Merry Christmas! vs. Happy Holidays! (statistics, lobby, voting, country)

[JetJockey]

Originally Posted by BlueWillowPlate

Exactly.
It is like a sort of Christian Supremacist Anxiety Disorder.
The outrage and indignation is, IMHO, self-defeating.
It is water off a secularist's back, yet at the same time, for a Christian, it takes the focus away from where it should be--his or her own relationship with God.
The very people who proudly proclaim that it's "Merry Christmas" for them ("Don't like it? tough") end up spitting out the greeting like some sort of epithet.
Joy to the world, indeed.

Agreed completely! Honestly, I couldn't care less if there are 12 nativity scenes set up all around my town, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I've never protested anything regarding the celebration of Christmas, since I don't celebrate it. I'd love to work on Christmas, but they have to pay me double time so I get the day off But when people ask me what church service I'm going to on 'the most holiest of days' and I tell them I don't celebrate/I'm Atheist, all I've gotten is disgusted looks, the shaking of heads in sympathy and told that 'Jesus is the reason for the Season!'. The 'War on Christmas' doesn't exist, people just need to carry on with life.

[rxnasi]

I dont care i know what people are talking about.

[katzenfreund]

Who cares? I send out "happy holidays" cards, because I have friends of various religious/non religious beliefs. Whatever makes people happy....

[jps-teacher]

I don't object to being told Merry Christmas by those who don't know me well. I hang the Christmas (and holiday) cards I get - at least the pretty ones and the heartfelt ones.

I object to those who use their "Merry Christmas" message to say "Bite me if you disagree!" I object to those who do it because they live in a Christian Nation and if I don't like it, I should lump it. I object to those who insist that because they are the majority, they should have their way religiously speaking.

The day is a federal holiday. The vacation period is built around the two Christian holidays of Christmas and New Year's Day. People are obliged to participate in rituals built around the Christian holiday or be belittled or put down or worse. Radio stations start playing Christmas music the first week of November.

Somehow the notion that Christmas celebration is threatened by those who wish it to not invade their lives further seems pretty laughable.

The notion that considerate = politically correct suggests a complete failure to understand a) considerate and b) the difference between politically correct and just plain ordinary correct.

Folks misread the origins of Hanukkah as a major winter celebration - it was not Jews seeking to compete with Christians. It was Madison Avenue seeking to get the last few percent of kids and parents wrapped up in gift-buying.

[Aconite]

Originally Posted by Greatday

Here is a news flash for you -

For decades (actually over a century), there have been CHRISTMAS displays in the town square, there have been CHRISTMAS plays at public schools, there have been the singing of CHRISTMAS carols of all sorts in the same schools. People have been going around wishing others Merry CHRISTMAS. There have been religious type displays put up at the public library and so on, and so on

Now, people like you are trying to stop all that - well, the backlash against people like you is starting -

There is nothing wrong with the CHRISTMAS tree - the city sponsored CHRISTMAS tree lighting ceremony (and the National Tree) and so on -

Tradition is what some would call it - and a vast majority of Americans like the tradition. But, some "minorities" claim they are "offended", "hurt", "devastated"

Well tough!

We are coming up to Christmas with all of its wonder and delights. AND, to most, the recognition of the birth of that Baby in Bethlehem.

Welcome to the REAL world -

I just love how you're getting all warm and happy and full of brotherly love over celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus. It's really heartwarming. I especially like how you're acting all Christlike.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Aconite

I just love how you're getting all warm and happy and full of brotherly love over celebrating the birth of Baby Jesus. It's really heartwarming. I especially like how you're acting all Christlike.

I'm sure Jesus - and his Jewish mother - would be proud...

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by jps-teacher

I don't object to being told Merry Christmas by those who don't know me well. I hang the Christmas (and holiday) cards I get - at least the pretty ones and the heartfelt ones.

I object to those who use their "Merry Christmas" message to say "Bite me if you disagree!" I object to those who do it because they live in a Christian Nation and if I don't like it, I should lump it. I object to those who insist that because they are the majority, they should have their way religiously speaking.

The day is a federal holiday. The vacation period is built around the two Christian holidays of Christmas and New Year's Day. People are obliged to participate in rituals built around the Christian holiday or be belittled or put down or worse. Radio stations start playing Christmas music the first week of November.

Somehow the notion that Christmas celebration is threatened by those who wish it to not invade their lives further seems pretty laughable.

The notion that considerate = politically correct suggests a complete failure to understand a) considerate and b) the difference between politically correct and just plain ordinary correct.

Excellent post... I don't try to be "politically correct," I simply try to be considerate and respectful - is it asking too much for the same in return?

Folks misread the origins of Hanukkah as a major winter celebration - it was not Jews seeking to compete with Christians. It was Madison Avenue seeking to get the last few percent of kids and parents wrapped up in gift-buying.

Yes, I forgot to address that point... whoever said we're trying to compete with Christmas is laughably wrong. Most of us would prefer that it fell NOWHERE near Christmas, so it wouldn't turn into a competition. Do you know how many times I've heard ignorant people refer to Chanukah as "the Jewish Christmas?" Oy vey.

[Niftybergin]

I work retail occasionally at this time of the year, and if I see someone with a cross on -- a necklace or earrings or some other sort of "tell" -- then I will wish them a Merry Christmas. I figure they're advertising their faith, so my words will not be unwelcome or unexpected. And if they wish ME a Merry Christmas, I will reply something like "Thanks! You, too!" But otherwise I simply don't bring it up at all. I thank them for their business and tell them to have a good day...same as I would any other time of the year. I don't assume anything about the customer, probably because I don't like it when people assume things about me. (If I see someone wearing a Star of David or some other symbol indicating that they are Jewish, I don't wish them a Happy Hannukah. I know that Hannukah is not a big holiday in the Jewish faith.)

I don't understand why this is such a contentious topic at all.

I object to those who use their "Merry Christmas" message to say "Bite me if you disagree!"

I agree with this, and this is something I sometimes sense as well with people. I don't get it.

I don't have any problems with Christmas displays at shopping centers, etc. I'm not a Christian (or a Jew, or a Muslim, or any other religious order...I just believe in God, period) but I do enjoy the decorations and the music, etc. It's all lovely. And I have zero resistence to white twinkle-lights!! Bring 'em on! The more the better.

[saganista]

There are many who enjoy the holiday part without paying any attention to the religious part at all. Unfortunately, the whiners tend to view that as some sort of attack on their religious holiday, using that as an excuse to behave in what is an altogether un-Christmaslike manner...

[Yeledaf]

I just hope Santa brings me the big old LCD HDTV we can finally afford (hint hint Mrs. Yeledaf), so that I can watch Charlton Heston pretend to be Moses next Easter, Brigham Young play Notre Dame in football, and Zubin Mehta conduct the Deutsche Gramophone orchestra in The Messiah, live from Berlin.

Hello there, you old Savings and Loan! Is this A Wonderful Life, or what?