Happy Holidays!

[BoSoxGal]

[Big RR]

I see it a bit differently BSG; if someone is wishing me well on account of a holiday they celebrate and I do not, I am more than happy to graciously accept their good wishes. It's not like I'm being attacked by them. So even if only one holiday arises in a given season, I am happy to get the good wishes; we usually don't get many of them throughout the year.

Of course, it is true that all the holidays "count", and in a free society we should be happy for them all.

[Joe Guy]

I never wish anyone a 'Happy Birthday'. I only say 'Happy Day' occasionally.

If I were to wish a person a happy birthday on that person's day of birth, it would be like saying that everybody that was born on another day shouldn't be happy and they might be offended.

Or worse yet, I might be wishing one person a happy birthday when someone else nearby has the same date of birth that goes unacknowledged which might cause deep seated feelings of low self esteem that could cause that person to purchase a semi-automatic rifle and shoot innocent victims.

I don't want that blood on my hands.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Merry Christmas to all!

If you don't want a Merry Christmas, feel free to be miserable

[oldr_n_wsr]

I say Merry Christmas to my Jewish friends and they say Happy Hanakah back to me (and Easter/Passover). Been that way since I have known them going on 40+ years now.

[BoSoxGal]

There is no war on Christmas just because lots of people say happy holidays, is all.

[Big RR]

Absolutely not; and professionally I usually use more generic Seasons Greetings cards because I recognize not everyone celebrates Christmas (my personal cards are more directed to Christmas); I think the same is true for stores that say Happy Holidays. No war on Christmas or anything else exists or should be implied.

Nor, IMHO, should anyone feel offended if they are told Merry Christmas as I cannot conceive of a way in which that message can be delivered to be offensive.

[BoSoxGal]

I know, right?

[dales]

Christmas has its roots in Northern European paganism................let's cut to the chase, shall we?

[Econoline]

Everybody please note that in the opening post BSG (or at least the meme she posted) says that she says "Happy Holidays"--and why that is appropriate. It does NOT say ANYTHING about being offended when others refer to more specific holidays.

Regarding taking/giving offence--in my experience, it's usually Christians who are offended by the more inclusive "Happy Holidays", not non-Christians (apart from a very few devout Jews and a very few militant atheists) who are offended by the less-inclusive "Merry Christmas". YMMV

[Joe Guy]

Everybody please note that in the opening post BSG (or at least the meme she posted) says that she says "Happy Holidays"--and why that is appropriate. It does NOT say ANYTHING about being offended when others refer to more specific holidays.

You're right BUT it implies that the author says 'Happy Holidays' in order to not offend anyone.

More PC bullrubbish...

[Big RR]

Avoiding offense is PC bullrubbish? There are amny words we don't use and things we don't do to avoid offending/bothering/making uncomfortable someone else--is this somehow different or is it all PC bullrubbish?

[MajGenl.Meade]

I don't care if people say Happy Holidays. We all know it's a holiday (holy day) because it's Christmas - not because it's Hanukkah or Oomagooly Day.

[Big RR]

Labor Day is a holiday--is it also a Holy Day? 4th of July? MLK Day? Columbus Day?

[MajGenl.Meade]

The word origin is "holy day". How people have come to apply to it "any old day off" (including 'vacation' in the UK) is something else.

A holy day, a holiday, the first one of the year
Lord Donald's wife came into church, the gospel for to hear
And when the meeting it was done she cast her eyes about
There she saw little Matty Groves walking in the crowd
"Come home with me little Matty Groves, come home with me tonight
Come home with me little Matty groves and stay with me til light"
"Well I can't come home and I won't come home and stay with you tonight
By the rings on your fingers I can tell you are Lord Donald's wife"
"What if I am Lord Donald's wife, Lord Donald's not at home
He is in the far corn fields, bringing the yearlings home"
A servant too was standing by and hearing what was said
He swore Lord Donald he would before the sun had set
And in his hurry to carry the news he lent his best and ran
When he came to the broad mill stream he took off his shoes and swam

[rubato]

Very well put.


yrs,
rubato

[Joe Guy]

Avoiding offense is PC bullrubbish? There are amny words we don't use and things we don't do to avoid offending/bothering/making uncomfortable someone else--is this somehow different or is it all PC bullrubbish?

The way I read it, the statement is telling everyone never to say 'Merry Christmas' because you might offend someone.

That's more than "avoiding offense". It's the same kind of thought process that says that children that compete and lose should be given an award so they won't be mentally damaged.

The world is going to heck in a small portable basket!

[MajGenl.Meade]

I don't think "my" holidays are the only ones that count. But at Christmas time, I say "Merry Christmas" and at Easter I say, "Happy Easter". And at New Year's I say, "Happy New Year"... even though it isn't a new year for at least two major faith groups and probably a zillion more

Don't you... say Happy New Year? Or is it "Happy Holiday" because it wouldn't do to think that our new year is somehow the only new year happening this year (or next)

[rubato]

Everybody please note that in the opening post BSG (or at least the meme she posted) says that she says "Happy Holidays"--and why that is appropriate. It does NOT say ANYTHING about being offended when others refer to more specific holidays.

You're right BUT it implies that the author says 'Happy Holidays' in order to not offend anyone.

More PC bullrubbish...

You are free to deliberately offend people when you wish them well, if you like. The rest of us don't because we do not simultaneously wish to both hurt and heal. We are not as confused as you are.



yrs,
rubato

[Econoline]

I don't think "my" holidays are the only ones that count. But at Christmas time, I say "Merry Christmas" and at Easter I say, "Happy Easter". And at New Year's I say, "Happy New Year"... even though it isn't a new year for at least two major faith groups and probably a zillion more

Don't you... say Happy New Year? Or is it "Happy Holiday" because it wouldn't do to think that our new year is somehow the only new year happening this year (or next)

But what do you say if someone wishes you a "Happy New Year" on Rosh Hashanah? (Or a "Blessed Ramadan" during Ramadan?)