Question:
About saying "Happy Holidays." (CHRISTIANS)?
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:44:39 UTC
Doesn't it tick you off when people say "Happy Holidays" or "I hope you have a good holiday" when they can just say "MERRY CHRISTMAS"! Gosh they are trying to avoid the word "Christ" but that's messed up. (and I know they don't want to "offend" other people's religions but wow seriously. What's wrong with saying Merry Christmas. This just goes to show God is coming back faster than we think.
37 answers:
anonymous
2008-12-05 22:17:31 UTC
YES





WHAT other "holiday" is being celebrated on the 25th of December? "Winter solstice" is not just a single day!



Are they referring to New Years, which comes a week later, or perhaps to Thanksgiving which was almost a month ago?



I personally have no problem with others saying, "happy Hanukkah' or Happy Kwanzaa, to those to whom it applies................but DO NOT insult my intelligence by thinking that "happy holidays" covers all.



Are the retailers having a pre Kwanzaa sale, or an after Hanukkah sale....................HELL NO, they are having Christmas sales and they know it! Just as they know that in the springtime, they are NOT having a "bunny" sale, or an "egg" sale, they are having EASTER sales.



Then there are Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Father's and Mother's Day sales...........................heck, let's just have a "parent's day" sale and celebration.



Celebrate what you wish ( that's ok) but for all of our sakes, call it by what it is!
i.m.o
2008-12-05 21:51:06 UTC
I guess it doesn't really bother me because some people have gotten so into the mindset of not wanting to offend anybody that even some christians will say 'happy holidays' or 'seasons greetings'.

I always say Merry Christmas though, and if I offend anyone, then I'm sorry but Christ really is the 'reason for the season'. I don't know what all of the non-believers think it is that they are celebrating every December if not the birth of Jesus?



*in response to 'Interested 1208'- that is actually an interesting point you have about saying Merry Christmas only on the actual day. And yes, I'm sure Jesus would not want us all to get so worked up over something like that, especially when we could use that time and energy trying to tell others about Him rather than get ticked off over something someone said to us.
JavaJoe
2008-12-05 21:54:17 UTC
First off your holiday has nothing to do with Christ. The early Christians took the existing pagan holiday of Saturnalia and pasted Jesus into the celebrations. The people didn't care because they just wanted to party and Jesus was just another name to them.



As for saying "happy holidays", if Christmas was the only holiday around during that time then I could see how Christians would get upset.



There's Hannukah, Solstice festivals such as Yule, Kwanzaa and other holidays in and around the time you Christians celebrate your own solstice festival. So really, what's the problem?
anonymous
2008-12-06 00:19:40 UTC
Just how wrong can you get?!!



No wonder christians are increasingly seen as silly and nasty!!



Learn the truth!!!



It is nothing to do with either Christianity or Islam but it does have it's origins in the midwinter festival and many other basically pagan rites but since much of it is a celebration of nature rather than religion everyone should be able to enjoy it and be happy together despite religion!!



The ancient European pagans celebrated the midwinter festival and a number of other festivals long before Christianity ever existed!



Babylonians celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis with gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift giving and the goddess of fertility, love, and war.



The Romans held a festival on 25 December called “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, celebrating their own god Sol Invictas - PAGAN.



The Persian god Mithras, the Syrian sun god Elah Gabal, the German Sol, the Greek Helios and the Mesopotamian Shamash. But also Saturnalia, honouring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. The law courts and schools were closed. No public business could be transacted an this is where the holidays originated - ALL PAGAN!!!



Wax tapers were given by the more humble to their superiors. The origin of the Christmas candle - PAGAN!!



In Rome groups of costumed went from house to house entertaining their people. And this was where the carolling Christmas tradition originated PAGAN!!



Statues of the Mother and lover or Mother and son were paraded through the streets not only in Italy but also in Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Bulgaria. Thus, the symbolism of the Heavenly Virgin and the infant child paraded on a yearly basis are not of Christian origin. They stem from the Mother-goddess religion, which is very ancient ENTIRELY PAGAN!!.



Scandinavian countries celebrated Yule honouring Thor - PAGAN.



In Germania (not Germany) they celebrated midwinter night followed by 12 wild nights of eating and drinking. The 12 days of Christmas PAGAN!!



The church under Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in order to try to hijack the PAGAN festivals but it was largely ignored. Christians did not really celebrate Christmas until 378 but it was then dropped in 381 and not resurrected until 400.



