Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 10:56 am

Okay, now I am seeing the references to Target and Wal-Mart that HC mentioned earlier. Of course, it seems pretty unoffensive to me. They're advertising to all of their customers as opposed to just the ones who are practicing Christians. But to some, being inclusive is offensive for some reason. You can't only have the highest profile holiday, you have to have the ONLY holiday in December (ignoring, of course, New Years, which is also a Holiday and, coupled with Christmas, would justify a "Happy Holidays" comment as well).

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... G40L41.DTL

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:03 am

happy holidays takes Christ out of Christmas, so i can see for Christians (which I am one) that they would be offended. I also have a Jewish father and side to my family, therefore for me personally Happy Holidays is more appropriate. Bush I think is trying to include all religious Demographics, which politically is wise to do. when you read up on international news you see that Islam is the largest religion world wide, Christians in Europe are a minority, and here at home in the US they are being over taken by other religions (in numbers of followers). I think it is close minded to expect everyone to believe that Christ is Lord and Savior and the true meaning for Christmas ( Although I HOPE that others will recognize this as truth).

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:19 am

I don't agree that it takes Christ out of Christmas. It is merely somebody making a generic holiday greeting that would apply to all people. If people really need Target's advertising circulars to have the word "Christ" in them in order to feel the Holy Spirit during December, they probably need to do some soul searching. Of course, anyone who sees Christ as having anything to do with Target or other commercial outlets has clearly lost sight of what Christmas is supposedly all about long ago.

As you noted, there are lots of other religions out there, all of which have winter soltice-based holidays such as the pagan-borrowed Christmas holiday. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season seems much more Christ-like that excluding from one's good wishes those who just happen to not drink that brand of milk.

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:38 am

therefore for me personally Happy Holidays

that's why I stated this, because I want to INCLUDE those that may not see Christ as their Lord and still wish them good tidings for the season. I do know many churches are banning Target, I think it's up to the individual to decide for themselves.

MSUCATS · Post by **MSUCATS** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:51 am

I personally think this is ridiculous that people are complaining that the President didn't include "Christmas" in his wishes. WHO CARES! He sent a card, that's what matters. Once again, it only takes one person to point something out, and then every one complains about it. I'm surprised it wasn't a Grizzly fan who posted this!

There are more important things in life than worrying about a word being included or excluded from a holiday greeting card!

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:54 am

I guess it's a sign that we have solved all of the really big problems in the world when a church or other group can afford to spend its time worrying about something a frivolous as this ... and when Foxnews.com can devote at least one editorial a day on the topic.

mquast53000 · Post by **mquast53000** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:11 pm

MSUCATS wrote:I personally think this is ridiculous that people are complaining that the President didn't include "Christmas" in his wishes. WHO CARES! He sent a card, that's what matters. Once again, it only takes one person to point something out, and then every one complains about it. I'm surprised it wasn't a Grizzly fan who posted this!

There are more important things in life than worrying about a word being included or excluded from a holiday greeting card!

Please keep in mind that Bush's campaign was aimed at American Christians. When you are going to your "base" you have to remember them all the time, not just during an election year.

94VegasCat · Post by **94VegasCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 12:13 pm

I say Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all.

Oh yeah, and screw the grizzlies!

Felisrufus · Post by **Felisrufus** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:31 pm

Has anyone seen this email before? Cardiac sent it to me about 2 years ago.

Hi All,

I wanted to send out some sort of holiday greeting but it is so
difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending
someone.

I met with my attorney today, and on his advice we want to say to all
of
you: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best
wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low
stress, non addictive gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice
holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious
persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with
respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of
others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions
at all.

We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and
medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally
accepted calendar year 2004, but not without due respect for the
calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society
have helped make America great (not to imply that America is necessarily
greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western
hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical
ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wisher.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting
is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable
with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by
the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or
others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the
sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as
expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of
one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting,
whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this
wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher...

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:33 pm

Yeah. Merry Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or whatever your holiday is. Sometimes it seems like political correctness goes too far. I heard this from Jay Leno: Happy Non-Denominational Gift Giving Holiday!

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:45 pm

Or, for those who are too lazy to list them all or too averse to awkward situations to poll the recipient to find out what holidays they celebrate ... Happy Holidays!

bozbobcat · Post by **bozbobcat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:06 pm

Happy Holidays.

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:13 pm

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays to All! Should cover it.

Ponycat · Post by **Ponycat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:22 pm

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year

briannell · Post by **briannell** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:24 pm

happy holidays and have a great New Year to all of you:D

nell family

HelenaCat95 · Post by **HelenaCat95** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:48 pm

Happy Boxing Day

Post by **SonomaCat** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:32 pm

And it continues ...

I heard on my drive home that a Jewish-American group is planning to boycott every store that doesn't advertise using a "Happy Hanukkah" slogan. Their theory is that they, as "God's Chosen People" and the oldest major religion, deserve to have their religious holiday observed specifically as opposed to being lumped in with all of the other "minor" holidays that occur during the winter season by being pandered to with a "Happy Holidays" message.

It sounds like it is coming from all sides now.

Post by **rtb** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:19 pm

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Cat-theotherwhitemeat · Post by **Cat-theotherwhitemeat** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:46 am

I would like to wish everyone a Blissful Chriskwanukkah and a happy updated 365 days. May all your hallucinations come true.

Grizlaw · Post by **Grizlaw** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:58 pm

Bay Area Cat wrote:I heard on my drive home that a Jewish-American group is planning to boycott every store that doesn't advertise using a "Happy Hanukkah" slogan. Their theory is that they, as "God's Chosen People" and the oldest major religion, deserve to have their religious holiday observed specifically as opposed to being lumped in with all of the other "minor" holidays that occur during the winter season by being pandered to with a "Happy Holidays" message.

Interesting that a group that has been arguing against persecution (and in favor of inclusiveness) for the past several thousand years would suddenly shift the tone of the debate in a way that places them above others. I'd be curious to hear what some of my Jewish friends think of this angle; I'd like to think the hypocracy is not merely a product of my own perspective.

In any event, I think the whole "Happy Holidays" debate has become ridiculous. Here's my .02 worth: when I give someone holiday wishes, I want to wish them something that is pertinent to them. Most of my family and friends in Montana are Catholic (as am I), and when I send out holiday cards (or when I see them on Christmas), I will wish them a "Merry Christmas." Most of my east coast friends are not Christian (most are either Jewish or agnostic, and a few are Muslim), and when I see them over the next couple weeks before I head out to MT for Christmas, I will wish them "Happy Holidays." Is it because I am afraid of offending them? No; my friends wouldn't really be "offended" if I said "Merry Christmas" to them, but it would be illogical. If one of my Jewish friends wished me a happy Yom Kippur, the statement would have no meaning for me; the same would be true if I wished them a Merry Christmas.

--GL