i've been thinking-what do the rabid atheists among us do for the Holidays?

do they sit at home and mope? do they gripe about everything being closed? do they give their boss back their Christmas bonus and/or Holiday pay?

inquiring minds want to know!

I go home and enjoy a nice Christmas with my family. I used to refuse to participate in the gift giving and receiving part, until I realized it made others happy to give me stuff, even if I don't give anything back in return. My gift to them is going back home to see them every year. My mom recently started going to church a whole lot though, I hope I don't have to upset her by refusing to go to church with her, again. I don't give any bonuses I get back, why mess with free money?

We celebrate the holiday just the same way you do, except we don't go to church.

Christmas is always centered around my daughters. They spend Christmas Eve with their dad and his family then I have them Christmas Day. We usually get together with my moms family and my siblings and all our kids.
This year I'll be spending it with Mike instead.

I sit at home laughing victoriously at how Christians will all burn in hell for celebrating a devil worshipping Pagan festival year on year.

I sit at home laughing victoriously at how Christians will all burn in hell for celebrating a devil worshipping Pagan festival year on year.

LOL...gotta love those Pagan festivals... ;)

:hula: :drinktoth :woohoo:

We celebrate the holiday just the same way you do, except we don't go to church.
Yup. Dinner with family and present-opening all around.

i've been thinking-what do the rabid atheists among us do for the Holidays?

I just go along with those in my family who worship their imaginary friend.

I give gifts and get gifts.......I drink egg nog......I eat family dinners along with the rest of them.......although I do not do it in celebration of the supposed "birth" of a supernatural being that never existed.

I do not complain, except to express to my wife in private that I find it all very boring and sad. She still puts up a Xmas tree. Every year. I do not pay much attention to it, although I do get it down from the attic {under duress :)} and help her put it up.....but I'm sure she sees me rolling my eyes sometimes at how preposterous I find it all.

We --my wife and I-- never argue religion. She demands that I not tell her why it makes no sense. She says that the things I point out about religion --about how illogical it all is-- makes her uncomfortable, and that she just prefers to keep it in the back of her mind and not dwell on it too much. (a very wise policy on her part, IMO. I wish sometimes that I had never looked behind the curtain and saw what a fucking ridiculous farce it all is)

do they sit at home and mope?

No. Although I doubt that anyone can possibly imagine just how unfair it is to have to --year after year after year-- forever go along with what everyone else "believes" and with the nonsensical talk of "Jesus' birth" and all the silliness of "the Christmas Season" with its accompanying hyper-commercialism and shallowness and crassness.

I spend most nights in December building wooden toys and custom wooden ink pens (I am a penturner) as gifts for my relatives and friends.

Hope that satiates your curiosity.

I spend most nights in December building wooden toys and custom wooden ink pens (I am a penturner) as gifts for my relatives and friends.
I find that very admirable, FT. Matter of fact, I'd be very interested in taking a look at some of your creations if you have the time to take pictures and post them here. :)

I don't qualify to comment on "how I spend Christmas", but here is my take on the holiday.

I myself, truly enjoy most all parts of the Christmas season. Sure, I can do without all the advertisements and commercialism surrounding this time of year, but it's the non-commercialized things that mean the most.

First and foremost - family. This will be the first year since 2004 that my son will be home for the holidays. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed this time with my immediate family until we were separated. This year will be one to cherish for me.

My extended family will meet several times during this season to eat, talk, say "Merry Christmas" and exchange gifts. I must be getting truly old, for I take much more pleasure in giving than receiving presents. The giving of presents brings many things to mind, like the way the little ones eyes "light up" and the "moist eyes" of the elder folks (I didn't understand this until a few years ago... when I started "missing" those that were no longer with us and being thankful for those that still are).

We don't expend wads of money on each other either, many presents we give are either made ourselves or picked up in odd places during travels throughout the year (and including Ebay for me... great "odd" stuff to be found!).

Secondly - Community. I guess this is where religion plays the greatest part of the season for me. I enjoy the Christmas eve candlelight service at the small church we attend (my wife constantly, myself more sporadically). There seems to be a more reverent mood. While I generally see my faith in everyday things and not organized gatherings, I always feel good about this service... I really don't know exactly why.

Lastly - Work. I'm a manager and I often stay caught up in the "quality, service, cost" scenario. The holidays, for whatever reason, usually lets me catch my breath and actually thank the people that provide my family its living. I know I should say it more often than once a year (and I do... just not enough), Christmas makes me my heart a bit bigger and my ability to express thankfulness a bit bolder (OK... no grinch jokes guys/gals... my heart is bigger than a peanut... more like a pecan or walnut :D).