The Christmas tree stems from pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of holly boughs ivy and other foliage as an adaptation of pagan tree worship. Holly and ivy represented male and female. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual - all PAGAN!!



Santa Claus came from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and was a tall figure riding a white horse through the air and usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. Also the origin of the reindeer, sleigh and the elves ALL PAGAN!!



America actually banned Christmas several times and is the originator of the expression “Happy Holidays” which came about because of the pagan origins of Christmas to include all religions and traditions!!
interested1208
2008-12-05 21:51:17 UTC
I say Happy Holidays because there are more than just the Christian Christmas involved. It's not to remove it, it's just to cover everybody. If I'm referring to Christmas day specifically I will say Merry Christmas because that is the accepted name of the day...



Do you think Jesus would have a problem with it? I'd expect he'd be ashamed of you making such a hissy fit over something like this...



If you want to get ticked, go ahead... it's you life if that's all it takes to ruin your day, you must have a hard life... I certainly wouldn't want to be that anal...



Happy Holidays...
emagidson
2008-12-05 23:45:14 UTC
seriously though, it's rude and narrowminded to assume everyone else celebrates your holidays.



And you don't seem like that kind of a person. So I hope the more polite answers here open your eyes to the notion that from December to mid February EVERY MAJOR CULTURE IN THE WORLD has a holiday.



Saying Happy Holidays means you are an intelligent citizen of the entire planet. That others' joy in meaningful to you.



I think that you are a good person, maybe you just need to think this through a bit.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:49:35 UTC
Why can't you just relax and have a Merry Xmas instead of finding things to get ticked off about?



If there's nothing wrong with saying Merry Xmas, then there's equally nothing wrong with saying Happy Holidays. Just be thankful that someone cares enough to wish you a pleasant season.
sha_lyn68
2008-12-05 22:14:28 UTC
Why would being inclusive and considerate of everyone tick you off?

You do realize that Christmas is not the only holiday in Dec don't you?



If you truly believed "if you have nothing nice to say don't say it"....you wouldn't have posted your question.



ETA: for the poster who said "like that X-mas crap"....you do realize that the letter X has been used to symbollize Christ for centuries don't you? It isn't disrespectful at all.
----theName----
2008-12-05 22:03:27 UTC
No. It ticks me off when people insist that the only way to greet people is by insisting it be something about Christ. Hello? There are other holidays around this time of the year, it's not all about you and what you want.



That said, Happy Holidays.
Bobby The Wolf
2008-12-05 21:54:20 UTC
Oh, I'm SOOOOO Sorry you poor victim!

OK, I have seen the light... I'm going to start saying Merry Christmas to EVERYBODY! Whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, whatever, all because we have to keep the Christ God in this Blatantly Pagan Holiday.



Yes, it's such a Horrible thing to want to wish everybody joy during their religions Holiday, whatever holiday that may be.





Oh, yes and... Happy Holidays! ;-)



# # #



(((Zilla!)))



The Wal-Mart Greeter in my town says Merry Christmas as a policy.



HA HA!
Minion of darkness, Mary
2008-12-05 21:49:03 UTC
I am a non-christian who celebrates Christmas, but when I say "Happy Holidays" sometimes it's not to avoid the word Christ, it's just so that I refrain from offending people who don't celebrate.

That's like me walking up to you and saying "Happy Ramadan" when you don't celebrate it. Wouldn't you feel a little awkward?



EDIT: Wow, there are already accusations of rudeness when shockingly, no one is being rude on this.
The Yeti
2008-12-05 21:48:09 UTC
Even as a good Atheist I like to say Merry Christmas.



Christ never really was an important part of the holiday anyhow best I can tell. I do like the fat man and the food and gifts though.
snowborder8888
2008-12-05 21:52:58 UTC
Or... they might just be trying to be polite because even Christians should be tolerant of other peoples views.



I wouldn't want someone to come up to me and wish me a happy Hannakuh or Kwanzaa if I celebrate Christmas... and vice versa.



I don't think people are trying to avoid saying Christ, I just think that most people are trying really hard to be Politically Correct these days.



It seems like the worst thing you can do now is offend someone.



Although... people who write X-mas... that pisses me off.... then I think they are trying to not write Christ.
mo in the middle
2008-12-05 21:53:32 UTC
We're not all Christian, you know. And Christmas isn't the only holiday being celebrated in December.



Just TRY to look at this from someone else's point of view.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:48:03 UTC
Oh yeah, I hate it when people try to be considerate and all inclusive.



Ok really, it doesn't bother me a bit. It's a greeting. I take it as a greeting. It's a nice thing.



