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Christmas, an atheist’s holiday too?


It is not unusual for people to become anxious about whether to use “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” this time of year for fear of offending someone. However, some Christians loudly proclaim “Merry Christians” in reply to “Happy Holidays”.

What about atheists? Do atheists celebrate Christmas?

Elisabeth Cornwell, the executive director of the U.S. branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation (an atheist organization that is on a “quest to overcome religious fundamentalism, superstition, intolerance and suffering”) says that Christmas is a part of her atheist beliefs:

When people find out I’m an atheist, the question often comes up about what I do during the Christmas holidays. There is an assumption that atheists don’t ‘do Christmas,’ so they are surprised when I say how much I love it… Christmas belongs to anyone who wants it, and just because I gave up believing in a god doesn’t mean I gave up believing in the love and joy of family. I did not give up the joy of celebration with my abandonment of the absurd.

First, it is refreshing to continue to read and interact with more and more “friendly atheists”.  That is, those atheists who do not have an agenda of undermining faith but seek to interact with it.  Second, Cornwell goes into great length to trace pre-Christian pagan trappings of Christmas of evergreens, trees, communal gatherings, winter rituals, etc… She then connects these traditions to her own theology philosophy.

Is it possible to separate the theological beliefs of Christmas from the cultural and still call the holiday “Christmas”?  The Christ-mas?  In our culture, the decoupling of Christmas from its religious roots continues to evolve with the commercialization of the holiday.  This is problematic. Doesn’t celebrating a religious holiday undercut the very notion of an atheist’s belief that religious beliefs and traditions are obtuse?

These reinterpreting of meta-narratives continue to propel us into a world where we find a nebulous intersection of the reordering of religious ideas by both believer and non-believer.

So, to my atheist friends, do you celebrate Christmas?  Why or why not? Can Christmas be separated from its religious origins?

Categories: atheists, Christmas
Reverend Alan Rudnick

23 Responses

  1. Ann says:

    It’s religious origins start well before Christianity with a celebration of the Winter when there is nothing to do but huddle together and eat, drink, and be merry.
    Also there is the Winter Solstice, which has always been celebrated among people.
    The American tradition of Christmas is, as the atheist points out, more of a family celebration that can easily be acceptable to atheists, pagans, and agnostics. Plus, who is goign to turn down presents? I mean really?
    It actually used to be a season of much excess but the silly Puritans fixed that.

  2. mike s says:

    I celebrate christmas the same way I celebrate the fourth of july and thanksgiving. The decorated tree, the lights outside, presents and a big dinner with family. I just dont go to church as some do.

  3. Craig B. says:

    Not really an atheist, more of an apatheist now.

    I celebrate Christmas more because my family and the ones I love celebrate it and they seem to enjoy it. Yes some of them get all “jesus-y” about it, but really that doesn’t matter to me, to each their own.

    Christmas is usually one of the only times my family gets together. There are other times through out the year, but Christmas is the one time when everyone is there, so I choose to be a part of that, because they are the only family I have, and why should I isolate myself because I choose to not believe in one small aspect of the holiday.

    Everyone is cool about what everyone believes so there is no drama, we just sit back and enjoy each others company and tie one on.

  4. Magpies says:

    I wish I could believe that someone is “up there” and “floating around,” including my deceased pets. Unfortunately, I don’t really believe that (most days). I do believe in spirits on haunting shows (most of the time) who talk to the investigators.

    I think everyone should enjoy Christmas. A Jewish lady begged her husband to allow a Christmas tree, but he continued to refuse–year after year. Too bad…what harm would a pretty little tree have done do to their children and their beliefs? We can’t take life so seriously ALL the time.

  5. CAK says:

    My daughter, who professes to be agnostic, not only celebrates Christmas, she embraces the family/love/charity spirit of the holiday. And if by supporting her during these times I am allowed to be a little “Jesus-y” then I figure its well worth it! My hope is that she, and her fellow “uncertains” or other “non believers”, will one day embrace GOD in their own way.

  6. Chris Hollier says:

    Rev. Alan Rudnick, you pose a very good question.

    Perhaps the best way to look at why some Atheists celebrate Christmas is to ask yourself a similar question. Doesn’t celebrating a pagan holiday undercut the very notion of a Christian’s belief that pagan beliefs and traditions are sinful? Despite the origins of Christmas being rooted in the Winter Solstice, and even a few traditions associated with Christmas today being pagan, Christians celebrate Christmas as one of their primary religious holidays.

    When I was a Christian I justified the celebration of Christmas despite its origins with the Winter Solstice was fairly simple. That’s not how its celebrated today, the intent of your heart is what mattered. And I didn’t think it was sinful to celebrate the birth my savior even if the day I was choosing to do so was once a pagan holiday.

