This is just stupid.
I’m an atheist. A devout atheist.
This is not “secularism”, it’s stupidity.
As atheists, my family celebrates the traditional secular commercial Christmas. We will also happily attend Chanukah celebrations, Kwanzaa celebrations, winter solstice celebrations, Nicholas Day celebrations, Yule celebrations, Festivus celebrations, or whatever else we are invited to attend. Our beliefs are not so delicate that they could collapse just from being exposed to others joyous celebrations. We love participating in other people’s joy.
This sort if fanatical secularism sucks all of the joy out of the season.
I understand that it might seem a step too far, but in a way I’m thankful that someone is pushing back against the whitewashing of Christian holidays as the default.
Christmas is not secular, though in North America (and I’m sure Europe to some extent) we love to try to turn it into a capitalist holiday “for everyone.” The fact that even atheists support it in mostly the same way as practicing Christians shows how effective this is.
Even in our supposedly secular society, Christianity is maintained as the norm by our continuation of their practices upheld at the cultural level. You see it in some areas where specifically Sundays are codified as days of rest, where Christmas and Easter are codified as statutory holidays, where “visible” symbols of religion are banned but Christians can keep on wearing their necklaces under their clothes, where crosses are at times not even seen as religious.
OP, you said that you “would happily attend” other celebrations, but I note that even you say you celebrate Christmas. And while you might go to another holiday event if invited, I’m willing to bet that it’s a rarity and you find it to be something of an interesting learning experience. Because culturally, those holidays are othered.
I’m just so tired of us pretending that we’ve become a secular society while we continue to uphold Christianity in all of these ways. We still have real work to do to unlearn Christianity’s cultural supremacy in the west.
When I lived in Ottawa I was invited to Shabbat dinner at least once a month and loved going. I went for Chanukah every year. My Iranian and Baha’i friends often invited me over for one feast or another and I would always go. I have no more connection to Christianity that I do any religion.
We get together at the time that pegans traditionally celebrated Yule for a meal with family and exchange of gifts. We do December 6 because it’s fun and a pair of travelling German farm hands introduced us. I literally couldn’t possibly care less what believers believe or do unless they are inviting me over for some fun and treats.
I agree with you.