I'm the same way when it comes to cards/wishes. I try to take them in the spirit they're given and give mine without any religious affiliation. Like last year, I found some lovely hand-printed cards that simply said "Peace".
And I try to remind the Xtians of the true "true meaning" of Xmas: Pagan solstice celebration. This whole "baby Jesus' birthday" didn't come around until the 330's.
But that's not to say that I go out of my way to be a jerk. With religion in general, as long as you're not in my face with yours, I won't be with the lack of mine. My girl's family is very religious, like we pray before family meals--even in restaurants. I bow my head and go along out of respect because they're just genuinely good people. I even go to church with them when I'm there, again out of respect. I just got a sympathy card for my grandma from them, and they mentioned my dad, too, and how they're praying for both of us; I'll thank them and be glad they are.
If someone says "Merry/Happy Christmas" to me, that's fine. I say it sometimes, too. Sometimes it just helps things go by more smoothly, like in checkout lines. I'm not going to get into a theological debate while I'm trying to buy a pair of socks in a overcrowded department store. But if someone starts telling me about Jesus and how it's his birthday and I'm bad for not using that as the reason to be out conspicuously consuming... then it's on. I'm doing my American duty and shopping, thank you very much. And isn't that what really brings us all toghether this season?
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And I try to remind the Xtians of the true "true meaning" of Xmas: Pagan solstice celebration. This whole "baby Jesus' birthday" didn't come around until the 330's.
But that's not to say that I go out of my way to be a jerk. With religion in general, as long as you're not in my face with yours, I won't be with the lack of mine. My girl's family is very religious, like we pray before family meals--even in restaurants. I bow my head and go along out of respect because they're just genuinely good people. I even go to church with them when I'm there, again out of respect. I just got a sympathy card for my grandma from them, and they mentioned my dad, too, and how they're praying for both of us; I'll thank them and be glad they are.
If someone says "Merry/Happy Christmas" to me, that's fine. I say it sometimes, too. Sometimes it just helps things go by more smoothly, like in checkout lines. I'm not going to get into a theological debate while I'm trying to buy a pair of socks in a overcrowded department store. But if someone starts telling me about Jesus and how it's his birthday and I'm bad for not using that as the reason to be out conspicuously consuming... then it's on. I'm doing my American duty and shopping, thank you very much. And isn't that what really brings us all toghether this season?