For the Hunger Games Fans...

[dirty ethel rackham]

2 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

I think it's more that the religious aspects are casually mixed into secular situations, for example celebrations organised by local government, state schools etc. , rather than being kept separate. UK secular Christmas is actually less secular and that's not a problem. Both atheists and Christians are relaxed about the whole issue.

This is what I remember growing up.  I don't remember people getting up in arms about a mixing of the two.  The push toward removal of religion from public celebrations gained momentum in later years.  It was not uncommon for school children to have Christmas parties at school.  At my public high school we sang religious and non-religious carols.  

[Frances]

1 hour ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

This is what I remember growing up.  I don't remember people getting up in arms about a mixing of the two.  The push toward removal of religion from public celebrations gained momentum in later years.  It was not uncommon for school children to have Christmas parties at school.  At my public high school we sang religious and non-religious carols.  

That’s how I remember it, too, at least where I grew up. But there are pretty big differences now, especially with the mixing of politics and religion.

[maize]

5 hours ago, Laura Corin said:

I think it's more that the religious aspects are casually mixed into secular situations, for example celebrations organised by local government, state schools etc. , rather than being kept separate. UK secular Christmas is actually less secular and that's not a problem. Both atheists and Christians are relaxed about the whole issue.

My impression is that Christmas--all of Christmas, the secular and religious aspects both--are fully integrated into the culture of the people and are experienced as such. Comfortable as celebrations of a culture that is one's own ought to be. People who originate from other cultures can be welcomed/folded into the celebrations because those are deep in the social fabric and not threatened by outsiders.

Maybe part of the difficulty on this side of the Atlantic is that we are too young as a nation and too culturally pluralistic to have that kind of deep cultural roots. We're a bunch of recent garden transplants each trying to establish our own cultures and feeling profoundly threatened by the roots and branches of the various plants growing around us.

[Carrie12345]

On 4/12/2019 at 5:40 PM, Laura Corin said:

In UK terms it would be odd if they didn't celebrate Christmas, I think. Christmas is so much part of secular culture. My atheist parents celebrated Christmas, as do I with my sons.

 

My family does secular Christmas here in the US, too, as do most (not all) of my non-religious friends. To not do it would feel strange to me. We live in a society where it dominates the winter season everywhere you turn, and the traditions and happy memories are ingrained in dh and me. We do pass our favorite parts onto our wizards kids.

We also partake in elements of other religious and cultural celebrations, though we don’t “celebrate” as if they were part of our own heritage.  And sometimes we piggy back on things like Thanksgiving or Columbus Day and turn them into celebrations of things we find more worthy of recognition. 😉 

[goldenecho]

On 4/10/2019 at 10:58 AM, Chris in VA said:

I think you are absolutely right. I love that Rue is the stone. I don't have the books here and don't want to re-buy, but I would love to knowcwhat other things you find. I can look on the internet but it is more fun with real people!

So, another random reference I found (not to religion), was that the military unit Katniss was put in in book 3 was Squadron 451  (Ie, the temperature at which books burn, from Fahrenheit 451).   Thought that was a cool nod. 

[maize]

On 4/14/2019 at 4:47 AM, Carrie12345 said:

My family does secular Christmas here in the US, too, as do most (not all) of my non-religious friends. To not do it would feel strange to me. We live in a society where it dominates the winter season everywhere you turn, and the traditions and happy memories are ingrained in dh and me. We do pass our favorite parts onto our wizards kids.

We also partake in elements of other religious and cultural celebrations, though we don’t “celebrate” as if they were part of our own heritage.  And sometimes we piggy back on things like Thanksgiving or Columbus Day and turn them into celebrations of things we find more worthy of recognition. 😉 

Which, doubtless, is how pre-Christian pagan yule celebrations became Christmas in the first place--religion changed, but people wanted to continue their solstice season celebrations.

Humans thrive on tradition. 

(I know this is a couple of weeks old but just saw this post and wanted to comment 🙂 )