Why Do People Celebrate Christmas?

[Truthabounds]

Years ago it was because most people believed it was the birth of Jesus.
Nowadays a lot of people have become athiests and say they don't believe but still celebrate christmas. So many cultures don't accept christianity, yet still celebrate. So why have christmas?

[MarkRae]

I think you need to define more precisely what you mean by 'celebrate Christmas'...

[pdust]

the people i know who arent at all religious celebrate because its a time when everyone makes an effort to get together, eat, have fun, swap gifts,then get drunk, argue and ignore each other til the next christmas ;)

[rowanwitch]

I celebrate the turning of the year on the Solstice...and carry on.....

[MarkRae]

But that's the whole point, pdust! What you have described is a party, which you could hold any day of the year if you wanted to! Nothing to do with 'celebrating Christmas' per se...

[Old_Geezer]

One celebrates the local mid winter festival because life would be duller without something to enjoy over the cold dark winter months. Being off work and pigging out is as good and enjoyable thing to do as any in those sort of conditions.

[gness]

Many of our Christmas customs are pagan or pre-Christian. Those are the ones I celebrate.

[boxtops]

I have Muslim friends who still join in with the secular side of Christmas - they enjoy the conviviality, meeting family, sharing gifts.

[tonyav]

Well i have just celebrated breaking up from work until Jan 2nd, Yabadabadoo.

[mccfluff]

tradition, pressure from family/kids etc

its quite hard not to celebrate, well it's not but sometimes the relentless "awww" gets a tad annoying

[daffy654]

Christmas was originally the midwinter celebration of Pagans. The Christian church 'stole' it as their own celebration and claimed it to be the birthday of Jesus.

This information is easily found via a quick internet search.

[Old_Geezer]

PS it isn't obligatory if you want to ignore the period. You can often get paid more than the usual rate if you go in to work during holiday periods.

[pdust]

thats more or less what i was meaning mark

i know a few who do that too boxy, my inlaws are even putting a tree up this year ..they better not bah humbug me if they come round here!!!

[rowanwitch]

Hey I'm aufentik

[Bazile]

pdust - have you invited them ?

[daffy654]

http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm

[jd_1984]

I define it as the "Festive period" Festive meaning Merry, joyful, cheerful etc.... It is a chance to get together with family and friends and feel a sense of gratitude and belonging.

[pdust]

invite them for what?

[McMouse]

I believe that Jesus was a holy man and his birthday is commemorated at Christmas. I'm not sure I believe in God so therefore in my mind he is not the son of God. I like Christmas and have, over the years, been invited to join with people of non-Christian faith in their celebrations.

[AlwaysConfused]

I was raised as a Christian, and it was heavily emphasized that Christmas was to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas was a family day. We'd go to church in the morning, and were not allowed to open pressie's until after that. I still see Christmas as a family day, but find it an almighty pain in the ass. Being married, there are two families to please, each wants to see us on the 25th, but we cannot be everywhere at once!

I understand that other cultures do not practice christianity, but these cultures are living in our country should certainly accept Christianity and understand Christmas for what it is - religious day to some, and over-commercialized retail day to others

[jake-the-peg]

The true meaning of Chrismas is, as it alys has een a celebration of idwinte and 'turning the corner' to spring.

A time to spend time with friends andfamilly, to eat too much and drink too much and have a laugh.

Christians tried to comandeer it but were never truely sucessful

I had a conversation with a colleague who tried to tell me it was Christian "the clue is in the name"

I didn't ask him where the clue was in Easter.

Ironically there's a beter claim for Easter as although the name is pagan in Engish it is timed around passover to reflect the crucifixon story, which has a tad more credibility than the frank nonsense of the nativity which has more holes than a caulinder at clay pidgen shoot.

You can have your Easter - hands off our Yule!