Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
       |           

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 28, 2024, 02:58:27 PM
News: Election Simulator 2.0 Released. Senate/Gubernatorial maps, proportional electoral votes, and more - Read more

  Talk Elections
  General Politics
  Individual Politics (Moderator: The Dowager Mod)
  Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3
Poll
Question: Huh
#1
Merry Christmas
 
#2
Happy Holidays
 
#3
other (explain)
 
Show Pie Chart
Partisan results

Total Voters: 77

Author Topic: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?  (Read 3219 times)
LLR
LongLiveRock
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 5,956


WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« on: December 02, 2016, 07:27:54 AM »

It's December, gotta ask the question.

As for me, I say "Happy Holidays" (sane, not anti-semitic)
Logged
DavidB.
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,612
Israel


Political Matrix
E: 0.58, S: 4.26


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2016, 08:57:32 AM »
« Edited: December 02, 2016, 09:01:11 AM by DavidB. »

Merry Christmas is now antisemitic? Hope you're trolling...

Don't know what's more stupid: non-Christians being offended by merry Christmas or Christians being offended by happy holidays. Both are not based on bad intentions. Unless I know they are Christian (or Jewish, in which case I'll wish them a chag sameach), I wish people the Dutch equivalent of "happy holidays" in the Netherlands, because most people are not Christian.
Logged
FEMA Camp Administrator
Cathcon
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 27,284
United States


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2016, 09:07:19 AM »

"Merry Christmas" is probably the most tolerant/most anti/Christian, as the sayer is likely referring to the stripped-down, secular, commercialized "holiday" erected by the West as a substitute for real religion. I'll stick to "Happy Holidays," thank you very much!
Logged
RINO Tom
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 16,999
United States


Political Matrix
E: 2.45, S: -0.52

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2016, 10:24:17 AM »

It's December, gotta ask the question.

As for me, I say "Happy Holidays" (sane, not anti-semitic)

Saying "Merry Christmas" to a stranger in a country where ~90% celebrate Christmas is not anti-semitic, and to say so sounds ridiculously self-centered.  There are religions besides Jews who celebrate things, you know.

Anyway, if I know the person celebrates Christmas, I will definitely say "Merry Christmas."  Why wouldn't I?  It sounds prettier, IMO, as well.  However, if I am talking to a stranger, sending a card, editing my out-of-office email signature for work, etc., I will say "Happy Holidays."
Logged
Sir Mohamed
MohamedChalid
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,468
United States



Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2016, 10:27:17 AM »

Honestly, as a (liberal) muslim, I don’t care. I myself have no problem with using “Merry Christmas” and respect all those to whom this term is important. But I also respect those (mostly non-Christians/non-believers) who prefer “Happy Holidays”. People or stores should use whatever they want, as long as they’re not trying to impose their preferred choice on others.
Logged
Figueira
84285
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 12,175


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2016, 10:34:14 AM »

As a Jew who celebrates Christmas and Chanukah, I generally say Happy Holidays unless it's literally December 25.

I think getting offended by either is silly though.
Logged
President of the civil service full of trans activists
Peebs
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 15,926
United States



Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2016, 10:55:52 AM »

I generally say Happy Holidays unless it's literally December 25.

I think getting offended by either is silly though.
This.
Logged
15 Down, 35 To Go
ExtremeRepublican
Moderators
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 11,661


Political Matrix
E: 7.35, S: 5.57


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2016, 11:08:28 AM »

Merry Christmas all the way.  Even a majority of non-Christians in the US celebrate (a version of) Christmas.  There is no reason not to just say Merry Christmas, when we all know that that is what most people really mean when they say Happy Holidays.
Logged
Grumpier Than Uncle Joe
GM3PRP
Atlas Legend
*****
Posts: 45,081
Greece
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2016, 11:18:25 AM »

I always wish people Happy Holidays.  That said, I certainly wish you and yours a very happy Christmas.  Christmas is wonderful--"it's the most wonderful time of the year" the song goes--but it's not the only holiday.  There's New Year's Day, my son's birthday, my birthday, and if you're Greek, you get another Christmas and New Year's Day a week later.  Not that I'm Greek, but I know some Greek people--Okay, they became US citizens a few months ago but they're still "greek to me" and we visit them on their Christmas as well.  I usually take off work from about December 15 till around January 23, and it's one long holiday season.  I like for it to be happy, and I like for others to be happy as well, not just on December 25 but for the entire season, so I always wish them "Happy Holidays." 

Here's the image I will project on the screen in the lecture hall when we finish the statistical thermodynamics course at the end of next week:



Cheers!


In my Greek Orthodox church we use the 25th.  I"m surprised there's a Greek church there using the 7th of January.  Now the Serbian and Russian Orthodox churches are still using the 7th and I never expect that to change.

The Greek's do follow the old calendar for Easter though.
Logged
They put it to a vote and they just kept lying
20RP12
Atlas Superstar
*****
Posts: 38,236
United States


Political Matrix
E: -5.29, S: -7.13

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2016, 11:25:38 AM »

I say "happy holidays" as a default, but I wear a Santa hat around campus and am very happy to say Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.
Logged
LLR
LongLiveRock
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 5,956


WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2016, 12:07:06 PM »

As a Jew who celebrates Christmas and Chanukah, I generally say Happy Holidays unless it's literally December 25.

I think getting offended by either is silly though.

Without trolling, yes, this.
Logged
RINO Tom
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 16,999
United States


Political Matrix
E: 2.45, S: -0.52

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2016, 12:14:08 PM »

As a Jew who celebrates Christmas and Chanukah, I generally say Happy Holidays unless it's literally December 25.

