A close friend who knew I was no longer in the God believing business asked me how I ought to be greeted this holiday season. The term “Atheistmas” was suggested and I actually found it hilarious (unfortunately as it turns out it has already been coined before and some people do actually celebrate it).
What's even funnier though is that some people who know I’m an atheist assume I shouldn’t be bothered with gifts during the holidays. They think its cheating or something since belief in the reason for the season is apparently a prerequisite. Allow me to clarify that just because I don’t believe in God it doesn’t follow I don’t believe in getting gifts. I believe in gifts, I can easily prove it exists! Especially if you give me one, hehehe.
But there are a lot of things I don’t get about this holiday actually. Like what is the entire logic behind exchange gifts, especially the ones that come with a suggested list of preferred gifts to be exchanged with (yeah, take a moment to actually think about how stupid that is)? Like why the heck do we really have to stay up late until twelve midnight just so that we can stuff ourselves silly with a Noche Buena meal? And why do people think going house to house late at night singing ill rehearsed Christmas carols is supposed to be entertaining enough for me to shell out money for?
And then there are the ones that tie in with religion. I don’t get how some theists can believe that by completing all the Simbang Gabi (Holiday Night Masses), God will grant them a wish. Boy, Aladdin had it so much easier huh? And what if after completing all the series of masses God doesn’t grant your wish, what then? You see, at least at Starbucks they give you a planner for collecting all the coffee stickers they suckered you into buying during the holidays.
And I find it ironic that there are in fact theists out there that do acknowledge that what is being celebrated is indeed a pagan holiday. Telling other christians that there is no truth to Jesus being born on the 25th of December. Totally missing the reality that there is more truth to what they think is being “falsely celebrated”. What's supposedly important is that a savior was born, regardless of the date.
Most people will argue the holiday is for the kids. Being a parent myself, I would lean towards agreeing. But why dilute the supposed spirit of Christmas with a fat bearded man in a red suit situated in a remote part of the north pole that rewards children based on annual behavioral track record? (Wow, I just realized how much similarities there are between Jesus and Santa Claus).
People ask me if I raised my daughter to believe in Santa, which I think is a pretty silly thing to ask an atheist, but I politely tell them no. I’m not about to raise my 8 year old believing in a lie, even if it’s for the fun of it. For one thing, she’s too smart for that. And I don’t think I am robbing her of her childhood by telling her Santa is not real. I think I am actually contributing more to it.
But in spite everything I’ve said so far, I do celebrate “xmas” (I prefer writing the word that way). Not probably the way you do, but I do recognize it as a holiday. Because I think after all the excessive consumerism that comes with it, it has actually evolved to be a secular holiday. Even for most people who believe in God, it has little (if not absolutely nothing) to do with religion anymore.
Personally for me this holiday is about giving gifts to people I care about, being with friends and family, being tolerant of the delusional, enjoying the nice cool weather and most importantly thanking the cosmos for the series of events that caused me and my loved ones to be in existence to enjoy this wonderful singular chance at life!
So to all you scrooges and heretics, Happy Holidays! I accept gifts until early next year!
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