Should Christmas be a national holiday?

[nclib]

I'm a bit unsure on this on one.

I don't think in principle that any religious holiday should be recognized by the federal government. On the other hand, many people celebrate it for secular reasons and the practical consequences of not having Christmas be a national holiday would be pretty severe.

So I vote Option 2.

[minionofmidas]

I'm not opposed to religious holidays. I'd just prefer if they were more multiconfessional.
For example, take the City of Berlin. Of 3.4 mio inhabitants, about 1.4 mio belong to an established religion. Of these, 55% are Protestant (evangelisch after the German definition, excludes some minor groups you'd probably call protestant)
22% are Catholic
and
15% are Muslim.
More than half of the remainder are "other Christian", mostly Russian, Greek and Serbian orthodox.
Every religious holiday in the calendar is Christian or even expressly Protestant.
Now that's just wrong.

As for Christmas: I have a strong personal aversion to Christmas and, if I could, I would probably not just abolish but erase the memory of it.
For practical purposes, in a hopelessly practical world, however, I vote option 2.

[Democratic Hawk]

Yes, for religious reasons

Dave

[phk]

Christmas really isn't religous anymore, its become more materialistic and concerned with gifts, Santa.

I'd just keep it as it is.

[TheWildCard]

Both 1 and 2.

[minionofmidas]

Retailers won't want Christmas banned. Little kids like getting presents. So I assume that, despite all its annoying attributes and supposed evilness, Christmas isn't that bad.

Yep. That's why I voted option two.
Well, not the retailers. Big retailers can all go belly-up for all I care.

[Storebought]

I will inform you of something even more ridiculous: In France, the unions are going on strike because the government plans to abolish the Pentecost holiday. I'll leave you to discover all the contradictions and hypocricies of that stunt.

[minionofmidas]

That would likely be happening here as well...if pentecost were to be abolished.
I don't see the contradictions, btw...it's an extra holiday with full pay that they're trying to abolish. That's basically stealing.

[Storebought]

That would likely be happening here as well...if pentecost were to be abolished.
I don't see the contradictions, btw...it's an extra holiday with full pay that they're trying to abolish. That's basically stealing.

How so? The unions (and everybody else) would still get paid on that day--they will simply need to go to work for it. It's just as well, since hardly anyone in France beyond the paysans even recognizes the religious significance of that day anyhow.

[minionofmidas]

That would likely be happening here as well...if pentecost were to be abolished.
I don't see the contradictions, btw...it's an extra holiday with full pay that they're trying to abolish. That's basically stealing.

How so? The unions (and everybody else) would still get paid on that day--they will simply need to go to work for it

In other words, more work per money paid. In other words, de facto a wage reduction.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Yes. But mayors/councils renaming at as "Winterval" or something similer should be made illegal.

[Storebought]

Yes. But mayors/councils renaming at as "Winterval" or something similer should be made illegal.

At least "Winterval" has a cute holiday-ish ring to it. Ex-NYC mayor David Dinkins wanted to call it 'The Sparkle Season'

[Emsworth]

Making Christmas a national holiday does not violate the establishment clause; all individuals, not just Christians, will presumably receive the day off.

[minionofmidas]

"The Sparkle Season"? That's funny, actually.
Still, the idea itself is silly.

[Richard]

Yes, for religious reasons.

[MasterJedi]

Yes for both but I voted for religious reasons.

[AkSaber]

It could go either way, but I voted for religious reasons.

[Dave from Michigan]

1 and 2

[Gabu]

Both 1 and 2, I'd say.

It's hardly a religious holiday in the fashion in which it's celebrated by most people anyway.

[Erc]

Yes. But mayors/councils renaming at as "Winterval" or something similer should be made illegal.

At least "Winterval" has a cute holiday-ish ring to it. Ex-NYC mayor David Dinkins wanted to call it 'The Sparkle Season'

Remember, in Berkeley, it's not Columbus Day, it's 'Indigenous Peoples' Day.'

[A18]

Making Christmas a national holiday does not violate the establishment clause; all individuals, not just Christians, will presumably receive the day off.

I agree. All federal employees will presumably get the day off.

[Akno21]

For all practical purposes, it already is.

Just don't force anything to close, and let people still get paid extra for working Christmas.

[MaC]

yes for practical reasons, it's just easier that way to keep doing it like we have been.

[ATFFL]

As for Christmas: I have a strong personal aversion to Christmas and, if I could, I would probably not just abolish but erase the memory of it.

Let me guess, you did not get your "Real Buck Rogers Ray Gun" when you were a kid, right?

[MissCatholic]

Look its a holiday now. Nobody wakes up and sings happy birthday Jesus and makes him a cake - I`m sure candle sellers would love you too though!