"Happy Holidays" v. "Merry Christmas"

[hmkpoker]

"Happy Holidays" is a saying that has existed for a long time. When I was a kid, I barely knew what Hannukah was and never heard of Kwanzaa, and everyone told me that "Happy Holidays" referred to the TWO holidays that Christians celebrate during this time. Why waste another six syllables saying "and a happy new year?"

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yet wouldnt Happy Holidays still offend atheists...

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I can't imagine any atheist being offended by this. Any atheist can appreciate the kind act of exchanging gifts, spending time with his/her family, and having off from work. That's what Christmas always meant to me, and I don't even see any reason to be offended by the words "Merry Christmas." It's already pretty secularized and commercialized anyway.

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...and muslims?

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Who the [censored] cares? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[hmkpoker]

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Interesting, because if somebody tells me "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" I say: "Praise be the Lord Jesus Christ and [censored] all the other religions."

It tends to cause awkward silences at office Christmas parties.

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AHHHHHHH HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!

That's excellent [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Merry Christmas offended people, so it was widely replaced with Happy Holidays (to account for the small % of our population who is Jewish, non Jewish/Christian Africans, and/or indiginous germanic tribal living in America, I suppose), yet wouldnt Happy Holidays still offend atheists and muslims?

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Or maybe holidays doesnt need to be taken literally and can just be referring to the "holiday" or vacation that we get at this time of year, not to mention new years is often included when one says happy holidays.

[KeysrSoze]

Neither offends me. Actually I find it funny that first Christmas and its trappings were co-opted from various other solstice religious celebrations, then the god Mammon took it back.

[BigSoonerFan]

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"Happy Holidays" is a saying that has existed for a long time. When I was a kid, I barely knew what Hannukah was and never heard of Kwanzaa, and everyone told me that "Happy Holidays" referred to the TWO holidays that Christians celebrate during this time. Why waste another six syllables saying "and a happy new year?"

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yet wouldnt Happy Holidays still offend atheists...

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I can't imagine any atheist being offended by this. Any atheist can appreciate the kind act of exchanging gifts, spending time with his/her family, and having off from work. That's what Christmas always meant to me, and I don't even see any reason to be offended by the words "Merry Christmas." It's already pretty secularized and commercialized anyway.

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...and muslims?

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Who the [censored] cares? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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For once, I agree with ole Hairball. Christmas is the name of the holiday and to get sensitive about the "Christ" part of it. Many words have evolved past their original intent. Get over it.

[Bigdaddydvo]

Here's my main issue with "Happy Holidays."

It's bland. It's cliched. It's the Christmas equivalent of saying "Have a nice day." Hearing it every now and then is OK, and it never bothered me much in the past. What annoys me and most sensible people is the use of "Happy Holidays" to the exclusion of "Merry Christmas."

Christmas has both secular and religious components. If you celebrate the birth of Jesus whom I recognize as the Son of God and Messiah, great. If not, you probably at least celebrate the secular aspect of a gift exchange on the Federal Holiday designated to honor the founder of the Christian philosophy which has heavily influenced Western history and thought. If you don't partake in either, then you are in a pronounced minority and have as much business being "offended" by hearing someone greet you with "Merry Christmas" as I would taking offense to "Happy Ramadaan" in the middle of Saudi Arabia.

[Jeff V]

I find the term "Holiday Tree" is around more this year as well. That is ridiculous.

[RJT]

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"Moreso". That is why I put quotes on "word". When did moreso become a word? It is quite in vogue on 2+2.

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Ahh! I see. I could lie and say I forgot the space... but I think I've seen it that way somuch, that it started looking right to me. Asitwere, thanks for pointing out my mistake, nottomention letting everyone else know aswell.

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LOL.

p.s. I didn't mean to direct it at you personally. The part about it looking right is "moreof" what I had in mind.

[BadBoyBenny]

Even if you aren't celebrating you could still be merry.

[lastchance]

Eh... Sort of.

It's what I use, personally, because so many people at my school are Jewish, and therefore, do not celebrate Christmas, while everyone gets a nice happy 2 weeks off, which is really nice.