About this being offended by holiday greetings?

Question

Is it just me or does anyone else realize that only those that are christian are mostly the people getting offended by Happy holidays? I don't seem to see alot of other people (non-christians) really caring about this whole greeting thing at all. Non-christians are not the ones making the fuss for the most part. For example, who made the fuss when Walmart started saying Happy holidays? I assure you, it was not Jews or Hindus or Buddhists etc.

Should I raise heck because Sears won't say Happy Yule? Should Jewish folks get their panties tied in a knot because Kohl's does not say Happy Hanukkah? Honestly, WHO is really making the fuss here???

I certainly am not making a fuss. I am making an observation and asked if anyone else observed this. Stick to the question at hand.

Answer 1

The vast majority of Christians are not complaining, either. It's only a very small, but vocal and politically active, minority who selfishly feel Christmas should be the sole focus of everyone during the winter season. They don't care that Chanukah is celebrated in December, too, or Yule, Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, or HumanLight. They want retailers to recognize their Christian holiday as supreme. They just can't get it through their selfish, arrogant skulls that "Happy Holidays" means them, too.

One final point for those who say, "I should be able to send Christmas cards and say 'Merry Christmas' if I want." Of course you're right, but consider that the card and the greeting are for the person being greeted, not for the greeter. When you buy a birthday present, you try to find something that would appeal to the person whose birthday it is, not something you want yourself, right? A greeting is short for "I wish you...Merry Christmas." You wouldn't say "I wish you a Merry Christmas" to someone you KNOW to be a Jew or Muslim, would you? Would that be right? Well, why use that exclusive greeting for strangers, not knowing what faith or philosophy they follow?

If I know a person is Christian (or a non-Christian who celebrates the secular aspects of Christmas), I say "Merry Christmas." If I know a person is a Jew, I say, "Happy Chanukah." If I know a person is Neopagan, I say, "Blessed Yule" or "Happy Winter Solstice." If I know a person is Humanist, I say, "Happy HumanLight." But when I don't know a person's religious/philosophical affiliation, I say "Happy Holidays," for it is inclusive, not exclusive.

kj: "I don't care whose feelings I hurt."

That says it all, kj. That's the very definition of selfish.

Answer 2

I think it's important to put this into proper perspective though. Once upon a time, Christmas displays and exclusively Christmas greetings were everywhere - as if it is the *only* holiday during this time. People, secular and christian alike, became fed up especially with the government putting exclusively christian Christmas displays up on public, tax-dollar-paid-for property. That is where all of this actually started.

There were lawsuits to make the local governments more sensitive to the fact that not everyone is christian and not everyone celebrates Christmas. It was a long and hard, but I do believe important battle because it is always important to recognize and respect other people's beliefs and cultures.

Now, you have people who preferred it when there traditions, values, and beliefs were supported above everyone elses so they do not appreciate the change. Even though these changes afford greater respect to all people, despite whatever they believe, it does mean that some people feel that something has been taken away from them. It's like going to a club with a VIP section in it. Those in the VIP section would be unhappy for the velvet ropes to come down and suddenly everyone was equal. Well, in this case the ropes have come down and some people are upset about that.

In all honesty, this is just reactionary and the media has helped to blow it out of proportion. It really is only a few, ISOLATED incidents and yet those get the most attention.

Answer 3

The fuss is caused by some groups of Christians, and it is funny in some respects as well considering that the celebrations stem from Yule. I've heard the phrase "take Christmas back," which is odd because perhaps we should "take the Winter Solstice back!"

I like it when people wish me "Happy Holidays" because it shows the person is tolerant and aware of the diversity. Even if one says "Happy Holidays" to an Atheist, a type of Christian that doesn't celebrate Christmas, or whoever, this at least includes the New Year. While not everyone parties on the New Year, this is at least a gesture of good will for the next calendar year.

I'm not going to demand that people with me a happy Yule, because then it would make me as intolerant and mean-spirited as some of the Fundamentalist Christians who want to blatantly exclude people from outside of their group. I try hard to wish people a whatever-winter-holiday-they-celebrate and use their greeting of well-met. If I am unsure, or if there is a large group of people and we're not on that holiday, I will use the inclusive "happy holidays" phrase. This will include the holidays that will pass before I see these people again.

Answer 4

Yes, you're right on the mark.

I work in a large company. We are populated by every ethnic and religious group on the planet (hyperbole, but close to the truth). Happy holidays works well, since I have no idea if I'm talking to a Muslim, a Jew, a Christian, an African-American celebrating Kwanza, or Buddhist, a Hindu. And God forbid I say Merry Christmas to a militant Christian Hell-bent on denouncing our current joy in Christmas because of it's pagan roots and commercial associations!

Happy holidays is an all-inclusive greeting and wish, that is absent the exclusiveness of Merry Christmas. I believe that my Jesus would want me to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable in my home. I don't think He would tell me to exclude people.

Answer 5

I say Happy Christmas and New Year because thats what I am celebrating. If someone told me Happy Hanukkah, I would say you too, and Happy Christmas.
People need to spend less time getting offended and being more tollerant and loving and caring and accepting of others. No one should be or is trying to convert anyone by saying Happy Holidays.

Answer 6

You are. I don't care when people say Happy Holidays and I don't know anyone else who does either. Just because it's Christmas season for me and my family doesn't mean we feel like other people's holidays don't matter. This is a season of many holidays so saying happy holidays is the best way to make people feel like they are being appreciated to. I think that people need to be less focused on what people say. It's just a saying, an expression that includes everyone, and if you are offended, you need to reassess your life priorities.

Answer 7

Conservative Christians mostly, and those who are not old to remember when Happy Holiday's and Merry Xmas were used interchangeably by EVERYONE without anyone taking offense.

Blame Bill Oh Really as much as anyone--his mythical War on Xmas has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Answer 8

Once again there is nothing to celebrate. Does that make me a grouch or the scrooge? I don't care if I get a specialized greeting or any at all. Maybe the Three Billy Goats Gruff should travel for the "holidays"

Answer 9

I'm Christian. I don't have a problem with the "Happy Holiday" thing because there are so many holidays celebrated during this season. As for ME, I celebrate Christmas. I'll continue to say Merry Christmas, and I'll send Christmas cards and put up my Christmas tree. None of those things will be referred to as Holiday. I don't care about being "politically correct", and I don't care whose feelings I hurt. But I DO have a problem with non-Christians trying to make me be politically correct, or when they try to make me change my way of doing things just so they won't be offended. The non-Christians are the ones who started all this crapolla, getting their panties in a wad because we said Merry Christmas. We can blame the infamous atheist, Madeline Murray O'Hare for all this nonsense.

Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year!

Answer 10

I dont care is Walmart, Sears, McDonalds or my local automotive shop uses Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or Go Away as their greeting. I dont care, not one bit.

But if I, as my personal greeting want to use Merry Christmas, who cares. Thats the point in personal greeting. I dont care what any buisness accepts.