Being a non-Christian at Christmas

@lillake (1630)
United States
November 25, 2007 1:24pm CST
Despite the myhtical "war on Christmas" Christmas is huge here. Nearly every store has displays and signs up, Christmas music is playing everywhere (and this includes religious music). And already people are wishing others a merry Christmas. Does anyone ever feel nervous or out of place this time of year?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
25 Nov 07
I feel a little out of place, especially at work. I work at a bank, and the day after Thanksgiving when it was really slow there, we started the holiday decoration. Some things aren't a big deal because I know a lot of Christian traditions for Christmas came from Pagan traditions, but when they play the religious music, it gets to me after a while. I can handle it for an hour or two even, but after that I feel really uncomfortable, like I don't belong in my own workplace somehow. And everyone talks about Christmas and what they are doing for Christmas or whatever, and I have to explain that I don't exactly celebrate it but do have a holiday at that time of year (Winter Solstice in my case) and how my husband celebrates it so we sort of do both. People automatically assume you are Christian until you tell them otherwise, in my experience, And even when I've said I'm not Christian, people often seem to forget and use the Christian greetings and such with me, and it just feels weird after a while.
1 person likes this
@ethanzap (37)
• United States
19 Feb 08
I celebrate Christmas but I hate all the fuss that is made for it. I work at a pizza place and from Thanksgiving to Christmas they play Christmas music and it bugs me so much. I wouldn't mind at all if they would just stop playing it. However I think stores play it so much because it gets people in the mind set of Christmas and what they have to buy others, thus spending more money in the store. So I don't feel out of place since I am Chritian but I really dislike the way that commerce uses it to make them more money. I often wonder that since Christmas music bugs me so much that those who don't celebrate it much really get annoyed or feel out of place.