Isn't it a bit ethnocentric of you to assume that everyone wants to be told Merry Christmas?
the last time this came up, i mentioned the following analogy:
is it about YOUR holiday, or about wishing them a nice day on their holiday? do you walk around on your birthday wishing people a happy birthday becos that is what you're celebrating? or do you find them on their birthday and wish them one then? i see this the same way. it's a festive time of year and everyone has a holiday. if i know what someone is celebrating and when it is, i'll wish them happy hanukah or whatever. otherwise, happy holidays becos i dont know what the fuck you're celebrating this time of year and it is about wishing you well in your celebration, not wishing them well in my celebration.
the last time this came up, i mentioned the following analogy:
is it about YOUR holiday, or about wishing them a nice day on their holiday? do you walk around on your birthday wishing people a happy birthday becos that is what you're celebrating? or do you find them on their birthday and wish them one then? i see this the same way. it's a festive time of year and everyone has a holiday. if i know what someone is celebrating and when it is, i'll wish them happy hanukah or whatever. otherwise, happy holidays becos i dont know what the fuck you're celebrating this time of year and it is about wishing you well in your celebration, not wishing them well in my celebration.
I agree with this, however, I would argue that it also has to do with your definition of "christmas." When I think-or say-christmas, nothing religious comes to mind. When I say merry christmas I mean merry decorations and lights and presents and food and family gatherings and office parties and sparkely dresses and eggnog. Now, this, I suppose is precisely the argument for substituting "holidays" for "christmas" which is fine with me. I just say christmas out of habit really, but I mean it as all-encompassing and completely secular. These are the aspects of "christmas" that pretty much everyone I know celebrates, regardless of religion or which of the many holidays they technically "celebrate."
this is why I suggest that *someone* be it congress or whoever, comes up with a name for the AMERICAN, SECULAR holiday we all seem to know and love. then, we can all refer to it as that, but if you go to church on christmas you can call it christmas mass or whatever.
the last time this came up, i mentioned the following analogy:
is it about YOUR holiday, or about wishing them a nice day on their holiday? do you walk around on your birthday wishing people a happy birthday becos that is what you're celebrating? or do you find them on their birthday and wish them one then? i see this the same way. it's a festive time of year and everyone has a holiday. if i know what someone is celebrating and when it is, i'll wish them happy hanukah or whatever. otherwise, happy holidays becos i dont know what the fuck you're celebrating this time of year and it is about wishing you well in your celebration, not wishing them well in my celebration.
Isn't it a bit ethnocentric of you to assume that everyone wants to be told Merry Christmas?
I guess you can say that, but I don't think so. It's not like anyone is being forced to celebrate Christmas or being told their holiday sucks. Like if you see decorations in stores, it is those employees celebrating. Or decorating your house. It's about you celebrating the season how you want to. It's culture.
I don't celebrate Easter, so should nobody celebrate because I don't?
I've never gotten the "I'm offended" approach, but I've gotten several ethnocentric attitudes ("fuck you, I don't celebrate Christams" type stuff). I always figured it was implied.
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So... are you saying that if you said, "Happy Channukah", "Happy Ramadan", "Happy Kwansa" or "Happy Holidays" to those same people... they would have responded to you positively?
Is it possible that they just hate the holidays in general because of all of the self-imposed emotional and financial stresses that go along with them.
If the latter case is closer to being true.. it has nothing to do with the term, "Christmas".
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
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So... are you saying that if you said, "Happy Channukah", "Happy Ramadan", "Happy Kwansa" or "Happy Holidays" to those same people... they would have responded to you positively?
Is it possible that they just hate the holidays in general because of all of the self-imposed emotional and financial stresses that go along with them.
If the latter case is closer to being true.. it has nothing to do with the term, "Christmas".
You're probably right about the latter being true. But they don't need to be mean to me, I am a simple clerk working for minimum wage
You're probably right about the latter being true. But they don't need to be mean to me, I am a simple clerk working for minimum wage
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Brother... I know exactly how you feel. I used to work at a 7-11 on the Swing and Graveyard shifts. People treat you like shit... like they are better than you.
You know what? Fuck them. They are assholes. They are going to give you that same shitty attitude... regardless of what greeting you give them. because they are assholes.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
I actually started using the phrase 'Happy Holidays' years ago... not because someone told me it was PC... but because I married into a Jewish family and it just seemed to be the 'phrase that fit' for all...
