Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

[007]

This seems to be the question year after year. But this year, it seems the topic has been ratched up one more notch. So here is a poll for the USMessageboard. How do you feel about this? Please comment.

 

[007]

I voted to say Merry Christmas. After all, it IS CHRISTMAS that we're celebrating.

And another thing, 85% of America is CHRISTIAN, and Christmas is a CHRISTIAN holiday. So why in blue blazes do these merchants insist on saying "happy holidays"? Are they trying to "offend" the 85% who are Christian? Or are they cow towing to the meager 15% who aren't? If they're bending to the minority, then WHY? Isn't that bad business? I personally WON'T "Christmas shop" at a store that insist on saying happy holidays, and I believe I'm not alone. It's just another attack on Christianity, and another attack on religon period by the secularists, who NEED religon pushed completely OUT OF the public eye, so they can move foward with their godless agenda of abortion on demand, queer marriage, and the simple premise to feel good about their immoral actions.

 

[insein]

Its bending over to the PC culture. they know damn well that most christians dont get offended by such petty nonsense as Happy Holidays while other insecure minorities such as jews or blacks or whites pretending to feel the pain of jews or blacks, will make a federal case out of a Merry Christmas sign in a Private business window.

To be honest, I have zero problem with hanukkah. Its an actual holiday. Kwanza however is the most ridiculous pile of horse shit ive ever heard of. Its a made up holiday for a made up religion thats sole purpose is to not be a white christian. Yet its forced down our kids throats at schools. Its like the annoying little sibling that couldnt get their way. You either let them watch TV or they make it so that no one can watch tv by complaining to mom and dad.

 

[Mr. P]

Both Merry and Happy work for me. It's no big deal IMO..

 

[Hobbit]

It's "Merry Christ Mass." I want to make sure people understand *exactly* what holiday greeting them for.

 

[007]

Both Merry and Happy work for me. It's no big deal IMO..

Well that's a good point Mr. P. Why don't these merchants who chose to omit "Merry Christmas" for a generic happy holidays simply say ALL the greetings instead? Wouldn't that be the intelligent, "inclusive" thing to do?

 

[Mr. P]

Well that's a good point Mr. P. Why don't these merchants who chose to omit "Merry Christmas" for a generic happy holidays simply say ALL the greetings instead? Wouldn't that be the intelligent, "inclusive" thing to do?

Yes, that would be the thing to do. I don't know of any merchants around me that omit "Merry Christmas" though.

 

[007]

Yes, that would be the thing to do. I don't know of any merchants around me that omit "Merry Christmas" though.

Here's an idea of the big retailers who aren't using Merry Christmas. Couldn't find a complete list, but add ToysRuS to this one.

From the November 9 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

O'REILLY: "Factor Investigation" segment tonight: As you know, Christmas has become controversial in America. Public displays of the federal holiday are under attack by the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union], and some department stores even tell employees to avoid saying "Merry Christmas." So we decided to look at some retail policies this year, and here's what we found out: Sears/Kmart would not answer our questions. Spokesman Chris Braithwaite simply ducked the issue. Their website banners: "Wish Book Holiday 2005." They were the worst we had to deal with. OK? Sears/Kmart. JCPenney says its catalog is always called "Christmas catalog." Federated Department Stores -- Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Burdines -- says the words "Merry Christmas" will be used in most advertising. Same thing at May, Filene's, Lord & Taylor, and Marshall Field's. But Kohl's refused to define how the company will deal with Christmas. Dillard's, however, will use the slogan "Discover Christmas, Discover Dillard's." So there you go. Shop where you like the atmosphere. Just remember, Kohl's and Sears/Kmart, basically, not all right.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200511100014

 

[Abbey Normal]

If it is the season, and it seems like the right time for a greeting, I always say Merry Christmas (unless I know the person is Jewish, then I say Happy Hanukkah).

One time a Jewish woman I worked with purchased a Christmas tree for our office lobby, but insisted that it be called the "Holiday Tree". She even sent an office wide email telling everyone that we now have a Holiday Tree in the lobby, then proceeded to decorate it with the usual ornaments, lights, etc.

I told her that we didn't have to have any tree at all, but if we were going to, please call it what it is- a Christmas Tree. Needless to say, she didn't budge.

 

[007]

If it is the season, and it seems like the right time for a greeting, I always say Merry Christmas (unless I know the person is Jewish, then I say Happy Hanukkah).

One time a Jewish woman I worked with purchased a Christmas tree for our office lobby, but insisted that it be called the "Holiday Tree". She even sent an office wide email telling everyone that we now have a Holiday Tree in the lobby, then proceeded to decorate it with the usual ornaments, lights, etc.

I told her that we didn't have to have any tree at all, but if we were going to, please call it what it is- a Christmas Tree. Needless to say, she didn't budge.

And that's how it happens. ONE PERSON dictates to the MAJORITY.

Why does the MAJORITY let these pin-heads get away with it?

