I'm offended by the word "Holiday". It's a derivative of the words "Holy" and "day". And our atheist friends just would not approve.
Maybe you should say "Notable Day".
The thing that bugs me is that the 'Holiday' reference is invariably a euphemism to avoid saying Christmas. It isn't wrong to say Christmas tree when that is what it is. Nobody puts up a holiday tree in their living room or else they could sell little cherry tree branches on the fourth of July or sometime in February. There is no reason to buy a holiday gift except at Christmas. The tradition is tied to Christmas. There is no April Fools day gift exchange. We all know this and the argument for not saying Christmas is just lame.
I received this in an e-mail. I hope you enjoy.
My Christmas Mission
By Debbie Daniel
I'm on a "Merry Christmas" mission and I'm in full throttle. My little yellow VW Beetle has turned into a Christmas billboard with Merry Christmas written across the back window. Yes, I've decided to trek off to work everyday on the public highways with a message that seems to offend people.
At stop lights, I even turn my music up a little louder, and to top it off, I sing along with it. Don't I know that stopping at a red light to roll my windows down only to share the joy of Christmas carols on public streets is a No-No? Don't I fear the Christmas Gestapo and those who would have me remove the written message from my car?
I'm sorry folks, but the only person I'm concerned about "offending" during this Christmas season is the Lord himself. LEAVE THAT MANGER ALONE! We've allowed the Baby Jesus to be kicked out of His lowly manger, and those offended by Christmas are still not happy.
I refuse to let this happen. I'm going to do my part to make sure "Merry Christmas" doesn't become extinct. Because like it or not, if the believers in Christmas don't take a stand now, it's gone forever.
Listen folks, the Christian community has been underestimated before; we will have to show ourselves again.
I walked into a Wendy's Restaurant the other day and was rather exuberant with my "Merry Christmas" greeting to the manager. He didn't have much of a response and I said, "Where's your Christmas spirit?" He said, "We're not allowed to use the words "Merry Christmas" when greeting customers. We can only say "Happy Holiday."
This morning I grabbed a quick breakfast at a Whataburger Restaurant. I noticed there wasn't a single decoration in the store. I asked the manager why they weren't decorated for Christmas. He told me the corporate headquarters decided not to send any decorations to any of their stores, and he didn't know why.
After I heard about all the Macy's and Federated Stores taking down their Merry Christmas signs, the Target stores not allowing the Salvation Army to "Ring the Christmas bells," and the many incidents of children, choirs, and bands not allowed to play or sing Christmas carols, I realized it was happening right here in my own little Texas town.
How can this be? Not Texas!
We do, however, have a store, Hobby Lobby, that plays nothing but Christmas carols during the season. On Christmas Day they run a full page ad in our local newspaper. That ad is not to promote the store, but uses the entire page to tell the story of Jesus' birth. Now that's taking a stand. We need to thank them.
When I saw a news report the other evening of children being taught new words to a song we've sung for years - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - I was saddened to hear "We Wish You a Splendid Holiday."
I know now that it's just a matter of time that the "Merry Christmas" greetings will be gone. Look around your town. Notice the "Holiday" greetings and not "Christmas." It's happening right before our very eyes.
Start singing the songs; go down the streets of America singing to your heart's content. Get some of those wash-off markers that these kids use to write on their car windows when they're rooting for their hometown football team. It's easy to do, and if a torrential rain washes it off, write it on there again.
We've got to get this message out. "Go Tell It On the Mountain . . . that Jesus Christ is Born." Sing it, speak it, be a billboard for our Lord.
The story of this "Baby Jesus" alone has brought about more goodwill at this time of year than any other day we celebrate. How can we sit back and allow Him to be snuffed out of our lives?
Is it Jesus, or is it His followers that the "offended" don't like? What kind of revulsion galvanizes one to campaign so vehemently against the mere mention of His name, the mere singing of a carol, or the mere visual of a sign that says "Merry Christmas?"
I can listen to my own boss at work use some of the vilest words and follow up with, "Excuse my French." I may cringe inside at his damning of God's name, but I tolerate it. So if you don't like me wishing you a "Merry Christmas," I'll say, "Excuse my joy." You may cringe that I celebrate the birth of Jesus, but just tolerate it.
I cannot be concerned that "Merry Christmas" offends you. If I'm not careful, the day will come when saying I'm a Christian will offend you.
I'm offended that you're offended. How about that?
When we get to a point that we can no longer take part in a tradition we hold dear, we have no choice; we either defend that tradition or we give it up to those who say NO. That's it . . . period. So, which will it be?
I'm not giving up my "Merry Christmas" joy to anyone. If I know of someone that celebrates another holiday during this time of year, I will be glad to wish them whatever holiday they want. Just tell me what it is and I'll shout it to the world and wish you a grand celebration.
Just give me Christmas. To you merchants: Stop being so hypocritical and "filling your tills" on the back of Jesus! Who do you think is the symbol of giving at this time of year? It was the wise men bringing gifts to the newborn Christ-child.
You want your coffers full, but have ordered your employees to take down all the Merry Christmas signs. If that's the case, I'll buy gifts at a place that understands my joy.
If you're worried about offending someone, you just did. The most recent Newsweek survey shows that 82% of Americans believe that Jesus is the Son of God. So, in trying not to offend a few, you've offended many.
It's okay to jump into the "Merry Christmas" spirit when it fills your cash register, but let's call it something else . . . and don't stop giving . . . and don't stop buying. . . we'll just change the name and you'll never know the difference.
