The Venting Thread

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

I've never seen any other holiday publicly displayed in the States, and especially not in the South. I dared say Happy Yule once. People gave me bibles for Christmas. But definitely never in stores, never any sale promotions with them, never see any decorations or anything.

I say Happy Holidays. I find it more considerate and all-encompassing and less selfish than thinking, "Well, *I* celebrate this so *I* matter and *I* am going to say what *I* celebrate".

That's a pretty selfish way to look at things. And it's a heck of a lot easier just to say Happy Holidays instead of sitting there debating on who's holiday matters more. Yours or theirs. It's an act of tolerance, and I definitely appreciate those who go out of their way to think for others on that. I've had more people who say "Merry Christmas" roll their eyes at me when I say "Happy Holidays" than any other group of people. It's definitely a selfish thing, IMO. Just like throwing religion or any other personal belief around. Not everyone celebrates they way you do. There's no need to go spewing it every where like there's some great contest to be won.

That's not what this time is supposed to be about. (Or any time for that matter, but for some reason people like picking and choosing when they'd like to act considerate.)

so you aren't worried about offending the people who don't celebrate any holiday? what about them?

I don't feel that I have to celebrate Hanukkah to take a "Happy Hanukkah" as anything other than a well wish for a happy day. WHY is it viewed as "throwing religion in peoples faces"? There are TONS of people who aren't Christians who celebrate Christmas. So NO I don't at all think it's just throwing religion around. I was not raised Christian but we always celebrated Christmas complete with Santa Claus (although he's not really politically correct anymore these days either what with his obesity and his "ho ho ho"). I have been wished a Happy Hanukkah and it never occured to me that maybe they were trying to prove some sort of point. I just said Thank you, same to you and we all smiled and went on our way. I don't know WHY it has to be seen as a contest. why can't we all just say what we say and if it isn't an F YOU be happy and gracious that someone even bothered to wish us a happy/merry/joyous whateverday.

Now if I KNEW someone didn't celebrate any holiday or celebrated a particular one I would try my best to remember to wish them happy *your holiday here* but I say Merry Christmas because it's habit. When and where I grew up no one threw a fit either way and no one was viewed as utterly intolerant and selfish. it just was what it was. "merry Christmas" "Oh thank you, happy holiday" "why THANK YOU!" the end lol
It's more "tolerant" yet there is a complete lack of tolerance for anyone who says it any different than "Happy Holidays"

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

I've never seen any other holiday publicly displayed in the States, and especially not in the South. I dared say Happy Yule once. People gave me bibles for Christmas. But definitely never in stores, never any sale promotions with them, never see any decorations or anything.

I say Happy Holidays. I find it more considerate and all-encompassing and less selfish than thinking, "Well, *I* celebrate this so *I* matter and *I* am going to say what *I* celebrate".

That's a pretty selfish way to look at things. And it's a heck of a lot easier just to say Happy Holidays instead of sitting there debating on who's holiday matters more. Yours or theirs. It's an act of tolerance, and I definitely appreciate those who go out of their way to think for others on that. I've had more people who say "Merry Christmas" roll their eyes at me when I say "Happy Holidays" than any other group of people. It's definitely a selfish thing, IMO. Just like throwing religion or any other personal belief around. Not everyone celebrates they way you do. There's no need to go spewing it every where like there's some great contest to be won.

That's not what this time is supposed to be about. (Or any time for that matter, but for some reason people like picking and choosing when they'd like to act considerate.)

What happens if you say "Happy Holidays" to someone who doesn't celebrate anything? Won't they be offended?

I love the holidays and the cheer that comes with it. If you're not politically correct, you must be rude. It makes me sad how you think that someone saying "Merry Christmas" to you is spewing rudeness

You said, "that's not what this time is supposed to be about."

You're right.

It's a time to let things roll off your back. Enjoy the holidays (whichever you celebrate), and just smile and say "thanks" when someone wishes you a happy/merry whatever.

I've had people say "Happy Hanukkah" to me, and I've just smiled and said "Happy Hanukkah to you as well!" Yay- someone said something nice, cheerful, and was sincere in how they said it. Maybe saying thanks back will continue to keep them in a good mood.

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by ~Jessie~

What happens if you say "Happy Holidays" to someone who doesn't celebrate anything? Won't they be offended?

I love the holidays and the cheer that comes with it. If you're not politically correct, you must be rude. It makes me sad how you think that someone saying "Merry Christmas" to you is spewing rudeness

You said, "that's not what this time is supposed to be about."

You're right.

It's a time to let things roll off your back. Enjoy the holidays (whichever you celebrate), and just smile and say "thanks" when someone wishes you a happy/merry whatever.