I think getting offended by either is silly though.

Without trolling, yes, this.

You have mentioned your Judaism in quite a few posts, so I wasn't sure if this was trolling.  My apologies on my response. Smiley

But seriously, this is the only issue where people get worked up that we assume someone is part of the 90%.  No one freaks out when someone assumes someone is right-handed.  No one cares if we assume a stranger speaks English in the United States.  It's certainly polite to err on the side of tolerating everyone's views, but saying Merry Christmas is far from targeting anyone ... it's habit and playing the (VERY good) odds, haha.
Logged
angus
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 17,423
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2016, 12:48:15 PM »


In my Greek Orthodox church we use the 25th.  I"m surprised there's a Greek church there using the 7th of January.  Now the Serbian and Russian Orthodox churches are still using the 7th and I never expect that to change.

The Greek's do follow the old calendar for Easter though.

It might be Russians I'm thinking of.  Believe it or not, I'm the faculty advisor to the local chapter of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship.  (Yeah, I'm not sure why they asked an irreligious person who has no ties to the orthodox church and who can't read a word of Greek to be their sponsor;  I'm just too cool I guess.)

I do have a Greek colleague who recently became a US citizen.  She helps us read the maps in the Odyssey, which my son was reading last year.  But maybe I was confusing her custom with OCF.  I know somebody celebrates it later because I always get emails about that.

Anyway, I like Christmas, but I like all the holidays, mainly because they're holidays.  Good excuse to drink too much, eat too much, love too much, and spend too much.  Smiley

Happy Holidays!
Logged
windjammer
Atlas Politician
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 15,512
France


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2016, 12:52:49 PM »

Merry Christmas to you all Smiley
Logged
Crumpets
Thinking Crumpets Crumpet
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 17,581
United States


Political Matrix
E: -4.06, S: -6.52

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2016, 01:18:00 PM »

Basically, I don't greet people with either unless it is a specific holiday. If it's December 24th or 25th, I say Merry Christmas to everyone even if I know they're not Christian. If it's New Year's, I say Happy New Year. If it's any day of Hanukah, I'll say Happy Hanukah, but usually forget unless it comes up in conversation, since I'm not Jewish. I don't know if I've ever said Happy Holidays, except if someone says it to me first.

Generally, I find that nobody cares about how you greet them unless they are annoyingly staunch atheists or pseudo-Christians who think that by making you say Merry Christmas it somehow gets them 1% closer to getting into heaven.
Logged
SWE
SomebodyWhoExists
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 13,234
United States


P P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2016, 04:57:44 PM »

I don't care, but I enjoy how much saying "Happy Holidays" triggers the PC crowd, so I went with thay.
Logged
Orthogonian Society Treasurer
CommanderClash
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 3,561
Bermuda


Political Matrix
E: 0.32, S: 4.78

P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2016, 05:33:15 PM »

We're all saying Merry Christmas again, okay folks? That I can tell you.
Logged
The world will shine with light in our nightmare
Just Passion Through
Atlas Legend
*****
Posts: 45,174
Norway


Political Matrix
E: -6.32, S: -7.48

P P P

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2016, 05:48:27 PM »

Either.  It doesn't really matter regardless of faith, since either way we're celebrating Pagan holidays. Wink
Logged
bagelman
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,602
United States


Political Matrix
E: -4.90, S: -4.17

P P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2016, 06:14:08 PM »

I'm interchangeable, saying Happy Holidays to someone I don't know by default, or if I know they don't celebrate Christmas (other than rare situations where I feel like spiting a snob)
Logged
Santander
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 27,850
United Kingdom


Political Matrix
E: 4.00, S: 2.61


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2016, 06:38:39 PM »



(Of course, I also wish Happy Hanukkah to my wonderful Jewish friends)
Logged
🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸
shua
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 25,664
Nepal


Political Matrix
E: 1.29, S: -0.70

WWW Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #20 on: December 02, 2016, 06:43:02 PM »

Saying "Happy Holidays" only at this time of year is discriminatory to non-December holidays.
Logged
Kingpoleon
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,144
United States


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #21 on: December 02, 2016, 08:48:51 PM »

My mom said when she was a kid, nobody was offended by people saying Happy Holidays.
Logged
Sprouts Farmers Market ✘
Sprouts
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 14,750
Italy


Political Matrix
E: -4.90, S: 1.74

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #22 on: December 02, 2016, 08:52:35 PM »
« Edited: December 02, 2016, 08:54:20 PM by Sprouts Farmers Market ✘ »

Happy Chanukah during the festival and Happy Festivus on the 23rd, but I am a massively obnoxious Christmas hack to the death and beyond, and I will never give up my fight.

[ X ] This is a critical issue for me.
Logged
Mr. Illini
liberty142
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 6,838
United States


Political Matrix
E: -4.26, S: -3.30

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #23 on: December 02, 2016, 09:31:43 PM »

I actually usually say "have a great holiday" and it has nothing to do with the correctness of it, but I'm glad that my preferred phrase isn't controversial
Logged
Unconditional Surrender Truman
Harry S Truman
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 14,142


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #24 on: December 02, 2016, 11:34:05 PM »

Saying "Happy Holidays" only at this time of year is discriminatory to non-December holidays.
Indeed. We must nationalize the means of celebration at once and redistribute the holidays evenly among the months to ensure true equality. All seasonal greetings shall be abolished and replaced with a single, neutral salutation.
Logged
Pages: [1] 2 3  
« previous next »
Jump to:  


Login with username, password and session length

Terms of Service - DMCA Agent and Policy - Privacy Policy and Cookies

Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines

Page created in 0.068 seconds with 14 queries.