The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

We're talking vandalizing houses that don't have Christmas lights lit. Heck, we're talking about homeowners associations mandating lights.

Honestly, I haven't heard of either happening, but my house is lit.  Also, I don't live where there's a HA, because I don't like the idea of 'em.

Uh, question on the motive.  It could be politness to take a shift (especially if there is overtime pay) on a holiday that is one you don't celebrate to let others who do actively celebrate rather than an attempt to avoid Christmas.

Sometimes there's overtime pay, sometimes there isn't. (I don't think the NHS, at least the local trust, offers such.) It's still, in my book, a much better thing to do than take the holiday without celebrating it anyway.

<,<

You sure you realize just how crazy Americans are about Christmas? We're talking loudly berating service personel for wishing them "Happy holidays." We're talking vandalizing houses that don't have Christmas lights lit. Heck, we're talkong about homeowners associations mandating lights. We're talking carols played in all the stores a full month before the hols.

If things are that bad where you are... I'm glad we're all mad here, and am going to watch out for the Cheshire Cat.

I know Americans are crazier about Christmas (or maybe crazier, period), but those things... pics/news reports, or it didn't happen.

<,<

You sure you realize just how crazy Americans are about Christmas? We're talking loudly berating service personel for wishing them "Happy holidays." We're talking vandalizing houses that don't have Christmas lights lit. Heck, we're talkong about homeowners associations mandating lights. We're talking carols played in all the stores a full month before the hols.

If things are that bad where you are... I'm glad we're all mad here, and am going to watch out for the Cheshire Cat.

 
I think this kind of crazy might be more localized.  I live pretty firmly in the bible belt, and haven't heard of anyone getting their house vandalized for not decorating.  We haven't put up outside decorations...ever....and never had a problem.  As far as homeowners, sometimes I think they feel like they have more authority and will try to run over people who don't voice up.  Perhaps I'm just not in that monetary bracket.

- I feel the need to preface this with the notice that I have been drinking a bit of wine tonight. My post may not be entirely sensible or sense-making. Read with caution, or with your own wine.


Perhaps this is only because I live in predominantly assumed Christian/Christmas small town America. There's Christmas songs on the radio, the looming specter of Santa Claus everywhere, the assumptions to wish someone a Merry Christmas instead of the alternatives.

I LOVED Christmas. Some of my best childhood memories revolve around Santa. This holiday is a beloved big deal in my family. If it was just me to consider, I'd only do the Solstice. But I'd hate to give up Santa (what does he have to do with baby Jesus, anyways?) and Rudolph and the Grinch(!). Some of my best childhood memories revolve around Santa. I LOVED Christmas...but I loathe the implied religious/commercialism/American aspects of Christmas. The holiday season is only adding on to my reluctance to consider the possibility of ever having kids someday*.


I ask, with probable ignorance and utter sincerity: how does one get about in America, in 2014 and not celebrate Christmas?

To my Jewish friends, I ponder, how do you ignore everyone else's urges to put up your nativity set when you already have a holiday to celebrate?

To my friends who don't celebrate anything at all this time of year, how do you tune it all out?

To my friends of many, other faiths, and to those in similar situations, how do you manage?



*To be completely fair, I had long since ruled out any interest in having kids long before December. Okay, like maybe a 2% chance of adoption, but not likely. Still - if I were to ever even consider a fetus growth, there would be a stocking and Santa hat waiting for it.

I tend to celebrate Christmas for the cultural aspect of it. I know in America that's not the best reason to celebrate but when it comes to holidays, I tend to be kind of apathetic toward them. Not to mention, I don't believe Jesus was born on the 25th of December or close to it. Honestly I think it would be more appropriate to celebrate Jesus' birthday in the spring. I believe that's the season he was most likely born in.

Perhaps this is only because I live in predominantly assumed Christian/Christmas small town America. There's Christmas songs on the radio, the looming specter of Santa Claus everywhere, the assumptions to wish someone a Merry Christmas instead of the alternatives.
...

I ask, with probable ignorance and utter sincerity: how does one get about in America, in 2014 and not celebrate Christmas?

To my friends of many, other faiths, and to those in similar situations, how do you manage?

*To be completely fair, I had long since ruled out any interest in having kids long before December. Okay, like maybe a 2% chance of adoption, but not likely. Still - if I were to ever even consider a fetus growth, there would be a stocking and Santa hat waiting for it.

 
I know christmas is over but hey, it's coming again this year, right

You've received some great replies from people already, but I haven't celebrated it for almost 10 years (and Australia is very dominated by the christian holidays too) so I thought I'd chime in. Incidentally the last few years there's been a BIG push to bring in Halloween here too - the stores are literally selling 'halloween' to us as a holiday AND it's working - but totally off track there.

Admittedly I can be a bit of a grinch in that the commercialism around religious festivities bugs the crap out of me. I mean for gods sake - santa is set up in the shopping centre in October!! I kid you not. And the moment christmas stuff is put away they try to see us easter things.