I think now when I say or write 'Happy Holidays' it generally encompasses the entire Holiday Season... being any given religious connotation as well as the New Year's celebration...
I was raised Catholic and understood that Christmas was the celebration of Christ's Birthday... hence the name Christmas...
Don't get me wrong here... I'm not thumping a bible on the keyboard... I don't practice (or honor) any particular religious beliefs... I think it's a shame that the word Christmas has become 'taboo'.
I believe the 'Spirit of Christmas' has morphed into something that is truly important and shouldn't be lost. Call it what you will... it somehow still seems to have the power... that creates a conscious awareness of the importance of a time for 'togetherness'.
Exercising her will to lose control...
she lets go
I actually started using the phrase 'Happy Holidays' years ago... not because someone told me it was PC... but because I married into a Jewish family and it just seemed to be the 'phrase that fit' for all...
I think now when I say or write 'Happy Holidays' it generally encompasses the entire Holiday Season... being any given religious connotation as well as the New Year's celebration...
I was raised Catholic and understood that Christmas was the celebration of Christ's Birthday... hence the name Christmas...
Don't get me wrong here... I'm not thumping a bible on the keyboard... I don't practice (or honor) any particular religious beliefs... I think it's a shame that the word Christmas has become 'taboo'.
I believe the 'Spirit of Christmas' has morphed into something that is truly important and shouldn't be lost. Call it what you will... it somehow still seems to have the power... that creates a conscious awareness of the importance of a time for 'togetherness'.
..
I don't think the word, 'Christmas' is taboo to anyone. Maybe to the retailers who wanted to cash in on all of the non-Christians here. But, to the average American... I don't believe it.
And look at the people you see ranting about it on your televisions and from your radios... Pat Robertson, Bill O'Rilley, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh. Have any of your In-Law expressed disgust at the term? I'm guessing, Not.
...
And you hit it right on the head... Christmas - (The Spirit Of Christmas) is for everyone... not just Christians. Love, charity, family, giving, peace on Earth, good will towards men... all of that is not exclusive to Christians. Anyone looking to corner the market on those is being selfish... and selfishness has no place in the Christmas Spirit.
So, guess what. I say 'Merry Christmas' to everyone... and mean it. And I wish a 'Happy Channukah' to my Jewish friends. It has nothing to do with being a part of a religion and everythng to do with being a part of humanity.
Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
Hail, Hail!!!
It just bugs me that people who dont celebrate Christmas, complain or get offended when someone says Merry Christmas. They should just smile and nod and go about their business.
Same here. My family celebrates Christmas, my aunt has a Christmas party every year. My cousin (daughter of the same aunt) married into a Jewish family, had an inter-faith wedding and marriage. They switched holidays - one year at his family for Chanukah, the next at her mother's for Christmas. We all had to say "Happy Holidays" to him at the family Christmas party as he would verbally announce the fact he was Jewish and didn't celebrate Christmas. I have Jewish friends and will wish them well on their high holidays by saying so, "Happy Chanukah", etc. I don't say Happy Holidays to them nor do they say it to me. My cousin's husband was an arrogant, inconsiderate ass. Since he irritated my family with that attitude, I took to saying Merry Christmas to him every year I saw him just to piss him off. They're divorced now.
believe it or not, we don't "need" anything. that is only the spoiled brat in us trying to fill some temporary solution to an emptyness that does not exist.
I have eaten so much gold I crapped excellence - drtyfrnk29
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all!
Just trying to be friendly, I usually say "Merry Holidays" it kinda throws people off, even the Christians.
I celebrate Christmas but I would celebrate it if it was called something else.
I don't allow religion to get me uptight. My family celebrates Christmas, my best friend celebrates Hannuka (sp)
I think uptight assholes come from all religions.
I wouldn't get upset if someone wished me a Happy Kwanza...I'd wish it back to them.
It's mainly the time of year to just get close and celebrate life in general. No matter what ideas you have of afterlife.
Comments
Yeah, I probably should have just let it go.
But, I'm incapable of doing that.
the last time this came up, i mentioned the following analogy:
is it about YOUR holiday, or about wishing them a nice day on their holiday? do you walk around on your birthday wishing people a happy birthday becos that is what you're celebrating? or do you find them on their birthday and wish them one then? i see this the same way. it's a festive time of year and everyone has a holiday. if i know what someone is celebrating and when it is, i'll wish them happy hanukah or whatever. otherwise, happy holidays becos i dont know what the fuck you're celebrating this time of year and it is about wishing you well in your celebration, not wishing them well in my celebration.
