If you’re a believer, Christmas Eve and Christmas in self are the most beautiful time of the year. It’s the moment when you can legally eat 12 dishes and feel absolutely no guilt. Family gatherings, celebrating together, sharing presents and joy — it all sounds like a recipe for holiday success. But everyone has their own traditions and customs. Some sing carols, others sing Last Christmas. Do we have to stick to the usual family traditions? And do we need to be religious to enjoy the holiday spirit? Spoiler: NO.

I grew up with Christian traditions. In my youth, it was unthinkable for a child not to believe in God, not to attend mass or religious classes. Not everyone liked it. Many kids, including me, tried to skip church and play truant. Yet, Christmas Eve was always the most magical and beautiful day of the year. In the ’80s and ’90s, the whole family traditionally gathered on Christmas Eve. We spent the day together — playing, singing carols, watching TV, or building a snowman.

In the evening, we had the Christmas Eve dinner. The dishes were the same every year — borscht with dumplings, carp, pierogi with cabbage and mushrooms, vegetable salad, herring, poppy seed cake, and cheesecake. There was also dried fruit compote, tasting like tree tea, but it was a must. Everything was delicious and homemade, prepared by mom, aunt, and grandma. Before eating, we shared the wafer and exchanged wishes. It was a touching and ceremonial moment, usually ending with laughter.

After dinner, we waited for the first star, which meant the angel had brought gifts under the tree. We ran eagerly to the room where a mountain of packages awaited us. We opened them with excitement and gratitude, sharing new toys, books, clothes, and other little things. Sometimes someone got socks and pretended to be happy.

Those were my childhood Christmas Eves, deeply engraved in my memory and heart.

Everything changed when I became a teenager and later an adult. I started asking questions I couldn’t find answers to. I sought other sources of knowledge and became interested in evolution and the cosmos. I read that humanity’s history is much older than what’s described in the Bible. I also got interested in the theory of paleoastronauts, which suggests that ancient civilizations had contact with advanced extraterrestrial beings, who could have been seen as gods or angels. The more I read, the further I drifted from Christian faith. I started to see it as a collection of impossible events based on myths and legends. I stopped going to church and stopped celebrating Christmas.

Everything changed when I became a father. I saw how my children grow and how curious they are about the world. I saw how they rejoice in the smallest things, how they are amazed and ask questions. I saw how much they need love, security, and joy. Then I realized I wanted to give them more than just material goods. I wanted to give them a tradition that would connect us as a family and build memories. I wanted to give them the magic I experienced as a child. The magic of Christmas.

It wasn’t about religion or church, because those had long faded into the background. It was about creating an atmosphere that fosters closeness and warmth. That’s why, for many years, my children and I have been preparing our home at the beginning of December. We decorate it with lights and garlands to give it shine and color. We dress the Christmas tree, and my wife and daughter bake gingerbread and cook the same dishes every year. On Christmas Eve, we sit down together for a grand dinner, have fun, and give each other presents. My children love these traditions. I see them laugh, play, and share. I see their eyes full of happiness and joy.

We celebrate December our way. We don’t have to follow traditions that don’t match our values and needs. For years, we’ve created our own secular tradition, reflecting what’s important to us and what brings us joy. I don’t think our tradition is better or worse than others. It’s simply ours. And that’s the beauty of having your own way to celebrate December.

December belongs to everyone. Everyone can find something that makes them happy. Let everyone celebrate December in their own way and create their own tradition!