Why is it now considered rude to say Merry Christmas?

Question

And do you just go ahead say it anyway?

Answer 1

It isn't rude, it just implies exclusion. Not everyone is a Christian. However, if a Jewish person told me "Happy Hannakuh", I wouldn't be offended at all. Most people with any sense wouldn't. Say "Merry Christmas" if you want. Only hyper-PC thugs will get mad, and you know what - let them. It's a great way to weed out morons. Say Merry Christmas and see how they react.

Now this "Kwanzaa" nonsense is ridiculous. It isn't African. It's made up and from the '60s. I would roll my eyes if someone told me "Happy Kwanzaa". I don't know any black people who celebrate Kwanzaa. Most think it's a joke, anyway. Most of the blacks that I know are Christian or Muslim and don't go in for made-up holidays that supposedly celebrate their African heritage.

Answer 2

Hi Max- good photo.

Good points here already. I'll throw down the rhetorical gauntlet with confidence that everyone else here understand we're all different.

Catehokt cites the separation of church and state. I submit that Christmas is an event that occurs both in a governmental matters and in non-governmental matters. We all have official holidays, right? Christmas is one of them. Thus if you go to the post office and it's closed, what do you see as the reason? "We're closed for the Happy Holidays?" Nope. "We're closed for Christmas" with the understanding that everyone understands what Christmas means- enough people who work for the post office want a holiday for a specific reason- Christmas- so the government goes along.

Are there some Americans who are not Christian? Yep, plenty. (I might add some nominally Christian folks who behave in a very un-Christian manner, but that's another rant). So what do we do? Well, so far, nothing.

We don't celebrate holidays for other religions yet. If one day we all get a day off for Buddha's birthday or Mohammed's birthday, it'll be all right with me. But not yet.

Last, let me tell you what I do- when I'm out shopping and someone tells me in their nicest PC voice, "Happy Holidays," I answer with "Merry Christmas to you!" in my cheeriest voice. Oh, I'm not a one-religion bigot. If it were appropriate, I'd also wish someone a Happy Hannukah or what I thought was appropriate. It's not about pushing *my* beliefs onto someone else, it's about not letting Christmas evaporate under the heel of the PC police. Thanks, and I hope everyone here in YA has a terrific Christmas and/or whatever's appropriate.

Answer 3

I don't think saying "Merry Christmas" itself is rude. What is rude is assuming that everybody celebrates Christmas, because not everybody does.
Personally, I come from a town where nearly everybody is some form of Christian, so I always say "Merry Christmas" when I'm home. But when I'm at college (in Philly) I am careful to say "Happy Holidays", because it's a much more religiously diverse area.

Answer 4

I say Happy Holidays because I'm not a Christian, although I'm not offended by "Merry Xmas." I think we could all exercise some tolerance on the issue and just know that if someone says "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holildays", both means be well during this special season.

Would some Christians be offended if a Jewish person wished them a "Happy Channukah?" If so, the Jew can be offended by a Christian wishing them a "Merry Christmas."

Answer 5

I certainly wouldn't be offended if a Jewish person told me happy Chanakuh or a Muslim person told me happy Ramadan. I feel as though there are only good intentions with these wishes, no harm whatsoever is meant by this. Which is why I dont really understand why it's wrong to say Merry Christmas. Is this supposed to help with unity and diversity? Don't both of these terms require accepting other religions and practices?. Pretty soon "Happy Thanksgiving" will be outlawed so we don't offend foreigners. Not to be mean or anything, both of my parents are foreigners.

Answer 6

It's not that it is considered rude, it is that some people have pointed out that in our constitution it says church and state must be seperate. So now prayers in public schools and functions have been eliminated as well as Christmas decorations in Government buildings. Many diverse cultures that live here are not Christian so Christmas is not something they celebrate. This holiday is dominate in american society and is the Only one given official days off for. Hanuka for Jewish people do not get a work holiday, Kwanza for Blacks donot get a recognised holiday either as well as your middle eastern religions.. So I would guess those who do not celebrate it might be offended in some way.

Answer 7

You are in error. It's not considered rude to say Merry Christmas, although non-christian religions often do take offense.

Answer 8

Not everyone considers it rude, I personally don't. I think our country has gotten so hypersensitive and so worried about saying everything exactly right that it's gone way into the other direction. Also, there's this backlash against Christianity that has gone to ridiculous extremes. I still say it, no matter who it is I'm speaking to and hope that they understand that I am wishing them well in a way that is meaningful to me and just take it in the spirit in which it was intended.

Answer 9

People should rather say Merry Xmas.
People generally have not found the value of X.
X = Christ and until such time as they personally find the value of X then this problem could be encountered.

Answer 10

I say it anyway. This country was FOUNDED on Christianaty. I love Christmas, and I believe what it stands for. Sorry if the Africans or Jews or whoever are offended, but *I* am Christian* and THAT is what I believe in.