Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › War on Christmas?
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November 24, 2015 at 2:00 am #818784
Michael WaldoParticipantSo listen, this is why I say happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I have nothing against Christmas mind you. Last week, there was the Festival of light, Diwali. This is a major Hindu holiday. Next comes Thanksgiving, which is basically a secular holiday. Hanukkah begins Dec. 6. This is a major Jewish holiday. The Winter Solstice is Dec 21, a major Pagan holiday. Christmas is Dec 25, a major Christian holiday. Dec 26 is the start of Kwanzaa, an African American holiday. Then there is new year’s Eve, another secular holiday. So, beginning with Diwali through New Year’s Eve, there are many holidays celebrated by many different people. All these people, Hindus, Jews, secular humanists, Christians, Pagans, are all living in America. So, it is not a war on Christmas to say Happy Holidays, it is being inclusive to the diverse points of view that makes up our country. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ. My birthday is in mid-February. I don’t expect you to start wishing me happy birthday at the end of January.
November 24, 2015 at 3:04 am #829077
JanSParticipantI never pay attention…it’s both for me. I only object if you’re not friendly, or make snide comments about my greeting. Life is too damned short to get upset about this, in my book.
The people who ARE getting upset are the same ones who don’t want refugees, who are supporting Donald Trump, thing Paul Ryan is a savior in Congress….I could go on. I think they exist to complain about things and basically make life miserable for everyone else. So…bring it on…Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa…and lets get to that Winter Solstice quickly….the daylight hours will start getting longer by the second :D
November 24, 2015 at 4:47 am #829078
SmittyParticipantAgree. I do have one request however…..can people PLEASE start saying Happy Independence Day? Happy 4th of July really bugs me. Happy 25th of December! Happy fourth Thursday in November! Happy January 1st!
Thank you, and Happy Holidays.
November 24, 2015 at 6:52 am #829079
JKBParticipantYeah. Maybe it could be part of the Holiday Spirit to not politicize everything.
November 24, 2015 at 1:19 pm #829080
sbreParticipantRelated, yet different spin on this thread:
This will be my 13th ‘holiday season’ donning the furry red-and-white, strap-on a fake beard & wig and “Ho-Ho-Ho” for the area believers of all sizes. (ALL proceeds going to Westside Baby)
And each season I turn down a request or two to make a jolly visit to someone’s function which takes place BEFORE Thanksgiving. I just won’t do it.
Being over 50 and born & raised here in the “Good ‘ol U.S. of A.” I’m old-school, and am staunch in my belief that the Holidays ARE NOT celebrated until the traditional seasonal-festivities are over; Halloween and Thanksgiving!
I understand there are those who want their photos with the ‘Jolly old Elf’ early so they can be sent out to their peeps and constituents, but I won’t be a part of it.
And like so many who are traditionalist in this respect, I simply dis-like (a shade or two away from ‘hate’) seeing Christmas in retail establishments and advertisements before the Pres. of the U.S. has pardoned a turkey or two.
In closing~I wish the ‘Ho-Ho-Ho’ spirit to all and to all a joyous season!!!
November 24, 2015 at 5:40 pm #829081
SueParticipantI agree. I always say Happy Holidays because I’m aware that one person’s holiday is not everybody’s holiday.
One holiday that particularly drives me crazy with greetings is Mothers Day – I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been wished a Happy Mothers Day by total strangers. I am not a mother (unless you count my cat). If I bother to actually say that to them (that I’m not a mother) then they’ll often continue with “well, I hope you’re taking your mom somewhere nice for Mothers Day!” to which I can then reply “actually, my mother is dead.” It’s like asking someone if they’re pregnant. If you don’t know someone well enough to already know the answer, then don’t ask or comment and make assumptions.
November 24, 2015 at 5:43 pm #829082
miwsParticipantNovember 24, 2015 at 7:23 pm #829083
elikapekaParticipantNo matter the holiday, I just take it in the spirit that someone was nice enough to say something nice to me, even if it’s something I don’t participate in or it doesn’t apply to me. I’m never going to be offended by a greeting that’s well-intentioned.
November 24, 2015 at 8:04 pm #829084
wakefloodParticipantWell, THAT’S no way to gin up faux outrage, elikapeka?!
That’s ok tho’, we’ll keep throwing things at you until we find something that sticks in your craw. And we’ll beat it to death.
It’s what we do.
sincerely,
Roger Ailes
November 24, 2015 at 8:37 pm #829085
skeeterParticipantRegarding the OP – December 25 is a major Christian holiday – that’s true. It’s also a secular holiday, though. Many (most?) non-Christians celebrate Christmas. I must admit I often say “Merry Christmas.” I hope I’m not offending anyone. If you’re celebrating the birth of Christ, great. If you’re celebrating Santa Claus, great.
November 24, 2015 at 8:45 pm #829086
skeeterParticipantOne thing I like about being Catholic is our holiday lasts longer. In my experience, the secular Christmas starts about Nov 10 and runs through December 25. There are decorations and songs and all sorts of fun stuff.
