Do you have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

[Andsed]

This is a debate I have seen multiple times on the internet so I wanted to bring it here to NSG. So do you guys think you have to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

I personally think LOL NO! Seriously While I understand Christmas has it´s roots in religion it is not a purely religious holiday. Non-Christians can still celebrate by donating to good causes, giving gift to your family´s to show your love for each other, spend times with your loved ones, or just simply being kind. And if you really want to link this all back to Christianity Christmas is Jesus´s birthday and I think he would promote all of that.

But what do you think NSG? Do you need to be Christian to celebrate Christmas?

[Right wing humour squad]

No

[United Muscovite Nations]

Yes, for the same reason that you would have to be a Muslim to celebrate Ramadan, or a Jew to celebrate Yom Kippur.

[Sahansahiye Iran]

No

Tfw I agree with RWHS on something.

[VoVoDoCo]

Poll plez

And no. I'm afraid "calling dibs" ends at deciding who gets the passenger seat. Christians don't get to monopolize a holiday.

Cultural appropriation is a beautiful thing.

[Sahansahiye Iran]

Yes, for the same reason that you would have to be a Muslim to celebrate Ramadan, or a Jew to celebrate Yom Kippur.

No, you don't... I've celebrated Passover. No Jews I celebrated it with had a problem with it. I've had non-Muslim friends who celebrated Ramadan with me when I was Muslim. I still celebrate Eid with my family and largely fast for Ramadan, too. They're going to celebrate Yalda, an originally Zoroastrian holiday, this season as they and almost every other Iranian have done for centuries. Get over it.

[DARGLED]

no

[Il Borgia Vaticano]

Hardly. Christmas as we know it is just Yule/Saturnalia with Jesus slapped on it. Anyone can celebrate it.

[Likar]

I may be muslim, but I celebrate it "non-religiously"

[Imperator Seven]

No.

[Castelia]

Of course not. Christmas was originally a Pagan holiday anyway, so who cares?

[VoVoDoCo]

Yes, for the same reason that you would have to be a Muslim to celebrate Ramadan, or a Jew to celebrate Yom Kippur.

If Ramadan or Yom Kippur was NEARLY as fun, I'd participate.

If I was in the middle east and they were celebrating Ramadan, you bet your ass I would participate in going door to door getting treats, visiting amusement parks, and eating good food.

https://www.thespruce.com/celebrating-r ... ds-2104317

[Teachian]

To celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (likely along with the implication of his birth in terms of fate and salvation), probably. Not necessarily, though it would be strange if you weren’t.

As for celebrating winter season activities and customs, repeating cultural practices and/or engaging in gift giving and actions of good will, not at all. Christmas picked up a lot of other customs, added some of its own and then imprinted it all in a cultural way that’s not always explicitly religious, or even specifically tied to one group.

Whether you celebrate it because of your faith, your culture or because you simply love what the holiday is supposed to embody, I wish you a completely-valid and merry Christmas.

[Sahansahiye Iran]

To celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (likely along with the implication of his birth in terms of fate and salvation), probably. Not necessarily, though it would be strange if you weren’t.

As for celebrating winter season activities and customs, repeating cultural practices and/or engaging in gift giving and actions of good will, not at all. Christmas picked up a lot of other customs, added some of its own and then imprinted it all in a cultural way that’s not always explicitly religious, or even specifically tied to one group.

Whether you celebrate it because of your faith, your culture or because you simply love what the holiday is supposed to embody, I wish you a completely-valid and merry Christmas.

And a Merry Christmas to you, too

[Reploid Productions]

Hardly. Christmas as we know it is just Yule/Saturnalia with Jesus slapped on it. Anyone can celebrate it.

I joke that I celebrate "Capitalist Christmas", since I sure as hell don't celebrate the Christian one. 'Course, my family's Christmas/Yule/Solstice/Saturnalia/etc celebration amounts to "exchange gifts, eat a delicious meal, and then play several extremely offensive rounds of Cards Against Humanity" soooo... your mileage may vary?

[Ifreann]

Happy Hanukkah?

[Saralonia]

No, after all you can be ateist and have a Christian attitude and be kind or nice after all Christmas is a holiday full of happiness between the family, friends and everyone you love, make your life better and socialize with other people and make strong roots with the family.

[Destructive Government Economic System]

These days it's become more gift-giving than celebrating Christ's birth. No real need anymore

I'm still a bit weirded out that people sell Christmas stuff in October tho

[Ifreann]

Hardly. Christmas as we know it is just Yule/Saturnalia with Jesus slapped on it. Anyone can celebrate it.

I joke that I celebrate "Capitalist Christmas", since I sure as hell don't celebrate the Christian one. 'Course, my family's Christmas/Yule/Solstice/Saturnalia/etc celebration amounts to "exchange gifts, eat a delicious meal, and then play several extremely offensive rounds of Cards Against Humanity" soooo... your mileage may vary?

Consumerismas!

[Heloin]

Yes, for the same reason that you would have to be a Muslim to celebrate Ramadan, or a Jew to celebrate Yom Kippur.

For Yom Kippur or Ramadan a better Christen example would be Easter. While Easter does have strange traditions attached to it the holiday is still almost entirely a Christian one.

[Right wing humour squad]

No

Tfw I agree with RWHS on something.

See there’s good in everybody, even you.

[Thermodolia]

No. I’m Jewish. I celebrate Christmas, though I celebrate it more like 4 of July or New Years than Rosh Hashanah

[Hrythingia]

This is complicated. Christmas is a Christian Holiday, the clue is in the name. Having said this there are two points that ought to be made. First that many Christmas traditions are inherited from pagan solstice festivals such as Saturnalia and Yuletide. And secondly much of the commercialisms of modern Christmas are the preserve of the agnostic though still culturally Christian west. For me, I think it is a good time for everyone to get together and celebrate with family and friends over food, drink and some exchanged gifts. I will go to Midnight mass myself but I also enjoy Christmas for the immense amount of fun (like shambling back to my halls after my unit's Christmas 'lunch' down in barracks at 3am). What should not happen however is for the Christ to be taken out of Christmas, it is his festival so you can bloody well tolerate the nativity scene in a public place.

[VoVoDoCo]

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plez

[Sahansahiye Iran]

Tfw I agree with RWHS on something.

See there’s good in everybody, even you.

Ikr. So weird.