I can see your point. Both holidays are very overly commercial but that is one of the reasons I have no problem with celebrating them. Instead of celebrating christian reasons I simply use them to mark the changing of the seasons and enjoy the older pagan trappings that have been wrapped into the holidays.

I can't imagine catching flack over Easter. It's never happened. Maybe in some Bible Belt outpost where it's more of a community consensus thing, but not anywhere I've ever lived.

Christmas ... that is such a secularized holiday that is enjoyed for such a variety of reasons, I can't see it as a problem, either. We celebrated it in a low-key secular way when we had young children, but have not observed it even with so much as a gift exchange in years. Partly this is because my children are long since out of the nest and don't particularly observe it either; partly this is because my stepchildren traditionally spend Christmas with their father and Thanksgiving with us.

In my experience if you just go on about your business and don't make an ideological matter out of it, you'll be fine. There are ways to [not] address or to deflect inquiries; after all it's not really anyone's business how you [don't] celebrate holidays, and it's really rather impertinent for people to want to know and then turn around and censure you for it. Since it's clear that people can't handle your reasons, consdier just not offering them up. It is obviously TMI, and you're not going to change their minds.

Consider also whether you have a need to crusade about this and debate it. Most people will not share that desire, and many will take it personally. If you really want to promote your views, look for "kindred spirit" organizations and groups and for ways to participate anonymously with respect to your local, personal life.

Not that it isn't a legitimate choice to be "loud and proud" and open in your personal real-world life about this -- but if you choose to do that, make sure you have the requisite thick skin, coupled with realistic expectations.

I hate to say this but it seems like you are provoking these encounters. I don't do xmas either and can't recall anyone getting worked up about it.

I hate Christmas more than ever before. My nephew was shot and killed on 12.23.11, I dread the holiday and can't wait til its over. So they can call me a scooge because I am one and don't feel I should have to explain myself.

I don't hate Christmas. The Christians stole it from the pagans. I rather enjoy lights and I respect the pagans. So I don't hate Christmas, I hate Christianity. Just like I'm a lesbian, but I don't hate men. Sometimes I also hate men, but in addition to photography I also work part time in a tool store in the deep south, so it's understandable. Lol Why does one have to be 100% against something mainstream to be respected? Christmas is a time of joy, family, and traditions that to me, especially in 2018, have nothing to do with Christianity. Jesus wasn't even born in December.... They straight up stole a holiday and said it celebrated the birth of someone that facts (Christians' loose interpretation of facts, anyway) say was born in July. It's no more their holiday than mine and I celebrate it joyfully with my friends and family and cats.

For those who hate x-mas, you are hated for two reasons.

First. The religious aspect.

Secondly. What is morre Norman Rockwell Americana than Christmas.

Hating Christmas is viewed as Un-American.

Hate begets hate. Stop hating. If you don't like something, you are free to ignore it. You may even find that this is much easier on you than hating....less stressful. There's no need to explain to those who know you, and those who don't know you, well, they actually do not care what you do. So my advice is to just lighten up and go with the flow. Be who you are and let others be who they are. Life is too short to be comparing notes all the time. Peace out.

I'm an athiest and I love Christmas, actually. I guess it's more to do with how special the holiday was as a kid, and we love the tree and lights and stuff. There's no religion involved at all, obviously, but still fun. The kids and I have been sticking up a Festivus pole in addition to the tree for the last few years for kicks, too.

I would say it’s the two most important events in Christian history and we hate it because it’s been turned into a capitalist hell while there are people still chanting and preaching that it’s abour Jesus. If there’s one thing we atheists hate more than God, it’s hypocrites. In the case of Xmas and Easter, it’s people who preach about the goodness of Jesus while simaltaneously endorsing an economic system that they are supposed to hate. Christians who get this pointed to them either get a disappointed look of agreement while going about their daily lives like they never heard it or defend the holidays as religious when their capitalist bank accounts say otherwise.