FT, while I may not share your thoughts on religion, the respect you give your wife's thoughts and beliefs garners great respect and admiration from me. It is an easy thing to speak your mind to those you love, it is much harder to bite your tongue on their behalf.

PS: FT.... I agree with Borg, I would like to see the pens you make... that is a interesting and unique gift (and skill).

*OK, so ends this long and rambling post*

Christmas is always centered around my daughters. They spend Christmas Eve with their dad and his family then I have them Christmas Day. We usually get together with my moms family and my siblings and all our kids.
This year I'll be spending it with Mike instead.


send me his playstation

like the oldphart typed!

it's about family .. and if you have to bribe them with crappy material things to get them to show up ... well i say F 'em ... but 'd probably get them something anyway

I wish sometimes that I had never looked behind the curtain and saw what a fucking ridiculous farce it all is

I'm on the other side the curtain looking out. I think part of me is searching for it to be true, but in my heart I find it hard to believe in this god they talk about, one born of a virgin birth *WTF?* and who's blood washes away mankind sin.

There are points of religion I look at in hopes of truth but my doubts are high.

I have spent many christmas' on many different paths. Some alone, some drunk or high, some longing for a family connection during that time.

It's been material for me since Sammy, I'm guilty of spoiling him during the season. I wanted to give him alot of what I never had.
In my older years I am realizing much like OP, it is about family and love of the ones close to you.
Many of you know, my daddy was never there for me, and abusive when he was there. Patterns repeat themselfs and I have found myself sitting in the same boat with my EX husband, beaten and battered until I found the strength or was saved by an angel, however you look at it, and removed from that situation.

I will be spending this year with my momma and daddy, Aj, Sam and a few close others.
I've spoken with my father who has told me his has been copying many pics and documents of his life onto an external hard drive and will be bringing it for me for christmas. I will know any and everything I ever wanted to know about him.

I am so thrilled!! I've waited 35 freakin' years to know who he is and what his life is about. I broke down when he told me his plans.
I have made a few dvd's and vidoes of mine and Sammys life for him and momma. It should be one hellova christmas this year. :eek:

I just go along with those in my family who worship their imaginary friend.

I give gifts and get gifts.......I drink egg nog......I eat family dinners along with the rest of them.......although I do not do it in celebration of the supposed "birth" of a supernatural being that never existed.

I do not complain, except to express to my wife in private that I find it all very boring and sad. She still puts up a Xmas tree. Every year. I do not pay much attention to it, although I do get it down from the attic {under duress :)} and help her put it up.....but I'm sure she sees me rolling my eyes sometimes at how preposterous I find it all.

We --my wife and I-- never argue religion. She demands that I not tell her why it makes no sense. She says that the things I point out about religion --about how illogical it all is-- makes her uncomfortable, and that she just prefers to keep it in the back of her mind and not dwell on it too much. (a very wise policy on her part, IMO. I wish sometimes that I had never looked behind the curtain and saw what a fucking ridiculous farce it all is)

Thats what the holiday is all about to me now. Being around family, enjoying their company. Just basically chillin for one day of the year and allowing nothing to compromise that time. For me, with business demanding so much of my time, I have very little time throughout the year for this.

I no longer celebrate the "christ" side of christmas, but i love the idea behind it of being good to your fellow man/woman.





No. Although I doubt that anyone can possibly imagine just how unfair it is to have to --year after year after year-- forever go along with what everyone else "believes" and with the nonsensical talk of "Jesus' birth" and all the silliness of "the Christmas Season" with its accompanying hyper-commercialism and shallowness and crassness.

I spend most nights in December building wooden toys and custom wooden ink pens (I am a penturner) as gifts for my relatives and friends.

Hope that satiates your curiosity.I dont think its unfair at all. You choose to "forever go along with what everyone else "believes". You're not a martyr for participating in your family's happiness. In fact, i think that statement is pretty selfish on your part.

Well, cut my legs off and call me shorty... FT really does have a heart in there someplace! I'm impressed and relieved, FT. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of you as a human being and not just you as a spokesperson for 'the other side.'

Only when my mom passed away 3 years ago did I realize what an important role she played in my family's holiday celebrations. Nothing's been the same without her... and undoubtedly never will. We still go thru the motions (dinner, presents, enjoying each other's company), but for ME, Christmas lost it's 'magic' when I lost my mom. If it weren't for the children in the family, I'd probably just say to heck with it and take a trip... something I NEVER imagined doing until now.

Ho Ho Ho and pass the eggnog.

