What the heck is HumanLight, you ask? So did I. It's basically a humanist/atheist holiday to celebrate humanistic values. Why celebrate yet a whole new holiday today?
From what I understand it HumanLight was invented for several reasons. First, as Dawnkins has noted, a thing that atheism lacks over religion is a sense of community, ceremony, and tradition. With exceptions, atheists don't really gather together in one place and talk day after day about why we don't believe in gods. HumanLight is a first step to providing that sense of community as the atheist/humanist community itself grows. Second, some Christians feel that there are some who are trying to "steal Christmas" from them. Well, go ahead and wish me a merry Christmas - I'll gladly wish you one back. Celebrating HumanLight and creating its own tradition steps on fewer toes.
Why the 25th? Western culture celebrates on this day in one religious sense or another. HumanLight is simply a way for those who don't worship to truly celebrate the season.
I did not actively celebrate HumanLight this year, but maybe next. We'll see. Until then, happy HumanLight, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa to all...and to all a good night.
