Jinglebellrocks
It’s an inevitable question – If you’re a humanist, why do you bother celebrating Christmas?
The standard answer to be given (as listed in the Humanist Handbook… right after the chapter on why you should say ‘Dawkins’ after somebody sneezes) is to say that we celebrate our friends and family, that it’s a time to get together and enjoy the company of our fellow humans, regardless of the fact that this coincides with a religious holiday.
But that right there is the reason I celebrate Christmas… that it is the best occasion, the best instance of where Humanists and Christians actually agree on something – that Christmas is a time for celebration and family and friends.
Obviously, my family doesn’t include Jesus… which is good, as he tends to steal the limelight a little.
…Anyway, not that it matters any more, what with Christmas being a commercial rather than a religious or even a secular holiday. The true meaning of it all is to keep the economy (which is now measured in terms of spending instead of production) ticking over.
It seems that by making gifts, you are directly responsible, these days, for the collapse of the world’s economy. It’s a very selfish thing to do.
So tell me, what have you done this year to hinder economic recovery… what have you made to tell your loved ones that you’ve been thinking of them?
Oh, and happy christmas to you all!
Ben on 
Ty on
I’ve hindered the whole affair by leaving it a faith holiday completely.
*sets fire to Christmas trees in a show of respect*
Oh, and Merry Christmas to you, too!
Hoppy Christmas! (*boing boing!*)
I’ve done paintings and drawings for almost everyone I’m going to give a present to this year (which is actually a lot less than usual — mostly because I’ve done a lot less “disposable” art in the past year than usual… much of the art this year has been stuff I can’t give away, as it’s been more focused: pages for this little comic, art for bands and the little record label, or paintings for that book I’m suppose to be illustrating). and anyone that’s not getting a painting is getting something thrift-stored or hand-me-downed, or re-gifted. So really, I’ve not contributed to the spend-economy at all. Bwa ha ha ha ha!
*Roo causes what will be known as Black Doomsday*
Re-gifting rules. It’s like sorting presents.
I made a picture frame with the name “Sean” spelled out in baby blocks along the bottom. It’s got little tiny teddy bears on it and everything.
That’s almost unbearably cute, Joseph.
Still, give it a couple of years and ‘Sean’ will be replaced with ‘Monster’…
Still think you should have gone with ‘Jurassic Park’.
Happy Christmas to you, as well! I got away with not buying anyone presents this year with the old “I’m a poor college student” excuse. I figure I have a few more years to milk that one
I’ll probably bake cookies for people instead of buying things.
i made biscuits last year as well, because i was still at school and people were doing the christmas cards for everyone thing. it was a plan thing, too, it’s much easier than cards and if you make extras it saves you the embarrassment when you left someone off your list…
having extras never hurts, especially when you realize that you didn’t leave anyone off your list and you can eat all the extra cookies yourself!
having extras never hurts, especially when you realize that you didn’t leave anyone off your list and you can eat all the extra cookies yourself!
shoot, double post. sorry.
No problem, if it’s worthwhile saying once it probably doesn’t do any harm to repeat it.
it was a plan thing? i will start using that phrase, for sure. in other words it was a good plan, or a great thing, or something.
I wanted to do more original gifts this year, but time doesn’t let me. We either make our own cards or get them in a discount store, but I drew a picture for my online friends ( http://flickr.com/photos/rustyeyes/3127503720/ ) and eh…made mix CDs for immediate family (which consists of two people). I did buy a book and a toy, but overall I think I’ve contributed under $50 to the economy this year, and that’s more than the past three years combined. Perhaps I ought not to be bragging about it in public but the economy can get stuffed–I’ve come to the conclusion that it never really existed in the first place, and a lot more people are just waking up to that.
As for the more magical aspects of the last few weeks of the year, I was raised Catholic and then got all new-agey and slightly bitter and I’ve got Jewish friends, so I basically just celebrate everything and use it all as an excuse to bake cookies.
Happy December holiday of your choosing!
that picture’s adorable
and i don’t say that often
Aww, thanks! Happy holidays!
Merry Christmas to all!
I did this year for Christmas just a little small for my family, because with this whole stressful shopping at this time very annoying to go. Oh yes, the trifle is a photo album of 2008, by me and my family
As per normal, I couldn’t be easy with this.
Yes, I idid buy some one an xmas present, but it is something that means they can produce there own veges and cook more edible food.
So, I think my long term economic damage far outways my short term good work.
Oh, I did chip in for the person that does the virus removal at a forum I visit, we got her a wine/cheese/dinner thingy. But, ofcourse, that is cheaper then each of us individually going to a commercial computer repair place.
Happy holidays everyone.
I hope you all have a great new years eve, I’ll be spending mine on a private yacht in Sydney Harbour
that sounds like a very nice holiday spot! i get to spend mine on the inner banks of north carolina
Yeah, I’m stuck in NC too. XP But at least I have my lover, so it’s all good really.
“private yacht in Sydney Harbour”
Yacht-jacking again? Remember to bur it out when you’re finished to remove the ‘evidence’.
Merry Christmas!
