Have yourself an Atheist Christmas

Being an Atheist at Christmas in Malta, can be quite awkward; bobbing about in a sea of mangers with anatomically incorrect newborn babies, nativity plays with children dressed up like Emirate Business men but calling themselves two millennia-old shepherds and, out of tune carol-singers blaring inside and outside churches.  But as awkward as it may feel and as tempting as it may be to remind every Christian that this feast was celebrated way before they ever came along, as a Winter Festival or Saturnalia, as an Atheist I am not at all bitter about it and I actually enjoy this time of year very much. In fact I even enjoy decorating, and my favourite Christmas decoration has got to be the tree.  The evergreen tree is a symbol that nature and life can endure even the harshest of conditions, with a promise that life would return back in Spring.  Decorating with trees in fact predates Christianity and is even mentioned in the Bible: “Thus saith the Lord, learn not the ways of the heathen, for one cutteth a tree out of the forest and they deck it with silver and with gold.” (Jeremiah 10:2-4)  So heads up my fellow Christians!  The tree is a reminder of us being part of nature and even...