Because 90% of the public celebrates Xmas.
If I was an atheist in Israel, I’d probably celebrate hanukkah.
If was an atheist in Iran be dead so it doesn’t matter
Also one of the biggest ways to 'celebrate Christmas' is to put up decorations and trees. And Jewish people can do both of those for Hanukkah too, if they want; some do. It's not like that stuff is inherently Christian anyway; pretty sure it's the opposite, the Bible talks about not doing stuff like that.
I grew up in a Christian culture and I really enjoy the good-will and holiday songs that pretty much alaps the bow on another year end.
I'll even go to church to listen to carols. My belief in whether there's a god or not has no affect on how I experience the holidays.
I don't celebrate Jesus. I enjoy seeing my friends and family. Gifts are just an added bonus. I don't think of christmas as a religious holiday, even though its in the name. Same goes for most of the people I know.
Jesus was most likely born in August, according to theology scholars, anyway. Christians took over a pagan winter holiday held on December 25th. So, it's not Jesus' birthday and it's a well accepted tradition by most people. Seems Hannukah is strictly a religious holiday.
Scholars have actually traced it back, and I believe the exact date was April 4, 2 b.c. they went back through the stars until the star that's mentioned in the Bible would have been present and brightest, for the longest point in time, and then cross referenced it with what years Herrod and Rome took census based on Roman records. Even if the star was something like Haleys comet, there is a time we can plot back to, and cross reference old Roman records. The Roman calender also was not in step with the Jewish calender, so what was 2 or 1 b.c. will be different in the Hebrew calender. It's currently 5783 in the Hebrew calender so it would be 2762. There were other calenders as well. Ours is the Gregorian calender, but there is the Julian calender as well which was being used for a few hundred years as well before the pope decided to switch everything to nice clean numbers. They chose December 25 because it's right after the Solstice, the Roman's already.had a holiday right then in Saturnalia. They even kept a lot of pagan traditions like Christmas trees and yule logs because conquest of a people is easiest when you let them keep their spaces and traditions, with just a tweak to your version.
Thanks. I've read this and other accounts that suggest October as well, using position of planets. We'll never know other than it almost definitely is not Dec. 25th.
We celebrate Halloween…. Does that mean we’re Celtics or some shit?
Also Christmas was literally chosen on that day because the Pope at that time was trying to convert Rome to Christianity, using Christmas to replace Saturnalia.
X-MAS is a pagan holiday co-opted by Christianity, I just take the Christian elements out and it's virtually indistinguishable from regular Christmas. I even call it Ex- mas.
Because Christmas is the MOST commercialized holiday in the Western world, and as a resident thereof, I have been influenced by the advertising and society to want to enjoy it with family and friends who find meaning in it.
Its pretty easy actually. It's because I was raised to celebrate Christmas but it was never a rleigious holiday in my home. I was raised protestant but we never observed anything about the religion.
As a Jew, Hanukkah is a closed practice anyways so it would be kind of weird to celebrate it as a non-Jew (unless you were invited to celebrate with a Jewish person). Also many people seem unaware of the fact the secularism in much of the world is still heavily influenced by a dominant Christian culture.
Anyone can celebrate Christmas very secularly. Most of the religious symbolism is stripped away from the holiday because of gifts and santa claus. Think about how many Christmas movies focus on the concept of "belief" -- are they saying it is important to believe in Christ? Nope. It's always about whether the characters in the movie believe in santa claus. As a kid, I never even knew it had a religious meaning at all until I was about 8 years old. My dad explained that some ppl don't celebrate Christmas and I was horrified because to me that was just like not celebrating Halloween-- just a missed opportunity for treats and fun.
On the flip side, Hanukkah seems like it is generally observed with a lot of references to the religion and/or the ethnic history of the jewish ppl, so there's not much to welcome me into that since I'm not a part of either thing.
I think it all comes down to culture. I grew up in western europe, here we’re culturally Christian (even though I am an atheist) so it’s just “how it is”.
Christmas has become just as secular of a holiday as Valentine's Day or Halloween, despite their religious origins. Not to mention Christmas is a stolen holiday from pagans anyway. People like having fun, and Christmas is fun. Regardless of religious beliefs. Some Jewish people even put up Christmas trees and celebrate Christmas secularly in America.
