advice, christmasI’m torn on what to say - part of me is irritated that they assume that I am a Christian, so I want to reply “Happy Solstice” or “Happy Hanukkah” to them in return to make them realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas, but I realize that most of them are saying it in innocence and without an agenda and I don’t want to spoil their mood. Still, there are those that do have an agenda, i.e. pushing their stupid religion, and that really irritates me. So I usually end up saying “you too” or something inane like that. How do you handle it?
Personally, I reply with "Merry Christmas."
To me, Christmas is a secular holiday. To be offended by its religious root is, to me, an etymological fallacy. We still call the December "December" even though it's no longer the tenth month. Wednesday is a common term, in spite of its Norse pagan origins. Christmas is no different.
That approach has the bonus of being the least complicated to explain. You just celebrate Christmas differently than they do, that's all.
Yes, most (around 99,9%, I dare to say ;)) are not trying to oppress other beliefs or convert poor atheists by wishing them when they say “merry Christmas” (minimal dramatization here). As you said, don’t spoil their mood even if you don’t celebrate Christmas (by the way, my very areligious immediate family does celebrate Christmas, but as traditional holiday and an occasion for gift exchange etc., not as Jesus’s birthday). And that hypothetical one missionary… well, what are you worrying about? You wishing him a merry Christmas won’t hurt you and won’t win him anything. Ergo, replying “you too” or something similar is the best answer.
Don’t be a dick. Just say “Thank you!” and Merry Christmas back to them. All they’re doing is wishing you a good day. You can at least do the same. Being an atheist doesn’t require that you be an asshole to make your point.
I reply “Merry Christmas”. I worked in a Muslim country for a while, there I would reply “Eid Mubarak” (“Blessed Eid”) when someone would wish me a happy Eid (Eid is a Muslim holiday).
I find both equally unproblematic, along the lines of “happy anniversary” or “have a nice evening”.
“Thanks, you too.”
Especially the few days before Christmas if you’re in a store. Don’t screw with retail people. Most of the people I know are aware that I’m an atheist, so usually stores are the only places where someone would say it to me that wasn’t already aware that I’m not Christian.
Well, if there are Christmas coming, why should they not be marry for everyone, not only christians? Every wish is taken good by me and I answer the same to them. Marry Christmas, happy Ramadan, etc.
I reply in kind. It’s a time indicator of a capitalistic engine, far removed from it’s supposed roots and secularized to feed the new corporate institutions.
Personally, I think White Wine in the Sun described my spending time with family well, and how you should respond in kind with others, without the religious connotations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q
I say Happy Natalis Solis Invicti (or Sol Invicitus). Just because most people are too stupid or lazy to delve into trying to understand what that means—they just smile back and assume that “I don’t know what that guy just said, but it ain’t what the big complex with the pews is force-feeding me!”. Enjoy the obvious handshake between church and state, eh?
I usually reply back to them with a muffled voice something along the lines of “Hairy Business”. This sounds like “Merry Christmas”, but really, of course you are pointing out to them a couple of possible things:
This is works very well for crowds and people who are at a distance or heavily intoxicated, or even as a general greeting during the xmas period. Walk away smiling and watch as their faces display slight confusion as you smile in knowing what you really said.
Hairy Business everyone!!
I believe in Christmas, I dont believe in the story behind it. “Merry Christmas to you all”
"Merry Grav-mass!"
From Richard Stallman's site:
On December 25, Isaac Newton's birthday, we celebrate the existence of comprehensible physical laws. Remember, Gravitation is a well-established scientific theory, but Intelligent Falling is just religion pretending to be science.
One way to celebrate Grav-mass is to decorate a tree with apples and other fruits. Glue them or attach them, but not too well! The idea is that occasionally a fruit should fall. Put them on the tree no more than 2 feet up, so that they won't get damaged or hurt anybody when they fall. Investigating and perfecting the methods for doing this is a great way expose a child to the process of scientifically studying the behavior of the physical world.
Ditto, and happy Quanza, Winter Solstice, Festival of Lights, …
Happy Capitalism day! As it is the reason I enjoy the season. HA
Just reply with:
Merry Christ-_myth_
Easy way to convey your belief without particularly offending them. :)
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