;)
SMW

Well, cut my legs off and call me shorty... FT really does have a heart in there someplace! I'm impressed and relieved, FT. Thanks for giving us a glimpse of you as a human being and not just you as a spokesperson for 'the other side.'

Only when my mom passed away 3 years ago did I realize what an important role she played in my family's holiday celebrations. Nothing's been the same without her... and undoubtedly never will. We still go thru the motions (dinner, presents, enjoying each other's company), but for ME, Christmas lost it's 'magic' when I lost my mom. If it weren't for the children in the family, I'd probably just say to heck with it and take a trip... something I NEVER imagined doing until now.

Ho Ho Ho and pass the eggnog.

;)
SMW


You never took a trip?

You never took a trip?

Not at Christmas! Always wondered how those people who took off to Aspen... or Vegas got away with foregoing all the family stuff in exchange for having a good time!

Well, you know what I mean.

Guess trips are not anything new for you, eh? Will you be coming HOME for Christmas?

Not at Christmas! Always wondered how those people who took off to Aspen... or Vegas got away with foregoing all the family stuff in exchange for having a good time!

Well, you know what I mean.

Guess trips are not anything new for you, eh? Will you be coming HOME for Christmas?


No trips are nothing new for me - beats sitting in an office all day. I am in China right now until the 8th.

No trips are nothing new for me - beats sitting in an office all day. I am in China right now until the 8th.
Heck...China beats where I'll be spending Christmas this year.:mad:

Heck...China beats where I'll be spending Christmas this year.:mad:
:eek: you're right there! find a flight (more likely 2 flights-i doubt there's a direct one) and go hang with the pilgrims!

At Christmass my favourite thing is watchen the kids faces when opening their stuff,

especially the two younger ones,they still lite up the room-for another year or so.

I like to bring them to the church to see the crib and mainger on display,as I done it myself when I was their age.

I go see my parents in the graveyard,about two hours drive away,not sure why,feel sad on the way home.

And every year without thinking about it-kids in Africa come to mind.

I just go along with those in my family who worship their imaginary friend.

I give gifts and get gifts.......I drink egg nog......I eat family dinners along with the rest of them.......although I do not do it in celebration of the supposed "birth" of a supernatural being that never existed.

I do not complain, except to express to my wife in private that I find it all very boring and sad. She still puts up a Xmas tree. Every year. I do not pay much attention to it, although I do get it down from the attic {under duress :)} and help her put it up.....but I'm sure she sees me rolling my eyes sometimes at how preposterous I find it all.

We --my wife and I-- never argue religion. She demands that I not tell her why it makes no sense. She says that the things I point out about religion --about how illogical it all is-- makes her uncomfortable, and that she just prefers to keep it in the back of her mind and not dwell on it too much. (a very wise policy on her part, IMO. I wish sometimes that I had never looked behind the curtain and saw what a fucking ridiculous farce it all is)



No. Although I doubt that anyone can possibly imagine just how unfair it is to have to --year after year after year-- forever go along with what everyone else "believes" and with the nonsensical talk of "Jesus' birth" and all the silliness of "the Christmas Season" with its accompanying hyper-commercialism and shallowness and crassness.

I spend most nights in December building wooden toys and custom wooden ink pens (I am a penturner) as gifts for my relatives and friends.

Hope that satiates your curiosity.

that was exctly the type of answer i was praying for :)

(praying in the legal sense, not the church sense :thumbs: )

i'm honestly relieved that you don't get yourself worked into a frenzy that some others do this time of year..eggnog, who'd have thought? rum, whiskey, brandy or plain?http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/images/smilies/rudolf.gif

This is before FT writes his Christmass (Bush Family Xmass)

To be posted on the 26th :)

send me his playstation
i don't have a Playstation-i have an Xbox 360..i win!

We traveled once for Xmas. It was depressing. I wanted to be home.

We also ate out then, for Xmas dinner. That was REALLY depressing. Even the worst kind of home cooking, like my mom used to cook , is always better than eating out on a holiday.

I felt sorry for the people who had to work that day in the restaurant too. What a bunch of Scrooges the owners were.

I celebrate it like it's a winter festival, which was how it was before Christianity anyway.

Wow, after reading this I realized that every put down Freethinker has laid down on christians and christianity he was calling his wife all of those things too. Now that is pretty bad. Almost as bad as the time we found out Dop built war planes for a living yet rallied agaisnt bombing civilians.

We traveled once for Xmas. It was depressing. I wanted to be home.

We also ate out then, for Xmas dinner. That was REALLY depressing. Even the worst kind of home cooking, like my mom used to cook , is always better than eating out on a holiday.