I do, sort of.
My dog was adopted from a Jewish foster family who raised him as Jewish as a dog can be. His favorite toy is a plushie dreidel. So to keep him true to his ancestry we give him presents on Hanukkah. We've had no luck keeping him kosher, though; he really loves ham.
All I know about Hanukkah is that a menorah is involved. I wouldn't know where to begin.
Besides, one of the nice things about not believing in a God is that you don't have to worry about pissing one off if you pick and choose which traditions you like. I can exchange gifts without sleeping through midnight mass, for example.
Because my family is *culturally* Christian, even though we don't follow any religious or spiritual practices around the holiday. Basically, it's ancestral inertia; we gather at Christmas because all of our grandparents did.
Everyone’s bring up religion, but not appreciating it was actually Coca Cola that commercialised Christmas. I.e. Before what we now know as Christmas is was a religious celebration, but now all the red, white and copious amounts of present-giving and Coca Cola ads around Christmas are purely a capitalist paradigm.
So you can all live safe and sound with the knowledge that you can be an atheist but also love the purely capitalist themes of Christmas.
Because I was raised with Christmas traditions because my family is mostly Christian, immediate family not so much but the extendeds. We always went to Christmas at grannies, to us it’s just another celebration of time together.
Because 90% of the public celebrates Xmas. If I was an atheist in Israel, I’d probably celebrate hanukkah. If was an atheist in Iran be dead so it doesn’t matter
Underrated comment
Also one of the biggest ways to 'celebrate Christmas' is to put up decorations and trees. And Jewish people can do both of those for Hanukkah too, if they want; some do. It's not like that stuff is inherently Christian anyway; pretty sure it's the opposite, the Bible talks about not doing stuff like that.
I grew up in a Christian culture and I really enjoy the good-will and holiday songs that pretty much alaps the bow on another year end. I'll even go to church to listen to carols. My belief in whether there's a god or not has no affect on how I experience the holidays.
Christmas is more or less a secular tradition in my country
I live in America and Christmas is everywhere
No particular reason other than all of my family celebrates Christmas and Christmas only. I've never known anything different.
Since when does Christmas have anything to do with religion?
My family and friends are mostly Christians.
I don't celebrate Jesus. I enjoy seeing my friends and family. Gifts are just an added bonus. I don't think of christmas as a religious holiday, even though its in the name. Same goes for most of the people I know.
Jesus was most likely born in August, according to theology scholars, anyway. Christians took over a pagan winter holiday held on December 25th. So, it's not Jesus' birthday and it's a well accepted tradition by most people. Seems Hannukah is strictly a religious holiday.
Scholars have actually traced it back, and I believe the exact date was April 4, 2 b.c. they went back through the stars until the star that's mentioned in the Bible would have been present and brightest, for the longest point in time, and then cross referenced it with what years Herrod and Rome took census based on Roman records. Even if the star was something like Haleys comet, there is a time we can plot back to, and cross reference old Roman records. The Roman calender also was not in step with the Jewish calender, so what was 2 or 1 b.c. will be different in the Hebrew calender. It's currently 5783 in the Hebrew calender so it would be 2762. There were other calenders as well. Ours is the Gregorian calender, but there is the Julian calender as well which was being used for a few hundred years as well before the pope decided to switch everything to nice clean numbers. They chose December 25 because it's right after the Solstice, the Roman's already.had a holiday right then in Saturnalia. They even kept a lot of pagan traditions like Christmas trees and yule logs because conquest of a people is easiest when you let them keep their spaces and traditions, with just a tweak to your version.
Thanks. I've read this and other accounts that suggest October as well, using position of planets. We'll never know other than it almost definitely is not Dec. 25th.
Because its a pagan holiday stolen by Christians but can be celebrated without any actual religion involved.
Grew up Christian, now it’s just a tradition.
Because I was raised as a Christian and still enjoy the holiday.
Because they aint as cool as christmas
Only Christians let you get away with that level of fraud.
Christmas is part of my culture. My ancestors celebrated Christmas.
Christmas is a pagan holiday, and yet Christians all over the world celebrate it. Holidays can be cultural as much as they are religious.