THIS

I will say for the VAST majority of my experiences people have been gracious, joyful and digustingly cheerful along with me in the well wishings of the holidays and it is the minority who really get up in arms about it (on both sides of the coin). They just stick out because it puts a damper on the spirit

[Lyzelle]

Originally Posted by sparks19

so you aren't worried about offending the people who don't celebrate any holiday? what about them?

I don't feel that I have to celebrate Hanukkah to take a "Happy Hanukkah" as anything other than a well wish for a happy day. WHY is it viewed as "throwing religion in peoples faces"? There are TONS of people who aren't Christians who celebrate Christmas. So NO I don't at all think it's just throwing religion around. I was not raised Christian but we always celebrated Christmas complete with Santa Claus (although he's not really politically correct anymore these days either what with his obesity and his "ho ho ho"). I have been wished a Happy Hanukkah and it never occured to me that maybe they were trying to prove some sort of point. I just said Thank you, same to you and we all smiled and went on our way. I don't know WHY it has to be seen as a contest. why can't we all just say what we say and if it isn't an F YOU be happy and gracious that someone even bothered to wish us a happy/merry/joyous whateverday.

It's more "tolerant" yet there is a complete lack of tolerance for anyone who says it any different than "Happy Holidays"

I said it's like religion. Or positive training. Or breastfeeding. Or anything else people like going out of their way to make a point of. If someone celebrates Christmas and isn't Christian, that's fine. I don't care. Same with any other holiday. If they don't celebrate anything, I don't mind that either. Just like wishing someone a good day. Do you seriously sit there thinking "Well, maybe someone in their life is going to die today...guess I shouldn't say it...". No. The thought matters.

And yes, it's generally seen as more tolerant to think of everyone rather than just yourself and what you celebrate. And going around complaining that YOU have it SO BADLY because YOU don't get to say Merry Christmas because everyone else has something they'd like to celebrate and enjoy is still pretty selfish, IMO. Merry Christmas is plastered everywhere. The point has been made. Other holidays? Not so much.

So, yeah, I personally like going out of my way to recognize that.

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by sparks19

I was not raised Christian but we always celebrated Christmas complete with Santa Claus (although he's not really politically correct anymore these days either what with his obesity and his "ho ho ho").

I'll take politically incorrect Santa over this one:

[~Jessie~]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

I said it's like religion. Or positive training. Or breastfeeding. Or anything else people like going out of their way to make a point of. If someone celebrates Christmas and isn't Christian, that's fine. I don't care. Same with any other holiday. If they don't celebrate anything, I don't mind that either. Just like wishing someone a good day. Do you seriously sit there thinking "Well, maybe someone in their life is going to die today...guess I shouldn't say it...". No. The thought matters.

And yes, it's generally seen as more tolerant to think of everyone rather than just yourself and what you celebrate. And going around complaining that YOU have it SO BADLY because YOU don't get to say Merry Christmas because everyone else has something they'd like to celebrate and enjoy is still pretty selfish, IMO. Merry Christmas is plastered everywhere. The point has been made. Other holidays? Not so much.

So, yeah, I personally like going out of my way to recognize that.

And who says they can't celebrate? Just because someone says "Happy Hanukkah" to me doesn't mean I'm going to run home, take down my tree, and put out a menorah instead.

Saying happy anything doesn't change what YOU celebrate.

If someone told you they didn't like your breed of dog, are you going to rehome them?

It's just... not worth getting so worked up over.

It would be one thing if people were saying "have a terrible weekend," "I hope your day sucks," but people are WISHING you a joyous time.

[MandyPug]

It's not what people want to say or celebrate that bothers me. It's the constant "war" over what's right or better or or or. Since when did it become a matter of "having the balls" to put up what you want or sticking it to "the man" by putting merry christmas or happy holidays or whatever your choice. Everyone is free to do what they want, but having balls or not shouldn't come into play.

It just seems more and more that it's the "merry christmas" folks that are screaming it at the top of their lungs that they're being discriminated against.

[sassafras]

When I was in college, back in the day when Kwanzaa was starting to really gain some momentum in the US, I was at the campus gym around Christmas with my boyfriend at the time and as we were leaving we passed by the monitor who was clearly talking to a friend of his about celebrating Kwanzaa. Like, it was 100% obvious that Kwanzaa was what he would be celebrating that year and he was really excited by it.

On our way out the door I just automatically said MERRY CHRISTMAS and then we all registered what I had just said and stood around in awkward silence for a minute while he tried to hide a -_- face and I tried to decide if I should apologize. Although he was actually very kind about it and thanked me anyway I was pretty mortified.

