It’s Christmas! So let me wish you all a very merry Christmas! And I want to stress that I am wishing you all a happy Christmas!
What is the big deal with using the word Christmas? I’ve seen a number of stories on the TV news here about whether or not the use of the word Christmas should be used when greeting someone this holiday season. Should we say “happy Christmas” or “happy holidays?” – WTF??
Now I’m not going to rattle on about the ‘reason for the season’ because this isn’t so much a religious question but more a question of plain old common sense. I mean it’s Christmas time for goodness sake, so why say happy holidays? This question of whether or not saying “Christmas” offends people, I’m curious as to who the hell is offended by the word Christmas? It seems to me like the only people who are ‘offended’ by that word are the suit wearing ‘pc’ type who take pictures of romeo and juliet off the walls of registry offices because it might offend gay couples who want to get married there.
Heck, even Georgie boy Bush can’t bring himself to officially say the word Christmas (despite the fact God apparently chats with him about invading countries half way across the world). It would seem that the President doesn’t want to mention the C word because by doing so he might upset someone. He spent years swaggering around and pissing off the entire world and now he worries about upsetting people? That’ll be another empty stable firmly secured then.
Happy holidays is so nondescript, I mean that could work for any holiday surely? I mean I’m an Englishman and I am often in the United States on the 4th of July, would anyone seriously suggest that you tone down the stars and stripes because it might offend an Englishman?
The argument that the word Christmas should be avoided because it’s a religious holiday is rubbish! Yes Christmas is of course a religious celebration, but the Christmas season is more focused on the shopping, gifts, food, drink and parties than the birth of Christ.
I very much doubt that people of other faiths are truly offended by the word Christmas. If anything you’d think that it would be the Christians themselves who should be offended by the use of the word by the Gods of consumerism. Surely if anyone should be campaigning for the removal of the word Christmas from shops, bars and restaurants it should be those who actually see the day as one of religious significance?
Could you imagine the outrage if we started to campaign for Ramadan to be renamed. Perhaps we should change the focus for the religious festival from fasting to feasting and rename it ‘ram-it-down?’ The Hindu festival of Diwali didn’t offend me when I was in India and neither would it offend me if someone here wished me a happy Diwali.
So once again, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!! I hope you all have a great day, and for those of you who aren’t returning to work on Monday, you can celebrate ‘boxing day’ like us Brits, Aussie’s and Canadiens. Though don’t ask any of us what boxing day is actually about. I’m thinking it might have something to do with beating members of your family after the Christmas truce?
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The cheesy home-made postcard style ecard features picture I’ve taken here in Oregon. From left to right starting at the top:
The area around Mount Hood, Mount St Helens, Timberline Lodge ski resort.
Rockaway beach (just got back from this place), Tillamook rain forst, Pioneer Square – Portland.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 5:19 am
merry christmas! some of us americans are just wacky. just don’t ask which ones.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 6:35 am
Hear, Hear…although I’m a Happy Holidays kinda guy. But that’s a personal choice. I don’t find any other special wishes at this time of year offensive.
Boxing Day…Box up leftovers and spare things and rummage goods to be distributed to the poor. At least that’s what my Canadian colleague says.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 1:59 pm
Merry Chriatmas, Simon.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 9:17 pm
I think we say Happy Christmas and Merry Christmas as much as any one else. Either works. :)
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 4:17 pm
Merry Christmas Sie ^_^ I find that English people say “Happy Christmas” more often than “Merry Christmas”. Is there a reason why? Perhaps it’s just my imagination.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 25, 2005 at 5:53 pm
Merry christmas! hope you had a great day! we sure did!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 3:13 am
Merry Christmas, Simon! I love your postcard at the top – not cheesy at all, rather call it retro. It looks like you’re having a good trip and I’m glad. I will be observing Boxing Day today – anything for an excuse to have another day off work, right?
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 7:28 am
Merry Christmas, sugar. ;-)
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 2:21 pm
Merry Christmas a day late and a dollar short but hope it was Merry nonetheless. I want to say that Boxing Day has something to do with China and England. Not sure…
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 7:35 pm
Bill O’Reilly, FOX news’s most conservative personality, said that Christians should be offended by ‘Happy Holidays’, but people of other faiths should not be offended by ‘Merry Christmas’, because by saying Merry Christmas, we’re including them in our holiday. as an atheist, i don’t personally mind being told Merry Christmas, but if I were a Jew/Muslim/whatever, I’d probably get a little offended if someone told me Merry Christmas.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 7:36 pm
oops, forgot to say Happy Boxing Day and Happy Kwanzaa!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 26, 2005 at 8:05 pm
So you’re offended by me saying happy whatever holiday, but you wish just a Merry Christmas? HaHa. Nice.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 27, 2005 at 1:00 pm
Skepparkrans, do you really honestly think people of other faiths are offended by the Happy Christmas greeting, even when it’s not specifically addressed to them? I have asked a number of Muslims and a Judeo Christian couple, none have expressed any offense, the muslims actually thought the debate was as mad as I do.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 27, 2005 at 12:40 pm
The Christmas card rocks, Simon!! I found out that the Christmas card is an age old tradition that dates back to the likes of Santa Claus depicted by Clement Clarke Moore! I caught a kewl piece on the History Channel called the History of Christmas.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 28, 2005 at 9:28 am
I have a Muslim friend here from the United Arab Emirates. He was a little ticked that everyone kept saying MERRY CHRISTMAS!!1 at WalMart, the grocery store, and other places, because he’s obviously not Christian. Nobody wished him a happy Hijrah or Malid Nami.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 28, 2005 at 1:27 pm
Okay scratch that bit about Boxing Day being about China and England…I got the Boxer Rebellion mixed up with Boxing Day. Carry on…
Wrote the following comment on Dec 28, 2005 at 4:31 pm
since most Christians I know get offended with “Happy Holidays” then I think it’s perfectly o.k. for people of other religions to get offended with “Merry Christmas” – maybe it would be best for people to say “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays” – but then the debate would be whether or not “Christmas” or “Holidays” should come first. sheesh.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 28, 2005 at 11:36 pm
Yes, I agree with Clayton. In India we were wished a happy Diwali (in their native language) many many times. Not only was I not offended, but I was pleased to be greeted with such warmth and friendliness. If someone of another faith is so intolerant that they get ticked off by me wishing them a Merry Christmas, well… to hell with’em!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 28, 2005 at 4:44 pm
I think the argument is just stupid. I wouldn’t expect to be in another country, say one where the majority of people are Buddhist or Muslim, and not expect to hear something about their holy days. Absolutely ridiculous.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 29, 2005 at 4:35 am
Thanks for the Christmas wishes and “Merry be-lated Christmas Simon!” We hope you’re having a great vacation and wish you a very happy and safe New Year.