A Little Christmas Rant

[Tighthead Prop]

I have noticed a lot of discussion about Christmas and it's true origins and so on and so forth. I like these discussions and think they are very thoughtful and enlightening. However, I have a problem with a few things I've been seeing on TV. Can we stop saying "Merry Christmahanzakwanakas" or whatever variation we are using? Will it really give this country such an ulcer to simply say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"? I am in no way saying once December comes around to drop your beliefs and be a Christian for a month, but we dint need to take away all the meaning of the holiday do we? I think there are times when you can be too PC. When you combine all the holiday names into one it just makes it seem further commercialized and loses all relevance.

I think a lot of it has to do with not wanting to come off as pushing your beliefs on someone. However, I do not view it in this manner. If someone who celebrates Hanuka wishes me a Happy Hanuka, I view it as them wishing me good fortune in their own spirituality, the same as if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. If you did something nice for someone and they said "bless you" I don't think we would be insulted. The point of this time of year is not for religious recruitment, but for being a friend to your fellow man.

I'm not sure if December was the real birth date of Christ and really sure where the Christmas tree came from, but quite frankly I don't stress about it because I take the time to enjoy this time of the year in which the spirit of peace and giving takes precedent. I myself am not really religious but my family is one of Christians, so I was brought up celebrating Christmas as much of us are. So, what do I take from Christmas sense I am not really religious? I take in the experience of having great friends...a wonderful family full of people that love me...a future in a career in which I will be able to leave my mark on the world...the memories I have made and the memories still to come...and most importantly, I appreciate the life I have.

So, to all of you who celebrate Hanuka, Kwanzaa or any other type of religious or non religious holiday, I say to you "Merry Christmas"...and hope you take it as a compliment:)

[DrWeird]

1. OK.

Happy There-is-no-God-and-all-consciousness-ceases-when-you-die greetings.

[bryant69]

13. Ah

But you see there is a God.

[rolltide2005]

2. Merry Christmas to you too

A federal holiday since 1870.

[SmokingJacket]

3. false controversy

The right is playing up this crap in order to divide us.

I know of NO ONE, NO ONE who is offended by any holiday greeting whatsoever.

I know of NO ONE who has any objection to anyone else celebrating however they see fit.

I don't even know why I'm responding to this thread; it doesn't need to be kicked. x(

[Bouncy Ball]

5. Agreed.

This is not an issue. Who cares what people say to one another in December? We have freedom of speech (supposedly).

I think I'm going to make up my own special December greeting just to piss off all the "YOU'RE KILLING CHRISTMAS" fundies. Hmmm, what should it be?

[Bouncy Ball]

4. Boy (LOL) you are really transparent!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Happy Winter Solstice!

Personally I don't care WHAT a person says or doesn't say, just don't cram it down my throat that I HAVE to say Merry Christmas, got it?

And why should people have to take it as a compliment if you say Merry Christmas? Just because you do if someone says Happy Hanukah to you? Big deal!

Why is this even an ISSUE? We have people DYING in Iraq, but we have to beat that dead horse of what to SAY to people in December. Geez Louise.

I am Christian myself and I DO say Merry Christmas, but all this fundie crap is making me want to say "Happy FREAKING Holidays and SHOVE OFF if you don't like it."


Dr. Weird, your response cracked me up.

[DrWeird]

7. Thanks.

nt

[tom_paine]

6. Well said!

:toast:

[jmm]

I saw those commercials totally differently.

They're not trying to be "too PC." It kind of reminds me of the South Park episode with the Christmas pageant that tried not to offend everybody by taking out everything that was objected to. Christamahanakwazaka is doing the same in the opposite way. It's mocking all inclusiveness by combining everything and making it look ridiculous.

[demnan]

8. I never felt it was an issue

I have a Jewish friend whom I have sent a hanakkah card ever since she became "actively Jewish?" I don't give a shit what you call it, I'm going to make merry, and I make merry with you whether you are Christian, atheist, lapsed Protestant secular humanist, Mormon, Wiccam, Catholic, Hindu, Moslem or Buddist.

Really does it matter how people celebrate this time of year? It's a special time of year! The days are so short, we must be friends and have good cheer until the beautiful rebirth of Spring occurs.

My family are really devasted about the election. I have to be strong for them and be giving. I love the teachings of Jesus Christ, even though I'm not a practicing Christian. But I love the spirit of Christ, the spirit of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. - so why can't we celebrate the most charitable parts of our hearts for this season and let the animosity go.

[Undercover Owl]

9. nobody HAS to say any greeting at all!

I disregard holiday greetings completely. I'm not a festive person.

If somebody says "merry christmas" or whatever, I just say "bye, thanks", or "nice seeing you". Easy as that.

[Tighthead Prop]

10. Alrighty...

Perhaps my intentions with this thread got lost somewhere. What I was simply trying to do was point out how people DO take these things too seriously and that it IS being played up by the far right. All I was saying was that if someone says (insert greeting) not to make a big deal about it because they're just trying to be polite. I was trying to discuss how politics are affecting something which is what I thought this the board is about, but apparently this offended some people so I apologize.

[Bunny]

11. I don't know of one single person who actually says

happy chrismahanaramakwaanzakuh. Or anything even close to it. No one ever says that, except as a joke. Which should be apparent to everybody older than, say, six.

If some people are offended by attempting to include the traditions of others during a shared holiday season, it's just another example of the group neurosis and bigotry shown by the members of the far right. And only medical professionals can help them. I am not concerned about their offended selves.

[Red State Rebel]

12. Thank you! Merry Christmas!!

I understand exactly what you are saying.

[shadowknows69]

14. Sorry, That it's called CHRISTmas kind of pigeonholes it for me.

I guess you'd classify me as a neo-pagan/wiccan, whatever, and from my personal POV i do find it somewhat insulting in general that we have nationally sanctioned christian holidays like christmas. Particularly the level of anger some people reach when you try to explain to them it feels threatening to people who don't share their beliefs. I let most people slide who don't know me and tell me merry christmas but i get a little irked when people who know my religious beliefs either simply forget and repeat the holiday mantra like they've been trained, or take it as an opportunity to lecture me and remind me that it's "our" lord's birthday. The whole secular materialism thing bothers me too. that we've been trained as a country to dump our life savings (many times on credit) every december so corporate america can get that boost before the end of the year. Do they give any of it back? november through january are probably the biggest layoff times of the year. You'd think the christmas boost would enable them to keep some of their hard workers (I was let go from my professional radio job a week before xmas due to budgetary concerns when my office was privvy to the fact that we'd had nothing but record sales months all year long. go figure.)My wife keeps me from being a complete scrooge though ;O)

[Bridget Burke]

15. This is a totally bogus issue.

The whole Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays controversy was cooked up by the religious nutcases to spread dissension. Check out this link:

www.cwfa.org/articledisplay.asp?id=5040&department=CFI&categoryid=misc

This is sponsored by Concerned Women For America (originally formed to combat the Equal Rights Amendment). The site belongs to Beverly LaHaye, wife of Tim LaHaye, author of the "Left Behind" books. They are Bob Jones University educated mainstays of the Dominionist/Christian Reconstructionist/Theonomic movement & they want to take over the US. They keep floating these issues that seem to make sense to sincerely religious people--who would be appalled if they knew their agenda. Fox News also likes to carry their stories.

The Christmas tree, along with most traditions of the season, has Pagan roots.

You may well offend someone by wishing them "Merry Christmas"--but I doubt they will let you know. Living in your particular corn-fed, white-bread corner of America, they're probably used to it. However, please do not presume to tell anybody else what they should say.