[Margaret Pilkington]

Retlaw...in the main you are right.
December 25th is a symbolic date for the birthday of Christ...no-one alive really knows the true date of his birth....and this date is close to the Festival of Samhain which the pagans celebrated...it was felt that the pagans would take much more kindly to religion which had a festical close to one of the pagan celebrations...and they would convert to the Christian faith...and they did.

What you choose to believe is your choice....and in reality Christmas is not very much about religion, it is much more about commerce.
You will even see Muslim parents out and about buying gifts for their children to celebrate a festival to which they have little allegiance(they do believe in Jesus, but only as a minor player in the religious pantomime...a bit along the lines of the inn keeper).

Relatives are what come with your lady.....or face ache as you call her......you must have some too...do you feel the same disregard for those on your side as well?

As I said, a carmudgeonly tinge to the post.