No matter what your beliefs....

[Crazy Dave]

Do many of you, as I do myself let your children, your students, your relatives children enjoy the Christmas holiday the way that they and their friends like to enjoy it? Without the politics, religion (and spending) that drive us nuts and into debt?
I miss the magic and the innocence and go along with whatever the kids want or like myself. Let them enjoy it now until they get our age or old enough to know better. Then you can tell them the fat guy in the red suit was their uncle Harry and that there is nothing that proves Christ was born on December 25th or even in the month of December.

Then onto the Easter Bunny LOL!

[KitchenWitch]

1. Right on!

I am not a Christian, but we do give modest gifts and eat a nice dinner for Christmas.

[bammertheblue]

10. Us too

when I was little it was more of a big deal, even though my family is not Christian. My parents never went overboard with presents, but we always got several nice things (and several things we found boring, like clothes) and had dinner either in a restaurant or at home.
I never believed in Santa Claus- my mom tells the story that the first Xmas I was old enough to understand I freaked out when I saw the stockings filled when they were empty the night before. She had to sit down with me and say "Mom bought these things for you". I was apparently afraid of Santa!

[BOSSHOG]

2. Welcome Dave

In this neck of the woods, we celebrate the pagan gods of Mardi Gras before the Easter Bunny. A ritual of hedonistic excess and alcohol abuse ending with the laying of the ashes on the foreheads of the true believers. Gotta love the Catholics amongst us.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. You get out what you put into it

I think. Some years I have done just the secular version and have enjoyed that, and then some years I have kept Advent and really been mindful and those were better Christmases for me, personally.

But I sure don't think there is anything wrong with your celebrating "Christmas" as you know it.

[Crazy Dave]

5. I love the holiday season myself.

Most of the time people are in better moods. Friends, coworkers, clients. I have a small family with no drunks to ruin everything. The best part for me is the extra time off to be with them.
Sadly though, even if coincidental, there always seems to be a death in the family during the holidays. I just lost an uncle due to sickness but I take it better than most of the family as I know death is a natural part of life. Didn't "Forest Gump's" mom say that?
Anyway, nothing seems to get me down except, my heart is feeling very heavy for the soldiers in harms way and their families, plus the victims of all the natural disasters this past year.
Other than that, all the kids are smiling and......behaving for a change. Sorry, I confess, I have been using Santa as blackmail but just a little LOL!

[DanCa]

4. I do allthough i wish they would attend mass at my church.

I just dont feel comfortable in a rw wing church and they cant fathom why.

[Crazy Dave]

7. My mom is as liberal as you can get.....

but she's a hispanic senior citizen (joke) and she goes to Catholic mass three times a week I believe. She's always trying to get me to go and I never, never, never argue the meaning of Christmas with "Momma" and her beliefs.

[DanCa]

8. Dave Welcome to DU

Mommas are tough mine grew up in Cicero in Chicago. I just wish there was someway I could respectively communicate to her why I feel so allienated at mass.

[MnFats]

6. we belong to a very liberal church. But everybody's welcome..

..at our table....we have a tradition of bringing 'new friends' who might be alone, to our dinner & gathering.
Hey, it's just nice in the depths of winter to get together with pals of every belief and background,I think. (welcome to du dave)

[Agnomen]

9. It's Festivus for the rest of us

[seabeyond]

11. right there with you. they will also have the xmas that is remembered

a lifetime. and will in turn give to their own children. yes, none of it comes into my childrens world, mine either for that matter. i can easy watch as the oreilly's throw their fits, adn still, still, .... it does not taint my peace and joy of the season.

and yes, the easter bunny, and tooth fairy too with angel dust under the pillows that track thru our house for a good month

[ninkasi]

12. Before I retired...

I worked in a large office, most of us were women, and all of us, by the time I left, had been there a long time. We were black, white, latina,several different faiths, a couple of lesbians, married, divorced, widowed, just a lot of different backgrounds. We solved the problem of holidays, ANY holidays, by celebrating with great enthusiasm whichever holiday rolled around. We had food, we had speeches, one Cinco de Mayo we had a great pair of dancers in traditional Mexican costumes...we celebrated Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Day, and for some of the Cajuns, we celebrated Bastille Day.

Whether it was a legal holiday or not, we celebrated whatever there was to celebrate, because we had known each other a long time, we loved to eat, and we loved any excuse to have a festive atmosphere. It was great. A few people who worked for the same company, but transferred in from other offices, couldn't believe the spirit of unity we had. I believe the secret is to respect other people's beliefs, and to join in the spirit of celebrating whatever life has to offer.

There are too many sad occasions, and too much trouble in the world, to add to it by arguing over how to CELEBRATE things. You do it by respecting it, and joining in, if possible. Personally, I enjoyed it, and thought it was great.