I agree with this, however, I would argue that it also has to do with your definition of "christmas." When I think-or say-christmas, nothing religious comes to mind. When I say merry christmas I mean merry decorations and lights and presents and food and family gatherings and office parties and sparkely dresses and eggnog. Now, this, I suppose is precisely the argument for substituting "holidays" for "christmas" which is fine with me. I just say christmas out of habit really, but I mean it as all-encompassing and completely secular. These are the aspects of "christmas" that pretty much everyone I know celebrates, regardless of religion or which of the many holidays they technically "celebrate."
this is why I suggest that *someone* be it congress or whoever, comes up with a name for the AMERICAN, SECULAR holiday we all seem to know and love. then, we can all refer to it as that, but if you go to church on christmas you can call it christmas mass or whatever.
good enough for me.
I don't celebrate Easter, so should nobody celebrate because I don't?
Even us misanthropists say it to certain individuals.
If someone actually says, "happy holidays" to me it throws me off, just because it sounds so strange.
So... are you saying that if you said, "Happy Channukah", "Happy Ramadan", "Happy Kwansa" or "Happy Holidays" to those same people... they would have responded to you positively?
Is it possible that they just hate the holidays in general because of all of the self-imposed emotional and financial stresses that go along with them.
If the latter case is closer to being true.. it has nothing to do with the term, "Christmas".
Hail, Hail!!!
Brother... I know exactly how you feel. I used to work at a 7-11 on the Swing and Graveyard shifts. People treat you like shit... like they are better than you.
You know what? Fuck them. They are assholes. They are going to give you that same shitty attitude... regardless of what greeting you give them. because they are assholes.
Hail, Hail!!!
I think now when I say or write 'Happy Holidays' it generally encompasses the entire Holiday Season... being any given religious connotation as well as the New Year's celebration...
I was raised Catholic and understood that Christmas was the celebration of Christ's Birthday... hence the name Christmas...
Don't get me wrong here... I'm not thumping a bible on the keyboard... I don't practice (or honor) any particular religious beliefs... I think it's a shame that the word Christmas has become 'taboo'.
I believe the 'Spirit of Christmas' has morphed into something that is truly important and shouldn't be lost. Call it what you will... it somehow still seems to have the power... that creates a conscious awareness of the importance of a time for 'togetherness'.
she lets go
I don't think the word, 'Christmas' is taboo to anyone. Maybe to the retailers who wanted to cash in on all of the non-Christians here. But, to the average American... I don't believe it.
And look at the people you see ranting about it on your televisions and from your radios... Pat Robertson, Bill O'Rilley, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh. Have any of your In-Law expressed disgust at the term? I'm guessing, Not.
...
And you hit it right on the head... Christmas - (The Spirit Of Christmas) is for everyone... not just Christians. Love, charity, family, giving, peace on Earth, good will towards men... all of that is not exclusive to Christians. Anyone looking to corner the market on those is being selfish... and selfishness has no place in the Christmas Spirit.
So, guess what. I say 'Merry Christmas' to everyone... and mean it. And I wish a 'Happy Channukah' to my Jewish friends. It has nothing to do with being a part of a religion and everythng to do with being a part of humanity.
Hail, Hail!!!
Same here. My family celebrates Christmas, my aunt has a Christmas party every year. My cousin (daughter of the same aunt) married into a Jewish family, had an inter-faith wedding and marriage. They switched holidays - one year at his family for Chanukah, the next at her mother's for Christmas. We all had to say "Happy Holidays" to him at the family Christmas party as he would verbally announce the fact he was Jewish and didn't celebrate Christmas. I have Jewish friends and will wish them well on their high holidays by saying so, "Happy Chanukah", etc. I don't say Happy Holidays to them nor do they say it to me. My cousin's husband was an arrogant, inconsiderate ass. Since he irritated my family with that attitude, I took to saying Merry Christmas to him every year I saw him just to piss him off. They're divorced now.
I have eaten so much gold I crapped excellence - drtyfrnk29
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all!
I celebrate Christmas but I would celebrate it if it was called something else.
I don't allow religion to get me uptight. My family celebrates Christmas, my best friend celebrates Hannuka (sp)
I think uptight assholes come from all religions.
I wouldn't get upset if someone wished me a Happy Kwanza...I'd wish it back to them.
It's mainly the time of year to just get close and celebrate life in general. No matter what ideas you have of afterlife.