120 replies to this topic

[Happy Ent]

But this is much older than the current “War on Christmas” rhetoric from parts of the US Right, isn’t it?

[The Anti-Targ]

I wouldn't say offended as such, but the only people I know who refuse to partake in anything involving Christmas are some breeds of Christian, like Jehovah's Witness.

We have a JW team member. One of my other colleagues wanted to organise a team Christmas lunch for the last Friday before the holiday break. But if we actually called it a Christmas lunch our JW colleague would not have joined in.

Every person of a non-Christian persuasion I know (including me) would have been fine with going to a team Christmas lunch.

I sorta-kinda get the JW perspective here, because no one actually knows Christ's birthday (accepting for argument's sake that Christ was a real person, which is not a universal view) some people suggest the most likely time of year for Christ's alleged birth was May or September. And CHrist never said his birthday should be celebrated. So I can see that certain people would see the concept of Christmas as sacreligious and thus not want to have anything to do with it.

[Angeleyes]

Better to use the always safe "Merry Happy!"

[Which Tyler]

Being British it all seems like a complete waste of effort to even think about it.
We just say "Merry Christmas" and be done with it.

Equally, we get a bank holiday for May Day, which is 100% pagan. I don't know any non-pagans who get upset by calling it "May Day" (or course, there are some raving nutters who get offended at celebrating a fertility festival... that isn't Easter; but they're generally just laughed at)

[scotcat]

On christmas itself I use 'happy/merry christmas' - same goes for cards going to friends or family that celebrate it. As for the family members that either don't go for the whole christmas thing or are of a different faith, I use 'happy holidays'.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

I say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays".  For the record "Christmas" or "Nativity" is a feast that lasts for 12 days until "Ephiphany".

[Elder Sister]

I say 'Merry Christmas' to people.  I have atheist friends who say the same thing.  I say 'Happy Hanukkah' or 'Happy Holidays' to my Jewish friends.

I am religious and Christmas is important to me, but I try to be mindful of others feelings on the subject.  Of course, sometimes I just get full of Christmas cheer and forget.  

[Saint Arya]

I say 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Holidays' interchangeably. If someone was offended I'd apologize and it'd be over, no big deal really.

I did see a shirt that said 'Happy Holla Days', that was a nice one

[Xray the Enforcer]

"Happy Holidays," because it's inclusive of others who might not be Christian (e.g. Jews, etc.) and is the polite thing to do.

Edited by Xray the Enforcer, 11 December 2012 - 07:36 AM.

[the maid of woodlynne]

"Happy Holidays" to strangers (servers, cashiers, etc). "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Chanukah" to those I know are celebrating. I have one pal who celebrates Kwanzaa, and a handful who celebrate Diwali - I do my best to wish them well during those festivals, too. "Happy Holidays" covers them all and the others I'm forgetting to mention.

I've never had anyone take offense when I wished them a Merry Christmas in error. But maybe they were just being polite.

[Inkdaub7]

I couldn't care less what people say.  I'm fine with either merry christmas or happy holidays.  I usually say 'merry christmas' if I speak first.  If I am responding to well-wishes I say whatever the other person said.  I tend to do this no matter the actual words.

[Tempra]

Inkdaub7, on 11 December 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

I couldn't care less what people say.  I'm fine with either merry christmas or happy holidays.  I usually say 'merry christmas' if I speak first.  If I am responding to well-wishes I say whatever the other person said.  I tend to do this no matter the actual words.

I tend to do this as well, unless I specifically know the person celebrates a certain holiday.  Ninety-three percent of Americans celebrate Christmas.  The odds are with me if i say "Merry Christmas".  I'm a monster, i know...

[Lightning Lord]

I always went with "Happy Holidays" when encountering/working for strangers.  These days, I pretty much don't say anything.  Sometimes I sing in French.

[Skunkbelly]

Best blog post ever. Top 10 Reasons Why Christians Should Stop Whining about Secular Christmas

[Inigima]

I don't really say either of those things, not by design but because they all sound Hallmarky to my ear.

No one shies away from calling December 25th "Christmas," the entire premise of the thread is nonsense.

I am Jewish, and when someone wishes me a "Merry Christmas," I take it as the general well-wishing it is and smile and say thanks. If someone knows I'm Jewish and wishes me a happy Chanukah, wonderful, I appreciate it. If I get a "happy holidays," I take it pretty much the same way as "Merry Christmas." I know literally no one who has ever been offended by a not-religiously-accurate well-wishing catchphrase.

[Stubby]

Notwithstanding my disbeleif, I don't get offended if people wish me a happy christmas or whatever.  I don't get offended by nativity scenes in shopping centres.  I don't get upset by carols replacing the musak in said shopping centres.  I just treat the holiday as a midsummer festival of some sort and try and get my brothers out in the big backyard test match we play over the course of the day.  As X-ray and Ini put it - its the sentiment of the wish and the inclusiveness of it and it's polite.

The only time I get offended over the course of the break is if someone phones me on Boxing Day between the hours of 11.00am - 6.00pm EST.

[Alytha]

If anybody gets offended when I wish them a Merry Christmas (despite being an atheist myself. I see Christmas as a cultural, not a religious thing), they won't get any wishes or postcards from me anymore

Christmas, to me, is a time to be with your family and friends, exchange gifts and eat far too much. If you're offended if I wish the same to you, well...too bad for you.

[MisterOJ]

Since it's actually the season of Advent, I wish people a Happy Advent.

OK, not really. But I do love the Advent season.

[Ser Robin Hill]

I don't say much of anything.  I think that people wishing each other a merry or happy anything for one small portion of the year and not giving a damn, for the remainder, makes it all meaningless.

[Baitac]

I wish people a Merry Christmas. I say Happy Channukah to my Jewish friends but only during Channukah, which can end before Christmas. I think Happy Holidays is great too as it encompasses Christmas, Channukah, and New Year's. It's all good. If someone wished me a Happy Channukah I'd be happy. Everyone is wishing merryment or happiness. If you're offended by those offerings, you are a Scrooge.