Other than midnight mass, how did you celebrate Christmas growing up?
Catholic Church, catholic school (they were on the same site), December was all about how glad we should be that our redeemer was on the way (one of our first lessons was in what sinners we were).
I understand that you feel you repudiated the religion and thus don't do anything at Christmas but it was a bit different for me. Most of the parish were themselves or no more than three generations back immigrants, mostly Irish for us, some (like my granddad) Polish, a contingent of Italians and recently Nigerians too.
A double minority, a hated religion and a despised race, so it was cultural as well as religious. So even after drifting away from the religion I still have the culture the way my Jewish and ex-Muslim friends do. When my Jewish friend asked me why I cross myself and light candles for my dead family and sit in the cathedral for hours, I threw the question back at her and asked her why she goes to the synagogue at Passover and does the ritual with her family.
Plus we did secular things (though I don't like the sentimental songs and films as much as the carols) and I take a second job in December,bet so I enjoy the relief of quitting it and having a holiday from my main job and having a nice relax with my family that I don't see much. And I have to keep alive what I learnt in childhood to have a nice dinner. wild horses wouldn't stop me eating mince pies and drinking advocaat, food of the gods! :)
I understand that you feel you repudiated the religion and thus don't do anything at Christmas but it was a bit different for me. Most of the parish were themselves or no more than three generations back immigrants, mostly Irish for us, some (like my granddad) Polish, a contingent of Italians and recently Nigerians too.
A double minority, a hated religion and a despised race, so it was cultural as well as religious. So even after drifting away from the religion I still have the culture the way my Jewish and ex-Muslim friends do. When my Jewish friend asked me why I cross myself and light candles for my dead family and sit in the cathedral for hours, I threw the question back at her and asked her why she goes to the synagogue at Passover and does the ritual with her family.
Plus we did secular things (though I don't like the sentimental songs and films as much as the carols) and I take a second job in December,bet so I enjoy the relief of quitting it and having a holiday from my main job and having a nice relax with my family that I don't see much. And I have to keep alive what I learnt in childhood to have a nice dinner. wild horses wouldn't stop me eating mince pies and drinking advocaat, food of the gods! :)