h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Are there any non-Christians, like myself, who feel uncomfortable about the idea of Christmas? When I worked in a hospital I, like many others , used to volunteer to work at Christmas so that some staff could have the time off. I was glad to escape from it. Anyone else?

I'm not a christian, but seeing as most christmas traditions aren't christan anyway I don't have much trouble getting involved.

Yeah, but wasn't the date for Christmas chosen because it was close to the pagan festival of the winter solstice?

Yup,n things like the tree the big meal and even the present giving i think , are all carried over from that.

So you could close your eyes and imagine that your with the Druids on Anglessey?

not exactly ..well unless you wanted to I guess

No, it's just that at times Christmas makes me feel a real outsider, almost like a stranger in my own country. It almost invites a ghetto mentality.

True..

Must admit, Christmas always makes me feel awkward.. I'm quite a devout non-Christian and I just can't bring myself to indulge in the materialism when it bears no spiritual meaning to me.

I was bought up Catholic, but have a Jewish side to the family as well, who did tend to get drowned out by all the rampant lapsed Catholicism. So we always did Christmas complete with midnight mass when staying with the Catholic side, and huge dinners and presents with whichever side. And we always had a tree. As I grew up, I lost all faith. But despite not believing in God, I still believe in family get-togethers, celebrating making it through another year, really big dinners, and a slightly woolly-minded hippy delight in the change of seasons and if I don't get to decorate a tree, I feel all deprived. And I still adore carols. Not because I believe in the words, but because they remind me of special familyness and being part of something bigger than myself. My family now is multiply divorced and scattered, and any (however illusory) feelings of togetherness and rejoicing are much appreciated. Especially when they come complete with the trappings of generations of tradition and other families all doing the same thing.

I'm an atheist, and I love Christmas. I love buying and giving presents to people, I love Christmas TV, tinsel and xmas trees.

I think that to a lot of people Christmas is a part of our culture rather than part of religion.

I think it's nice to have something to brighten up our yucky British winters, the lights and "Christmas cheer" counter the miserable weather, and the fact that it gets dark at 4pm!

Living in Britain (and I expect most of the Western world is the same) Christmas is a big thing that I was brought up with, and I don't see why I should feel awkward joining in with spreading a little cheer just because it is partly based on a religious festival that I don't believe in.

I may not believe in God, or that Christmas the birthday of God's son, but I do believe in giving presents, thinking of others, and being happy. It's just a shame we don't do that all year round!

Yes, but unfortunately I know people for whom I shop like a ctazy man for presents for their kids but use the fact that I'm not a Christian to totally ignore me at Christmas.

Yeah - what Syren said. Except the bit about all year round

I mean to have Crimble all year round - not the giving and loving bit

Its just an excuess to drink more than normal* and eat more than normal and go back to my Fathers for a couple of weeks My lodger baracades himself in the house, with a few crates of lots of and several bottles of wisky, till the pubs empty somewhat and he feels it is safe to attempt to go to a pub and get somewhere to sit without being surrounded by stupid shouty people though they seem to be an all year round thing in some pubs If I weren't going back to my dads at Christmas I'd probalby pretty-much ignore it

Well, christmas is older than christianity. It`s an old northern european festival, like easter, halloween and summer solstice. In Denmark we still call it yule. I do wish all that materialism and giving people presents just because you are supposed to would go away. But I do like the rest of it. The food, the candy, the tree, the decorations, the calendars, the nisse-hats, the mood.

The present giving idea is fine for children but is just a pointless exercise when it comes to adults. We spend a fortune buying things we can't afford and end up receiving things we don't like or need. The obvious conclusion is that we would do much better spending some money on ourselves and letting all other adults do the same.

I propose it be made illegal to give a Christmas present to anyone over the age of, say, 16 (with the possible - reluctant - exceptions of your own parents and spouse). Instead people should be encouraged to spend a reasonable amount - say one average week's income - on a gift for themselves.

This is clearly impossible to enforce so it needs to be built into the culture instead. If enough people take this up it could be considered the norm in a few years. I'll start this year; who's with me?

Look at the advantages:
The children will get better presents because there will be more money to spend on them,
Adults with extended families will not end up in debt for six months (or more) as a result of buying 28 cheap gifts which aren't really going to be appreciated,
People will be able to treat themselves to that present they really wanted without feeling guilty,
We won't end up with cupboards full of soap, talc and shower gel we will never use because we always buy our favourite brand in bulk.

What do you think?

F

Sounds like a perfectly good idea to me.

I like the gift-giving bit, it is far more enjoyable that the gift-getting bit. In fact I like the whole shebang - decorating the house and getting in the mood, having a mid-winter celebration, carols (although I prefer the not-very-christian-sounding ones) mince pies, mulled wine, wrapping the prezzies (I really love this, it is my favourite bit of the preparations by quite a long way) while guzzling baileys, and watching people open them and be pleased with what they got. I tend not to get presents for people I'm not going to see over the christmas period, and haven't bankrupted myself yet but then I don't have any kids to buy for. Got quite good at cheap but thoughtful presents when I was a student, they work well for adults.

Of course we always try to go on holiday in early december so I miss most of the TV sales hype, and don't mind every shop playing the same christmas jingles tape because I only hear it for a couple of days.

Ahhhhhh....

Think i'll go home and make a start on the christmas cake

I think the worst thing for me is the shopping - I'm agorophobic

Thank the goddess for credit cards and the internet

That and being dumped this time of year by someone who really loved Christmas probably means I shouldn't keen at all really