To Gift and Receive or not

[Blade]

People who believe in the birth of Christ are celebrating Christmas tomorrow. Several years ago I had a friend who was a Jehovah Witness. She didn't celebrate Christmas and would not accept the gifts I had bought her for Christmas. I rewrapped the gifts and gave them to her for her birthday in January.
Had I known she didn't celebrate Christmas I wouldn't have tried to gift her.

My thoughts for this thread are if you are of a denomination that doesn't celebrate the birth of Christ or if you don't believe in God, Jesus etc how do you handle Christmas gifting and receiving? Do you accept gifts from other folks? Do you participate in Christmas functions of others? How do you handle Christmas with the children in your life, especially say if one parent believes and one doesn't? How do you explain to your kids why they have gifts at Mommy's but not a Mommy 2's/Daddy's? Or why Santa doesn't come to your house. What about if you are coupled with someone who celebrates Christmas and you don't?

So the question is how do people who don't beleve in religious celebrations, deal/cope with those in their lives who do? Or as someone who does celebrate are you sensitive to the beliefs/wishes of those you know who don't celebrate? How so?

[The_Lady_Snow]

I gotta be honest tomorrow equates to me how much loot can one person bring in from family, Santa and others. At least that is how I have experienced it here in the US. In Mexico tomorrow is a whole other kind of experience that had tradition, drinking, food, family and friends, sharing, neighbors stopping by, dancing, singing, Tio Lalo doing El Jarabe Tapatio. We did not attend mass, the only thing I remember that had anything to do with biblical content is my Abuelita would walk out with the baby Jesus and put him in the part of the Nativity scene and then she would do one of her ritual prayers (she was a witch) and then she'd talk to us about always having an open door policy, kindness to strangers, and how we could learn from the ugliness of how people did not help Mary and Joseph with a place to stay, she'd then spray some form of water on us, light candles and she'd rub oil on our winds.

Then the bunuelos, frijoles, tamales, chile rojo con carne de cabra, arroz and spiked Atole would come out and we'd be up for days it seemed from there till the New Year. I also remember for us because our Catholocism is and was cultural and mixed with Brujeria that our celebrations were distinct from others in the neighborhood. So now I just go to Holiday celebrations, enjoy, leave before any fuckery comes to play and stay the hell away from the commercialism this holiday represents.

I miss my Mexico family A LOT during these times.

[pajama]

Cool thread, as it is something I think of every holiday season.

I was raised Latin and Catholic. While I got lots of gifts (only child), for my Mom the holiday really was about Christ and we would go to mass and everything. My Dad on the other hand was a self-proclaimed agnostic, and I feel more Druid than anything. My Dad embraced the non-Christian spirit of giving to the less fortunate at the holidays, and well throughout the year. He always invited his AA friends and homeless folks to the house for Christmas dinner. So growing up I had a mix of the two. Plus it wasn't as overtly commercial then as now. Annnd in keeping with the Christ, I also always got gifts on the Epiphany, when the Kings presented their gifts to the Christ.

Now, as an atheist, I celebrate Christmas for the gifts and try to follow my father's example of good deeds to the needy throughout the year. I don't mind/get offended by folks that celebrate it as the birth of Christ. But most of my friends don't jump up-and-down and try to shove down my throat the concept of this being the birth of "our savior". For the rare that do, I politely point out why Christmas/Easter/most major Christian holidays are celebrated when they are celebrated.

I seldom say Merry Christmas, I most often say Happy Holidays.

As to my child....when he was little we did mass. He knows the Christian background of the holiday and my less conventional understanding of the holiday. He also knows my opinion of most religions, and that I do not embrace Jesus as the son of a god. We decorated a tree this year, but haven't in other years. He's neither here nor there about it. I try to encourage him to have the "Santa" spirit throughout the year as well. We usually do presents, or well I give him presents, apparently this year he couldn't be bothered. (But that's in another thread. LOL) We just hang out. Just another day off work/school for us.

Can't wait to hear how other blended families have handled it.

Happy Holidays!
A

[Andrea]

I am not Christian and my honey is Jewish. I enjoy watching others celebrate their version of the holidays, and happily receive any gifts and well wishes sent my way.

We light the menorah each Hanukkah evening as a way of showing our gratitude for all our blessings. We try to live the Christmas holiday spirit all year round by helping others in need, embracing others differences, etc.

However, I have been known to point out to Christmas celebrators that Christmas is not the only celebration this time of year and I find that many are not aware. What irritates me, but I bite my tongue, is the Christmas is enough, or the most celebrated, attitudes so it isn't necessary to acknowledge others by saying Happy Holidays. Grrrr!!!

I work for a state agency. We are celebrating 'holidays' with Christmas decorations and a 'holiday' sing-a-long comprised of all Christmas music. Santa wished me a Merry Christmas and I responded with Happy Hanukkah.

As usual in my household, the Christmas cards and birthday cards are on the mantel with the menorah. We will be attending a Christmas Eve lunch with friends today. My honey will make us a special shrimp and crab soup (extra sodium we don't usually ingest) and we will both call our families to wish them Happy Holidays in ways they celebrate.

Bottom line: I am always happy to celebrate and watch others celebrate. It is more important to me that I walk the talk of the season and I do notice when others do or don't.

[Gemme]

I celebrate the season because people are nicer to one another this time of year, for the most part. Sadly, it doesn't often carry over past the New Year's celebrations and then it's back to me/mine all the time.

For myself, I am most often heard saying Merry Happy Everything and most folks seem to like that. It gives them a pause and most will smile a little. I like that.