Xmas

I live and grew up the Highlands of Scotland....one of the last bastions of hardcore Christianity on this island. In Inverness, my nearest town there are almost more Churches than folks. As an atheist growing up in this location can leave you quite bitter.

I don't celebrate Xmas. And when I tell people this that always ask "Why?". As if it needs explaining. I do anyway, "Because I'm not a Christian."

Now, some of the more intelligent people will retort with "But Xmas isn't a Christian holiday originally...it's a Pagan one." To Which i'll answer "I'm not a pagan either."

Some people call be a humbug or equivalent which i find quite offensive. You wouldn't call a Muslim or Jew this because they don't celebrate this nonsense. But then it is perfectly acceptable to offend non-theist whilst theists now have protection under British Law against being offended.

Once when I told someone that if/when i have kids I will not go through the pointless Christian/Capitalist tradition of giving them presents on the 25th of December she was literally disgusted with me. "How could you do that to them?!? How could you deprive them like that?"

Yes, not spoiling my kids with gifts for no reason, not turning them into faceless consumers WILL deprive them. It will deprive them of the farce that is Xmas.

Scott.