Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas

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CFAvsMBA

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I go against politically correct speech, as you all know, and wish those I encounter a Merry Christmas. For those of you who do not celebrate Christmas, is this considered offensive? Happy Holidays just sounds so bland to me.
 
Extremely offensive. The custom now is to wish people a “B**chin Saturnalia”, because it’s the building block of the modern day ‘Christmas’, and who doesn’t like history? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia
Serious answer: “Have a great holiday” is bland but the socially correct thing to do if you do not know the religion / customs of the person you’re addressing. I think the Journal or the Times did a piece on this in recent years. Most people you’re friendly with won’t ever snap at you if you wish them a Merry Christmas and they happen to be Jewish or celebrate something else entirely. However, if you just wish people a “Merry Christmas” across the board, you will eventually encounter the 0.1% of people who it will really bother and offend, yes.
 
In the US, Christmas is so secular that most people seem understand the notion as it is intended. Which is: “I hope you get good presents”.
If you know some members of your audience come from other traditions and take them seriously, though, it is a bit like telling a black family that you’re dreaming of a white Christmas.
It can’t hurt say “Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year,” so everyone can feel they have at least one thing something to cheer about.
 
bchadwick wrote:
It can’t hurt say “Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year,” so everyone can feel they have at least one thing something to cheer about.
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Disagree on the Happy New Year part. The Chinese New Year is not the same as the US New Year. Therefore you will end up offending those of an Asian decent.
 
Nope, if you take a look, Asians like to party on Gregorian New Year too. You might as well get offended when a friend invites you to their birthday party just because you were born on a different day.
The key difference is that New Year is a secular celebration, so it doesn’t involve any statements about whether you are a good or bad person or what you are supposed to believe about how to conduct your life. It’s just about whether you want to come party.
 
You forgot “Joyous Kwanzaa.”
I make it a point to say Merry Christmas to everyone I talk to. People respond well. It’s sad people no longer expect to hear it.
Even if I know the person is Jewish I still say merry xmas. Hell, I’m an athiest and I still plan on having a Merry Christmas.
 
Amen brother, people are far too politically correct these days. I can’t tell you how tired I am for being labeled an African American. I ain’t never been to Africa nor do I ever plan to go. Me and my peeps just label one another black folk, cause that’s what we are.
 
^ Yea that’s totally true. I’m an immigrant myself to the US, almost no black people where I was from.
Came to the US and for a while thought it was racist to call black people: black. When I directly asked a friend of a friend who was black, she said it was just fine. It’s like calling an asian guy: asian.
 
I like to say Happy Holidays because it pisses off conservatives. I really like saying it to Teboesque people who are clearly over doing it with Christmas.
 
Bump, and RIP CVM.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I was at my sister’s house, and we wound up going to the public park. The local county inmates had put up the Christmas lights, just like they do every year. Specifically, I remember that they had put up a sign saying “Jesus is the reason for the season.” I found it interesting that a public park would be allowed to put that kind of stuff up. Not opining on the rightness or wrongness of it–just surprised.
 
Anyway, here’s the question I had, since we seem to have a whole slew of new atheist/agnostic people around here–how do you feel about religious symbolism or songs in Christmas? For example, when you hear “Away In A Manger” on the radio, do you change the station? Or do you treat it like any other Christmas legend? Do you treat Baby Jesus and Virgin Mary the same way you treat Santa and Rudolph?
 
The context is more important. If the religious theme is accompanied by a benign message like “enjoy the holiday”, then it’s all fun. Even atheists or agnostic people can experience a positive message. If the dj plays Away in the Manger, then announces in the end to crush all Muslims, that would have a different meaning.
 
I never understood the big deal about this. If someone wants to wish me a merry xmas, happy hannukah, happy holidays etc the actual words arent what matters. Its the thought and well wishes, I usually say back whatever the person says to me, because why the heck not!
The whole “war on christmas” crap fox news spews makes me laugh though. Oh the oppressed white christians of america, they have it so hard. I find it ironic that all they do is talk about minorities playing the victim card, and they do this whole “war on christmas” victimhood nonsense.
 
I’m a 100% athiest brought up with 0 religion but in a Christian country. I don’t mind Christians unless they’re trying to ram it down your throat and I’m pretty happy that they’re now being put back in their box over social issues they have no say over.
However, I fecking deplore “Happy Holidays”. Even worse is the English “Happy Christmas” in their annoying accents with all their “Father Christmas” and exchanging presents after Christmas lunch nonsense…. wankers
It’s Merry Christmas. The word Merry is the most important part. Nobody cares about the origins of Christmas but the celebration has been reappropriated, it’s now cultural and one of the main cultural traditions is drinking excessively for the entire month blowing off as much steam as possible until you can no longer handle another drop of alcohol. If you think about it, it’s almost like the inverse of Lent or Ramadan but instead of being immensely tedious, it’s great fun. Where I come from, if you’re not at least 10 pounds heavier and slightly yellow tinged by the time you stop drinking on the 3rd January, you’re an embarrasment to your family.
 
I say Merry Christmas. If someone wants to wish me a happy Hanukkah or a Happy Ramadan or whatever, be my guest, doesn’t offend me one bit. I actually think we should start celebrating all of these different cultural occasions. More parties the better. And maybe it would foster some better understanding.
 
Greenman72 wrote:
Anyway, here’s the question I had, since we seem to have a whole slew of new atheist/agnostic people around here–how do you feel about religious symbolism or songs in Christmas? For example, when you hear “Away In A Manger” on the radio, do you change the station? Or do you treat it like any other Christmas legend? Do you treat Baby Jesus and Virgin Mary the same way you treat Santa and Rudolph?
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The answer to your question would be yes. At least for me.
 
I usually say Happy Holidays because I’m lazy and want to capture everything from Thanksgiving through early January in one shot.
 
It’s just a season’s greeting until they complain about damn foreigners who twisted xmas into a commercial venture (something i don’t think they needed foreigners to do), or that people don’t comprehend the ‘spirit’ of the season. A red flag is when they have a bumper sticker that says “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”.
Fair dues to them, that is what the season is really about - I wouldn’t have a holiday without that bloke Jesus getting born so I just go along with it. No need to get your knickers in a bunch. I mean, who really gives a fk? It’s well meaning and not said in malice, so jog on mate.
 
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