 

[Abbey Normal]

And that's how it happens. ONE PERSON dictates to the MAJORITY.

Why does the MAJORITY let these pin-heads get away with it?

Good point, Pale. I think apathy was a problem (this was about 8 years ago). I think the tide is turning, though. I felt it last year, and even more this year, that Christians are getting fed up with it. I think it kind of sneaked (snuck) up on us, but now it's out in the open.

 

[Trigg]

Living out in the boonies has it's advantages. At my childrens school the christmas play is very secular, and it's a public school. The nativity is in full display around town even on the court house lawn.

Wal-mart recently changed it's websight so that when Christmas is typed in it showes a christmas page instead of redirecting people to the holiday page. Typing in Kawanza lead people to pages with the heading of Kawanza. This story was on the worldnetdaily web sight a week or so ago.

 

[Mr. P]

Here's an idea of the big retailers who aren't using Merry Christmas. Couldn't find a complete list, but add ToysRuS to this one.

I take no offence in the term “Happy Holidays”.

This is really a non-issue for me. “Happy Holidays” is all inclusive (IMO), what more can you ask of a retailer? They’re not in the business of promoting any one religion, they're selling as much stuff as they can.
I guess the bottom line is, You can’t make ALL the people happy ALL the time, but I think this is the best that can be done in marketing the season.

Now, if a retailer DOES have a policy of not allowing employees to say “Merry Christmas” I wouldn’t walk in their door, the same holds true if they wouldn’t allow an employee to express any other holiday greeting they think appropriate.

 

[007]

I take no offence in the term “Happy Holidays”.

This is really a non-issue for me. “Happy Holidays” is all inclusive (IMO), what more can you ask of a retailer? They’re not in the business of promoting any one religion, they're selling as much stuff as they can.
I guess the bottom line is, You can’t make ALL the people happy ALL the time, but I think this is the best that can be done in marketing the season.

Well, I disagree Mr. P. With the "holiday" being "Christmas", and 85% of the "Christmas" shoppers being "Christian", wouldn't the best "marketing sense" be to cator to the "majority"?

Now, if a retailer DOES have a policy of not allowing employees to say “Merry Christmas” I wouldn’t walk in their door, the same holds true if they wouldn’t allow an employee to express any other holiday greeting they think appropriate.

I won't either. I will not shop in a store that insist on saying ONLY happy holidays or seasons greetings. The "holiday" is "Christmas". NO ONE should be afraid to say it, for ANY reason.

 

[Mr. P]

Well, I disagree Mr. P. With the "holiday" being "Christmas", and 85% of the "Christmas" shoppers being "Christian", wouldn't the best "marketing sense" be to cator to the "majority"?
...

And ignore 15% of the market? Hardly the best choice.

 

[Abbey Normal]

The 85%/15% "Christian" figure is not the relevant point. Regardless of the religion of the shoppers, retailers know they are overwhelmingly selling items for Christmas gifts and Christmas decorating. We know that "Black Friday" was so named because so many stores are in the red until the Christmas season arrives.

The percentage of things being bought in this country for Hannukah or Kwanzaa is miniscule compared to those being bought in connection with Christmas. A serious boycott of a store for the Christmas season, will probably make them go under. They will be sorry for biting the hand that almost literally feeds them.

 

[archangel]

And ignore 15% of the market? Hardly the best choice.

What are the 15% shopping for during "Christmas" anyway...surely not big ticket items...so who cares what they have to say! :funnyface

 

[Mr. P]

Well, I disagree Mr. P. With the "holiday" being "Christmas", and 85% of the "Christmas" shoppers being "Christian", wouldn't the best "marketing sense" be to cator to the "majority"?

Not at all...I guess you and a few others do so a question for you all....

I wonder, would you feel the same if Moslems were the majority?

I don't think so.
Like I said this is a non-issue to me.

 

[007]

And ignore 15% of the market? Hardly the best choice.

I still don't get your reasoning. "Ignore" the 15%? Isn't not saying "Merry Christmas" *ignoring* the 85%? If you have to upset someone here, you mean to say you'd rather upset the "MAJORITY" of shoppers rather than the "MINORITY"? How is that good? I don't get it...

 

[007]

I wonder, would you feel the same if Moslems were the majority?

Maybe a better way to word that question would be, would I, as the minority, in a middle eastern country where muslims were the majority, would I try and tell them they couldn't say what they wanted, and always had, during one of their holy holidays?

No fucking way. They'd cut my fucking head off. Maybe that's what we should start doing with the minority that's here in America dictating to us what we can and can't say during OUR holiday. Well... no. That's not something a "Christian" would do. I think we take too much shit from loud mouth minoritys.

Now I think I'll go down to the mall, and walk through it saying "Merry Christmas" to people, and the first one that tells me I can't say that, I'm going to knock his fucking teeth down his throat. Then I'll say, Merry FUCKING Christmas asshole. This is AMERICA. We say MERRY CHRISTMAS here. Deal with it.