Quote by Whitley Strieber
The upheavals of adolescence silenced 'A Christmas Carol' for a few years. I became a firebrand atheist. Christmas - humbug! Too commercial! Then I became an agnostic. Christmas was a pro-forma affair, basically a chore. Buy mother a book, dad a new tie, my brother and sister small gifts. Pretend thanks for the fountain pens and shirts I received.
Summary
This quote reflects the speaker's personal journey through adolescence and their changing attitude towards Christmas. Initially, the speaker distances themselves from the holiday, considering it commercial and dismissing it as humbug. As they continue to question their beliefs, their perspective shifts to being agnostic, resulting in a detached approach towards Christmas. The speaker describes the act of exchanging gifts as obligatory and insincere. The quote portrays a young person's disillusionment with the materialistic aspects of the holiday, and their struggle to embrace its true meaning amidst their own evolving beliefs.