We celebrate Christmas because it would feel strange not to, I think that is the bottom line. Also, I love the idea of the “season of giving” — and when we talk about Christmas, this is the way we frame it. We say that people, for centuries and eons and since time forgotten have had these mid-winter celebrations, all right around when the days are the shortest of all the year.
We have explained that some celebrate the life of a man named Jesus, who some believe was special because he did nice things for others. I’m pretty sure I use those words exactly. We hadn’t spoke much about God in the past, just “Gods” in the sense of mythology, with Christian myth as prevalent than those of Greece and Egypt. Then, God came into our household on the silver voice of some proselytizing child in summer camp. Initially we were troubled, but decided to take it in stride. It gave a good learning opportunity. That not all people believe the same thing and that this is okay. In fact, it can be very important… otherwise, how we would ever learn new to see new things?
I feel good about our celebration of Christmas, even as atheists, because I love ritual and celebration and delight in giving. Like it or not, Santa is a modern day representation of these things, so we have chosen to embrace him.
Does all of this justify my use of The Santa Threat during the holiday season? Maybe it’s appropriate that Santa represents Christian tradition, as I am definitely applying him within a fire-and-brimstone theology. Or, more likely, I am just really being lazy and need to step up on my parenting.
In any case, it’s been hot and heavy over the last day, These Threats. I feel badly about it. It’s bad parenting, sure, but it’s also working against my view of how we participate in this whole darn holiday. So when I saw Emmy had made these for her kids, I had to join in.
I give 50/50 odds that upon hearing her name in the first 3 seconds, Kate misses the rest in her excited squealing and that Will gets so worked up he has to run to the bathroom and miss the entire video.
Here’s Will’s.
Here’s Kate’s.
Michelle | 17-Dec-09 at 7:52 am | Permalink
I keep forgetting to make these for my kids.
This is exactly how we feel about Christmas and how we try to explain it to the girls. Some things are really hard to explain, but a season of being nice generally goes over pretty well.
magpie | 17-Dec-09 at 10:15 am | Permalink
thanks for the reminder – just made one!
heather | 17-Dec-09 at 10:31 am | Permalink
I just made one and about fell over laughing with how real it is! Thanks for the link!
chrissieroux | 17-Dec-09 at 11:54 am | Permalink
Love it! I made one for Sydney this morning–cannot wait to see her reaction (though I fear it will generate loads of probing and unanswerable questions…)
jenny | 18-Dec-09 at 6:48 am | Permalink
wow. that’s hysterically wonderful! and i freaked – because the intro reminded me of the “message from the future” in john carpenter’s prince of darkness.
luckily kate & will are too young to have seen that. 🙂
Lucy | 19-Dec-09 at 7:26 am | Permalink
I am person who is always trying to learn and understand different viewpoints. I was curious as to how an Atheist felt about the entire season and if they chose to participate? I mean it must be hard to have it constantly thrown in your face, for like 6 weeks. Anyways, I too like this time of year because it seems that no matter what belief you have people tend to focus on the ‘giving’ part and really isn’t that just nice, one time of year we all focus on giving to each other and the less fortunate!
kitty | 21-Dec-09 at 2:07 am | Permalink
Hey, the Santa threat is a part of growing up. They have to earn their toys!
I’d love to see the look on those kids’ faces when they saw that video. Now I’m going make some for my big kids who remain under the Santa threat.
Amy | 24-Dec-09 at 6:07 pm | Permalink
I am tempted to make a Santa video for myself! 🙂