I am curious ....

[Elohimschild]

I am seeing so much in the media about Christmas trees. I don't see the Christmas tree as a religious symbol, and so I would like to ask...How many atheists or non christians celebrate the holiday with a tree. Whether for decorative purposes, or Santa Clause? Thanks

 

[Helo]

We've had a Christmas tree every year, neither of my parents are religious but for some reason we celebrate Easter and Christmas.

Personally I dont care, free candy one month, free stuff the next, why complain?

 

[gwenmead]

Woo! First vote! <lol>

Yeah. I'm non-Christian, and we just put our tree up a couple of days ago. My family has put one up every year as long as I can remember.

Spouse and I celebrate Yule, and put up a tree as an extension of pagan practices from long ago. Fwiw.

 

[Tangnefedd]

Most non Christians I know have a Christmas tree, why not? Christmas is a festival, you don't have to be a Christian in order to celebrate it!

 

[Verv]

To add input -- most Korean Christians do not use Christmas trees. They usually have one at church, but to them it is still a pretty alien idea. Furthermore, Korean Christianity is mostly centered around large, urban areas and thus getting a literal Christmas tree and not a fake one is a challenge.

I think a lot of Christian Koreans view it as very neat and nice, but do not do it out of the size of their apartments and the likes.

Interestingly: Every Christmas the Koreans generally have large Christmas trees in public squares. In a nation that is half Buddhist, half Christian (with some others thrown in) they are more tolerant of the idea of a Christian celebration and publicly do it, as opposed to in nations made up primarilyof Christians who become overly conscious of minority rights.

Interestng!

 

[Moros]

Non-Christians have been using Christmas trees longer than Christians. Irony, eh? Don't forget they are pagan in origin. The Yahweh Demiurge hates them to the point where he condemns them in the OT:

Jer 10:2 Thus saith the Lord: Learn not according to the ways of the Gentiles: and be not afraid of the signs of heaven, which the heathens fear:
Jer 10:3 For the laws of the people are vain: for the works of the hand of the workman hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe.
Jer 10:4 He hath decked it with silver and gold: he hath put it together with nails and hammers, that it may not fall asunder.

 

[Spinrad]

And my real first name is Chris, too. It means nothing.

 

[katautumn]

My fiance and I have a tabletop "Holiday Tree". Since we are non-christians, we see no need to put the Christ in the holiday name, especially since it was stolen from the Pagans (Yule) to begin with. I try and refrain from telling people I'm not very familiar with "Merry Christmas". I did that one time and a Jewish man quickly corrected me. :o

I just figure, we're such a diverse planet now and Christmas is a more secular holiday these days anyway, so I don't see why it should be an issue for non-christians to put up a Christmas tree. If anything, with the tree's Pagan roots, I'm more suprised that Christians who decry Halloween put up a Christmas tree.

 

[crazyfingers]

Sure I have a christmas tree. My atheist dad and pantheist mom had a chirstmas tree when I was a little kid. I have one now.

Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity to me. It's about family and giving presents and having a holiday from the cares of the world. And it's also nice to recognize that the days are getting longer again (even though the coldest days of winter are yet to come).

 

[Lynden1000]

I don't have a Christmas tree or decorations or celebrate Christmas in any way, shape, or form, other than the fact that I'm given a day off of work. To me it's a day like any other day. I'd much rather give presents, or receive presents, out of the blue, when I'm not expecting them, than to be given an obligatory token gift on a specially designated day of the year.

That said, I don't care if others put up decorations. Some are kinda pretty.

 

[alimarea]

Neither my husband nor I are Christian and we both celebrate with our families for Christmas. It's not so much that we celebrate Christmas, but we celebrate the season.

So we do have a tree. We just don't put religious symbols on it at all.

 

[Eudaimonist]

I love Christmas trees. I love to put one up and decorate it at Christmas time. It brightens up the place.

However, I don't see how Christmas trees are an especially Christian symbol. Jesus was not nailed to a Christmas tree, and to my knowledge never even saw one his entire life.

If it makes you feel any better, I don't put up a manger scene.

 

[loriersea]

I'm Christian, and I don't have a Christmas tree. If we had a bigger apartment and no crazy little man running around, maybe we would, but I can take or leave Christmas decorations.

My husband, who is not Christian, is way more into Christmas-y stuff than I am. He loves carols and putting up stockings and lights and all of that stuff. I'm just not a very decorative person, at any time of the year, so I don't get into that.

 

[Jetgirl]

I finally got a Christmas tree again after being in itty-bitty apartments for the last five years.

It has the worlds shortest string of lights on it, but it's a live tree, and will be transplanted to a bigger pot on the balcony after the holidays.

I like Christmas, have celebrated it since I was a child. I don't have to believe it's real to enjoy it.

 

[shirono]

yeah well, everyone here does realize that Christmas trees were never a christian tradition, they came from a pagan holiday that fell around the same time of year. Soon the two holidays kinda merged together.

 

[Helo]

We havent put up a tree for the last couple of years because we have cats that like to get as high on the tree as they can....untill the high point on the tree comes crashing down onto the floor

 

[LouTheWicked]

I don't dictate wether we have a Christmas tree in our home, my Mum chooses it though I don't mind at all.

 

[Jetgirl]

We havent put up a tree for the last couple of years because we have cats that like to get as high on the tree as they can....untill the high point on the tree comes crashing down onto the floor

There is this one orange light on our tree that my cats have decided is actually a mouse in a very clever disguise.

I really hope Moonspell doesn't electrocute himself.... again....

 

[LittleNipper]

I am curious....

YELLOW

GEORGE

Sorry, I tried, but I could not resist....

 

[Chuck_Darwin]

Non-christian but I have had a christmas tree every year. It's a fun if over-hyped holiday. I have taken to wishing people a "Sol Invictus" this year. Just my personal attack on christmas....