The meaning of "Christmas"

[Barrister]

They also don't bring up punch lines like Kwanzaa or Yule or some other tradition that has about as much cultural relevance in the US as Boxing Day or Guy Fawkes Day.

I wonder why you guys don't celebrate Boxing Day.  It's not religious, or tied to anything particular to Britain.

[Valmy]

I don't go every year. I was invited by a friend to go this year, so I am.

Ok so this year you are celebrating Christmas.  As this weird cultural experiment or something.  I cannot wait to hear the outsider's perspective.

[merithyn]

Except there aren't.  There's just Christmas, which is celebrated in a myriad of different ways.

Yule
Winter Solstice
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
Sadeh
Diwali

(I went to a UU service, and these were the ones that they celebrated alongside Christmas, as at least one person in the congregation celebrated one of these.)

Diwali was over in mid November.  The fact that you have to mention the Zoroastrian holiday of Sadeh shows how far you are reaching on this one.

I have no doubt if you hunt hard enough you can find someone who celebrates Yule, but not Christmas, or a pagan Winter Solstice, or even the made-up holiday of Kwanzaa.  But this are fringe beyond fringe.  There really is just Christmas, with Hanukkah coming an incredibly distant second.

As I said, these were celebrated at a service at a UU church that I attended because there were those in the congregation that celebrated it. (My son is a member.) That they don't where you are doesn't mean that they don't anywhere.

[OttoVonBismarck]

They also don't bring up punch lines like Kwanzaa or Yule or some other tradition that has about as much cultural relevance in the US as Boxing Day or Guy Fawkes Day.

I wonder why you guys don't celebrate Boxing Day.  It's not religious, or tied to anything particular to Britain.

Right, I think Boxing Day is a good holiday actually, wish we did celebrate it. It'd fit in well with our joy of chaining holidays together and commercialism. I also would like it if Shrove / Fat Tuesday was celebrated here like it was in Britain and elsewhere, it's a nice precursor to Lent. But for whatever reason those just aren't cultural traditions in the US.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I'm sorry but all of those holidays are truly fringe in America.

[Admiral Yi]

Right, I think Boxing Day is a good holiday actually, wish we did celebrate it.

It's a day for the butlers and maids to have off.  What the hell would we do with that?

[OttoVonBismarck]

Probably the same thing we do on our national day of "thanks", eat til our stomach's burst and watch sports.

[Barrister]

Right, I think Boxing Day is a good holiday actually, wish we did celebrate it.

It's a day for the butlers and maids to have off.  What the hell would we do with that?

It means you don't have to get ready for work on the evening of the 25th.

Plus all the good sales.  Who doesn't enjoy a good sale?

For me it's usually a day to stay in your pajamas all day, eat leftovers, and play with all your Christmas goodies.

[merithyn]

Ok so this year you are celebrating Christmas.  As this weird cultural experiment or something.  I cannot wait to hear the outsider's perspective.

What the hell are you talking about? A friend invited me to go to a midnight mass with him because I mentioned that I missed it. As a recovering Catholic, I spent many years going to mignight mass, back when I believed in the whole Christ's nativity thing. I don't believe in it anymore - ergo, I don't celebrate Christmas - but I do still like some of the traditions surrounding that particular holiday. Much like I also enjoy some of the traditions of Neo-Pagans and those who celebrate the secular bits of the season.

You guys are completely missing my point, and I almost wonder if it's not deliberate. You're not addressing me or my opinion. Rather you're addressing some other complaint entirely.

I have no problem with the traditions surrounding the holidays this time of year. I have no issue with people wishing me a Merry Christmas or any other greeting that fits the timeframe. I have no issue with how other people celebrate the season. I do not, however, assume that everyone celebrates Christmas, so I don't say Merry Christmas unless I know it for a fact. I also do not consider what I celebrate as "Christmas", as I don't believe in the whole nativity thing. I don't force this on others. If they say Merry Christmas, I say thank you. (As I've said.) If given a gift, I do the same.

What I DO have a problem with is the overriding need to push that version of the winter holidays on EVERYONE rather than accepting that there are cultural and religious differences. I do not celebrate Christmas, though I celebrate a winter holiday. Telling me that because I celebrate a winter holiday that I then must be celebrating Christmas is silly to me.

[Neil]

Except there aren't.  There's just Christmas, which is celebrated in a myriad of different ways.

Yule
Winter Solstice
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
Sadeh
Diwali

(I went to a UU service, and these were the ones that they celebrated alongside Christmas, as at least one person in the congregation celebrated one of these.)

Diwali is in early November.  Ignorant racists are ignorant.
Nobody celebrates Sadeh.
Kwanzaa is just Christmas for racist black people.
Winter Solstice and Yule are both Christmas.

[lustindarkness]

I would like to wish you all a merry christmas. 

[Valmy]

Except there aren't.  There's just Christmas, which is celebrated in a myriad of different ways.

Yule
Winter Solstice
Hanukkah
Kwanzaa
Sadeh
Diwali

(I went to a UU service, and these were the ones that they celebrated alongside Christmas, as at least one person in the congregation celebrated one of these.)

Ok so you want to the this service where Christmas was being celebrated along with all these other things.  And you are not celebrating Christmas?  You have the 25th as a special day for you and Max.

What exactly are you celebrating by attending all these Christmas things and making the 25th special?  If went to two separate Synagogues before attending a Passover Seder it would be weird to insist I just didn't celebrate Passover.

[garbon]

I say it is a yearly excuse to be around family in southern California. A temporary reprieve from weather in the north east.

[garbon]

I'm sorry but all of those holidays are truly fringe in America.

I don't know. Diwali is at least one where you know that most of your offshore staff won't be working and you'll have to make other arrangements.

[Razgovory]

Otto's on fire! 

Indeed.