We're Putting up Our Winter Holiday Tree the day after Thanksgiving.

[MineralMan]

That is our tradition as the December Holiday Season is fast approaching. But, we don't like to upstage the patriotic Thanksgiving day holiday, where we give thanks that the Native Americans saved the sorry asses of the early invaders from Europe.

Our Winter Holiday Tree is truly ecumenical in nature, and includes some ornaments that represent all faiths, and many more that reflect no faith at all, since we are both atheists. My favorite is the Hallmark ornament that depicts a garbage can at the curb, full of wrapping paper, crushed cardboard boxes, ribbons and a discarded Winter Holiday Tree. Each year, we add two new ornaments that reflect some event during the past year.

The Winter Holiday Tree brings a little green color into our home at a time when nothing is green outdoors in Minnesota, other than the ugly Kelly Green house two doors down and across the street. It is a brightly lit tree, to symbolize the need to provide light during the short, dark days of winter. It is an artificial, fake tree, to symbolize the artificiality of usurping a traditional pagan holiday as a symbol of a Johnny-come-lately religion. It is green to symbolize the vast quantities of money spent on such holidays. It has far too many ornaments on it, and an excessive number of lights, to symbolize the wastefulness of our economy.

The Winter Holiday Season is almost upon us. Happy Winter Holidays to one and all!

[bearsfootball516]

1. What, no festivus pole??

[MineralMan]

3. Nope. Not enough room for all of our ornaments and lights.

[Fullduplexxx]

2. What and miss the black friday sales

[MineralMan]

4. We already spent all our money on the Winter Holiday Tree.

[Act_of_Reparation]

5. I just keep my Halloween decorations up all year.

Keeps the neighbors away and looks totally metal.

[Croney]

6. Your tree sounds wonderful, and you put a lot of thought into it.

We're atheists but we put up a Christmas tree because we've always had one, and we're able to compartmentalize that nostalgia. There are no religious ornaments and symbols, just lights and bulbs and a few treasured doo-dads. Not exciting, but comfortable.

[MineralMan]

7. There are ornaments available for all religions, really.

We have one of each for our friends to enjoy.

[Croney]

9. I draw the line at combining our Christmas tree with religion of any kind.

Give me separation of spruce and unicorns! 🎄🎄🎄

[MineralMan]

12. We have a cute unicorn ornament with glitter.

I hang it near the Flying Spaghetti Monster ornament. both are available at Walmart.com .

[Croney]

13. Ooh that looks like guts. Ha

[Mariana]

8. As a national holiday, Christmas is a holiday for everyone in the nation.

It belongs to you just as much as it belongs to the Christians.

I know some Christians are offended that non-Christians celebrate Christmas and get the day off work. They can be told to go lobby Congress to remove its national holiday status or STFU. Fortunately, there aren't too many people like that.

[MineralMan]

10. I've heard, "You can't be an atheist because you have a Christmas tree!"

But, I don't have a Christmas tree, I tell them. It's a Winter Holiday Tree. It has ornaments for all of the Winter Holidays, religious and otherwise. I can show them the ornaments and explain what religion or other thing they symbolize. They still don't get it.

"Why would you have an ornament that says Allah in Arabic on your Christmas tree?"

"It's not a Christmas Tree. It's a Winter Holiday Tree. Did you know that Muslims worship the same deity as Jews and Christians? It's true."

"No, it's not. Muslims worship Satan."

"Uh, no, they don't. They worship the god of Abraham, just like you do."

"No they don't. I don't believe you. You're an atheist. What do you know about it, anyway?"

And on and on the wheel rolls...

[Croney]

11. That's an interesting viewpoint and I agree.

Christmas belongs to me if I claim it. Ho-Ho-Ho! ⛄️🎄

[MineralMan]

14. Santa visits ALL children.

Regardless of religion. So I understand.

[Croney]

15. Wouldn't that be wonderful, for no kid to wake up to nothing.

Now I'm sad for the poor so I'll go finish my Goodwill donation bag.

[Major Nikon]

16. After Thanksgiving my home is lit up like a roadside fireworks stand

[MineralMan]

19. Perfect!

[The Genealogist]

17. I usually have a tree up

I just call it a Christmas tree. Of course, I know that a Christmas tree has nothing to do with Jesus. It is just nostalgia, devoid of any religious significance for me.

When I put up a tree, the items that go on all represent the fun and excitement of so many years ago: putting up a tree each year with my father, and the gift-opening chaos of Christmas morning. Even procuring a tree was part of the fun. I remember going into the fields my grandmother owned that paralleled the homes on my street, and Dad cutting down a red cedar. Even then, I remember very little religion being involved with Christmas.

This year, there'll be no tree. I have a cat that will be 9 months old at Christmas time, and the tree would be destroyed within 15 minutes of putting it up.

[MineralMan]

18. We have,sacrificial stuffed ornaments

on the lower levels of our tree. The cats pull them off and destroy them early, and become bored. The dogs don't bother the tree at all.l.