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Throughout the world, people of all faiths openly and unabashedly celebrate both the ambiance and the festiveness of the holidays.
While Christmas is generally considered a Christian holiday, the commercialization of the event has certainly caused many to feel there is nothing Christian about this time of year. Perception plays a fairly large role in how one chooses to recognize any holiday, however (at least in this writer's opinion), attitude plays an even larger part in how well we respect and honor the traditions and beliefs of others.
Most "true" [insert religion of choice here] folks are secure enough in their faith or system of beliefs that they find no desire to monopolize on any day of the year that is celebrated as a religious holiday. They understand that the histories are muddled, the cultures are mingled, and many of the traditions have been "borrowed" from other religions and/or cultures. And that's perfectly okay. There's no need to make a point... about anything.
The holiday season, whether Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or National Noodle Day (yes, it exists), is about spending time with family and friends and one need not share any specific faith or understanding of that faith in order to do so. If anything, many of us enjoy the diversity of how different cultures and religions celebrate and glean much from the education we've received.
As an Atheist, I spend every holiday, Christian or otherwise, with my family because I love, respect, and honor them. While I do not share their beliefs, I do share their love and devotion. The holidays are important to them and spending time with them, is important to me. I choose not to be the one later in life, looking at photos of family gatherings, sans me, because I was too hard-headed and anti-Christian to put my differences aside and spend that precious time with them. And to be very honest, I covet and enjoy that time.
I may not celebrate Christmas or any other "Christian" holiday as an individual, but the time with my family is priceless, precious, and irreplaceable and watching my children, my grandchildren, my elderly parents-in-law, my husband, my friends, family, and the people around me is more than enough reason for me to be happy and enjoy the holiday season.
When I am able, I attend First Congregational United Church of Christ in Topeka, Kansas at both Christmas and throughout the year. I enjoy the German Christmas service that's presented; the music is amazingly beautiful, the congregants are more than welcoming, the food is delicious, but more than anything, the fellowship (yes, Atheists do "fellowship") is worth more than money could ever buy... even at Christmas.
So when others greet me with "Merry Christmas!" I return the greeting in kind. Just as I do if I'm met with "Happy Holidays!" or any other festive greeting. The spirit of the season is much more important to me than being religiously or politically correct or attempting to explain to someone that I do not share their faith nor do I celebrate their holiday.
So give a little. Peace on earth, goodwill to men, all that happy stuff the holidays are supposed to be about. Does it really matter that I don't share someone else's faith? Does that give me an open door to be rude or inconsiderate? No. But that's just me. I choose to be kind, considerate, respectful, and embracing.
Yes Virginia, some of us Atheists do celebrate Christmas. Some of us do go to church when invited, and some of us do bow our heads out of respect when others pray.
