Say It Loud and Say It Proud: MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Secular humanists as Ebenezer Scrooge)

The Digital Freedom Network ^ | December 4, 2003 | A. E. Huggett

[altura]

Really!! I use Xmas a lot and would hate to think that anyone thought it was sacriligious. I thought everyone knew that X was a symbol for Christ.

[baseballmom]

While working in a bank for 10 years, I would pointedly ask customers,(if I couldn't tell by a last name), Are you celebrating Christmas? Most were.

People of other faiths would be wished "Happy whatever" holiday they were celebrating.
Most customers thanked me, and let me know they were highly offended by the generic Happy Holidays greetings. It's amazing what customers will tell you. LOL

[Lou L]

Somebody needs to ease up a bit.

Steve, if other holidays were shortened in the same fashion, perhaps you'd have a point. Only the Christmas holiday receives this kind of treatment. Not Ramadan, or Chanukah, Yom Kippur, or any other number of non-Christian holidays.

[Liberty Tree Surgeon]

If someone gets offended, how about, "Happy Hellfire"? Or would that be rude and insensitive?

LTS

[MattAMiller]

then all you have to do is see the all-out assault on the very holiday of Christmas this year.

This seems to be the theme of the week for some conservative columnists. Saying "happy holidays" does not constitute an assault on Christianity. It's merely an acknowledgement that some people celebrate something else.

[AppyPappy]

Oddly, ever since we exchanged "Holiday" for "Christmas", retails sales have been suffering. People don't get excited about shopping for "Holiday". They don't have fond memories of the "Holiday" season.

[MattAMiller]

Actually, there IS something more idiotic . . . it's the bizarre use of the phrase "Turkey Day" instead of "Thanksgiving" -- as if we're engaging in some kind of pagan worship of a freakin' bird.

I think it's really just a whimsical nickname.

[RightField]

#20
Take heart ... here on the liberal Left Coast, I ran across a postal clerk who did just the opposite last week. When I asked for a couple of books of Christmas stamps, he asked if I wanted religious or nonreligous stamps. When I asked for the Mary and Jesus stamps, he said, "Good for you. That is what the season is all about."

I said, "Merry Christmas" to him, and he replied, "I'm not supposed to say Merry Christmas to any customer, but if they say it to me first, then I will always say Merry Christmas back. This is not just "the holidays" after all!"

I was heartened by the exchange, to say the least.

[freemama]

I only use Happy Holidays when I know the person I am talking to is of a different faith. I say Blessed Christmas as often as I can to sales people and the like. If they choose to correct me because they are of a different faith, so be it.

As for cards, we have 2 Jewish friends we send a faith appropriate card to. Everyone else gets religious Christmas cards. No little teddy bears or Santa's on our cards!

[Ronly Bonly Jones]

Steve, if other holidays were shortened in the same fashion, perhaps you'd have a point. Only the Christmas holiday receives this kind of treatment. Not Ramadan, or Chanukah, Yom Kippur, or any other number of non-Christian holidays.>>

C.S. Lewis used the X-abbreviation (Xianity, Xian, etc) throughout his career, and I don't think anyone thought that he was a pagan. (Well, except for one or two Evangelical friends of mine....)

[Johnny Gage]

On the Mike Gallagher show, Mike called on everyone to send religious christmas cards to all the ACLU offices.

[kb2614]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!


I feel all counter-culture now,,,,,,,Cool!!!!

[AlexW]

""But honey, it's his [the dog's] first holiday!"

Darn, Sniedly...you beat me to it...I also noted that the word "holiday" seemed stupid.
Ever since seeing that PetSmart commercial, I have been taking notes on other obvious omissions of Christmas.

[Sam's Army]

"This seems to be the theme of the week for some conservative columnists."

Psst---this is a CONSERVATIVE website---that kinda thing gets good traction here

Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

[presidio9]

Happy Kawanzaa to all on this thread.

[TenaciousZ]

I have no problem using the term "Happy Holidays," since I work in an environment where there are a number of non-Christians.

I agree; most large offices are a mix of faiths and nonfaiths that can be tricky to navigate this time of year. But I did find it odd when, a few years ago on the evening of Dec. 24, I was bidding farewell to a co-worker whom I was going to see two days later and she went out of her way to wish me a "happy holiday." Denying that the Dec. 25 "holiday" is, in fact, Christmas runs counter to most every calendar I've seen, but perhaps that's changing too.

[Oztrich Boy]

So if you want to annoy the postal people…...




first consider swimming with sharks or teasing grizzzly bears.

[Oztrich Boy]

-- as if we're engaging in some kind of pagan worship of a freakin' bird.

I think it's really just a whimsical nickname.

Doesn't everybody love a ritual sacrifice? (with pie)

[John Robertson]

"I have no liberal friends. If you're a liberal, you're not my friend."

Same. Makes life a lot easier, doesn't it?