comment: >
  
  Nah, Christmas is just millions of people celebrating Saturnalia without knowing it.
context: This is a friendly reminder to read our rules.
  Remember, /r/Showerthoughts is for showerthoughts, not "thoughts had in the shower!"
  (For an explanation of what a "showerthought" is, please read this page.)
  Rule-breaking posts may result in bans. >
  
  It's even weirder in Colombia where Jesus is actually the one giving you the presents apparently.
  So instead of not getting anything he's the one giving you the gifts. >
  
  I mean, that's kinda like giving out candy on your birthday at school >
  
  When I was in school, we gave out cupcakes at school on our birthday.  Does that count? >
  
  Him not getting present is fairly reasonable, when was the last time you bought your dead relative a present?
  And most people celebrate it like I do I think, where it's not about what the holiday is about, but family tradition >
  
  Well tbf the dead man in question did get better after a couple days. >
  
  Let me reword it then, how many of your relatives or friends who have ascended to heaven are you buying gifts for? >
  
  None of them since it's been a bit difficult for me to find the postal code for heaven. >
  
  it’s just “4”, oddly enough >
  
  Mista would like to have a word with you. >
  
  My immigrant parents have no idea the true meaning of American holidays. They just know it looks fun and there's tons of food. So really it's more like we're celebrating Winter Solstice, so all the fun parts of modern Christmas that the Christians co-opted and none of the religion parts. Unless, you are me in my 20s where my celebrations were more akin to Saturnalia. >
  
  That is kinda wholesome >
  
  As is usually the case in this sub, OP is mistaking etymology for meaning.
  Those of us who do not believe in Jesus are NOT, in fact, celebrating his "birthday." We're continuing a celebration that long predated the celebration's re-naming to Christmas, in fact. >
  
  Also, atheists don't believe that there is a god or that Jesus walked on water, but not all of them think that Jesus was made up entirely >
  
  Atheist here. I celebrate the American parts of christmas. The tree, Santa, gifts, holiday spirit. No church or religious aspects of it. I also believe Jesus existed, there's plenty of historical documents supporting that. But I highly doubt he was born on this date. There's no evidence to suggest we know Jesus' birthday, and Its too coincidental that it falls under the same date celebrating the winter solstace under Paganism and the Roman Empire. Most believe the date was chosen by Constantine when he converted the Roman Empire to Christianity to make the transition seamless, since most in the Roman empire celebrated Sol Invictus on that day. >
  
  You sound like 99% of religious Americans. >
  
  How so? The celebrating of the tree and Santa and all that but without all the religious baggage? Sounds good to me if so. >
  
  Tons of Americans say they’re Christian and believe in Jesus C but they don’t go to church but still celebrate the Xmas tree, presents, Xmas songs, American tradition, etc. At least we’re honest and we say we’re atheist/agnostic. 
  So, you/we sound like most religious Americans.
  TLDR; Christian Americans and atheists Americans celebrate Xmas very similarly. >
  
  I guess. To me it's more about intent and belief than anything. I don't disagree that many somewhat religious Americans treat this holiday as more of a corporate hallmark holiday like valentines day vs a truly religious day. I was raised in that American sense of let's open presents and relax. Jesus never came up. So maybe that's why I'm happy to carry on this tradition in my family as it holds little to no religious significance to me. >
  
  More TLDR; I know way too many Christians that never go to church but celebrate Xmas and when good things happen they say it’s due to god, etc. >
  
  I always thought it was about the winter solstice. Fairly certain Jesus was not born on December 25. >
  
  (I say this as a committed Christian critical of many traditions) It was just a solid marketing tactic.