I don’t hate Christmas. I don’t hate Easter. I don’t celebrate the religious aspects at all. But I love family and friends and food and lights decorating and Easter egg hunts with little kids, and for years I enjoyed spoiling my niece and my daughter with things that they wanted and more things that they needed. I also get all of the major religious holidays off, including good Friday this week! ? I don’t have any regrets.

Christmas is hated? ... it must be by some, perhaps knowing the full story of Christmas and Easter might make those not keen on so called christian recognised dates a bit more accepting of the festivals as more a family time to come together, thing is, Christmas is as far from christ as a thing can be, the 25th of december was the date the Pagans worshiped the sun, and the presentation of a tree decorated comes from the worship of Tamars, a pagon god who died and came back as a fir (pine) tree, Ishtar is the god of the moon and fell to earth in an egg according to the pagans on the full Moon that Easter is always celebrated on, her son was Tamars, the Roman conquered the Pagans and adopted these rituals, eventually the Roman Empire morphed into the holy Roman Empire or Chatholic church, many of the churches diates are from the ancient Roman Empire ... so in essence these festivals are Pagan, a system spoken against in the bible, why can't we just come together as a people and use the time to relax and be with the ones we love, cause it sure as hell aint no christain thing in reality!

If you're going to continually rain on someone else's parade you're not going to be well liked. Why bother telling anyone you don't celebrate? Why bother explaining if you're asked? Lie to their faces and giggle hysterically knowing the truth of your real feelings.

I can't wait until my last kid (15) is out of the house so I can stop doing anything for those days.

In answer to your question I can not and will not answer for others but for me no I do not have this happen to me. I do understand your reason behind not wanting to celebrate Christmas. I however do celebrate the holiday. Granted not for the reasons that Christians do though. I celebrate several things for that holiday. I explain to my children where the symbolism of each part comes from, the solstices the heathen festivals and such. They also learn the real histories behind them. For us Christmas is not about Christ, rather it is about the people before and after the church.

I don't hate christmas or easter. I actually really like them and celebrate non-religious forms of them.

I think if everyone could respect everyone else's beliefs we could all enjoy everything.

I understand your antipathy toward money-grubbing holidays that have lost any real meaning except to merchants. I'm more free now, since my children are grown and grandkids will be soon. While I still get gifts for the grands, I don't pretend for anyone. I just grin and say, "I've gotten back to my roots; I celebrate Solstice!" Or, "Yes, I love hunting the brightly colored eggs provided by the goddess Oestara's rabbit consort." It might annoy some people, but the ones who matter love it. So give wee gifts to your wee girl and tell her the tradition behind the tinsel, including support and love to the forest creatures.

I celebrate all the seasonal holidays without shame....I love Yule and Samhain the best.

You do you and they do themselves. Their problem not yours.

I don't hate Christmas and celebrate it in a very secular way. I don't hate anybody for choosing to to celebrate it, and I don't hate anybody for celebrating it in a religious way. I don't celebrate Easter, but when my sons were little, I did the egg, basket, chocolate bunny, etc. thing for them. Live and let live, or die and get resurrected... whatever ignites your sparkler.

In situations like that I try not to be in opposition with anyone. The way I choose to celebrate life doesn’t get in the way of others’ view. A respectful dialog is always the preferred route. Someone once told me that people do not change their mind, but can make a new decision based on new information. When I start from a defensive position, there is very little chance the conversation will end well.

The basic idea I think any holiday is to get together with family. If you start to look at it as honoring some myth it loses all the true meaning which should to celebrate life and make memories.

I celebrate both I just leave out the religious bullshit. But to each their own you do what you feel is best.

Meet it with aggression, I do. Works for me.

It has happened on occasion, but honestly I don't care, and I make no attempt to jusify or explain. I prefer to let it be their problem !

I don't hate any holidays - I simply ignore the religious ones .

I don't hate it. I think it's good to sit back and reflect on things and do a little sharing of gifts. I don't like the whole competition mind set. Even the false religious aspect doesn't bother me.
If people feel good about it then so be it. I'm not one to wreck that. In the end I stI'll know who I am and how I feel about things. If you just look at the concept of it, it's not a bad thing.