Christmas as a non-Christian:

 

Carols, presents, snow, Santa Claus and Reindeer. These are all images conjured up when I hear the word Christmas. Yet for others, other pictures come to mind first- Jesus, Mary and Joseph and angels and theChritsmas Star. 

 

Christmas is a religious day, not just the festival that it has become in modern day society and recently there has been much push-back from religious groups who criticise the over-commercialisation of religious days and the lack of religious sincerity involved in the celebrations. This includes anger towards the newer Christmas traditions such as Santa Claus and gift-giving, or fun Christmas songs. 

 

However, given that the traditions of Christmas itself are often speculated to have developed from the pagan celebrations of the winter solstice that took place in the month of December, this seems strange. For many centuries, Christmas was not celebrated, as the Church considered it improper to celebrate the birthdays of Saints and Jesus rather than the day of their  ascension, and in fact Easter was long held to have greater significance than the day of Christ’s birth. It was later that Christmas became a significant event, and drew upon other wintertime traditions that were not founded in theology. Christmas as a celebration has always been about community and joy. The numbers of people who are religious are falling every year, with this year’s census showing that Christians have fallen below 50% for the first time. Allowing people to celebrate Christmas as a non-religious holiday encourages people to engage with traditions and keeps the faith alive, even when they don’t believe in it. For many, Christmas is a cultural event that allows them to connect with family and friends. The event holds significance worldwide and has become an important part of our society even beyond the religious significance.

 

As an atheist, my approach to Christmas is largely aesthetic- we put up a tree, bake gingerbread, sing carols and have a large meal with friends and family. For us, Christmas is a  celebration, a festival and a party, bringing beauty (lights, decorations, wreaths and trees) and good food  (mince pies, turkey, roast potatoes, gingerbread, hot chocolate and mulled wine).  We gather with our nearest and dearest to celebrate together. We give gifts and we dance and sing karaoke. But Christmas is also about giving to charity. As a school we provide baskets for those suffering from period poverty, go carolling, help out at care homes and donate to the local food banks and homeless shelters. As a family, we make a yearly donation to Doctors Without Borders and War Child. Christmas has transcended the bounds of religion to become significant even to an atheist like me. 

“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!”- Dave Barry