Christmas Presents
Offline I wasn't sure exactly where to post this, so if someone feels it should be moved, please do.
I was curious if, like me, any of you have family or friends for whom for one reason or another you feel obligated to buy (a) Christmas (holiday) present(s). As I said elsewhere, I choose not to rock my mom's baby Jesus manger. For her, the idea that I won't be joining her in heaven would be devastating, and I just feel no reason to broach the subject. There's no chance of changing her mind, so I just feel it'd be unnecessarily cruel. So I go out and dutifully do the Christmas thing. I agree with Dawkins that religion gets way more "respect" than it deserves, but this isn't a political debate, it's my mom. It's HER I'm respecting, not her religious beliefs. And to be fair, we don't sit around and talk about Jesus the whole time, mostly we just have a nice dinner and hang out and have fun. Usually I can avoid having to go to church with her. [She's going to TWO services this year, at two different churches. 
]
I feel a little guilty, though, because while having to go out into those arctic winds and shop for presents feels increasingly like a horrible chore, I'll have to admit that I do like GETTING presents...and I guess giving somebody something nice they will enjoy is nice, too. I'm not that selfish. I have no problem doing it any other random day of the year, and I often do for my friends.
Does anyone else feel duty-bound? Do you keep your mouth shut or complain about the fakery for two days straight and get on everyone's nerves? Do you bring presents for people? Do you secretly enjoy receiving Christmas presents? Do you refuse to accept any?
I'm just curious how people on here deal with this thing.
On another note, the radios in my apartment building's elevators are tuned to Light FM, which I think is 106.7 here in NYC? Could be wrong. From literally like a week before Thanksgiving until probably New Year's, this station plays NOTHING--I mean NOTHING--but Christmas carols, wintery songs, or songs somehow related to Christmas. Every possibly version by every imaginable artist all day and night non-stop without end. And half of these songs are popular BECAUSE hearing a mere snippet of them gets them irretrievably stuck in your brain for the next three hours. It's driving me INSANE!
Ryan
- Login to post comments
My family and everybody in it knows where I stand. I have no problems telling anybody about my Atheism and anti-theism, even during the holidays, shit, it's even better then. But I do enjoy giving and receiving gifts and do so based on family tradition and the fact that I love my family and enjoy being together. Plus the food...man..the food!
I tend to exchange gifts. While the commercial and religious aspects can burn, the rest of the holiday is social.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
What Vastet said. I view it as a secular holiday nowadays. Plus my children/husband are still christian.
I view it as a good excuse to get together with family and do presents, though we go light on the presents because I'm just not a big fan of big gift giving things anyway, I prefer presents spaced through the year when I see something I want to buy for someone.
"Shepherd Book once said to me, 'If you can't do something smart, do something right.'" - Jayne
Personally subverting biological evolution in favor of social evolution every night I go to work!
I have the advantage of having a birthday a short time before this holiday. So I get a gift to the people who got me a birthday gift. This year it's my husband, my boyfriend, my dad, and my friend from college.
Liberate your mind. Fuck religion.
Yes a lot of us have to put up with theists for the winter solstice thinggy. It's a family thing and we can't really choose our relatives. My siblings are from a catholic background but really do no more then pay lip service to religion at christmas and easter. The six of them still live in central Maine so I rarely get with them for the holidays. However when it does happen - - if someone gets too religious in their conversations I quickly remind them how little they bother with religion the rest of the year at which point they get secular again.
Big sister is 60 and baby brother is 48 so I've known these people for a long time, the in-laws however include a few religios who seem to avoid me like the plague but have a childish facination with my wife. She of the Hindu background from Guyana. I get a laugh from the puzzled looks on the religios faces when Kamalawattie explains what christmas is all about. "It's not religious, it's for everyone!!" "Santas not religion he just for the kids like Mother Goose" "Oh Jim what is this christ child they talk about?" {ANS.-in loud operatic baratone-- "Just a fairy tale dearest, some people think its real; just humer them!"
I spent last Saturday & Sunday playing Santa at two charity events in Guyana, I was handing out gifts to children with names like Persaud, Ali, Hussaini, Singh, Bacchus and Mohammad, there just aren't that meny christians in that area of Guyana. I loved it in spite of 85 degree heat and there was no religion involved.
Another way to keep religious talk at a minnimum is to keep relating stories about what you went through at the malls to get just the right gift for junior or little miss, people seem to enjoy exchanging war stories of gift buying. And don't forget to bring up all the bills you expect in January.
Enjoy the holidays and irritate as meny theists as possible with the true spirit of christmas "Spend, spend,spend,.....Pay, pay pay."
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
Oh, no. I pay cash for everything: me + credit card = DANGER.
The exchanging of gifts and meeting with family is fine. It is a traditional thing and you don't have to make it about religion, even if it started that way (maybe).
I also go light on presents, and I don't care if I don't receive them myself. Partly because I think it is mainly commercial and a waste. Why spend lots of money and time buying gifts for those you hardly know and in return receive gifts you don't want? Also in this day and age if there is something inexpensive that you really want you just get it yourself, we are quite spoilt.
I am happy enough to meet with people and share a meal.
Zen-atheist wielding Occam's katana.
Jesus said, "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division." - Luke 12:51