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I posted this on a forum. I thought I'd stick it in here too. :-) (It may be somewhat scattered, but I'm not sure):
Re: Celebrating something they don't believe in...
See, here's the thing...
Christian Christmas and Secular "christmas" are two different things which, unfortunately for the Christians, fall on the same day.
It's sort of like Hallowe'en and Samhain for Wiccans.
Hallowe'en = tradition of getting dressed up in costumes, watching scary movies, eating enough candy to sink a battle-ship, lots of socializing, lots of pop-culture.
Samhain = Festival of the Blessed Dead. Candles for the Ancestors, Offerings to the Dead and to the Gods of Death and the Crossroads. Not necessarily group-oriented (although, of course, it can be). Much more serious, not much in the way of pop culture.
Secular "christmas" = Santa Clause, Lights, Social and Familial gatherings, presents, feasting, general "togetherness", a celebration of excess in the lean times of Winter.
Christian Christmas = Jesus being born, the Holy Family, the arrival of the Light of the World.
Like Hallowe'en and Samhain, Christmas and "christmas" have some very tenuous links (Death and possibly candles in the first case, light and family in the latter), but are really very unrelated.
Most people who celebrate Christmas (in NA anyway) are actually celebrating "christmas", right? So what they believe in isn't the stuff that goes along with Christmas, it's the stuff that goes along with "christmas". The family, the food, the light, the traditions.
Because they have different names, no-one questions people who celebrate Hallowe'en --> they're two different things. The different names are a big help in differentiating.
Because the Christian holy day and the secular winter holiday happen to go by the same name, even though they are two quite different celebrations, peope get them easily confused.
How can someone celebrate "christmas" if they are not Christian? Easy. "christmas", as opposed to Christmas, is not a Christian holiday. It's as secular as Festivus ever is. :-)
Re: Celebrating something they don't believe in...
See, here's the thing...
Christian Christmas and Secular "christmas" are two different things which, unfortunately for the Christians, fall on the same day.
It's sort of like Hallowe'en and Samhain for Wiccans.
Hallowe'en = tradition of getting dressed up in costumes, watching scary movies, eating enough candy to sink a battle-ship, lots of socializing, lots of pop-culture.
Samhain = Festival of the Blessed Dead. Candles for the Ancestors, Offerings to the Dead and to the Gods of Death and the Crossroads. Not necessarily group-oriented (although, of course, it can be). Much more serious, not much in the way of pop culture.
Secular "christmas" = Santa Clause, Lights, Social and Familial gatherings, presents, feasting, general "togetherness", a celebration of excess in the lean times of Winter.
Christian Christmas = Jesus being born, the Holy Family, the arrival of the Light of the World.
Like Hallowe'en and Samhain, Christmas and "christmas" have some very tenuous links (Death and possibly candles in the first case, light and family in the latter), but are really very unrelated.
Most people who celebrate Christmas (in NA anyway) are actually celebrating "christmas", right? So what they believe in isn't the stuff that goes along with Christmas, it's the stuff that goes along with "christmas". The family, the food, the light, the traditions.
Because they have different names, no-one questions people who celebrate Hallowe'en --> they're two different things. The different names are a big help in differentiating.
Because the Christian holy day and the secular winter holiday happen to go by the same name, even though they are two quite different celebrations, peope get them easily confused.
How can someone celebrate "christmas" if they are not Christian? Easy. "christmas", as opposed to Christmas, is not a Christian holiday. It's as secular as Festivus ever is. :-)