A woman in our town was lectured for 15 minutes when she thoughtlessly wished a customer at her gas station a "Merry Christmas". By the end of it, she was near tears.
Who cares this much? Is it more important to be right? (or pardon me, I mean "correct", not "right")
2006-12-16 06:30:31 · 19 answers · asked by Shinigami 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
this is not made up. It really happened.
2006-12-16 06:36:01 · update #1
I really don't care, either way. I remember people saying Happy Holidays 40 years ago. It seems so trivial to me. People just go too far with everything these days. I'm glad that I'm getting older.
2006-12-16 06:35:50 · answer #1 · answered by flip4449 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'd never do that to someone, but I have said, I'm not Christian when people wish me a merry christmas, and then I smile and wish them Happy Holidays, Lecturing someone for 15 minutes over a greeting espectially when they are at work is terrible. That person was in the wrong. I do care about people assuming I'm christian. I think it shows how in the dark some Christians are about how diverse their world is. It also gives the impression that Christians are the only ones that matter.
2006-12-16 14:35:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is pretty crass for someone to lecture a person for this type thing. You are going to give the greeting according to your belief. The person on the other end should say thank you and then the greeting of their own belief back. It really is only recently that the other holidays and celebrations have even been noticed and it is very ingrained to just say Merry Christmas. And if you celebrate Christmas then say Merry Christmas. I will say Thanks, Happy Yule back. But I'm not going to lecture you on it.
It is when people insist that it has to be a certain way that makes you want to kind of barf.
2006-12-16 14:38:44 · answer #3 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think a lot depends on your community. I know that where I live, there is a large Jewish population. We have been conditioned to say "Happy Holidays" to anyone that we don't actually know. If I have a patron that I know celebrates Christmas, I wish them a Merry Christmas, otherwise I stick to the "Happy Holidays" so as not to inadvertantly offend someone.
2006-12-16 14:35:03 · answer #4 · answered by SUSAN N 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Merry Christmas. I've said it at my store every year since it opened, and I've never had anyone harass me over it. Most people say Merry Christmas back, some say Happy Holidays back, and a few ignore it totally. Let everyone say what they, personally, are comfortable with, and call it a day.
2006-12-16 14:37:22 · answer #5 · answered by Cylon Betty 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Happy Holidays!
2006-12-16 14:33:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When at work if a customer wishes me merry Christmas I wish them merry Christmas back, if they say happy holidays I say happy holidays back.
2006-12-16 14:36:00 · answer #7 · answered by hurricanemercedes 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It should be Merry Christmas
Thanksgiving is gone..We are celebrating Christmas, the birth of Christ.
Happy Holidays used to be ok until many companies started REQUIRING it so they could be P.C. and remove Christ from Christmas.
"Merry Christmas" all the way and those who say different are nothing more than trouble makers trying to take Christmas away from us
2006-12-16 14:55:33 · answer #8 · answered by kenny p 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
General etiquette dictates that we simply use the term "Happy Holidays" to express good wishes for the holiday season. It removes all specific religions from the greeting while at the same time recognizing that people may have religious holidays they may be celebrating.
That said, if someone says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" it is perfectly acceptable to return the greeting even if you do not celebrate that particular holiday. You are wishing someone else joy in his or her celebration.
2006-12-16 14:36:45 · answer #9 · answered by Axe 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think people should say whatever they want to say - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy winter solstice.
I mean It all comes down to someone wishing someone else a happy day. Lets just take them all as a kind gesture they were meant to be, and say "thank you."
2006-12-16 14:35:31 · answer #10 · answered by daisyk 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours.
2006-12-16 14:48:27 · answer #11 · answered by Marvin R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