I mute their absurd commercials that substitute the word “holiday” in place of “Christmas” during football games, One ad actually had a man saying “Last holiday, I opened my special gift..” So it’s “last holiday, holiday gift, holiday card, blah blah. Terrible stuff. One of the worst forms of PC tyranny and fanaticism is the unwillingness to even mention the word “Christmas.” And the musical backdrop is Carol of the Bells and Nutcracker over and over. No carols or even Jingle Bells are featured.
When someone says “Happy Holidays” to me, I wish them a “Happy generic giftgiving holiday” back at them.
Those who work in a store doing this are more than likely doing so in accordance with whatever store policy is in place as a condition of their employment. It doesn't neccessarily mean the individual agrees or disagrees with it. Being disagreeable on this point can make one appear to be petty.
In general, you would know how your friends and acquaintances feel with regards to Christmas and would respond accordingly, no?
As I pointed out above, there are those in society determined to exact revenge/retribution and there are those who are dancing on a fine line trying to avoid the wrath of any potential customers. It's really a principle that people choose to abide...companies can choose and we can choose which companies to patronize.
As another pointed out, maybe those of us who identify as Christian are really missing out on the real point of "Christmas" and the real meaning behind it. Although I would counter that it does present an awesome opportunity to testify about the birth of our Savior and what it means.
Actually, unless the context makes clear that “holidays” has actually been substituted for “Christmas” in a way that makes no sense, I have no problem with “Happy Holidays”.
There are lots of holidays in late December and early January: we Christians have the Feast of the Nativity, for us Orthodox the Synaxis of the Theotokos, the Feast of the Proto-Martyr and Deacon Stephen, the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the Feast of the Circumcision (coincident with the Feast of St. Basil the Great), and Theophany (in the West called Epiphany); Jews have Hanukkah; black liberationists have Kwanzaa; the world has New Years; secularist idiots have Festivus; and there are probably others I don’t know. I have no problem with the broad and inclusive greeting “Happy Holidays” to cover all of them.
So whatever feasts or observances you keep, to all FReepers and lurkers: Happy Holidays.