[ExI] Impending Newtonmass... what should I buy the atheist in my life?

[ben]

Stathis Papaioannou" <stathisp at gmail.com> wrote:

 >2008/12/22 Olga Bourlin <fauxever at sprynet.com>:
 >
 >> > Yes there is.  It's easy - one can simply ignore Christ-mass (I've 
done it
 >> > for 25 years).  And If I didn't grow up in a cultural Christian 
household to
 >> > begin with, there would be nothing to ignore.  Even with the secular
 >> > components that have been added to Christ-mass, many "other" religious
 >> > groups do not do Christ-mass.
 >
 >This is actually hard to do at this time of year, even as an atheist
 >in a mostly secular country. People say "have a good Christmas" and
 >you feel it requires at least a brief standard response, or no amount
 >of rationalisation will prevent you from looking like an dissocial
 >grump.

As an 'anti-christmasite' myself, I find it quite easy, with a little 
organisation.
Make sure all your friends and family know that you don't do Xmas, check 
out the local shops and supermarkets opening times and susceptibility to 
<shudder> carol singers, get your supplies in before the crazy rush 
starts, and DO wish people a Merry Xmas.
What's the problem with other people having a good time with a ritual 
that you don't share?  It doesn't bother me, as long as people know not 
to give or expect presents and cards.  Just because I don't want 
anything to do with a commercially hi-jacked festival of a religion that 
has torture and human sacrifice as it's main theme doesn't mean that I 
want to spoil the fun that other people get from it.

(The fact that I'm a dissocial grump is another matter entirely, nothing 
to do with Xmas).

Ben Zaiboc