ReligionSkepticism

The War on Christmas Starts NOW, People

Previously on Skepchick, the War on Christmas podcast and a Very Special Skepchick Christmas Extravaganza!

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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35 Comments

  1. My wife pointed to the 2 yo neighbor kid and said that is the kid who will tell ours that there is no Santa — and I replied that our son (now 4 months old) will be telling him there is no Jesus

  2. @captsam: Nah, just warring against holidays with any religious connections (no matter how tenuous) is in my nature as an atheist I suppose…can’t wait to take on Valentine’s Day again. Maybe I’ll branch out and take on Arbor Day and Cinco de Mayo next year.

  3. I am happy to join in a war against Christmas being brought up before Thanksgiving has even occurred.

    I was a a department store today and I just wanted to smash all the Christmas crap.

    Is that wrong?

  4. I plan to demand equal space for atheist holiday decorations at the Kentucky state capitol (Frankfort) and then bring out our traditional giant holiday dildo.

  5. Yule is perfectly good. It’s from pre-christian Norse. Admittedly m-w defines it as:

    the feast of the nativity of Jesus Christ : christmas

    But the etymology is:

    Middle English yol, from Old English geōl; akin to Old Norse jōl, a pagan midwinter festival

    In Norway it’s been the name all along, so the religious veneer has never been that thick. There’s no name for the holiday in Norwegian that mentions Christ.

    I loved the video all the way up to the clip from “Christmas with a capital C”. Killed my buzz dead.

  6. All the comments here and on YouTube are making me lol but I have to toss a COTW nomination to @Satans Parakeet for “I plan to demand equal space for atheist holiday decorations at the Kentucky state capitol (Frankfort) and then bring out our traditional giant holiday dildo.”

  7. Only about 5% of people go to church at Christmas in the UK and they’re mostly very old or drunk. They shouldn’t be hard to lure away with mince pies and shiny things. Then baby Jesus will have to celebrate his birthday all on his lonesome.

  8. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s the creeping commercialization of The War on Christmas.

  9. Listening to the War podcast from 2008, I was inspired to look around my computer for the lyrics to my favorite Christmas Carol (couldn’t remember the title so I was searching for “Rudolph” in all my text files.)

    Seconds after I found it as I was creating a new tab in my browser to search for the audio, the segment after Brian Thompson started (the speaker isn’t identified.) Vast cosmic coincidence! The podcast clip uses the Doors’ “The End” as background. The Christmas song I was seeking is called “Mr. Mojo’s Christmas” and features christmas lyrics set to Doors songs, including “The End”.

    My psychic powers are just too scary!

  10. @scribe999: “I’m afraid to open a new front until I’ve concluded my War on Thanksgiving, thank you.”
    COTW – No holiday is safe from Rebecca’s marauding horde!

    I’ve got president’s day covered.

  11. @TreVelocita: “If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s the creeping commercialization of The War on Christmas.”

    COTW – LOL! Srsly.

  12. I’m going to be super-sneaktastic about it.

    I’m going to put up a Christmas tree with my 5 year old, hang stockings, bake cookies featuring Santa and stars and angels, sing along to our favourite family Christmas album, and go to a bunch of Christmas-themed parties, some of which will even be put on by Christians who will pray.

    Then, when nobody suspects anything….BLAMMO! All the gifts under the tree will be from the likes of ThinkGeek and other purveyors of science/mathy goodness.

    MUAHAHHAAHAHA I WILL HAVE FUN PLAYING ALONG AND THEN I WILL FILL THE DAY WITH SCIENCE!

    And the Toy Story 3 DVD. Again…5 year old. Duh.

  13. I will support the war effort by celebrating Christmas and the providing intelligence reports to any atheist organization that needs them.

  14. I will start by setting up my “War on Christmas” hostility scene, with the G.I.Joes shooting up the manger.

    As for the satire, I wonder if there’s an “inverse Poe’s law“, which states that no matter how obvious your satire is, there will be fundies who think you’re for real.

  15. Rebecca, I stand in awe of your sarcastic powers.

    @ Satans Parakeet: Is that your Festivus Pole or are you just happy to see Baby Jesus?

    @ exarch: I think it is called “Colbert’s Law”…

  16. The Hubby and I are finally regaining our ability to breathe after laughing our lungs out onto the floor (no mean trick, breathing when one’s lungs are are the floor).

    We’re going to fight the war on Christmas by driving six hours in what I assume will be the annual blinding snowstorm to see family and exchange gifts and gossip. If we die during the drive this year, then all the Christians can feel guilty for making us travel in the middle of fekkin’ winter. Take THAT, Christmas!

    Seriously though, why can’t we celebrate Christmas in Autumn during nice driving weather?

  17. Gotta wonder about that old fat guy who seems to take an excessive interest in other people’s children. I hear that he’s constantly watching them, and making lists. Sounds suspicious.

  18. @exarch: I have been looking for a use for the creche that some well intentioned and believing family friends bought me. Artistically the set is beautiful but I never liked the religious connotations and therefore didn’t set it up. Now I know how to balance it.

  19. I’ve got your small town to move to: Warm River, Idaho. Population: 8.

    You could definitely rock Warm River as mayor. Yeah, it’s a little out of the way, but it is close to Yellowstone NP.

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