I'm a liberal Christian and have always wished friends and strangers a Merry Christmas prett much non-stop from Thanksgiving on.
Last year a couple of conservative shock jock radio guys invented this "war on Christmas" BS and got a lot of people stirred up about it.
Now I feel almost like saying "Merry Christmas" is a political act and I hate it. I almost want to switch to some generic holiday greeting just to let people know I don't side with the lunatic fringe.....but I LOVE Christmas for the most part.
Anyone else struggling with the realities of this?
2006-12-18 00:24:09 · 10 answers · asked by ? 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
i agree with you.
"war on christmas" is nothing but a paranoid illusion.
sometimes i say happy holidays just to see who gets mad in a room...
but then again... around this time of year there are two holidays, such as new years and xmas... so "happy holidays" isnt really "anti-christian"...
o'rielly needs to get hit by a bus...
2006-12-18 07:47:53 · answer #1 · answered by ryanisalifestyle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I asked a similiar question the other day. I asked if people who had always said "Merry Christmas" were now hesitant to say it... and many were.
I start a new job in January, so for this month I've been free to work at a Christmas tree lot here in Canada (Saskatchewan), so for a few weeks now I've been wishing people "Merry Christmas" a number of times every day. I don't have to, but I've always loved the sentiments attached to the greeting, so I do.
But what I've been noticing is that a lot of people seem so relieved when I wish them a Merry Christmas. You can actually see the relief on their faces as they respond, "Oh! And Merry Christmas to you!" It's like they were given permission to say it, and they just look so grateful!
I think all the hype in the media around how appropriate that expression is, socially, politically... has had an effect on people.
I'm a very liberal guy in many respects, but I've never been a fan of political correctness, and I'm sorry to see this happening in the public consciousness. I see it as one more thing attempting to bring all of humanity down to their lowest common denominators. We're trying to create an homogenous form to compensate for a lack of substance.
We need to be able to express ourselves, our beliefs and traditions... and to appreciate our differences, instead of hiding our traditions in an effort to be inoffensive.
2006-12-18 00:38:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I would just keep saying, "Merry Christmas" and not worry about people's reactions. I think people are still edgy because we are a month-and-a-half removed from a heated congressional election. The leftists are still irritated by the ongoing Iraq conflict while the righties are annoyed at the ACLU for filing lawsuits to get Christmas displays taken down. I don't remember things being this contentious 20 or 30 years ago.
2006-12-18 08:03:59 · answer #3 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i hate politics! i am a more conservative person who loves christmas. i don't think there is a war on christmas. i think some of the radio guys just get really worked up about this topic. christmas is not about politics to me, and it shouldn't be to you. use whatever greeting you wish. i think the problem is with people are angry about the happy holidays. i mean i think you should say merry christmas but if you wish me happy holidays i won't be offended.
merry christmas!
2006-12-18 07:27:13 · answer #4 · answered by Jenn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I say Merry Christmas and tell people God Bless You. I think it is so sad that we have to watch everything we say because someone might happen to get offended. I disagree that it's because of the "conservative shock jock radio guys" because people have been trying to take Christ out of Christmas for a long, long time. Christmas vacation is now called "winter break" in schools. For what it's worth, please try to keep your holiday spirit and don't let some Scrooges bring you down. Merry Christmas!
2006-12-18 01:08:14 · answer #5 · answered by Jayna 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Me, not so much, but i know how you feel. When you say Merry Christmas, it makes you feel that you are trying to "elect for christmas" Like "vote for christmas!" Christmas is no election, its a religious holiday, it has nothing to do with politics, unless you make it. You don't have to beleive in christmas. Tell that to someone who disagrees with you or tells you to "stop saying merry christmas because i don't like it"
2006-12-18 00:40:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I will say Merry Christmas just like at Easter I will say Happy Easter. I don't let what other people say effect how I think or how I react.
2006-12-18 00:29:34 · answer #7 · answered by MsFancy 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You live in a democratic society.So you can do whatever you wish to do and let others do whatever they wish to do.Please continue with Merry Christmas
2006-12-18 00:29:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Who gives a damn if some jerks say they are "offended" by it?
To heck with the PC Brigade! If they don't like it, they're perfectly free to leave!
Merry Christmas!!!!!!
2006-12-18 01:15:00 · answer #9 · answered by Daimyo 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
alls i know is if you dont wanna hear it dont listen cause i'm gunna say it as much as i want to it's called being an individual and i think thats they key part of the UNited States!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~individuality
2006-12-18 00:42:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