xmas/happy holidays/merry christmas rant

[Saeleofu]

Originally Posted by AllieMackie

My cards say "Happy Holidays" because I send them to a number of denominations. If I know their denomination and what they celebrate, I handwrite appropriately. To my sister, who is non-practicing Jewish, I wrote "Happy WinterHoliday, have some awesome Chinese food on the 25th!" (their yearly "Christmas" tradition LOL).

There are extremists everywhere, I guess. I just ignore them.

With cards I think it's a bit different.

If you KNOW someone celebrates something besides Christmas (or doesn't celebrate anything at all) then by all means take that into account.

[Doberluv]

Originally Posted by Snark

Here ya go:

Question: Why Is There an X in Xmas? Isn't It Sacrilegious? Some Christians complain that the abbreviation Xmas for Christmas is part of a move to secularize the holiday, to take the Christ out of Christmas, but this isn't really justified.
Answer: It is said that when the Emperor Constantine had his great vision that caused him to convert to Christianity, he saw the Greek letters Chi and Rho intertwined. Chi is written as an 'X' and Rho is written as a 'P', but they are the first two letters of the Greek word Christ 'savior'. 'XP' is sometimes used to stand for Christ. Sometimes X is used alone. This is the case in the Chi (X) abbreviation for Christ in Xmas. Thus, Xmas is not directly a way of secularizing the holiday, but since 'X' is not Chi in English, we read the word as X-mas and see no connection with Christ.

Happy Festivus!

That's very interesting. I knew there was a good reason I write merry Xmas.

I don't mind "happy holidays" either. If I use "happy holidays," I'm thinking Thanksgiving and Xmas or the other religious holidays around that time. I think we should say something like that all throughout the year, not just around December. It could mean happy Valentine's day, happy St. Patricks day, happy labor day, happy independence day and so on. We could be saying happy holidays frequently. Wouldn't that be better yet?

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by Doberluv

That's very interesting. I knew there was a good reason I write merry Xmas.

I don't mind "happy holidays" either. If I use "happy holidays," I'm thinking Thanksgiving and Xmas or the other religious holidays around that time. I think we should say something like that all throughout the year, not just around December. It could mean happy Valentine's day, happy St. Patricks day, happy labor day, happy independence day and so on. We could be saying happy holidays frequently. Wouldn't that be better yet?

Well, i dont wish people merry christmas or happy holidays year round but i do make a point to tell anyone i talk to each day to "have a good day". . Always. I am sure i fOrget sometimes but its just natural to me to say it at the end of a conversation. Especially cashiers and stuff at the checkout. "thank you, have a good day". Sometimes they beat me to it though lol

Again though i am not actually offended by the way anyone says anything. I just found it funny to be so outraged but not enough to write the full word.... Especially when i know he doesnt know the thing snark posted lol and he is not a christian... So i dont know why it bothers him so lol

[Doberluv]

I don't know why either, people would be offended or out raged about anything like this. It's really beyond me. And no...I wouldn't wish someone a merry Christmas (there, I wrote it out) in July. But I might say, "happy 4th!" I always say, "top 'o the morning to you" around St. Patrick's Day or Happy St. Patrick's day. And I think it's nice to say, "have a good day." What do you think when people say, "Have a good one." That is so weird. I want to say, "Have a good one of what?"

[~Jessie~]

I've only read the first page of this thread, so hopefully it's still on track

I've never understood why anyone would get up in arms over being wished "Merry Christmas," "Happy Hanukkah," "Happy Kwanzaa," etc, etc. At least that person is being nice and WISHING YOU a happy holiday! Would you rather them grunt and not say anything?

I'm not religious, but I appreciate when someone says they'll keep me in their prayers. Why? Because they are thinking positive thoughts about me!

[Greenmagick]

[QUOTE=~Jessie~;1908181

I'm not religious, but I appreciate when someone says they'll keep me in their prayers. Why? Because they are thinking positive thoughts about me![/QUOTE]

For me, its the intent behind it. I have had people rudely wish me a merry Christmas almost daring me to say anything else back (and who would grow irate I am sure if I had offered Blessed Yule! first) but the vast majority are doing it from a good place and that is great.

Keeping me in their prayers, again, for many it is a nice positive thing and doesnt bother me in the least....but then you have those few who offer it because they are praying that you change or convert, so those "wishes" I would not appreciate.

[Renee750il]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

For me, its the intent behind it. I have had people rudely wish me a merry Christmas almost daring me to say anything else back (and who would grow irate I am sure if I had offered Blessed Yule! first) but the vast majority are doing it from a good place and that is great.

Keeping me in their prayers, again, for many it is a nice positive thing and doesnt bother me in the least....but then you have those few who offer it because they are praying that you change or convert, so those "wishes" I would not appreciate.

This is it exactly!

Motive and intent.

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by Greenmagick

For me, its the intent behind it. I have had people rudely wish me a merry Christmas almost daring me to say anything else back (and who would grow irate I am sure if I had offered Blessed Yule! first) but the vast majority are doing it from a good place and that is great.

Keeping me in their prayers, again, for many it is a nice positive thing and doesnt bother me in the least....but then you have those few who offer it because they are praying that you change or convert, so those "wishes" I would not appreciate.

Of course people can say things with malice- but that goes for anything!

If I posted about my dog being sick and someone said "I'll keep her in my prayers" I would think it was a nice gesture.

If I mentioned how I wasn't religious and someone said "I'll pray for you," then yeah, I'd be offended.

I haven't ever had anyone say "Merry Christmas" before with rude intentions and although I'm sure there ARE people who are saying it to make you aware that Christmas is "THE ONLY" holiday, most say it just to be nice.

[nancy2394]

what i find odd is at a local elementary school here, the kids were not suppose to discuss anything about Christmas, but yet... they had the kids color a menora and star of david and some other things associated with hanauka (sp??) I'm not opposed to them doing the activities associated with haunaka, but why is okay to single out to oppose one religious belief in regards to a holiday over another? I found that to be very offensive.

[~Jessie~]

When I was in third grade we made ornaments in class. The teacher had precut felt pieces, and we decorated them with puff paint. There were a bunch of choices for different holidays and if you didn't celebrate Christmas, there were little suction cup things to attach to them to put on your window.

I remember decorating a tree shaped one and a menorah