You can celebrate without acknowledging the religious aspect- after all, the traditions are mostly pagan.

I've largely opted out. Too much stress.

I do "celebrate" xmas. Not as a religious holiday, but as a chance to get together with family and eat and enjoy each other's company. My daughter moved overseas in September, and has made the trip back for Xmas so her children can renew their memories with the grandparents and extended family. Unfortunately, the flight yesterday was horrible, the children (ages 2 as of tomorrow, and 4.5 years) were not feeling great today. This is also a birthday of a 6 year old granddaughter. Yes, we have a Xmas and Boxing day birthday. We celebrate that we have the time off, that we are family and we love and care for each other, and we celebrate that the days are getting longer again.We're not celebrating Jesus' birthday, but we're celebrating family, and Sam's birthday. I don't care that the Xians co-opted the holiday, we're taking it back.The days aren't getting shorter any longer, that is something to celebrate.

When my mother was alive and my nephews and nieces were young children, it was a time for the cousins and the family to come from different parts of the country and get together. Now everyone is grown up and having their own lives, and we just talk on the phone. No celebration. I never celebrated, I just enjoyed seeing my family.

Because it’s not about religion, it’s about axial tilt, it’s about Winter Solstice and the long tradition of merriment before the Xtians usurped it. Our ancestors were trying to cheer themselves up in the darkest days of the year so they burned logs, decorated trees and made special foods. As someone who suffers from seasonal affective disorder, the lights and decorations get me through the short days until they start lengthening again.

the antireligious are too often just victims of the pride, arrogance, and hatred they spew themselves.

Must depend on the individual. I just look at it as a paid day off, pretty lights in the park, and an excuse to give people stuff I probably would have been giving anyway.

I find xmas intrusive and oppressive. The music's bad. Without family there is nothing to recommend xmas celebrations.

A sense of urgency to be a part of this Christmas bullshit? This rabid atheist has no such sense of urgency, despite a childhood where Christmas was an event acknowledged by atheist parents.

20 years ago my duplex renters in Anchorage Alaska were Hispanic and always paid their rent before it was due... I said thanks with a Christmas fruit basket and they showed up at my door with a huge plate of traditional home cooked Christmas foods... roast chicken, tamales, refried beens, and tortillas... that is what it's all about - nothing more.

My neighbor actually told me, "You don't celebrate Christmas, do you."

I said, "Why wouldn't I?"

She said, "You're atheist."

I told her the tradition predates Christianity and I have no problem gathering with family and friends whatever the excuse.

'Keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.' - A Christmas Carol.

My family is scattered and the grandkids are all married or paired off meaning they have more than one place to go. That means I don't often get them all at once anymore. This year I had my daughter only and I had a wonderful video chat with most of my grandkids.

I grew up with Christmas as a big thing but I've never had a big family. I'm an only child and never had a grandmother.

I haven't believed in God since I was 16 but I've always felt that it's a good thing to sit time aside to be with family and show them you care about them.

Being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean being anti-religion, we have to live with others in peace, so why not! Let's enjoy and share celebrations. it's simply one of the cultural diversity aspects in every normal society.

I love Christmas. There. I said it.

People enjoy their fantasies.

Hype and media saturation.

1. it is the Greyest landscape, short, dark days...my indoor & outdoor lights help dispell those things...i leave them up awhile too.
2. my favorite charities all run fabulous "sales" this time of year, my funds go much farther & help more people, for example i got 6 llamas for the price of 3 from Heifer International, and Smile Train doubled my contribution.
   Makes me happy!

I celebrate Yule with my GF.

I don’t do any of it!!

Mid winter is time to get together with their family and friends, for many people. None of my immediate
family are religious, but we tolerate the beliefs of those who have them quietly. And we don't go around shouting 'bullshit!' every time some one says 'bless you'. In this way we get along with each other and maintain a diverse circle of friends.

It is your call... My Children are Grown. And despite my only marriage was a December 25th I don't do any xmas... Of course I am Divorced... I will Return for My Grandchildren when born... Your Call!!

Bah humbug.

I am not caught up in anything. I make what I want out of this day and every other day. I enjoy watching others enjoy the season for whatever reason. I like making things for people, usually food, and I like giving things to people, especially people in need. Christmas has no religious connotation for me and never did.

Someone I barely know actually invited themselves over to my house this morning because she "didn't have anything else to do". We ate and talked and I sent her on her way with a couple of surprises. She started questioning the legitimacy of transgenderism and I used compassion to explain to her why it's necessary to respect individuality. She never mentioned religion and she texted me later and thanked me for "making her Christmas".

You can make Christmas into anything you want it to be and influence others in the process. They can't require us to make it about religion. I hope I hit some of the issues you had in mind. Thanks for raising this issue.

I agree with you. I do give Christmas presents to certain people because it's obligatory but it's all bullshit.