(#6170) The traditions of Christmas I like but as an atheist I am tempered

      Throughout my youth the traditions of Christmas were the excitement in the tree of gifts. The smells of baking and cooking were aplenty during the month of December. The going on drives in the car to look at all those who were inventive in their Christmas light displays. It just seemed like the normal drudgery of life elevated a bit during this holiday season. Those are my memories. We were not a religious family at all so there were no teachings nor indoctrinations of Christianity involved in our home, well except for Christmas songs. We were a good family so the absence of religious doctrine wasn't even missed.
     As I am older now and each Christmas comes around to this time of year I have not changed much but as a single man with no wife or children in my life I don't go in for the tree and it's childhood meaning for me. It really is just another day for me like all days in my life. However I do enjoy the season with happiness because Christmas is about all the others who do celebrate it with some vigor and reverence. I wish all a very good holiday season regardless of belief or non belief in religion. When asked to attend some Christmas function I am pretty good at saying no. I am to begin with not as social as I was when I was much younger and still exploring the wonder of life.
     So the practice of me living each day regardless of social holiday acceptance is the default within my existing system. The hope is that at least once a year we can all see the beauty in bringing joy to someone other than ourselves. So Christmas can serve a larger purpose than someone's accounting bottom line. Like any yearly celebrated ritual the event itself is larger than the mystery of it. I choose to see Christmas through the eyes of younger me when each morning waking up I would go lay down near the tree and just stare at the lights, ornaments, and presents, Wondering at the possibilities. We who were raised with little to be hopeful about at least for me had parents who struggled mightily to do their best to give us something that at this time of year inculcated a happiness.