The "Reason for the Season"

[fuzziebutt]

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So am I now a son of a B?

 

[Fierlin1182]

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I think that's the key.

Hmm, yes, seems like the season we should all be getting along in, right?

 

[AquaEyes]

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I think it's less a matter of offending than not including everyone -- unless "not being included" is considered offensive. If the term "Christmas" is everywhere, yet there are "belief rules" that must be obeyed in order to "properly" celebrate it, then saying "Merry Christmas" is wishing well only to those who follow the same "belief rules" for "properly" celebrating the holiday. It's sort of like saying "I wish those of you who believe as I do a happy holiday" and saying nothing to anyone else.

I like to think of this time of year as the sort of universal "wish everyone well" time, so I prefer (in my own personal usage" to say "Happy Holidays." If Christmas is your holiday, then you are not excluded in my "wish everyone well" statement.

 

[AquaEyes]

Here's another cute image that sort of "says it all." Pay close attention to the third balloon in the big image.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Happy Holidays

Includes Christians + Christmas, Jews + Hannukah, Muslims + Ramadan (if it happens to fall near this time), Pagans + Solstice, Zoroastrians + Birth of Mithras

So how can Happy Holidays POSSIBLY OFFEND ANYONE?!

Even my athiest friends still visit family, donate to charity, receive and GIVE presents during this time

 

[cupman]

You forgot Festivus.

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Ah, but if you use "happy holidays", you are in the trenches of the war against Christmas.

Interestingly, growing up, it was Christians who used 'happy holidays' as it was short for 'merry Christmas and a happy New Year". We also used Xmas, similar to how you will see usernames such as Xtianboy32402 as shorthand for Christianboy32402. How it became construed as the 'others' trying to X out Christ...well, I'd say I don't understand, but there are well funded talking heads for this very thing. It's up to the masses (mases?) to choose goodwill over hate. I think people are doing an awesome job of that in this thread.

 

[fuzziebutt]

Funny, I remember Linus saying "for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a savoir, which is Christ the Lord".

Guess Linus got hi jacked too.

 

[itsy]

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That comment was indeed the best post in this thread.

Man, I miss that show.

 

[AquaEyes]

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I agree. It's odd that, on the one hand, the "war on Christmas" people portray Christmas as being more than just a religious holiday, but then say that if you're not rejoicing in the birth of Jesus, you're not celebrating it right, and shouldn't call it Christmas. It seems to me that the goal behind holding both of these statements to be true is in the worldwide conversion of humanity to becoming religious Christians. That way, everyone would be celebrating Christmas, and everyone would be "doing it right."

I just say "Happy Holidays" in general, unless I know for a fact that the person is celebrating a particular holiday, and then specify in my well-wishings.

Isn't it funny how the manner in which people want to wish people well at a particular time of year that is supposed to joyful makes some people so angry if you're "not doing it right"?