Moving on, much of my family still get together for christmas though they have never done so religiously. It's still important to them in terms of 'getting together' but for me - I figure I can get together with them other times too. Their expectations of me have been lowered by the fact that I can't always travel so I don't think my not being there hurts as much as it would if they thought I just didn't want to celebrate.

Maybe you could continue to get together with them but tone down the actual celebration of christmas?

At that time of year there is always going to be decorations, music (jingle bells is so darn catchy too) and so on. I just try to live my life and not get hung up on it. Lights and decorations are pretty, I can enjoy seeing that, but I don't have to get drawn in. It's all a part of my world at that time of year, but not so much a part of my life (except when I get all grinchy which does happen occasionally).

I remember when I first stopped celebrating I focused on the other holidays that I was going to celebrate and that helped with the transition. But seriously, after a while, it becomes normal and you don't feel as though you're missing out and such.

If you do stop you may find some odd attitudes. I have been looked at as though I was a child abuser when people find out we don't celebrate christmas... I guess it's just difficult for some to understand that their culture might be different.

I ask, with probable ignorance and utter sincerity: how does one get about in America, in 2014 and not celebrate Christmas?

(...)

To my friends of many, other faiths, and to those in similar situations, how do you manage?

I don't know about America. In Sweden, Christmas is highly commercialised too, but since my brother and I both are childless, there are no expectations of grand Christmas gifts at family gatherings. Our parents are Agnostics, but they prefer to celebrate a sort of 'family Christmas' at the 24th and 25th of December, consisting of eight or nine meals during 48 hours together. It's hardly extravagant. We eat traditional dishes: Herring, kale et cetera.

Personally, I am fond of Jesus of Nazareth (and Orpheus, Zoroaster, Buddha, Laotsu and Confucius), an image of whom is placed in my lararium after the example of emperor Alexander Severus. The Divine Logos he is supposed to represent is probably the same being as Phanes Protogonus and the Intelligible Intellect mentioned by Proclus, although I have severe doubts about the correctness of the Chalcedonian definition.

- I feel the need to preface this with the notice that I have been drinking a bit of wine tonight. My post may not be entirely sensible or sense-making. Read with caution, or with your own wine.


Perhaps this is only because I live in predominantly assumed Christian/Christmas small town America. There's Christmas songs on the radio, the looming specter of Santa Claus everywhere, the assumptions to wish someone a Merry Christmas instead of the alternatives.

I LOVED Christmas. Some of my best childhood memories revolve around Santa. This holiday is a beloved big deal in my family. If it was just me to consider, I'd only do the Solstice. But I'd hate to give up Santa (what does he have to do with baby Jesus, anyways?) and Rudolph and the Grinch(!). Some of my best childhood memories revolve around Santa. I LOVED Christmas...but I loathe the implied religious/commercialism/American aspects of Christmas. The holiday season is only adding on to my reluctance to consider the possibility of ever having kids someday*.


I ask, with probable ignorance and utter sincerity: how does one get about in America, in 2014 and not celebrate Christmas?

To my Jewish friends, I ponder, how do you ignore everyone else's urges to put up your nativity set when you already have a holiday to celebrate?

To my friends who don't celebrate anything at all this time of year, how do you tune it all out?

To my friends of many, other faiths, and to those in similar situations, how do you manage?



*To be completely fair, I had long since ruled out any interest in having kids long before December. Okay, like maybe a 2% chance of adoption, but not likely. Still - if I were to ever even consider a fetus growth, there would be a stocking and Santa hat waiting for it.

 
I do Yule over 12 Days one of which would be Christmas. We don't do anything Christian, we do gifts on Christmas Eve, we may have family meal with my siblings if one is having them. We don't do carols or Santa. Not sure if that counts as not doing Christmas or not. We all have the day off so it tends to get used for the holiday since we all work the other days. My cards and ornaments are all Yule focused.

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I ask, with probable ignorance and utter sincerity: how does one get about in America, in 2014 and not celebrate Christmas?

 
Can I be honest and say - I don't know. I pondered the same thing last year when I was wondering how I could fit in Yule and Christmas together, especially living in a house with a 5 year old who absolutely believes in Santa and loves watching the old claymation Rudolph movies (those are my favorite). And am already thinking about it for this year.

As someone who is only starting to actively practice now, this is really a thing I am trying to conquer and find a way to make the two work in harmony. I don't believe in the religious aspect on Christmas. But Christmas being so commercialized - my son sure believes in it (having a split family with a christian father doesn't help).

So we do still celebrate Christmas. But I want to celebrate Yule and also not ruin Christmas for my beloved 5 year old.  If I find the answer this year - I will let you know. I think the game plan for this year is too blend the two holidays together, that way both me and my child win.

On another note - Christmas to me in a cultural thing more than a religious thing. So it isn't necessarily a bad thing to keep celebrating.