Etiquette

[mfcorey1]

Christian audience........Merry Christmas


Mixed religion audience.....Season's Greetings


What is the big freaking deal?

[Nye Bevan]

1. No big deal at all, and either is fine, whatever the audience (nt)

[HERVEPA]

2. Disagree.

Christmas is allegedly about the birth of Christ. (Wrong month, if he did exist, but who's counting).
I don't need Christmas shoved down my throat.

[Nye Bevan]

4. If you see a cheery greeting as "Christmas being shoved down your throat",

then you are the one with the problem, not the person saying the greeting.

Good grief indeed.

[HERVEPA]

5. You have every right to your incorrect opinion.

You are the problen in your lack of sensitivity.
By the way, you are supposed to say that my beliefs, not I, are the problem.

[Journeyman]

8. Then turn away, politely would be best; people say a host of awful things in sociable settings . . .

most of which the thoughtful among us accept in the spirit offered, or at best seek to gently sway to an alternate pronouncement.

The expression of such sentiment neither picks your pocket nor breaks your leg, so why not show that -- above all -- you value peace among those you meet and goodwill to your neighbor.

Or do those sentiments irk you as well?

[HERVEPA]

9. Actually, I say thank you, and if I know they are Christian, wish them Merry Christmas.

Just because I think it's wrong doesn't mean I'm rude to folks.
Even though I am (culturally) Jewish, I wouldn't think of wishing Happy Chanukah to someone I didn't know was Jewish.

[HERVEPA]

12. Here's a tune you might like

[HappyMe]

3. Good grief!

I'll just avoid people that lose their minds over a greeting that wishes them well.

[HERVEPA]

6. I'll appreciate that.

[HappyMe]

7. I meant in real life.

I know of 2 people that I avoid at all costs. Snarling and bitter lectures aren't my thing.

[OriginalGeek]

10. I'm an atheist who celebrates the season of christmas

at least, the spirit of the season (spirit as in "attitude" rather than spirit as in "holy ectoplasm&quot .

I usually end up saying both things at different times and I am (conditionally) indifferent as to what the recipient's actual beliefs might be. Meaning, I'm not gonna stop in mid-greeting and ask what they believe before wishing them well. Whatever rolls off my tongue easiest is what they get and since I know I'm offering a sincere greeting of happiness and warm wishes I feel like I've done my part to spread good cheer.

Merry Christmas, Season's greetings, Happy Holidays - They all mean the exact same thing to me so I don't get offended if someone wishes me well during this time of year.

Naturally, if I explicitly know the other person's beliefs I will tailor my well-wishes to those beliefs whether or not I also hold them.

[haele]

11. The problem is not what the person says to me, it's the response I get in return.

I say "Season's Greetings" or Happy Holidays" as a greeting on principle. I'm not Christian. I'm an accepting animist through traditional upbringing and by choice.

However, there are people who go out of their way to correct me with "You mean 'Merry Christmas'" - the implication is that if I prefer not to say Merry Christmas, I'm an evil commie athiest who would eat their children if I had the chance. And they aren't cheery at all when there are times they spit that out at the cash register or walking past me on the sidewalk.
It doesn't happen often, but I've gotten at least two of those reactions from the mega-church attendees a year since I started paying attention to that sort of thing in 2004.

It's the "War on Christmas" defense that ratchets the pissyness up, not people who prefer to not to give lip-service to the religious wacka-doodles who think their God granted them the only "Truth, Justice, and American Way".

Haele

[CBGLuthier]

13. The real question is which is morally superior.

Those who complain when anything other than Merry Christmas is said or those who complain when someone says Merry Christmas to them?

As much as it pains me I think those who complain about being wished a Merry Christmas are worse people than those who complain about Seasons Greetings.

[Glassunion]

14. Screw that...

Merry Christmas.....Go F%$K Yourself, I hate shopping, I hate working during this period, I'm in retail... What exactly do I have to be merry about? Lines of people that would sooner eat my face with a plastic spork, then even so much as acknowledge the fact that I may be a human being? Or the corporate giveaways, that are based on time of day, so that once that time of day passes, I'm the biggest asshole on the planet, because some idiot is standing in front of me demanding that they have the "RIGHT" to a free gift card, even though the sale ended three hours ago. Go ahead, and complain about the lines at the checkout, because it is absolutely my fault every F%$#ING register is open (including customer service), and waiting on customers, yet you, yes you "The Almighty Emperor of Christmas", somehow feel that interrupting me from helping ring up customers, to incessantly complain that I should do "SOMETHING" about these lines, however fail to offer exactly what it is that I should be doing. That somehow I could finish my cold lunch of apple cinnamon oatmeal (that's been sitting in the break room for 3 uneaten hours) and shit out four or five more registers. I don't give a rat's ass how much you are spending. Here is a tip... You are no, none, nada, zip, zero, zilch more important then that other customer who is only spending $10. In fact, she is more important to me, than you are. Because she is nice, and I actually want to take care of her. Oh, and make sure when you finally do get to the register that you demand something for free, or a discount because you oh Mighty Emperor had to wait in line. When you had to park your car in a different zip-code, what exactly did you expect when you walked in the door? You and your attitude is what makes this "the most horrible time of the year". Like you insist on spreading your misery like some cancer.

Season's Greetings......Go F%$K Yourself, why should I be happy because we are within a time frame of late November to early January? What about it being cold, I can't ride my motorcycle, and constantly having sinus pressure should I be happy about?

Bah Humbug!

[DirkGently]

15. Sure, if you want to miss an opportunity

... to equate opening society up to recognize and value various religions and points of view to MURDERING CHRISTIANITY.

But then you're just throwing away the argument that the Christian segment of our culture is entitled to special, exclusive privileges that elevate above all else at all times.

What fun is that?