Now I pretty much only say Happy Holidays. I don't celebrate any particular holiday, anyway, so it's just as well. Although I generally take any and all holiday wishes coming my way, regardless of what they are, in the spirit they were intended.

[JessLough]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

I said it's like religion. Or positive training. Or breastfeeding. Or anything else people like going out of their way to make a point of. If someone celebrates Christmas and isn't Christian, that's fine. I don't care. Same with any other holiday. If they don't celebrate anything, I don't mind that either. Just like wishing someone a good day. Do you seriously sit there thinking "Well, maybe someone in their life is going to die today...guess I shouldn't say it...". No. The thought matters.

And yes, it's generally seen as more tolerant to think of everyone rather than just yourself and what you celebrate. And going around complaining that YOU have it SO BADLY because YOU don't get to say Merry Christmas because everyone else has something they'd like to celebrate and enjoy is still pretty selfish, IMO. Merry Christmas is plastered everywhere. The point has been made. Other holidays? Not so much.

So, yeah, I personally like going out of my way to recognize that.

Wait, where did anybody complain they aren't allowed to say Merry Christmas? Actually, I think most said that they DO say Merry Christmas, out of habit. If I had you saying Elephant 1000 times in a row, and then suddenly, without you expecting it, said "Say Cat", you're likely to say Elephant. Why? Because you were trained to say it in a way. It's what you were used to saying.

Also, I want to know where Merry Christmas is plastered everywhere? YOU CAN'T EVEN SEND A CHRISTMAS CARD ANYMORE. They all say "Happy Holidays".

I can walk through my store, and nobody is allowed to post signs saying Merry Christmas (other than like, the Santa photobooths. Though IIRC, those even say Happy Holidays). Yet, I can walk through the Kosher section of my store and see "Happy Hunakkah" posted throughout.

Honestly, the problem with the fight is... NOBODY CARES except the people it doesn't affect. I mean, really, I've had Jewish parents, who celebrate Hanukkah, come take their kids to see Santa. Why? Because WHO CARES if the kid sees Santa. Seriously. It's a childhood memory the kid now has. I know plenty of kids who celebrate Christmas who DON'T see Santa. It's not the people who celebrate other Holidays that has a problem with it. It's everybody else.


Really though, why is it ok to say Happy Easter, for example, to people, but you can't say Merry Christmas?

[sparks19]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

I said it's like religion. Or positive training. Or breastfeeding. Or anything else people like going out of their way to make a point of. If someone celebrates Christmas and isn't Christian, that's fine. I don't care. Same with any other holiday. If they don't celebrate anything, I don't mind that either. Just like wishing someone a good day. Do you seriously sit there thinking "Well, maybe someone in their life is going to die today...guess I shouldn't say it...". No. The thought matters.

And yes, it's generally seen as more tolerant to think of everyone rather than just yourself and what you celebrate. And going around complaining that YOU have it SO BADLY because YOU don't get to say Merry Christmas because everyone else has something they'd like to celebrate and enjoy is still pretty selfish, IMO. Merry Christmas is plastered everywhere. The point has been made. Other holidays? Not so much.

So, yeah, I personally like going out of my way to recognize that.

???? no one is saying they have it SO BADLY and it's the worst thing ever and we don't get to say Merry Christmas and yada yada yada. I just don't understand why there HAS to be the debate in the first place. Happy Holidays vs merry Christmas is all because of politically correct nonsense so now it's become a battle. I am not personally offended by Happy Holidays. I think it's a perfectly nice thing to say but this idea that if you don't say it then you are intolerant and selfish and just out to destroy the holidays for everyone which is not even remotely the case in the majority of cases.

My only experiences with people who wanted to make an issue of it was when I worked in retail and encountered a lot of people during the holidays and most of the time the people that did complain about Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays were also the ones that complained about everything else going on around them "lines are too long" "too many people here". Chances are they probably weren't really offended by what was said but that they were just in a bad mood to begin with.

I just don't think we should be scolding people for saying "happy holidays" or "merry Christmas". I wish we could just get back to accepting a well wish no matter what form it comes in instead of over analyzing everything. If you don't get an "F YOU" I'd say it's a pretty good day lol. Smile, say thank you.

Like I said before... this politically correct movement has pretty much made everyone intolerant of everyone else. I mean it's kind of funny to sit and talk about being so tolerant while saying that everyone who doesn't say what you say is selfish and intolerant lol

Originally Posted by ~Jessie~

I'll take politically incorrect Santa over this one:

That's just scary... what IS h e looking at in there?