Yes, it does. Declining to participate for religious reasons in Canada brings out the politeness and political correctness genes right smartly. However, most religious fanatics in Canada have just learned polite ways to be obnoxious - only in Canada, you say, pity.

Since most Canadian non-believers and otherwise celebrate the secular versions of these holidays, one can just lead with that.

I got into a bit of a dust-up with the admin of the school I taught in (now 7 years ago) when I objected to their playing Christmas Carols over the PA - a clear violation of non-believers' right to freedom from religion in Canada. They stopped when I quoted Ontario Human Rights Tribunal precedents, but then I had to point out that there was no reason to stop playing winter songs like "Frosty the Snowman," "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" etc. because they thought those were Christmas Carols.

Google the Crusades and Inqusition to begin with. Since day 1 ppl are willing to kill for their fairy tale, a few mean comments is nothing.

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 do not celebrate xmas, but I don't hate it. Whe people ask me why, I simply say, "Christmas is a great holiday for Christians and I am not a Christian"....I tell them that I do not celebrate Hanukkah either, cause I am not Jewish....end of story.

I agree with you 100 percent
I used to go along with all that h s
Now I get a kick out of watching everyone
Around me go xmas apeshit
Just a big consumer holiday
I like to be nice to people year round

People want stuff. I love the idea of Xmas. The practice has declined into a ravenous orgy of commercial gluttony. The idea of giving is lost. I give to the propane delivery. He makes sure I am well stocked for the dark cold months. The mail carrier. Working outdoors all year has my respect & & show it. I give to 10 of my favorite 501C3 organizations. In the past I would shop all year in that when I saw something I know so and so would love, I would purchase & wrap it for the coming season. I so enjoyed the giving. Also the decorations on State Street in Chicago were relished by anyone who enjoyed the creative displays. Then Jayne Byrne malled (mauled) the street & the entired atmosphere changed. Plus I am sick of It's a Wonderful Life when the Gift of the Maji is so ignored. If I had children I would honor the tradition with much explanation. If I had family that observed perhaps I might relinquish my distain for the current culture of excess. But I do not so I will not. =0{

You don’t need to hate Christmas. Do remember it was a pagan feast celebrating the turn around from winter to summer. Furthermore you have no right to interfere with other people’s beliefe and enjoyment. Cheer up you ol bugger. James

Tribal dynamics + false dichotomy = if you don't endorse my beliefs/traditions/rituals, then you're against them and therefore a threat to my way of life and me as a person. If you don't go along with the group, you want to destroy it.

Fear of the unknown + lack of imagination = I can't imagine anything that would cause your position to make sense to me, and I'm afraid of it because I don't understand it, therefore it's bad.

Newton's Law of stupid humanity: for as deeply held/felt the belief/feeling, there is an equal and opposite backlash when that belief/feeling is "threatened".

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.

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.

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

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.

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

I’m of the opinion that one should take any excuse for a good party.

I've thought about this quite a bit, because I, too hate Christmas and have done so for quite some time. First, the consumerist bastardization comment - Seeing as Christmas stood in for Saturnalia, which was all about excess, the giving of gifts, revelry and debauchery, I would say it is currently much more in line with the traditional celebration.

I don't advertise the fact that I don't do christmas thats my business luckily I am old enough to be hte backstop in the family the oldest member so basically I can do as I please I think if I started to ennumerate all of the things that make me weird in other peoples eyes I'd never stop so just doing what I want to do is good enough for me!

I feel the ones who hate Christmas are the Fox News types looking to make a buck promoting the War on Xmas and the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays. Not to fond of those sour Christian pr*cks yelling about "The Reason For The Season" and telling little kids there's no Santa. As an Atheist I've always enjoyed Christmas for many reasons. The lights, ornaments ( I have some bitchin' ornaments), trees, decorations, winter weather, giving gifts, hanging out with the friends and family that I actually like, watchin' Rudolph on TV, awesome luncheons and dinners, paid days off work and rockin' Xmas tunes. So yeah, I'm an atheist who definitely doesn't hate Christmas. Now Easter is a whole different thing.

I don’t like Christmas at all. Very depressing time of year with added social pressure to buy crap. Once I made an effort to ignore it and focus on New Years’ Eve I started feeling much better. It came and went last December very casually. One of the few smart things I’ve done and will continue to do.

I LOVE Christmas! I get a week off

I admire you. I don’t celebrate them for religious reasons but feel culturally pressured into the consumerism. I hate lying to my kids about Santa, the Easter bunny, Jesus etc because when they figure it out on their own I’ll have to own the lie and debrief with them.

Religion and politics are hot button issues. Both are based on feelings more so than facts. When you are facing an unwanted discussion of either one (and sometimes both these days), politely decline to engage in the discussion. Set a boundary and stick to it. Saying something such as, "I don't feel that if is appropriate for us to have this discussion as we both may have conflicting beliefs in this area and I value our friendship and don't want to do anything to damage our relationship." If you are confronted by a complete stranger, then ask them to stop. Let them know that you are uncomfortable with such a personal discussion. Walk away.

DIrty Harry Quote - Opinions are like assholes everybody has one

I have friends with young children who do not buy them any presents until they are four or older. Even then its rarely more than one.I saw on the news that an actress does the same with her preschoolers so perhaps it's becoming a trend?

Almost all Christian holidays were stolen from other "pagan" religions so why not let your kids enjoy a secular holiday that is more in keeping with your family beliefs?

I think much of that fear and distrust is simply jealousy and also an atheist like Jews, Gays and others make good scapegoats for the faithful.

Religion needs tacit approval to help maintain the facade, the delusion. They are worried that XMas will become secular and lose its meaning in SOCIETY, which will mean their belief will be marginalized. That's a huge threat when they likely already have all sorts of doubt. Other religions are less threatening because they postualte some supreme being.