Here is why I object to saying Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays (and I AM VERY religious). . .

[Paula Sims]

Here is why I SERIOUSLY object to people wanting to say Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays. . .

I am a practicing, devout Byzantine Catholic. OK, that's my business, worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster if you wish - that's your business. But for me, between 11/11 and 1/10 there are at least 15 holidays between now and early January.

1.St. John Chrystostom
2. Phillip the Martyr
3. St. Matthew
4. Entrance of the Theotokos
5. St. Andrew
6. Feast of St. Nicholas
7. Maternity of Anne
8. Our Lady of Guadalupe
9. Christmas
10. Synaxis of the Theotokos
11. St. Stephen
12. The Holy Martyrs
13. Circumcision of our Lord (YES! WE CELEBRATE THAT!)
14. The feast of St. Basil the Great
15. Theophany

And that's just the new caledar - double that for the old calendar.

So unless you're willing to enumerate each and every holiday between now and Jan 20, INCLUDING WISHING ME A BLESSED CIRCUMCISION OF OUR LORD -- STFU with the Merry Christmas and ONLY Merry Christmas!!

[Wintryjade]

1. Merry Christmas when seeing Santa Claus and sugarplums. Happy holidays when raising holiday cheer.

[yewberry]

2. I am not very religious

but at my church we have a blast every year celebrating the feast of Santa Lucia. And the epiphany.

This is why I'm always confused by the nutty "war on Christmas" people.

[Squinch]

3. Oh, FFS.

[OnDoutside]

4. The day after Christmas Day is always known as St. Stephen's Day for us in Ireland.

[calimary]

5. Hey, everybody and anybody is allowed to celebrate Christmas

and celebrate it in whichever way is most meaningful to them. Even non-believers in Christ are entitled to celebrate the Christmas season and say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” or whatever they want. I personally think “Happy Holidays” is much more broadly inclusive.

This is a happy season for EVERYBODY. For celebrating love and family and peace and warmth during a cold season (at least to those of us in the northern hemisphere) and good will to men AND to women. I think Christ Himself might view it that way. He was for everybody. His Message certainly was (and is).

[violetpastille]

9. I think Jesus would have some choice words

about the orgy of consumerism in his name.

If we thought he was mad at the moneychangers in the temple...

[Boomerproud]

22. K&R!

The Right has a fit about how people celebrate but are silent about the over rhe top consumerism.

[dchill]

51. It pays the bills.

[stopbush]

31. The moneychangers in the temple were offering a service that was sanctioned

by the temple leadership. The Temple did not accept Roman coinage for offerings. The Temple moneychangers offered Jews an exchange rate that was better than they could get outside of the temple where they would be gouged by the local merchants or the Romans. For Jews making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and who needed to convert the currency they had in their pockets it was a valuable service.

Being a magalomaniac, Jesus freaked out. Just another shitty move by the fictional Jesus. Were he around today, he’s be destroying the flower shop at the local hospital.

[Mariana]

40. Indeed. Christmas is a National Holiday in the US.

That makes it a secular holiday, for everyone in the nation, not just for Christians. Christians who resent the fact that non-Christians celebrate Christmas (some of them do resent it) should lobby to have its status as a National Holiday changed.

Overall, the best option is just not to bring it up when you're talking to strangers. It is possible to spread good cheer and wish people well without mentioning holidays at all.

[Bettie]

6. I always say Happy Holidays

because the people who demand "Merry Christmas" are trying to erase other religions by insisting only theirs be recognized and it annoys me.

[Mariana]

43. I won't even say that to strangers.

It's none of my business if they celebrate any holidays in the winter.

You're right, of course, about the RW Christians trying to suppress everyone else's holidays. It really has become an obsession with them. It's early November and they're already working themselves up about it.

[Bettie]

44. Generally, I only say it in response to

a seasonal greeting from someone else.

My friends know I wish them happy holidays!

[JCMach1]

7. I am a devout atheist and get endlessly annoyed why people get their panties in a twist

about any of this...

Especially living 10yrs in a strict Muslim country (UAE) that usually had more Christmas decorations than some American cities. Sometimes we all just need to respect one another, chill, and enjoy the pretty lights whatever the heck you want to call it...

[Blue_true]

25. Actually, Jesus is a prophet in Islam.

So, it makes sense that an Islamic country would celebrate Jesus' birthday. As a Deist, I have no firm opinion on Jesus, Jesus could have been some rabble-rouser that really persuaded some people but was not really anyone significant, or Jesus could have been one of the many special people that are occasionally born (the last one has some Deist thought in it, apologize to Christians, knowing their beliefs on the specialness of Jesus and their belief that there was only one such special person ever born).

[JCMach1]

59. the tolerance is a lot deeper than that (for example) at the British

private school my girls attended, a muslim boy and girl played Mary and Joseph in a very Christian Christmas pageant...

Then, I come back America to the Wahabis of the left and right...