I felt sorry for the people who had to work that day in the restaurant too. What a bunch of Scrooges the owners were.
i worked at a restaurant with a large fiberglass male holding up a huge burger that shall not be named when i was in HS...they asked for volunteers to work Thanksgiving and i thought they were giving away $100 bills from the frenzy!

OT is nice, but that's just not worth it!

We celebrate the holiday just the same way you do, except we don't go to church.

Same.
Christmas isn't a religious holiday originally anyway, and very little of it today is either. So remove the religious part, and almost everything else is still there :)

There has been big discussions in UK and IRL this week about Christmass.

And those bullshit words 'political correctness'.

In IRL the Catholic Church had to drop the word 'crib' from a TV ad they
wanted to run,because the state broadcaster RTE, didnt want to offend
non-christians.

In UK-some London Borough Council-Lambeth I think, done the same,even tho,NO non christian religious grouping complained.

Christmas is a christian festival-end of.

This part of the world has gone mad.

There has been big discussions in UK and IRL this week about Christmass.

And those bullshit words 'political correctness'.

In IRL the Catholic Church had to drop the word 'crib' from a TV ad they
wanted to run,because the state broadcaster RTE, didnt want to offend
non-christians.

In UK-some London Borough Council-Lambeth I think, done the same,even tho,NO non christian religious grouping complained.

Christmas is a christian festival-end of.

This part of the world has gone mad.
it's the Catholic Church what would they expect?:@@:

Wow, after reading this I realized that every put down Freethinker has laid down on christians and christianity he was calling his wife all of those things too. Now that is pretty bad. Almost as bad as the time we found out Dop built war planes for a living yet rallied agaisnt bombing civilians.

Are we talking about the same Dop that met aliens in CA,and had them show him how to park in the good "secret" spots at the in and out burger?

Are we talking about the same Dop that met aliens in CA,and had them show him how to park in the good "secret" spots at the in and out burger?

and by aliens I mean the green kind not the brown.

Are we talking about the same Dop that met aliens in CA,and had them show him how to park in the good "secret" spots at the in and out burger?
Ya. That's the one!

i saw this in a store, and i couldn't help but think of you- http://www.mcphee.com/items/11537.html

sure it's not as practical as Pope on a rope, but still it's good for a chuckle.:)

I sit at home laughing victoriously at how Christians will all burn in hell for celebrating a devil worshipping Pagan festival year on year.
Baahahahahha...good one!

i saw this in a store, and i couldn't help but think of you- http://www.mcphee.com/items/11537.html

sure it's not as practical as Pope on a rope, but still it's good for a chuckle.:)

I like Buddy Christ (http://jsbstash.stores.yahoo.net/budchrisdass1.html) better. :)

As for the OP... I'm with Vile.

We celebrate the holiday just the same way you do, except we don't go to church.

...eggnog, who'd have thought? rum, whiskey, brandy or plain?

A bit of whiskey if I can get it past the wife. :thumbs:

Wow, after reading this I realized that every put down Freethinker has laid down on christians and christianity he was calling his wife all of those things too.

Yes. She and every other human who is too weak or too ignorant to jettison their irrational (but oh so comforting) superstitions. (Although she is far from being a *practicing* Christian or someone who even lays the slightest claim to being one)

This is before FT writes his Christmass

?? "writes".....??

What does "writes his Christmass" mean?

I tried to look up the word on Wikipedia. No dice.

FT-I checked post #23.

Damned if I know-too many Bailey's that nite I think-sorry :D

Damn you! *runs out to get some Baileys*

Oh yeah-blame me :(

Blame you? Hell, that's the best idea for a Friday night I've heard all day!

I'll put that down as a happy 'blame me' then :)

Good Irish drink-Good Irish company-Good Craic.

What else could you ask for.

Dont answer that.

I spend most nights in December building wooden toys and custom wooden ink pens (I am a penturner) as gifts for my relatives and friends.

Hope that satiates your curiosity.

I'd be very interested in taking a look at some of your creations if you have the time to take pictures and post them here.

Ok.

My old camera had gone south recently, but the wife got a new camera/printer combo for Xmas and i just installed it.

Here is a pic of three pens out of my pen case that I laid on a tote bag.

(very first pic with new camera)

Very nice!

I really like the first one, even though they all are quite nice. Very nice work indeed.

I only build PC's... not too exciting. Matter of fact, very boring. And there is no craftmanship other than if they work for the end user. I need a better hobby!

Very nice, FT.

Thank you both.

They look great, FT. I wish I had a hobby! :)