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So let me get this straight.
You reject the celebration of Xmas simply because the 'herd' at large does it?

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No. I reject the celebration of Christmas because I am a Satanist.


And if this needs further explanation, I rest my case.

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While I personally dislike the idea of christmas season, I have no problem telling someone else Merry Christmas. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean I can't tell someone else who does to enjoy it and wish them well.

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I agree. I don't sit bitterly and curse the world around the whole day, if some got that impression - that would mean suffering of Christmasitis
As I have said, I have wished those who celebrate it and are acquaintances of mine merry Christmas.... I just didn't expect Satanists to be among them.

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And what is wrong with the reasoning of a child? It often times makes more sense than the reasoning of "mature adults".

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There is nothing wrong with the reasoning of a child - unless one decided to live in eternal childhood. Don't get me wrong, I do by all means agree with the fact that one should try never to lose the ability to laugh with the carelesness of a child, or approach new things with open eyes.
"Mature adults" are mostly people who never really grew up to be individuals and are nothing but very disappointed children.

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Not having to deal with: large, frustrated shopping crowds, increased expenses, trying to return things you got two (or more) of, having to make sure that no one else was getting so and so the same thing you did...... A reward in its self.

But if any Satanist finds a reason TO celebrate Christmas..... Whatever floats your boat.

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I agree with you.

Not only because I really do, but also because you are the only one who shares my opinion here, so you just became very precious to me

Don't be surprised if you're awakened at night by my whispering: "My prescious......"

Am I the only one amazed that this thread took root?

Merry Xmas? *sigh*

I respect another's lair, though these "upper floors" are called "kennel" as much as I can see, so I suppose utmost courtesy is not a must.

Actually it is. It is only called a "kennel" because so many here refuse to behave, as you might put it, as "mature adults". The Church of Satan is a "mutual admiration society". Even members who disagree generally regard each other with a polite nod. However, newcomers and outsiders who would waste our time and muck up this fine resource are rightly treated with disdain.

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Not in the same way as symbols I have mentioned (graphical
symbols), but it still bears a strong symbollical meaning nevertheless.
Christmas customs - all the shows of birth of Jesus in highschools theatres, the Morning star on Christmas tree, the gathering of families, are symbolical representatives of something that supposedly happened some 2000 years ago.

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My slogan:
Leave Jesus at the alter this Christmas.

Leave Jesus at the alter this Christmas.

Very catchy. And I think most people do.

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Don't be surprised if you're awakened at night by my whispering: "My prescious......"

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Just as long as I don't find you in my bathtub singing, "The water's cool, it's nice and cool, so juicy sweeeeeeeeet!"

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Christmas is a term in conversation - here and now. And if you were referring to Christmas as a holiday, and I was talking about my dog named Christmas, it would be hard to make sense of it all. Any term needs to have a very fixed meaning, otherwise different sides are talking of different things bearing the same names. Many misunderstanings arise from this practice.

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Don't equivocate. You switched from talking about the semiotics of the holiday, to the semantic meaning of the word. A word is a term in a conversation, and needs to have conventional meaning in order for the conversation to take place. But a holiday is not a word, it is a custom and a set of practices; it has a different kind of meaning, one that does not need to have any reference to convention whatsoever, or which can have whatever reference to, reinterpretation of, or parody on convention that the practitioner likes.

Here's how I personally celebrate this holiday:

First of all, I celebrate "The Solstice", not "Christmas". And to the few people I meet who say "Merry Christmas" to me instead of "Happy Holidays", I immediately reply with "I'm not Christian, but thanks for the thought." It rightfully embarrasses them. Granted I'm doing the same kinds of secular things the church-goers are doing: receiving and giving gifts, drinking egg nog, getting together with relatives, etc. These things aren't Xtian, so I don't find rejection of these things to be Satanic per se. I know some will view this as a semantics argument, but I myself simply have a problem with celebrating a holiday with "Christ" in the title. And rewording it as "Xmas" doesn't work for me (though it makes for handy short-hand), because I know the "X" in that word really stands for "Xristos", the Greek word for "Christ". So, I just label all these secular holiday acts as "The Solstice".

When it comes to gift giving, I always place a MUCH bigger emphasis on birthdays, since (as I'm sure no Satanist here would argue) the date of one's birth is much more personal and significant than one particular international day of gift-giving. Still, I do buy and receive gifts around this time of year, usually just for my immediate family, whoever I'm dating, and a certain circle of friends. I'd rather be buying AND receiving than not having these traditions at all. It makes my life a lot more enjoyable. I'm happy to say that I make more money than I need, so buying a gold necklace for my mother or a Brookstone gadget for my father is no sweat. And I'm usually done with all my shopping before Dec 1st even rolls around, thereby separating myself from a lot of the holiday "madness" that happens.

and an excuse to get a little drunk the night before. My holiday was monday night. Christmas is a slave holiday, and, as such, is beneath me.

It's only a slave holiday if you let it be. Who cares what the herd is doing. I enjoy it because my family and friends enjoy it. I don't have to get anyone a present if I don't want to. I usually do anyways but I like to give my gifts about two days after Christmas just to make it a little different.

Agreed again. How can one reject Christianity, but still celebrate it's #1 holiday? I find that just as amusing as Christians who celebrate Halloween.

Easily. I just don't pay attention to the Christain part of it. Just like watching a movies with a Christian theme. I just don't care. Just because I take part does not mean I will practice it in my life.

If I watch Taxi Driver does that mean I will go out and kill some pimps? No. It is a form of entertainment and so is Christmass.

People need to lighten up and enjoy life. Stop hating everything that you dislike. Life is more fun when you have a sense of humor.

But if any Satanist finds a reason TO celebrate Christmas..... Whatever floats your boat.

Well said.

No. I reject the celebration of Christmas because I am a Satanist.

Well, I accept the celebration of Christmas because I am a Satanist.

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Stop hating everything that you dislike.

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I don't hate Christianity. I just find it to be beneath me. Along with all of its holidays. I choose to celebrate the original holidays.

Like you said before, Sammael. Whatever floats your boat.

Good times.