[Mariana]

46. It's hilarious, really.

My Facebook feed for the last week has been full of posts from my RW Christian relatives, promising each other they will be courageous enough to say "Merry Christmas" to everyone, in spite of the persecution they are certain to suffer because of it.

[Ferrets are Cool]

49. Your post made me LOL

[JCMach1]

60. Bless their little hearts

[Bettie]

47. My DH had a business trip a week or so before Christmas one year

and was in Dubai.

He said they had more Christmas trees and decorations than anywhere he'd ever seen in his life.

[violetpastille]

8. And then there is: Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, CNY

[Jake Stern]

10. I'm Jewish and if someone wishes me "Merry Christmas" do I:

a.) Call them intolerant pricks

b.) Cry uncontrollably at how they so casually demeaned my faith

c.) Remind them of all the horrible things Christians did to Jews then tell them to shove their Merry Christmas up their ass

d.) Wish them Merry Christmas right back

The best answer is, in my opinion, D.

As much as I find conservative Christians harping about about the so-called "War on Christmas" to be trite, I find the reaction of some on our side to be sometimes downright spiteful.

[Maeve]

21. You could always wish them a Happy Hanukkah eom

[Mariana]

48. There are other options, you know.

For example, you can say thank you, and reply with a generic nice feel-good sappy saying that doesn't mention any holiday at all.

[JNelson6563]

11. As an atheist I don't care what people put after "Happy ---!"

(or Merry). If a stranger (like a cashier or something) says Merry Christmas to me, I smile & You too! There's much to enjoy and if people want to get hung up on word games that's their problem.

[Mariana]

55. Nothing spreads holiday cheer

like a fundie in a self-righteous rage, snarling Merry CHRISTmas!!! at you, in the first week of December.

[JNelson6563]

58. Oh, yes I've seen those!

I just laugh at them and keep walking. Miserable wretches. They've no clue what "merry" means. Fuck 'em.

I was talking about regular people in previous comment.

[Kaleva]

12. Freedom of speech doesn't mean much to the very religious.

Never has and never will.

[mfcorey1]

13. Also, it is common etiquette when in mixed company to offer, "Happy Holidays!"

An office might contain Christians, Jews, Muslims, Budhist, atheist and many others. All this nonsense about what to say started with Fox News and right wing pseudo evangelicals.

[Mariana]

14. I object to people bringing up holidays at all

religious or otherwise, when they're talking to strangers. Is this really such an impossible thing to do?

[Red Raider 85]

15. Strong atheist here.

But I have no more problem with 'Merry Xmas' than I do with 'Happy New Year.' Jesus was probably a complete fabrication, but Xmas today is almost completely secular, and it's really mainly about wishing good will to all. I can dig that!

[Vinca]

16. I think if you get your drawers in a knot over either, you haven't got much to worry about.

I'm an atheist and generally hate the holidays, but why rain on someone else's parade?? I'm more bothered by store clerks who feel the need to wish every woman a happy Mother's Day. That can evoke some very painful feelings for some women. Christmas/Holidays not so much.

[Sherman A1]

17. My winter time greeting is

Happy Rock Salt.

[dhol82]

28. I like that!

So appropriate.

[Raine]

18. When I get a cheerful greeting

I don't care what holiday they're referring too, I just follow up with the same.

[Iggo]

19. I don't object to it.

I just purposely and obviously avoid it around people who I think will get the most bent out of shape by my avoiding it.

[Oneironaut]

20. I switch between the two.

I’m an atheist and recognize Christmas as a cultural holiday. I have no personal investment in saying or not saying Merry Christmas.

[Blue_true]

23. I honestly don't care whether a person says Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.

The reason is related to how I view a person's faith. A person's faith is something that is instilled in the person's place of worship and the person's home. If a person says Merry Christmas and only that, I am ok with him or her doing so as long as the person does not try to dictate that others use only Merry Christmas. When I grew up (Christian background but now am a firm Deist) we used to say Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, it just sounded good and I was ignorant of other religions. Now I sometimes say Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, but just to mark that day, I really don't have feelings deeper than that.

Socalled Christians that want to put Christ back into Christmas truly are screwed up, if they were true Christians, Christ WOULD be in their Christmas anywhere they go, at home, in their church or parish, when they are in public. What they want to do is dictate to everyone else, instead of having the true meaning of their Christmas in their hearts.

[Takket]

24. this whole argument is nothing more than right wing nonsence

to whip their base into a culture war frenzy arguing over... basically nothing...... while in the shadows they are robbing the country blind.

this was never an issue until the right figured out it was red meat for their base.

[dem4decades]

26. As a fat, jolly, old elf I'm afraid that Merry Christmas tends to roll off my tongue.

If I offend you, it is not intentional.

[appleannie1943]

27. I also think it is rude to simply assume that everyone you have contact with celebrates Christmas or

they should if they don't. When I had my own business, I had customers of a number of religions and if I did not know what religion there were, I simply said Have a Happy Holiday.

