and depressing too. It's not my favorite time of year.

I was raised without religion but always celebrated Christmas, it's family time for adults and a magical time for children, a time of tolerance and good will to all. unfortunately greed and commercialism have a different agenda.

I don't put up any decorations, I don't send cards, I don't give any presents, .....if a fool gives me a present I say..."thank you"

I hole up from mid-November until mid-January. Can't stand the commercial-capitalist hype or phony good cheer any more than I can the religious bullshit.

Christmas??? Do you mean the Winter Solstice?

I enjoy Christmas a lot. Grew up celebrating it. Since I'm only one of three atheists in my family, we observe a secular version of the holiday right in the midst of the religion going on all around us. We don't interfere with the religious ritual because we're not assholes.

If I do any decorating at all, it is simply Winter Season themed decorations.

I buy gifts for my grand kids and do the "white elephant" gift exchange with my daughters and sons-in-law.

I have dinner with my family. And, when they pray, I close my eyes and go "lalalalalalalalalala..." in my head until it is over .

I canceled all holidays 30 years ago when my wife refused to send Xmas cards to business contacts I felt obligated to mail this nonsense. From then on we always travel on holidays, leaving no forwarding address. This year leaving Nov 30, returning Feb 11. Holidays are subtle way consumerism forces us to buy rubber duckies no one needs or wants. Taking a trip is much better then causing a living plant to be cut, destroyed, placed in our homes where it make a mess. Some pay back catching on fire and killing the unweary. Next it is on the street presenting danger to motorists. Food? Who need the extra calories??? In our culture X mas time is called "home slaughter time". Most stressful time of the year when relatives kill each other under the tree. The Xmas is remembered for month, sometimes years when we write that check to the credit card. Not for me. I believe that we have evolved.

I don't deal with it at all.

Time is precious and that's easily observable by anyone with enough brains.

Being forced to deal with Christmas is the adoption of being punished for making a reasonable deduction on what to do in the Christmas epoch. I won't pretend like it's sensible to get into the business of being instinctive and generally just primitive by doing what other people are doing because of the need to affirm society's pre-concieved, solipsistic notion of what is right for me to do.

Things like Christmas are taken with skepticism by me because they're a way to create informational conformity, which is usually the start of despotism, fascism, and other very authoritarian systems.

I will celebtate the winter solstice and look forward to the longer days.
xmas holiday to new year I will work looking after 40 dogs and cats - give or take a few
26th december lunch will, as always, be sausage egg and Yorkshire chips (similar to french fries, but far better) - venison sausage this year. ...... and from 2nd January - relax ... breathe deeply ... and take a holiday

I love Christmas! I like pointing out that it is a pagan holiday and many are surprised by this. So I don't feel apprehensive about the holidays at all.

Alot of people nowadays realize that Christmas does have anything to do with sky daddy's son. I just see it like a celebratory season, which I love, btw.

I deal with it with by listening to the Transiberian Orchestra, mint fudge, repeat viewings of Nightmare Before Christmas & The Grinch, & lots of eggnog!

I mostly ignore the whole show to varying degrees, depending on my mood in a given year. Looking way beyond the usual carols and such, there is, admittedly, some fine holiday related Renaissance music that I love - but I can listen to that any time of year !

I abhor going into the riotous stores after Thanksgiving - for any purpose. Not much of a shopper anyway. And I've convinced my Sister and her gang up north, to cease with presents.

I do however sometimes send out secular cards, mostly because I miss letters, and handwriting, and it's fun to hear from folks. And there are some homes in the neighborhood, that go ape-shit with lights , so doing a drive-by is sometimes amusing. Other than that - "baa, humbug !"

I celebrate Saturnalia..simple.

I enjoy christmas. Of course I do not believe in the christ part but I enjoy being with family. I do not lower my head when prayers are said because god I am not going to respect some imaginary being. I usually avoid debate because I want to keep the peace.

The end of December was celebrated long before Chritianity reared its ugly head. It was the winter solstice and the renewal of all things. We in our family celebrate and give gifts at xmas time because "it pleases us".

Eat too much, drink too much, spend too much on the grandkids, hug my family a lot and just have a great time. You say there's some religious component? God bless the cook!

Being in a warm climate helps. Since I seldom go to malls I just ignore the maniacal commercialism.

I see it as any other month.....have to buy presents to all my family because they believe in Christmas and i respect them. But what i do love is the joy in children specially in this month.

I like all the bright, shiny things.

No shopping, maybe a string of lights because I like 'em.