Are you afraid to say Merry Christmas?

It is all about Happy Festivus!

What's wrong with wishing that someone be merry on Christmas? I'm not Jewish, but I would hope that they would allow me to be happy on Hanukkah so I am not offended by someone wishing me "Happy Hanukkah!" I'd prefer that to "Have a crappy day on Hanukkah!"

People are being really little to take offense to being wished to be merry be that on Christmas or any other day.

Never a concern. Happy 4th. Happy Mother's Day. Happy Father's Day. Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Valentines Day. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Sagarin wrote:

I actually am grateful to people who wish me a Merry Christmas, frequently tell them so, and have walked out of places that substitute a politically correct phrase. But that's just me. It's really not the big deal that the maybe 5% want to make it out to be. And yes, there's nothing more ridiculous than a "holiday" tree. We don't call a menorah a "Holiday candle holder." Why would we?

earlier you said:

Sagarin wrote:

If anyone is TRULY offended by the words "Merry Christmas," which again have become so secularized, that's bordering on sociopathology.

just to be clear, i understand these comments to mean: being offended by "merry christmas/christmas tree" is sociopathic, while being offended by "happy holidays/holiday tree" is completely sane.

I'm not offended by anyone who says Happy Holidays to me. But I have more gratitude towards those who choose not to be politically correct and I choose to show it.

X-Runner, I should qualify my earlier statement. The President need not wish anyone Merry Christmas in a public arena, but Holiday tree is pretty stupid. I'm talking about personal interactions. I have Jewish friends and we send them separate cards than our regular Christmas cards. But even if we didn't, and we've made that mistake in the past, we've been told that they weren't offended.

Read what tax hike proponent and Jewish economist Ben Stein wrote about Holiday Trees.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_ben_stein_christmas.htm

Making mountains out of molehills. Merry Christmas everyone and may God bless your family with peace and goodwill.

Sagarin wrote:

I'm not offended by anyone who says Happy Holidays to me.

then why walk out of places where you were offered "happy holidays?"

Sagarin wrote:

I'm not offended by anyone who says Happy Holidays to me. But I have more gratitude towards those who choose not to be politically correct and I choose to show it.

So walking out of a business that says Happy Holidays (as you stated you have done) is your version of not being offended?

Where did I say anything about the politically correct phrase being Happy Holidays?

It's not? OK, what was the politically correct phrase that offended you so?

MERRY MOTHERTRUCKING CHRISTMAS

...no.

Sagarin wrote:

Where did I say anything about the politically correct phrase being Happy Holidays?

fair enough. i drew that conclusion based on your dislike for the phrase "holiday tree", and that i couldn't think of what else you might be referring to when you said you walked out of places where you got "politically correct phrases."

which ones make you leave a business?

Why not Happy Holidays? wrote:

I've never heard of Advent.

To clarify, I celebrate Christmas and wish everyone I know that celebrates it a Merry Christmas.

You've never heard of Advent, and yet you say you celebrate Christmas? So you celebrate the new and improved secular version of a binge-filled holiday then?

Desanti wrote:

A media creation, a problem where there is none.

I'm a devout atheist and I have no problem with Merry Xmas, or saying that to others. People aren't usually such big A-holes they get offended by one, well meaning phrase.

You can't really be a devout atheist. That makes no sense.

Consider This wrote:

Am I the only one who hates this Christmas culture wars sh*t every year?

And the rampant consumerism sucks too. You'd think that God sent his only begotten son so that we could get half-off power tools at the hardware store!

Well, actually, the origin of this Christmas holiday was simply an imperial tactic to help coerce the northern tribes into accepting the Romans as their masters by supplanting their winter solstice celebrations with a completely made up "birthday" of Jesus. So, when you get right down to it I don't think that Christmas is a holiday that God does or ever really has cared much for.

While I've heard variations on themes like Happy Winter Season, I'm being too myopic in confining it to businesses. It can be at schools, Christmas parties, etc. It's turned into Happy Winter Holiday, Solstice Festival, or Wintervus. Even sometimes saying nothing at all is worse than the traditional Seasons Greetings or Merry Christmas. But it's a personal choice I realize. I suspect it's the 10% that muck it up for the other 90%. Ben Stein has it right.

This whole thing is really silly. Read about the original St. Nicholas. Nothing about Santa or the way we celebrate Christmas (not me personally - we donate and make our kids do the same) in this country even remotely resembles his goodwill.

letters wrote:

Consider This wrote:

Am I the only one who hates this Christmas culture wars sh*t every year?

And the rampant consumerism sucks too. You'd think that God sent his only begotten son so that we could get half-off power tools at the hardware store!

Well, actually, the origin of this Christmas holiday was simply an imperial tactic to help coerce the northern tribes into accepting the Romans as their masters by supplanting their winter solstice celebrations with a completely made up "birthday" of Jesus. So, when you get right down to it I don't think that Christmas is a holiday that God does or ever really has cared much for.

1) That's not true

2) Regardless of the origins of the holiday, I don't care for the crass commercialism surrounding it.

Why not Happy Holidays? wrote:

I've never heard of Advent.

To clarify, I celebrate Christmas and wish everyone I know that celebrates it a Merry Christmas.

You've never heard of Advent, and yet you say you celebrate Christmas? So you celebrate the new and improved secular version of a binge-filled holiday then?[/quote]

Yes

Well, I appreciate your candor. And a very Merry Christmas to you.

I have NEVER heard any of these phrases before. What businesses do you go to? Happy Solstice Festival? Seriously?