Strollerderby

This whole "war on Christmas" thing drives me crazy.  "Happy Holidays" is perfectly fine to say because it includes ALL holidays, including New Years,  and shouldn't offend anyone.  If a Christian offended by hearing "Happy Holidays" then it's not very Christ-like of them.  Or should we all just go around with markings on our clothing stating our religion (or lack of) so people can get it right?  

We should accept well wishes in the spirit in which they are given.  Although we do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God and celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday, I make certain my daughter knows that Christmas day is the birthday of Jesus and that Santa Claus is really Saint Nicholas. As it is, Christmas touches the lives of all who live in this country.  To be untouched by the Christmas spirit, whatever your faith, would be profoundly sad.  The inclusiveness of Christmas is in fact quite remarkable and should be appreciated.

The "War on Christmas" is a Christian myth perpetuated by evangelicals who like to imagine that they are still persecuted in this society. The truth, and Christopher Hitchens says it best here: www.slate.com/.../2206713

is that from the end of November until the New Year we live in a one-party Christmas state. It's the closest our country comes to a totalitarian group think every year.

While Hitchens is right to say that Christmas is forced down all of our throats, like it or not - Christmas is part of American culture, like apple pie, bald eagles, Wal-Mart, and American Idol. (Most of what your average American thinks of as Christmas has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus, so I don't frame it as a religious issue.) You can be (rightfully) annoyed by any of these aspects of American culture, but it doesn't necessarily mean they are oppressing you. People mistakenly often seem to believe they have the right to never be annoyed. Christmas annoys the heck out of me (born and bred Jewish, non-observing), but I respect the right of other people to enjoy it. It's called tolerance.

I feel like most Non-Christians tolerate the heck out of Christmas and enjoy most aspects of the holidays. What doesn't deserve tolerating is when Christians get all bent when everyone isn't celebrating at their level and using the correct "merry christmas" language. It's originally a pagan holiday celebrating the winter solstice, so no, HE isn't the reason for the season. It's a lot of different peoples' holidays and the evangelicals just can't get over the fact that were a pluralistic society.

We've got the tree up and lights strung, the busy bodies are just going to have to tolerate it when I wish them a, "happy holidays."

What annoys me, as a Christian, is when people are told by their employer that they are not allowed to say Merry Christmas.  Its a first amendment issue.  I think people should be allowed to wish people a nice whatever holiday you happen to celebrate this year, or just say have a nice day if that's your thing.  And Christians are well aware that Jesus was not actually born on December 25th, Treespeed, but that is when it is celebrated, and thus, He is still the reason for the season.  Maybe we should all just stop assuming that everyone else is offended by stupid crap and get on with our lives.

Treespeed,

Apparently Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday appropriated by Christians; it's the other way around.

touchstonemag.com/.../article.php

Granted, I haven't gone back in the history books to check every aspect of this guy's argument, but he makes a good case for the pagan appropriation of a Christian festival.

Allison,

My husband works somewhat indirectly for a Catholic university, and last year his institute was reprimanded for sending "holiday" greeting cards that said "Merry Christmas"!! It was insane. I find it sad that an institute that prides itself on being religious tells it's employees that "religious displays" won't be tolerated.

Laura,

I think it's probably safe to bet that people were celebrating the Winter Solstice since neolithic times and well before Christianity. Time to open up those history books.

It seems strange that a Catholic University couldn't wish their fellows a Merry Christmas, and people are welcome to give me any pleasant greeting they wish and I'll of course reply warmly in kind.

I'll be looking forward to all of this Christian tolerance I keep hearing so much about when I wish everyone a Happy Darwin Day on February 12. I'm sure I'll be overwhelmed with all of the tolerance.  I especially wonder how tolerant Christians will be when their public schools start making as big a deal of Ramadan for their burgeoning Islamic students and other holidays as we currently do for Christmas now.

As I stated before it's not about political correctness, it's evangelicals who are upset that they have to share the stage with any other message. The last I checked it was Christmas Day, not Christmas month.  

All the people in the world have the right to say or greet merry christmas,afterall the true meaning of christmas is not just fancy gifts but how you give love with one another. - cyruz of http://www.paidsurvey.com/

Treespeed,

Did you actually read the article that I linked? Just curious. We could probably both stand to open a history book.

In their defense (and I rarely defend public schools or public institutions of any kind), at least public schools have taken to calling the former "Christmas Break" the "Winter Break" or (the perhaps overly) cheerful "Snowflake Break" (yes, really) in order to get away from the holiday aspect. And I'm sure that the teacher's unions would have something to say if it were ever proposed to take only a long weekend for Xmas, rather than the two weeks.

Oh, and by the way, Treespeed, good luck with Happy Darwin Day. I think that that's actually pretty funny. Also sort of gives credence to the whole "evolution-as-religion" thing.

Laura,

I didn't read the article, celebrations of the solstice predate Christian history (eg: Stonehenge).

And just because someone celebrates a holiday, doesn't make it religious, (Veteran's Day, President's Day, Towel Day).

Finally, I don't think we could get away with a snowflake break here in Southern California. Though I like the sentiment. It just shouldn't be the government or the schools jobs to say, "Merry Christmas". You can see the problem of this up in Olympia, WA.'s Capitol Building where they have a nativity display and now they have to have displays and signs from everyone wanting their voice heard. It ends up being a mess with people stealing the baby jesus and defacing signs. That's why we have tax exempt religious institutions where people can gather, post their signs, set up their displays, and celebrate in any way they see fit. It's not the job of government or schools to promote one religion over another. It's not like their is any shortage of celebration in the private sector for anyone to miss that it's Christmas. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go bake cookies for our work Christmas Party.

Bah Humbug.

""Happy Holidays" is perfectly fine to say because it includes ALL holidays, including New Years,  and shouldn't offend anyone.  "

I agree, but just TRY to find a holiday card in Britain (outside of London) that says Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings. If they do, they still have a bl**dy christmas tree on them. And forget finding Hannukah cards. I have to make my own cards... my family doesn't believe that I really can't find any acceptable cards commercially, but I can't.

I don't know the details of the original story, and it sounds a bit outrageous, but in principle it wouldn't do greater England harm to realise that there are Jews (and Hindus, and non-terrorist Muslims) in their midst.

For everyone saying that Christians get "all bent out of shape" when people don't say "Merry Christmas", or for everyone saying that the term "Happy Holidays" offends us, you're most definitely mistaken. The whole issue is that us as Christians are getting scolded for saying Merry Christmas rather than Happy Holidays. Until recently (early 2000's) we've gone on saying Merry Christmas and no one has had issues with it. For most of us, we have been saying Merry Christmas, and hearing Merry Christmas for the majority of our lives. That is where the issue lies. We are being asked to change our ways, and well, our beliefs. I don't see how the Christian is the only religion being scolded. I am not one to judge other people and their beliefs, I don't believe that Jewish people should not be able to say Happy Hanukkah. It's a time for celebrating, and giving, and family, and beliefs. It is getting torn apart and ruined more and more every year. Saying Happy Holidays will not fix this. People should be allowed to say what they want- Christian or not.