    Now that I’m an atheist my views on Christmas haven’t really changed all that much. I still focus on how its currently celebrated, but I do have a different understanding of how its currently celebrated from when I was a Christian. Perhaps it came from the personal experiences I gathered from stepping outside of an environment filled mostly with church, youth groups, and Christian schools, or perhaps it came from Christians themselves – as you actually mentioned in your own article. Christmas has become very commercialized…

    People spend more time shopping for Christmas gifts and cooking than they do attending Christmas masses. Children focus more on Santa and Frosty the Snowman than they do on the birth of Jesus. For better or worse, Christmas has moved from more of a Christian religious holiday to more of a secular holiday celebrated by the vast majority of America. Around 93-94% of Americans celebrate Christmas and only 75-78% of Americans claim to be Christian. That 15% or so difference equates to around 50 million Americans who don’t claim to be Christian yet still celebrate Christmas.

    Considering how Christmas is celebrated today I think its just as problematic for an atheist to celebrate Christmas considering its Christian past as it is problematic for Christians to celebrate Christmas considering its pagan past. In other words, not problematic at all :).

    Christmas is practically a universal holiday celebrated by the vast majority of Americans regardless of religious belief. It’s colorful past and constantly evolving nature makes it hard to try and score points against certain groups who try and celebrate it.

    To answer your question directly, my wife and I do celebrate Christmas. And for us, yes it can be seperated from its religious roots. This seperation is made easy by how our society currently views it. It s a holiday centered around the importance of family and giving, and thats how my family celebrates it.

    PS: While I understand that the whole “Marry Christmas/Happy Holidays” subject can be a hotbed for debate, I don’t understand why. Christmas is a holiday correct? To me, “Happy Holidays” is a wonderful way to recongize all the holidays celebrated in December/early January. When people demand that Marry Christmas be said instead, it seems that they are demanding that we ignore the other holidays that take place this time of the year. Why try and purposefully isolate segements of the population? Happy Holidays covers everything, including Christmas. I honestly don’t see the issue.

  7. Victoria R. says:

    They posed that question on CNN a few weeks back and it was interesting to see the answers. Most people pointed out the pagan origins, and the solstice, and the business about Christians aligning their holy days to pagan celebrations. So like Chris pointed out, if the point of the holiday has changed and evolved over time so much already, most people don’t have a problem with it evolving further. Everyone should be free to apply their own meanings to Christmas to whatever degree they see fit.
    I like the answers above. I do celebrate, and for me it’s about appreciating my friends and family who have enriched my life, and gathering with them to enjoy their company in the darkest, coldest (though not so much lately) time of the year. And yes, the knowledge that the days get longer form here on out really cheers me up too.
    So, my answer isn’t so creative or different from everyone else’s. Which goes to show that no matter what our beliefs, whether Jesus or God are involved or not, most people celebrate the same thing and have the same appreciation for life and family and humanity.

    Merry Christmas!

  8. Cuttlefish says:

    I’m an atheist who has written quite a bit about christmas from my point of view; one piece, with links to several more, is here:

    I’ve always loved christmas (no reason not to use that name–it keeps us from confusing people), but see no reason to observe the religious aspects. The celebration of a solstice-time “hey, we made it; now the days will start getting longer!” long predates christianity, and the reasons for celebration are still here, so why *not* celebrate?

  9. michael says:

    I don’t believe in the “old man up in the sky”, a God created in man’s image, the so-called miracles, etc. Does that make me an atheist? I don’t pretend to fully understand a force that is far beyond human comprehension nor do I take very seriously someone who says they do! But I certainly do believe in the example of Christ’s life and the ethics that he taught. Does that make me a Christian? Labels are less important that how one lives and treats others. Labels cause more problems than they are worth.

    The “miracles” to spruce up Christ’s story are just plain silly to me, not at all necessary. What he taught and the life he lived can stand on its own without all the embellishments added later. The materialism that now dominates is so over the top that “Christmas” has been transformed into a commercial greedfest.

    That said, as an atheist and a Christian, I happily celebrate the good cheer and happiness of Christmas that still survives.

  10. Stephen says:

    It’s the Atheists among us that have turned Christmas into a celebration of materialism instead of the celebration of Christ. Do these same Atheists celebrate Hanukkah? Ramadan? I assume not however they feel perfectly comfortable intruding on Christmas. Why do Atheists only choose Christian beliefs to attack or mock?

  11. mike s says:

    #10. I treat all religions equally. I dont believe in any of them and I dont mock any of them. Are you really that offended if i put up a lighted tree in my house? There are 2780 known and worshiped gods on this planet. When you realize why you dismiss 2779 of them you will then know why i dismiss yours.

  12. Chris Hollier says:


    You have no one other than your fellow Christians to blame for Christmas turning into more of a consumerism holiday than a religious one. Considering its a Christian holiday and Christians make up 75-77% of the population its easy to see how they are the major determining factor of how our society views this holiday, not atheists. All it would take to turn Christmas from a celebration of materialism into a celebration of Christ is for 75-77% of the population to stop buying so many items in the month of December. And there’s only one group big enough that fits that description.

    Suggesting that because a few atheist families celebrate Christmas Christians magically have their focus changed from Jesus to buying possessions is about as crazy as some of the stories found in various holy books. If the idea that some atheist families are putting presents under a tree with some lights on it changes your focus off of Jesus then I don’t know what to tell you.

