Keeping Christmas in My Own Way

I’m a (very) liberal atheist, but I’m not ashamed to say that I love Christmas — and always have.  I’m a bit less abashed about my fondness for the holiday this year — spurred, I think, by the fact that we’ve moved into a home that I’m far more comfortable decorating, and, last but certainly not least, because I’m happier than I’ve been in recent years.

While I’m certainly not a practicing Christian, I come from a culturally Christian background, and so I celebrate the holiday with a Christmas tree, stockings, a traditional Christmas dinner, Christmas baking, Christmas music (including music of a religious nature), and, some years, I even set up a small crêche.  For me, though, the use of the term “Christmas” is purely a matter of semantics.  Many of the origins of Christmas date from pre-Christian times (see Saturnalia and Yule), and I’m perfectly happy for someone to wish me a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or a Joyous Julfest.

I find it very difficult to find evidence of “The War on Christmas” (which Fox News commentators seem so gleefully to decry).  The majority of the country, it’s true, is comprised of Christians or those who are culturally Christian, and most of the winter-holiday celebrating I see and hear seems to be of the Christian/Christmas variety, but is it so difficult — or so awful — to wish everyone Happy Holidays?  It’s an all-inclusive greeting that encompasses everything that late-year festivities can be to Christians and non-Christians – practicing and non-practicing alike. If I know that you’re a practicing Christian, I’ll very gladly wish you a Merry Christmas.  If you’re a practicing Jew, I’ll likewise wish you a very Happy Hanukkah.  But if I don’t know your religious affiliation, or if you haven’t one, I’ll wish you Happy Holidays, and that’s what I wish to you, my readers, tonight.

We spent our Christmas Eve in front of the fire, listening to "A Christmas Carol" on WQXR. How did you spend your evening?