DIrty Harry Quote - Opinions are like assholes everybody has one

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.

Speak for yourself! I'm very much into the Pagan Yule Season and celebrate all its rituals of evergreen decor and candles and feasting! I even regularly wear a wonderful high-quality stylish top hat in the image of Charles Dickens' novels.

I love Christmas. I love the lights, the concept of giving, the mythologies, the sense that miracles happen. And that it happens in the darkest part of the year I think is relevant since darkness can get rather depressing.

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.

I don't hate Christmas, but I call it what it really is. The winster solstice celebration.

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.

I LOVE Christmas! I get a week off

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 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 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'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 hate christmas because I don't believe in gods; I HATE christmas because of 25 years of retail management. If anyone ever questions me on this, I tell them they need to get some christian spirit and quit being dicks when doing their christmas shopping.

I also HATE all but about 10 christmas songs. Three of them involve being in jail at christmas, one is about Pagans celebrating, and most of the rest are about how horrible people are to each other.

Yep, I am a total BLAST at holiday parties.

I do celebrate xmas in the sense that I get together with the family and have a good time. Even if I wasn't an athiest, working in retail management for a decade pretty much killed the holiday for me. Even during those years I still got some much-needed time to be with the family. There's very little religion involed aside for prayer at lunch. My family knows that I don't go to church unless there's a wedding.

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.