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BC, or BCE?
AD, or CE?
“Happy Holidays” refers to the timespan covering Christmas and New Year’s, which makes the statement a perfectly appropriate and kind thing to say. Why everyone is up in arms is beyond me. I personally don’t care one way or the other what anyone decides to say, but it wouldn’t really be of much meaning to wish me a “Happy Ramadan”, or “Happy Kwanza.” “Happy Holidays” conveys a positive message to everyone. Isn’t that the goal of a well-intended sentiment?
It’s not the statement itself that’s getting people fired up. It’s what the statement says about our sensibilities, and the so-called ‘political correctness’ that the statement itself conveys.
Outside of all the more crass commercial aspects of this time of year, what *is *the reason for the season?
T.
I understand what you’re saying, but people being offended by being wished a Happy Holiday really need to get a grip. How does a store employee know that a customer celebrates Christmas, or any of the other holiday customs for that matter? What’s wrong with playing the odds and catering to ALL of their customers, not just the majority? Makes good business sense to me.
Approx. 77% usa is Christian.Approx. 13% is secular or non-religious.Of the remaining religions only 1 scores over 1%.That is not to say that every other seasonal celebration should be glossed over but…ITS A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY AND ITS A CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION!!!July 4th is a holiday;labor day is a holiday;memorial day is a holiday;Christmas is Christmas not a holiday so lets not diminish it’s relevance to our society to appease some tosser from the ACLU with a chip on their shoulder…oh and Happy Christmas by the way.Here endeth the rant.
Amen, majority rules. BTW why is this such a problem now as I don’t remember Merry Christmas being a problem of old?
Actually I don’t believe in Christ (the savior not the person) and Christmas was not originally a celebration of his birth. It was the Pagan holiday of Mithra. He was the god of the regenerating sun and was annually reborn on December 25th. The Roman Empire in A.D. 274 made the Birthday of the Invincible Sun an official holiday. What the church day was hijack the day to give Christians something to do during all the celebrating. Although I am anything but PC I would definitely say I am a little sick of all the Bible thumping over the holiday. If it means something to you, OK… if it means something different to me, OK also, just don’t force me to celebrate your made up holiday.
That is the history of the original celebration, but it’s not this country’s historical reason for the Christmas (or Easter) holiday. I’m sure you don’t mind anyone wishing you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or any other holiday greeting, regardless of your beliefs, do you? Why do some in the conservative crowd take such offense to a traditional holiday greeting?. The point here is that a term (“Happy Holidays”) that has been used for decades - if not centuries - has suddenly become offensive to some. Why? Knee-jerk reaction. It’s not an affront to anyone’s sensibilies, or a tribute to political correctness. It is a traditional holiday greeting that until recently was considered completely appropriate. Anyone who claims to be offended by this sentiment being offered now is just looking for a reason to be offended.
In a lot of contexts you are right, but calling the big tree outside the Capitol building a “holiday tree” is absurd. It is a Christmas tree.
I am not sure what Bible Thumping Rover is talking about. Christmas is not a major Chruch holiday. Easter fits that bill. Also, no one forces anyone to celebrate Christmas. Frankly, no one gives a damn whether Rover celebrates it or not.
In a lot of contexts you are right, but calling the big tree outside the Capitol building a “holiday tree” is absurd. It is a Christmas tree.
That is absurd. Is that what they’re calling it now?
Yep. Dennis Hastert is fighting a battle to call it a Christmas tree again. He is only Speaker of the House though, so it is not obvious he will win.
People are just too way uptight. Happy hollidays or Christmas who cares just have fun. Both sides of this need a life.
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays I don’t really care either way. I am also warmed whne people wish me a Merry Christmas. What I was mainly talking about is all the “we must call it Christmas, for he is the reason for the season” stuff. If someone wants to call it a holiday tree then Ok its a holiday tree. If I want to call a Kwanza tree than its a Kwanza tree, live and let live.
I wonder why guys in Santa suits in the mall aren’t assaulted for diverting attention from the “true meaning of Christmas”? Something as threatening to the TMOC as a fat guy in a red suit - which is probably more identified with Christmas than baby Jesus among the masses - gets less negative attention from the cons than a simple “happy holidays” gesture. Anyone else find that odd?
Let’s not knock commercialism! Its all fine and dandy to take on symbols and trash comments ( like happy holidays) that have no effect on the money to be made … but if you are going to start picking on commercial symbols you are going to be in for it!
Exactly. I think the emotional response to replacing the word Christmas may actually be more closely tied to the secular identity of Christmas than the christian identity. In our consumer society, the religious attatchment is much less prominent than the ever-present symbols like santa (bringing presents), reindeer (helping deliver presents), elves (making presents), etc… These have become “Christmas” in America, like it or not.
Christians included, where do you think most people spend more time during the holidays (say, from thanksgiving to new years) - in a church, or in a mall/department store?
The true meaning of christmas, if you look at it honestly, has devolved into a capitolistic farce. Imagine if NO ONE bought any material items this year and instead donated to charity. The American economy would tank like the Hindenburg. We celebrate the birth of Jesus by racking up debt instead of helping the poor. Happy birthday Jesus!.
Christmas is not a major Chruch holiday.
That’s news to me. I was under the impression that celebrating the Incarnation was a pretty big deal to the Church.
I should have said not a major religious holiday. Nothing comes close to Easter. Everyone gets born. Rising from the dead is real news.
**That’s news to me. I was under the impression that celebrating the Incarnation was a pretty big deal to the Church. **
Art’s right, and somebody else, too (I forget the name…maybe Rover or Casey). Easter is the holiest and most-important of the events on the Church calendar. Christmas is up there, but if you were to tie Pope Benedict XVI to a tree and force him to rank the two as to exactly which Mass, if the layperson could only attend one for the year, it’s most important to be at, well…I think he’d say Easter.
And don’t most historians say that Christ was most likely born in October? I know the reasons for why the date was fixed in the Church calendar as being in December, but would it really matter, nowadays?
Thanks for allowing me to post this non-sequitur. Carry on.
T.