The religious season, however, starts on December 25 and ends a week after Epiphany with the baptism of Jesus.
My family celebrates both the secular Christmas as well as the religious season. So our Christmas is doesn’t end until mid-January. Pretty cool if you ask me.
November 24, 2015 at 8:57 pm #829087
trickycooljParticipantI was browsing Christmas decorations at a craft store thinking I might find something fun to use as a tree this year since I’m going on vacation part way through the month. I glimpsed at something that was perfect color for my living room and went to take a closer look. It had all kinds of Christmassy words on it and I got to the bottom and saw in huge font “FAITH” and “BLESSINGS” and I said outloud, gross I don’t want that churchy stuff on my Christmas decorations. And then I couldn’t stop laughing at what had literally just come out of my mouth. The other customers must have thought I was nuts.
So there ya go, that’s what Christmas is to a Gen-Y not-quite-millennial that never went to church before. Feel free to tell me Merry Christmas but it probably doesn’t mean the same thing to me as it does to the people who don’t like the phrase “Happy Holidays.”
November 24, 2015 at 9:20 pm #829088
dapuffinParticipantFestivus for the rest of us?
November 24, 2015 at 9:45 pm #829089
wakefloodParticipantYES!! But watch out for the airing of grievances. Especially if there’s dogs involved.
November 24, 2015 at 11:21 pm #829090
miwsParticipantNovember 24, 2015 at 11:45 pm #829091
waynsterParticipantI give up… to be political incorrect about the holidays not going to happen with this kid its Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas and ho ho ho mistletoe ……and no I won’t say the D word along with the P word ….hehehehe
November 25, 2015 at 12:14 am #829092
dapuffinParticipantAaaaaah!, Worse than being Rickrolled!
November 25, 2015 at 12:51 am #829093
waynsterParticipantok mike here you go you say jingle bells I say silent night lmfao……
November 25, 2015 at 3:36 am #829094
SniperKittyParticipantTime to pull out the Festivus pole and begin the “Airing of Grievances”!
November 25, 2015 at 7:02 am #829095
JKBParticipantWill Alice throw a Solstice party?
November 25, 2015 at 7:29 am #829096
wsea98116ParticipantWe celebrate Christmas, but there’s really no mention of god, and religion is not at all connected to our festivities, or well wishing. To us, it’s all about connecting with family, and gatherings, and presents for kids and loved ones. So, when we wish you a Merry Christmas, it’s not about recognizing religion (ain’t got none), it’s really just a way to share our excitement about seeing family, and distant friends, and dressing up and eating! And that’s what Christmas means for most people I know. If someone wants to wish me a happy Kwanzaa- great, I’ll take it! Who cares?! It’s all good! If you want to take issue with any of that, I would invite you to focus your energies on the more serious problem of holiday dog crap, stinking up our otherwise shiny holiday shoes..
November 25, 2015 at 7:54 pm #829097
wakefloodParticipantHere, here, wsea.
I try not to get too wound up about this purposeful faux outrage but I gotta’ say it really confounds me when folks who I KNOW to be non-religious in their beliefs – but watch Faux News – get all righteous about a greeting.
These people would flip Jesus himself the bird if he was a hungry guy asking for a sandwich but god forbid someone utter Happy Holidays in their presence. Or better yet they make a point of wishing people Merry Christmas just to see if they reciprocate. Like it’s some kind of litmus test of worthiness of their life.
I know some of these folks and their hypocrisy is off the charts.
November 25, 2015 at 8:09 pm #829098
JTBParticipantGrowing up in the middle of America, I always thought “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings” were efficient ways to say “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.” Then when I learned about Chanuka, I thought it was handy that everyone could be covered in two words.
I like being in Singapore in late Nov-Dec—- Diwali, Thanksgiving, Mawlid, Christmas, anticipating Chinese New Year. Very festive.
November 25, 2015 at 8:48 pm #829099
JanSParticipantmaybe we could have a war on offended people , Fox News reporters and politicians instead :D
November 25, 2015 at 9:34 pm #829100
metrognomeParticipantthe sole purpose of the Faux Noise ‘War on Xmas’ is so Bilious O’Reilly can bloviate until he turns bright red, thereby earning more green from his minions who buy his merchandise, not to mention his line of camel doo-doo. I’m waiting for him to hang tinsel from his ears.
for those of you who would prefer to buy from stores considered ‘naughty’ by the American ‘Family’ Association because they don’t use ‘Christmas’ in their holiday advertising (as if I need a reason to window shop at Victoria’s Secret!):
and, most reputable scholars who study Middle East religions have concluded that the historical figure who may or may not have been Jesus (setting aside the question of divinity) was not born on or near Dec. 25th. This date was chosen by Catholic church authorities to co-opt the pagan celebration of Saturnalia, the Solstice, etc.
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