I know the difference and I'm feeling it greatly. It's hard not to be aware that townships across our country have actually banned the singing of Christmas carols because it might offend someone. And it's not just the religious songs; it's the secular ones too. No more "Jingle Bells" or "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" because they're associated with Christmas. Boy, aren't we getting sensitive?
If we're not celebrating Christmas for the hope it gives with the birth of our Savior . . . there is no hope!
I noticed a few years ago that we changed the name of Abraham Lincoln's and George Washington's birthday so as to be all inclusive regarding the Presidents. Hark, if we should recognize anyone as exceptional. Now it's called Presidents' Day.
Well, if we're going to be so all inclusive, next month I'll have to refer to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as Civil Rights Leaders' Day. We don't want to exclude great Americans like Rosa Parks or Cesar Chavez, do we? And to think that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton might be left out.
We might need to change Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Grandparents' Day to All Parents' Day. Just lump them all together.
It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? So what's the difference?
My freedom to celebrate Christmas in the tradition of the Christian religion is as much my right as it is your right to be offended by it. So what are we going to do? Did anyone hear me . . . what are we going to do?
Do we defend a person's right to go forward with a time tested tradition (how about 2000 years?), or do we defend a person's right to end it all because they're offended? As long as we live in this great land and have the freedom to express ourselves and what we believe in, we will always offend someone.
If we try to make everything right for everyone, we won't have anything for anyone.
May you always have Christmas in your heart!
It's not a war against Christmas, it's a war against Judism- Christianity- Against God himself. In scripture, revalations, the book of Daniel, it's called 'the Great Revolt' the beginning of the Apocalypse.
Prophacy has a lot to say about these times. Maybe that's why books o the subject are selling so well.
Only when enough of us decide not to financially support companies or organizations that demean Christians will this stop. If Target depended solely on sales from non-Christians, they would not be in business long. IF Christians did not buy the latest DVD-rereleases from Disney, their bashing would stop.
It's no big mystery why this has happened. The Left hates Christmas because they love abortion and sodomy (which Christians oppose). The attack on Christmas derives from their insane, deranged, and pyschopathic enthusiasm for murdering unborn human children. Their hatred for Catholics and Evangelical Christians pops up in this frenzied and sick assault on the celebrations of the birth of Christ.
The ACLU,and how they stole our country right in front of our eyes and we let them get away with it..these are the goals of the ACLU..
Freeedom From Religion Foundation another commie orginiation that stole Christmas.
Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in textbooks.
Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic _expression. An American communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings," substituting shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms.
Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."
Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.
Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and television.
Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural and healthy."
Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."
Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious _expression in the schools on the grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."
Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the communists took over. Obliterating the American past, with its antecedents in principles of freedom, liberty and private ownership is a major goal of the communists then and now.
Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture – education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.
Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
I think that one of the best ways to combat this War On Christmas and I don't think a Christian would be angry about doing it, is to not buy ANY and I mean ANY Christmas gifts from any store this Christmas season. Just tell whoever ask you that you are boycotting all stores this year. The same with New Year. Don't book any reservations at any restaurants or hotels or go out of the country.
Then get after the schools, to get schools to have classes during Christmas and New Years. Don't worry about students having to stay longer for the school year because according to almost all 50 states a school year has just so many days for the students to go to school and if those days are already filled by spring then the school can close earlier than other wise before.
If you don't want to do it this year, then make plans for next year by buying a gift here and a gift there and hand it out at Christmas, that way all stores will not have a Christmas surge of profits and the taxes to the state and country will be less.
MAKE THEM FEEL IT.
The war against Christmas is a war against Christins and our Saviour, God in the flesh, Jesus Christ. The end of this war will occur at the end of the 7 year tribulation determined upon the earth by God, our Father.
All those useless religions of men will be destroyed and Jesus the Christ will rule from Zion for 1000 years. Until then, those who literally hate Christ will persecute the body of Christ, many of them bearing the name Christian but hating The Word of God.
The just shall live by faith.
Christmas has been stolen? Hardly. In fact, it's growing. Retailers start putting out Christmas displays in October. Radio stations start playing Christmas music on November 1. Freepers complain about clerks that wish them Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas on a mid November shopping trip. If any holiday has been stolen, it's Thanksgiving.
Some high end retailer is missing a huge opportunity by not exalting Xmas celebrations. Xmas is a time of joy and happiness and the rest of these "holidays" are little more than loser's laments. And nobody likes a loser, and people would flock to a place where people are having a good time.
Back about ten years ago in a place called Solon (a Cleveland suburb) a number of very vocal citizens (who happened to be Jewish) began complaining about Christmas, claiming they were offended by any mention of it.
Now it so happens, that in the years preceding this, Solon had evolved from a predominantly rural Christian community to a suburban "bedroom" community with a significant Jewish presence; and the ADL-istas, the Christmas-haters among them seemed to speak with the loudest voice, and were visibly calling policy for the entire city.
After seeing Christmas stripped from schools and public places, one of the older residents went to a city council meeting and announced that he was so offended by what was going on, which he felt showed disrepect to his beliefs, that he would not buy any Christmas presents (or anything else) from local stores that he knew to be owned or managed by Jews during the Christmas season.
The news of this spread widely through the community until it looked like a grass-roots boycott of Jewish businesses was going to occur at the time of the year when stores usually make the most profit.
The following City Council meeting, a local Jewish man showed up in a Santa suit, with a "please, can't we all just get along" message.
Just to be clear, this isn't a slap at Jewish people. Just at the Abe Foxman-worshipping ADL types and the Christ-phobic secular humanists who insist on playing Grinch every year. And the message is, we ain't taking it anymore.