Non Christian celebrating christmas...discussion with children

[Rebecca79]

How do you explain Christmas to your children when you are non-catholic /non-christian?
Christmas is everywhere and although its a "Festive time" and "Happy holidays" (moving away from "Merry Christmas") it is still Christmas and a celebration of Jesus's birth.

Or do you just celebrate the Holiday / Festive season?

I am just curious now that my children are at an age where they are starting to ask questions!

Thanks :-

[Lincolns mummy]

Non Christian celebrating christmas...discussion with children

We say it’s a time to spend time with our family and friends. We have an awesome Christmas!
We also explain that someone people believe a story about a man named Jesus and they celebrate that too.

[PomPoms]

We say it’s a time to spend time with our family and friends. We have an awesome Christmas!
We also explain that someone people believe a story about a man named Jesus and they celebrate that too.

We are non Christian and we do very similar to the above.

[Elijahs Mum]

We celebrate Santa!
Jesus was never brought up until DS started kindy and asked about it, he now says Christmas is a time for Santa, family and to say happy birthday to Jesus, and we just agree with him (we are not Christian and I feel it’s better to not disagree or challenge anything at this age , he’s 7, he can make his own mind up when he’s older)

He did ask this year if I believe in Jesus and I said I believe he was a nice man, some people do, some don’t and that’s ok you believe what you want to and he was happy with that!

[Renn]

We just answer things honestly - that for us Christmas is about family & food. That some people believe abc, some people believe xyz etc.

[Rebecca79]

I love all of your replies. Thanks

[SoThisIsLove]

Well im a Christian and dont celebrate xmas Xmas isnt Christian in origin so the fact that you celebrate it isnt hypocritical in that respect

[Ahalfdozen]

Christmas with our family is just about family being together, having fun, good food, gifts etc.
The children know that this is how it is with our family. They also know they for some other families it’s to do with Jesus.
My husband and I aren’t religious at all, but we plan to leave things open ended in case our children decide they want to be. Just want them to know it’s okay to believe and it’s okay not to.

[Mason98]

I still carry the faith I was raised with, but I think an easy way to describe it, explain where it came from but now most people celebrate Christmas as family time and to see those people that are important to you.

[Koarlo]

I'm not religious but we talk about what Christmas means to other people, whether it's Jesus, Saint Nicholas, Santa etc. I love having these discussions, talking about different beliefs and figuring out what we believe in as a family.

[Bluebirdgirl]

Well im a Christian and dont celebrate xmas Xmas isnt Christian in origin so the fact that you celebrate it isnt hypocritical in that respect

I am Christian and have been raised doing traditional Xmas and had started some sort of tradition with my kids but looking into my faith more this last year I want out of the Xmas traditions.
So do you just do nothing at all?
We also gift the kids things they want all through the year as we can so it’s not even about presents. We have always rejected the idea of Santa.
This year I’m not decorating or wrapping but the kids still expect gifts and my husbands family are what I call hallmark lol they only show up for all the hallmark card events.
I was thinking of doing a more just holiday themed feeling? I rather do nothing at all but the kids have been exposed to things and now expect stuff.

[SoThisIsLove]

I am Christian and have been raised doing traditional Xmas and had started some sort of tradition with my kids but looking into my faith more this last year I want out of the Xmas traditions.
So do you just do nothing at all?
We also gift the kids things they want all through the year as we can so it’s not even about presents. We have always rejected the idea of Santa.
This year I’m not decorating or wrapping but the kids still expect gifts and my husbands family are what I call hallmark lol they only show up for all the hallmark card events.
I was thinking of doing a more just holiday themed feeling? I rather do nothing at all but the kids have been exposed to things and now expect stuff.

Hi well its still a holiday time as most are off work so we usually go away for a few days or just catch up with family friends, have a BBQ, a few drinks etc. This year we are staying down at a friends place by the beach for a couple of days with a group of our family and friends We just dont celebrate any of the xmas tradtions whatsoever, so no tree etc or xmas activities, no gift buying just because its xmas day and its expected. With our children we do a few present days a year, some small others larger depending on our finances and what they might need / want at the time but they are a complete surprise and on no set dates. We surprise them with gifts - we wrap them and everything. We just did this recently but did it as a treasure hunt with clues so our kids could go find their presents, they loved it.

For me, aside from my Christian beliefs and not believing than xmas is biblical, i dislike the whole commercialism of it. To me, that not what giving should be about. I find it wasteful and greedy - the shops just go nuts. I guess i feel that so many celebrate it just because its expected and everyone else does it, when really they have a choice. Its sad when i see people going into debt or complaining about it. Gift giving and receiving should be joyful!

That being said we have family and friends that celebrate it and we dont judge them for it, or try and force our views onto them

[CazHazKidz]

For us Christmas is about being with family and enjoying summer and end of year and decorating and fun!
I am not religious, but went to a religious school so was basically brought up with it all around me. I am happy to discuss Jesus with the kids and tell him that some people celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus who they believe to be the Son of god. They can believe whatever they want, but they know that I don't. We still sing the hymns and everything else. we love Christmas regardless

[SheWarrior]

Our kids go to a catholic school but we don’t associate with any religion. Obviously they learn the Christian meaning of Xmas and if they want to acknowledge that, that’s their decision and we accept that (dd2 is 7 and thinks we should have a cake for Jesus’ birthday haha). But as a family it’s about being with loved ones. We have always taught them that everyone celebrates differently, and some don’t celebrate at all.

[Bluebirdgirl]

Thanks for the input [MENTION=105075]SoThisIsLove[/MENTION]
I think I just need to redefine it for us.
I totally agree with what you said about the commercialisation of it.
When I was a child it was about family and my grandmother always did big dinners and desserts etc.
The family all got together. After she passed away it just never felt the same and the family stopped coming.
All of it lost its charm since then for me and all the things I was doing felt forced for me.