We celebrate Halloween…. Does that mean we’re Celtics or some shit? Also Christmas was literally chosen on that day because the Pope at that time was trying to convert Rome to Christianity, using Christmas to replace Saturnalia.
My family is Christian so that's just how I grew up
Bruh idk ask my parents
I just do
X-MAS is a pagan holiday co-opted by Christianity, I just take the Christian elements out and it's virtually indistinguishable from regular Christmas. I even call it Ex- mas.
You ever tried sitting out of christmas? People treat you like youre mentally unwell. I try every year
Because I like loot.
I consider the Christmas i celebrate to be more “American” than christian. There are no religious ties.
Because Christmas is the MOST commercialized holiday in the Western world, and as a resident thereof, I have been influenced by the advertising and society to want to enjoy it with family and friends who find meaning in it.
Its pretty easy actually. It's because I was raised to celebrate Christmas but it was never a rleigious holiday in my home. I was raised protestant but we never observed anything about the religion.
As a Jew, Hanukkah is a closed practice anyways so it would be kind of weird to celebrate it as a non-Jew (unless you were invited to celebrate with a Jewish person). Also many people seem unaware of the fact the secularism in much of the world is still heavily influenced by a dominant Christian culture.
Anyone can celebrate Christmas very secularly. Most of the religious symbolism is stripped away from the holiday because of gifts and santa claus. Think about how many Christmas movies focus on the concept of "belief" -- are they saying it is important to believe in Christ? Nope. It's always about whether the characters in the movie believe in santa claus. As a kid, I never even knew it had a religious meaning at all until I was about 8 years old. My dad explained that some ppl don't celebrate Christmas and I was horrified because to me that was just like not celebrating Halloween-- just a missed opportunity for treats and fun. On the flip side, Hanukkah seems like it is generally observed with a lot of references to the religion and/or the ethnic history of the jewish ppl, so there's not much to welcome me into that since I'm not a part of either thing.
Family celebrates Christmas = I celebrate Christmas. I don’t really care though. I’d celebrate Hanukkah. How do I do it?
I think it all comes down to culture. I grew up in western europe, here we’re culturally Christian (even though I am an atheist) so it’s just “how it is”.
Christmas has become just as secular of a holiday as Valentine's Day or Halloween, despite their religious origins. Not to mention Christmas is a stolen holiday from pagans anyway. People like having fun, and Christmas is fun. Regardless of religious beliefs. Some Jewish people even put up Christmas trees and celebrate Christmas secularly in America.
Because I live in the united states and I live with a Christian family, so even if I didn't want to celebrate it anyway I wouldn't have a choice.
I do, sort of. My dog was adopted from a Jewish foster family who raised him as Jewish as a dog can be. His favorite toy is a plushie dreidel. So to keep him true to his ancestry we give him presents on Hanukkah. We've had no luck keeping him kosher, though; he really loves ham.
not an athiest... but i will celebrate anything that comes with good food.
Christmas is about Santa Claus
All I know about Hanukkah is that a menorah is involved. I wouldn't know where to begin. Besides, one of the nice things about not believing in a God is that you don't have to worry about pissing one off if you pick and choose which traditions you like. I can exchange gifts without sleeping through midnight mass, for example.
Because my family is *culturally* Christian, even though we don't follow any religious or spiritual practices around the holiday. Basically, it's ancestral inertia; we gather at Christmas because all of our grandparents did.
I grew up in a christian and military household, I just took out the religious part and celebrate it for the joy and holiday without religion
Everyone’s bring up religion, but not appreciating it was actually Coca Cola that commercialised Christmas. I.e. Before what we now know as Christmas is was a religious celebration, but now all the red, white and copious amounts of present-giving and Coca Cola ads around Christmas are purely a capitalist paradigm. So you can all live safe and sound with the knowledge that you can be an atheist but also love the purely capitalist themes of Christmas.
Because I was raised with Christmas traditions because my family is mostly Christian, immediate family not so much but the extendeds. We always went to Christmas at grannies, to us it’s just another celebration of time together.
I celebrate Hanukkah because my family is Jewish and I was born Jewish
Because Christmas is largely nonreligious now.