what’s christmas even like in non-christian families? in completely non-religious families? like what do you tell your children? “well, kids, we’re eating a whole lot of food and spending a fuckton of money spoiling you because some other people somewhere believe their holy lord and saviour and the greatest person to walk the earth was born 2000 years ago. here’s a playstation.”
yeah pretty much
i legit didnt know non-christians celebrated christmas… literally never crossed my mind
my family’s not religious and tbh i didn’t even really know it was a religious holiday until i entered school :/ they just explained it as “the day when Santa goes around and gives toys” or something like that and then let the Nickelodeon cartoon specials explain the rest
In my family we basically use it as an excuse to get together as a family and express our appreciation for each other. We have special “Santa gifts” which are usually more special or expensive than the other presents under the tree, one per person. These, aside from stocking stuffers, are the only presents from “Santa.” We also have a “General Santa” which is just presents to the general family, not from any specific person.
There are some traditions in my family involved with Christamas eve, but relatively few on Chistmas itself. Most of them revolve around Santa Claus.
Honestly, I never considered it a religious holiday? It’s just a day for giving, receiving, and appreciation, coupled together with the knowledge that you’ve survived another year.
I was raised deliberately non-religious, but my sister and I both danced in the Nutcracker every year when we were itty. That and Santa were the main events of Christmas for us as kids, too, but the point as it was explained to me was to celebrate the halfway point of winter. We’d try to have a bonfire on the solstice, if weather permitted, and that was usually near my mom’s birthday. Then we’d save the Christmas tree to burn on our summer solstice fire. So it all sort of blurred together into a holiday to celebrate dancing, my mom, and burning things to say ‘Fuck you, winter!’.
We’re American, so of course I was aware of the christian by-line, but it never really seemed important.