  13. Stephen says:

    So Mike and Chris illustrate my point perfectly – they only choose a Christian Holy day to participate in – no Kwanza, no Hanukah, no Ramadan for them – Hope you both enjoyed celebrating the Christ Child yesterday.

  14. Victoria R. says:

    Is it really appropriate for you to wield the celebration of baby Jesus as a jeer at non-Christians?

  15. michael says:

    Earth to Stephen #13. Did you read comment #12? Labels are silly. But, for what it’s worth, “atheists” are estimated to constitute about 4% of the population. So the 4% have turned Christmas into a materialist shopfest and diminished the spiritual nature of the holiday that that the vast majority would otherwise celebrate? Wow, those atheists must be a powerful bunch!!! Of course, it was those atheists that turned All Hallows Eve into a celebration of goblins and candy. Speaking of candy, I guess it was those atheists that have infiltrated Easter with Chocolate bunnies and jelly beans.

    Anyway, last time I checked, Christmas was a national holiday. I suspect that the laws that made it a holiday for ALL citizens, including non-Christians, were likely written into law BY Christians. And that’s fine with me.

    Silliness aside, a true Christian, who really sees that peace and good will (you know, the stuff the Christ taught) are what Christmas is supposed to be all about, should be happy to share his/her holiday and what it means with everybody, Christian or non-Christian. A Christian who can’t do that is a Christian by label only. The biggest threat to Christianity isn’t the 4% that might be “atheists”, but the vastly larger % of the population that are Christian in name only.

  16. michael says:

    IMHO, and as someone born and baptized into the Roman Catholic Church, when I see the wholesale (or should I say retail?) transformation of Christmas into a highly-organized and carefully marketed commercial initiative, I’m reminded of the quote from Pogo – “We have met the enemy and he is us.”

  17. Craig B. says:


    Maybe they were raised in Christian homes where they celebrated Christmas. Just because they don’t choose to believe in the Jesus story, they still celebrate it because, their families do, and believe it or not their families don’t mind them “intruding” on their holiday. Their families probably love them no matter what, crazy as that is.

    I think if you look at atheists that were raised Jewish, they probably still celebrate Hanukkah with their families. But I don’t think you really care to analyze that, you just need any reason to get mad at atheists intruding on your holiday, don’t you? Pretty sad man, pretty sad!

  18. Sara says:

    I realize this is about nine months later than the article was published, but in a few months, it will be my first Christmas as an “out” atheist. I grew up in an extremely religious household, and Christmas is just a part of my personal tradition, even if it doesn’t hold the religious significance for me that it might have. Holidays are really more about tradition than religion after all, aren’t they? Who really recognizes the religious significance of hiding eggs in their lawn on Easter? Sure, eggs might have ties to religious ideas of rebirth (or…just birth) but hiding eggs is just a traditional game. Admiring Nativity scenes and listening to Christmas carols is incredibly enjoyable and nostalgic for me, and I would be terribly heartbroken if I forced myself to break these traditions. In the end, traditions, holidays and religion are all quite personal, and I couldn’t mimic the atheists I know who invent new Solstice traditions for themselves. Christmas is part of my culture, and I take great pleasure in participating in my traditions.

  19. iknowtruthismine says:

    Sara – As you become more comfortable with the rationality you have come to realize represents a more logical approach to Human existence, time may mute the impact of the hold the holiday has on you, when you realize it is a celebration of the retrograde idea that gods and Humans hybridize, like in the religion that Christianity replaced when the Roman empire superimposed Christianity over the templet of the old Roman religion. The Catholic Church, itself, is in form, just the same as the old religion with a main god, his spawn, and lesser gods (saints) taking the place of the lower household gods of the old order. Even much of the ritual was lifted out of old religion in an effort to make the transition easier for the new Christians, who became that way over-night on the order of their emperor.

  20. edgar says:

    I wonder if, given that Christmas is a Christian holiday, and had been a Christian holiday for centuries before it became a federal holiday, Christmas should continue to be a federal holiday. Let the Christian’s have their holiday and their day off of work. Why should atheists be forced to take a Christian holiday off of work?

  21. iknowtruthismine says:

    edgar – again NOC.

  22. ReepDaggle says:

    Well, edgar, since most of the Christmas story and traditions are “borrowed” from older religions and cultures, including celebrations of the winter solstice, there’s something in the holiday for everyone. It’s only the most closed minded Christians who believe the holiday is exclusively theirs and that it owes nothing to the religion and cultures that preceded it. I’m an atheist/agnostic (always wavering between them) who loves Christmas and spending the day with family and other loved ones.

    Christmas should remain a federal holiday for pragmatic reasons if no other. Knowing that a huge percentage of the work force will take the day off, it’s pretty inefficient to keep offices open for the low level of productivity that is certain to ensue.

  23. edgar says:

    Again, ik, thank you for caring enough about what I say to take the time to read wht I say, and to respond to what I say. Your actions speak so much more loudly than do your words. Lol @ 21