[flyingfysh]

29. Christmas used to be banned in Boston!

At one time, it was not a pleasant, sentimental holiday for giving presents to the kids. Rather, it used to be a occasion for getting drunk. It was also suspected of being connected with pagan festivals such as Saturnalia. The Puritans felt it distracted from their religious discipline. It was re-legalized in Boston by Governor Andros (who was very unpopular, for several reasons). It only became customary to celebrate Christmas in Boston in the mid-1800s.
One of the things Andros did was dig up a lot of bodies in a downtown cemetery in order to enlarge King's Chapel, which was used by the soldiers. He dig a pit and dumped them somewhere else in the cemetery.

[grantcart]

30. Greek Byzantine Catholic or Georgian Byzantine Catholic?

[Iggo]

34. Nice post, Emo.

[dameatball]

32. I don't think anyone really knows what day Jesus was born or if he was born at all. Depends on

beliefs. I'm good with any holiday that celebrates good will towards man.....might want to throw in the animals, the climate and the planet.


When I think about all religions, or non-religions, ever reaching this stage on this planet, I am dubious about our survival.

since I am a male just refer to me as Donnie....er….wait.....Derrick Downer.

[Croney]

33. I'm an atheist who has a Christmas tree and sings carols

because that's how I grew up. I don't care what greeting I get, but what I hate is when a stranger, like a clerk, asks me, "How's your day going so far?" WTF! It's terrible, my tire was flat, I lost my credit card again, the laundry is piled up and the dog puked on the rug. But Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Is that what you wanted to hear? No? Then don't ask such a personal question.

[Adrahil]

36. Me too. It's purely cultural. I don;t care about the minor religious holidays. Like, at all.

But I don't object to people saying Happy Holidays. I just hate getting lectured about it.

[pnwmom]

38. Why is "How's your day going so far?" any worse than, "How are you?"

Other than taking more words and being more informal?

[Croney]

41. When a stranger says "how are you" I just say hi,

because I know they don't really want to know how I am. Asking me how my day is going so far is a question I can't just say "Hi" to; it's too specific. I know they want me to say "fine" but sometimes that's a lie. So I just smile.

I live in a big city, so there's a fine line between familiarity and standoffishness in any interaction. We can be kind while maintaining our personal space; I try to do both.

[pnwmom]

42. If you don't want to say "fine," then just shrug and say, "How about yours?" No big deal.

[Croney]

45. Oh goodness, that would be worse. I don't care,

in the context of buying groceries, how their day is going so far, so why would I ask? I don't wish them to be having a bad day, but it's really none of my business.

We all have our ways of getting through the day. These things are petty when you consider the trouble our country is in. If someone tells me Merry Christmas, I am
not offended. Happy Holidays is just fine too.

[Docreed2003]

35. It's the holiday season...

From Jews to Christians to pagans...it is a special time of year. "Happy Holidays" covers that.

[Niagara]

37. I always say Happy Holidays.

It's appropriate to anyone no matter their religion or non-religion.



Also, I like seeing some people getting their panties twisted in a bunch with my response. Ha!

[Raine1967]

39. Can we wait for this ish until after T-day?

Every culture war needs to stay in its season.

I currently in the 'To Brine or Not Brine' Turkey war.

[ck4829]

50. Happy Holidays

[PJMcK]

52. Hey, you forgot New Year's!

That's my favorite holiday!

I like the idea of celebrating Jesus' circumcision, though. Imagine how uncomfortable such a celebration would make Tucker Carlson or Hannity feel! Perhaps I should call into their shows on that date.

Meanwhile, happy holidays to all DUers over the coming six weeks.

[AlexSFCA]

53. christmas is a federal holiday, nothing religious about it

as a militant atheist, I prefer Merry Christmas on the eve or Christmas Day itself and say it to everyone. It’s a beatiful family holiday and essential American national holiday. It is a secular holiday to most people, much like Thanksgiving. I have lots of jewish friends, I have never met one who is offended by being greeted ‘Merry Christmas’. It’s nonsense created by RW media so please dont fall for it. Happy Holidays on the Christmas Day itself is impersonal, generic, overly politically correct and quite annoying to me, I avoid it. IMO, if someone is offended by ‘merry christmas’, seeking therapy is probably appropriate, chances are this person has tons of other issues.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

54. I'm not going to object to any holiday greeting

Usually people say these things because they want to be nice and polite. I'm not going to get upset about that, but I also expect to not get berated for using the holiday greeting of my choice or abstaining from using a holiday greeting altogether if that's what I feel like. The point is to be kind to each other and wish each other well I think.

[FSogol]

56. Don't fall for RW framing. Anyone that gets upset over either greeting is a halfwit and

probably not as Christian as they purport to be. Laugh at the poor fools.

[Squinch]

57. .