Students speak: Celebrating Christmas as an atheist

http://college.usatoday.com/2014/12/16/students-speak-celebrating-christmas-as-an-atheist/

By: Canton Winer December 16, 2014 1:48 pm


The Secular Student Alliance is a national organization for nonreligious students, with over 1500 members. (Photo courtesy of SSA)

When University of New Hampshire freshman Rebekah Londoff returns home for winter break this year, she plans on celebrating Christmas like many of her classmates — with carols, a holiday dinner and presents under a Christmas tree.

Unlike most of her classmates, however, Londoff identifies as an atheist. Despite her disbelief in God or religion, she says she expects her break to be fairly typical.

“I don’t think my experience differs too much from religious students’ breaks,” Londoff says. “I still celebrate Christmas like everyone else. My family and I go through the same traditions…We just leave out any religious aspects.”

Londoff is far from alone. Many atheist students have echoed her sentiments that religion, to them, is not a central focus of their Christmas celebrations.

more at link