No one is going to make me not celebrate Christ's birth at Christmas. We have to stop nitpicking the way that people try to be nice to each other this time of year. Stop.
Jamus, AM Cookie Fundie
2008-12-05 21:53:32 UTC
Did you ever think perhaps they were just trying to wish happiness upon you?



Does me saying Have a great day offend?



Funny... you rant about how they give the incorrect greeting for the season yet you've missed the point entirely.
Cajunboy
2008-12-05 21:53:25 UTC
Excellent point dear heart ! Perhaps we can start an old tradition all over again this year? I'll begin tomorrow with good wishes for a Merry Christmas! And I challange everyone out there to do the same. Sometimes we Christians just have to take a stand in the name of God!
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:48:55 UTC
Now we anticipate Christmas, or in our politically correct world, a happy holiday. Interestingly, when we wish “Happy Holidays” we really wish one another a “Holy Day.” Webster defines holiday as derived from the Old English, hāligdæg, or holy day.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:49:22 UTC
Maybe they are not sure if you celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa or Hannukah or nothing at all and they want to say something nice without offending you?
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:48:30 UTC
Why is the clear majority so insecure about me, as a retail clerk, telling someone "Happy Holidays"? I don't know what religion they follow, my job is to get my work done and not piss off customers. There is no conspiracy, I am not trying to take away your religion.
Kc
2008-12-05 21:46:58 UTC
You are making this to be more than it is.



Pull up a chair, you have a lot to learn.

1. Happy Holidays is INCLUSIVE of all religious holidays. It INCLUDES Christmas. Do you think your religion is better than others? Please explain.

2. Who cares? Does someone saying 'Happy Holidays' make you less religious? You need to be more secure with yourself because if THIS upsets you, you're in for a rough life.



It's because of people like you that I just say, "Have a nice day" instead of Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas.

You see, when someone says "Merry Christmas", "Happy Hanukkah", or "Happy Holidays", I just say 'Thanks, you too' even if I don't share their religious view because I'm not insecure with myself. They are wishing me a good time of the year. That's it. Get over it already.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:49:57 UTC
Well, there is the new year. So I suppose people can perform a simple equation and deduce that (x + New Year) = Happy Holidays.
M G
2008-12-05 21:50:20 UTC
No, because they are generally referring to a few holidays;

Christmas,

Hannukah,

Kwanza

New Years

Eid



It's not just a Christmas thing!
Chuck Natey
2008-12-05 21:48:50 UTC
Yeah sometimes, I understand when theyre saying Happy Hollidays instead of "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" but just to avoid saying Christmas is stupid, Just like that X-mas crap.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:48:29 UTC
i always say merry christmas and happy new year
Ryan, Atheati Magus
2008-12-05 21:47:45 UTC
well it really should be happy yuletide, since Christians did steal the winter celebration from the Pagans. so if anything happy holidays is correct.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:46:55 UTC
They may be trying to avoid a pagan greeting.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:47:27 UTC
are you sh*tting me?



what's wrong with saying merry christmas to a jew or atheist or whatever unless you knew they were cool with it? hmm.. i wonder...happy holidays. it doesn't tick me off because this is the holiday time of year, including many religions BESIDES yours, dumba**.
AMERICANZILLA
2008-12-05 21:48:27 UTC
Lol! Yes, when the Wal-Mart flunky tells me to have some happy holidays, that means Jebus is on his way. Eeeekk!!
Ha ha ha!
2008-12-05 21:47:26 UTC
Is it really too much to let people say whatever the hell they want if they don't practice your religion?
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:47:12 UTC
Um, not everyone believes in christ/god/jesus/whatever.

You really need to get over it.



Yeah, I've heard that term.

But I don't listen very well.
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:47:10 UTC
happy holidays
ckrug
2008-12-05 21:50:21 UTC
they even cross out Christ and say xmas go figure. It does upset me so I always say "Merry Christmas' we don't live in a Communist country yet.
No Gods, No Masters
2008-12-05 21:47:57 UTC
Fail



Happy Holidays to you!!
nancy
2008-12-05 22:02:08 UTC
i know im not christian but yea
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:47:58 UTC
I hate it how people are so politically correct. Especially when companies have Christmas music and decorations in their ads, yet still call it "Holiday".



I don't shop at stores that say "Holiday"
anonymous
2008-12-05 21:51:22 UTC
I agree sister, this world needs a Saviour. Jesus is the only one. This world is pagan and heathen. It does make you sick.


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