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.)
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.)
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"