I tried to bow out of the happenings altogether (an “if you don’t get me anything, I won’t get you anything” sort of deal) but my family wasn’t having it. So I’m going to spend today canning homemade jams and butters to give out.
apparently one webcomic CAN be home to so many poor/stingy/baking-loving people…i would never have thought it possible.
Interestingly, I celebrate three different holidays in December, and separate all the possible elements.
December 5-6th is st Nicholas Day, which is the day we decorate the flat and string our li’l tree-in-a-pot with ornaments made of coffee stirrers and starbucks cups (my ladywyfe is a barista). We exchange gifts wrapped in newspaper that clues to what’s inside, and have lots of celebratory sex.
December 21st is Solstice, where we light candles at dusk and leave them burning all night to remind the sun (Helios) to come back because we miss him. While it’s still dark, we pass the time by talking about the positive things that happened that year, and the things we’ve learned and the things we have observed each other learning, and then we have lots of celebratory sex, and then go out with our candles and watch the sun rise.
December 25th is Christmas, and my family is secular, and also very into Santa Claus. I didn’t have the ‘discovery’ that he wasn’t real, I have just grown to understand that ‘real’ is a matter of interpretation. Santa is a personification of giving and love and family and warmth and being able to have enough to feast rather than just eat, during the cold months. The presents are only a symbol of that, that a small child can understand.
On 31st December, I do what I do on all the ‘Drinking Holidays’–I lock myself in and don’t go out until it’s 2nd January. And there is lots of celebratory sex. Er, well maybe not exactly ‘celebratory’, since the New Year starts on Solstice morning for us….
I have yet to figure out what to do for 6th January, but I have tentative ideas of watching sketch comedy (Mighty Boosh, Monty Python, Bit of Fry and Laurie, SCTV), stand up comedy (Jim Gaffigan, Eddie Izzard, Paula Poundstone), and listening to novelty songs (Tom Lehrer, Weird Al, Dr Demento Show favourites).
So I seem to break all the expectations.
That sounds like fairly good plans, except, maybe a little formal for me.
I like that you have lots of celebratory sex, tho, you did miss some days.
Well, the 24-25th is the family holiday. Also when I posted this, Christmas hadn’t been celebrated as yet.
There was celebratory sex. Also on New Year’s. Epiphany too, probably. We’ll have to see.
Sex is the best way to celebrate, imho. Then again, I’m a disciple of Himeros.
Well, it seems that the day has arrived.
It is overcast and humid here, threatning storms. We are celebrating by having a walk in the Japanese gardens and then getting chinese for lunch.
From Toowoomba, Queensland, I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday!
So, what’d every one get for xmas?
Indigestion.
Got to spend time with my family, and it was a good time, and the weather was great too. Can’t ask for more than that.
What’d you get?
I got Fallout 3 and a chocolate orange. Maybe someday in 2 years when the baby is a bit older I’ll finally have time to play it.
a metal water bottle, a t-shirt, and a Domo-kun doll. i bought myself Trigun #13.
but it doesn’t feel like Christmas at all without any snow…
I got nothing. A few months ago a mate gave me a skinning and boning knife set for camping (which I almost cut a finger off with) and called it a xmas gift.
A friend felt sorry for me and was in the same situation, so we unwrapped each other and really, I didn’t want much else other then company this year, so that was the best gift.
I bought myself a Manfrotto tripod.
I also did the family thing, saw some mates, etc. I think my family is moving away from the excessive xmas waste and just settling down. I view this as a good thing.
My mother, of all the random things, get me the official Indiana Jones replica hat. So now I have to find a bull-whip somewhere…
Socks! Socks and pencils and a notebook and the Pirates Code. Also Tales of Beedle the Bard, but that was the least satisfying gift. Um…also, our downstairs neighbour came up on Christmas Eve (I think) and we ripped into a couple of girly magazines for a while, much to his amusement.
The best present was actually the surprise decorations my mother sent. Also the cookies my sister sent. And the mickey mouse ears. And my wife being able to unwrap a present (she hasn’t unwrapped a present in literally years, because her family is absolutely, shockingly horrid and hates her).
I got the coworkers some presents. Quite a number of things for meself. Didn’t light any candles in commemoration of anything, though.
Whoa! New website! The InLiquid people came through for me while I was gone for the hols! Sweet! That’s a good Christmas present, that is.
Top stuff, pretty pictures!
damn, yeah i sewed my mom some bags for christmas.
…I like…the elves where probably asking “where is his mind?”
i haven’t such much hindered as helped economic recovery by spending not only my student loan but all my wages on play.com, hmv, waterstones and last but by far not the least the devil that is primark
This year, I made 200 scarves and hung them on strangers’ doors; sent the remainder of my holiday cards to strangers in the phone book; made 10 wool-fleece-tarp blankets and covered homeless people with them; made…I don’t even remember how many hats (2 seasons worth of House, with about a hat per episode) and gave them to patients at the cancer ward; and baked somewhere in the area of 50 dozen cookies, which I gave away at nursing homes.
For my family, I made blankets for my sisters-in-law and hats for my brothers. I also made a bunny for my nephew. (who promptly chewed his ear off, it was precious.)
I never buy gifts. What fun is that? What satisfaction?
I hope someone told you how wonderful you are for doing that, because that kicks ass.