--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My darling atheist,” she recalled telling…" description: "\"“My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you help me decorate a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ?” He laughed. “This isn’..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg" --- # My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you… ![“My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you help me decorate a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ?” He laughed. “This isn’t for Christians or for Christ, liebes Kind,” he said, “only for pagans like you and me. Anyway, it is very beautiful.” quote by Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg) > ““My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you help me decorate a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ?” He laughed. “This isn’t for Christians or for Christ, liebes Kind,” he said, “only for pagans like you and me. Anyway, it is very beautiful.”” [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A conversation shows that people can find shared beauty in traditions regardless of belief, highlighting human connection over doctrine. **In simple terms:** People can appreciate traditions together despite different faiths. Key Takeaway Seek common ground in shared experiences. Themes tolerance human connection tradition belief beauty Mood warm reflective Type conversational inspirational When to use this quote - holiday gatherings - interfaith dialogues - family traditions - artistic collaborations Key Concepts Secularism shared experience cultural appreciation Questions to Reflect On - How can you create inclusive traditions? - What symbols can unite diverse beliefs? A Different Perspective Not everyone values aesthetic over meaning, so shared may feel excluded. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birth Of Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth-of-christ/) [Christmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) [Christmas tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-tree/) ## Related quotes > [But why doesn't the Gospel ever say that Christ laughed?" I asked, for no good reason. "Is Jorge right?" "Legions of scholars have wondered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/but-why-doesn-t-the-gospel-ever-say-that-christ-laughed-i-asked-for/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [The denominational world tries to pressure its members to focus on the birth of Christ, but in doing so layers of guilt are imposed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clayton/the-denominational-world-tries-to-pressure-its-members-to-focus-on/) [John Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clayton/) > [Having embraced Islam, I felt as if I were born again! I found in Islam the answers to those queries which I had failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jackson/having-embraced-islam-i-felt-as-if-i-were-born-again-i-found-in-islam-2/) [Jermaine Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jackson/) > [The time draws near the birth of Christ; The moon is hid; the night is still; The Christmas bells from hill to hill Answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-time-draws-near-the-birth-of-christ-the-moon-is-hid-the-night-is/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Yogi Bear - there's everything before Yogi Bear and there's everything after Yogi Bear. Like a major car accident, or the birth of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-miller/yogi-bear-there-s-everything-before-yogi-bear-and-there-s-everything/) [T. J. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-miller/) > [In the southern hemisphere, covering the Christmas tree with fake snow even though winter has nothing to do with the birth of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/in-the-southern-hemisphere-covering-the-christmas-tree-with-fake-snow/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The author is aware that the essence of the Christian faith is perfectly independent of his criticism. The supernatural birth of Christ, his miracles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-friedrich-strauss/the-author-is-aware-that-the-essence-of-the-christian-faith-is/) [David Friedrich Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-friedrich-strauss/) > [“By 2025, even drug dealers will not take cash. South Korea plans to have no cash at all by 2020.1 In Sweden, the European…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-peretti/by-2025-even-drug-dealers-will-not-take-cash-south-korea-plans-to/) Jacques Peretti > [“the motto “Shop less, live more, save the earth,” the team at Operation Noah, anxious about climate change, is promoting a series of events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-bowler/the-motto-shop-less-live-more-save-the-earth-the-team-at-operation/) [Gerry Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-bowler/) > [“It has been said that Christmas is for children; but as the years of childhood fancy pass away and an understanding maturity takes their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/it-has-been-said-that-christmas-is-for-children-but-as-the-years-of/) [Howard W. Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-w-hunter/) > [“versions of popular Christmas carols that one James Dodson produced in the 1990s. Take, for example, “God Keep of All You Protestants” (sung to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-bowler/versions-of-popular-christmas-carols-that-one-james-dodson-produced/) [Gerry Bowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-bowler/) > [Yes, the natural sciences are telling us a great deal about human origins, the origins of our species the origins of our minds; we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/yes-the-natural-sciences-are-telling-us-a-great-deal-about-human/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [“upload a recent photo”, some people interpreted that to mean anytime after the birth of Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-walker-bos/upload-a-recent-photo-some-people-interpreted-that-to-mean-anytime/) [Christie Walker Bos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-walker-bos/) > [Most people think of January 1st as the start of a new year. To people who espouse to Catholicism and Christianity, they might correlate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/most-people-think-of-january-1st-as-the-start-of-a-new-year-to-people/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [“Isolationists believed that the ancient civilizations all developed independent of one another. Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, China, Egypt—all crossed a threshold into civilization about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doherty/isolationists-believed-that-the-ancient-civilizations-all-developed/) Robert Doherty ## More by Erik Larson > [I've heard from the movie marketplace that James Cameron did such a killer job with 'Titanic' that it's almost impossible to do anything better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-ve-heard-from-the-movie-marketplace-that-james-cameron-did-such-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [As a rule, I am very skeptical of tying books to anniversaries. I don't think readers care. I also feel that it just about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/as-a-rule-i-am-very-skeptical-of-tying-books-to-anniversaries-i-don-t/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“look as if they had been plucked from the Palace of Versailles or a Jacobean mansion—that you were aboard a ship being propelled far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/look-as-if-they-had-been-plucked-from-the-palace-of-versailles-or-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [That's what I love about history - nuance. I don't believe in unalloyed heroes. Everyone's got warts, and everyone's got a surprise side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/that-s-what-i-love-about-history-nuance-i-don-t-believe-in-unalloyed/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Holmes was charming and gracious, but something about him made Belknap uneasy. He could not have defined it. Indeed, for the next several decades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/holmes-was-charming-and-gracious-but-something-about-him-made-belknap/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [. . . why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/why-some-men-choose-to-fill-their-brief-allotment-of-time-engaging/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“At present," he said, "I am responsible for conveying my associates to a place called Chicago. I understand it is somewhere in the hinterland.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/at-present-he-said-i-am-responsible-for-conveying-my-associates-to-a/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I knew from an online search that the Wisconsin State Historical Society, on the vast University of Wisconsin campus, held the papers of Sigrid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-knew-from-an-online-search-that-the-wisconsin-state-historical/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Dodd continued to hope that the murders would so outrage the German public that the regime would fall, but as the days passed he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/dodd-continued-to-hope-that-the-murders-would-so-outrage-the-german/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I envy other writers who claim to have a backlog of books they'd like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-envy-other-writers-who-claim-to-have-a-backlog-of-books-they-d-like/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [Trying to find ideas is the hardest part of my job. You'd think it would be the most fun. Just sitting around reading whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/trying-to-find-ideas-is-the-hardest-part-of-my-job-you-d-think-it/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Her blind endorsement of Hitler’s regime first faded to a kind of sympathetic skepticism, but as summer approached,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/her-blind-endorsement-of-hitler-s-regime-first-faded-to-a-kind-of/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“Perhaps, Herr Ditzen, it is less important where one lives than how one lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/perhaps-herr-ditzen-it-is-less-important-where-one-lives-than-how-one/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [I figured, correctly, that Berlin in February was not a destination coveted by tourists. I found good airfares on Lufthansa, an airline I quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-figured-correctly-that-berlin-in-february-was-not-a-destination/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“It was truly a transitional moment: There he was, at the cusp of the twentieth century, using the telephone to send a telegram.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/it-was-truly-a-transitional-moment-there-he-was-at-the-cusp-of-the/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) [Explore all 214 Erik Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) ## More Christmas quotes > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-manning/i-once-bought-my-kids-a-set-of-batteries-for-christmas-with-a-note-on/) [Bernard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-manning/) > [May you have the spirit of Christmas which is Peace, the gladness of Christmas which is Hope, and the Heart of Christmas which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-you-have-the-spirit-of-christmas-which-is-peace-the-gladness-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To my future children; you will know the true meaning of Christmas just not you get gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-children-you-will-know-the-true-meaning-of-christmas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No sane local official who has hung up an empty stocking over the municipal fireplace is going to shoot Santa Claus just before a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-smith/no-sane-local-official-who-has-hung-up-an-empty-stocking-over-the/) [Al Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-smith/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Santa Claus has nothing to do with it," the latke said. "Christmas and Hanukah are completely different things." "But different things can often blend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/santa-claus-has-nothing-to-do-with-it-the-latke-said-christmas-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [“Why did he hesitate? He finally admitted to himself that he was like an American child who was almost completely certain about Santa Claus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/why-did-he-hesitate-he-finally-admitted-to-himself-that-he-was-like/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Heaven? Floating about with everyone you ever knew for eternity? Me family does me 'ed in after one day at xmas, I'd rather be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/heaven-floating-about-with-everyone-you-ever-knew-for-eternity-me/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [On Hanukkah, the first dark night, Light yourself a candle bright. I'll you, if you will me invite To dance within that gentle light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gordon/on-hanukkah-the-first-dark-night-light-yourself-a-candle-bright-i-ll/) [Nick Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gordon/) [Browse all 5,100 Christmas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you help me decorate a Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ?” He laughed. “This isn’t for Christians or for Christ, liebes Kind,” he said, “only for pagans like you and me. Anyway, it is very beautiful.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erik Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling-him-why-do-you-help-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christmas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling-him-why-do-you-help-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2a/erik-larson-1710_christmas_my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling_1251879.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My darling atheist,” she recalled telling him, “why do you help me decorate a Christmas tree to celebrate…” — Erik Larson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Erik Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“My darling atheist,” she recalled telling...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling-him-why-do-you-help-me/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/my-darling-atheist-she-recalled-telling-him-why-do-you-help-me/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```