Merry Christmas: Are you offended?

[sasaxrah]

I think the best way to go, if you're going to say something like Merry Christmas to someone, which I think is totally unnecessary anyway, is to say Happy Holidays instead if you're unsure of the person's religious beliefs. I mean, otherwise, you probably come across as an ignorant asshole, but hey, you're not alone.

Yup.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

So what if someone doesn't celebrate any holidays at all? Isn't wishing someone Happy Holidays an assumption that they acknowledge holidays in the first place? I get where you're coming from, but where does it end?

 

[Angel77]

I think that many people don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. They celebrate it as a day where they get and give gifts and spend time with family and listen to the chipmunks sing Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. I know several athiests/agnostics who celebrate Christmas and wish people Merry Christmas, and it has nothing to do with their own religion or the assumed religion of the other person. It's just a well wish for the holiday season.

That's how I take it too. I just hope that people know it's a well wish when I say "Merry Christmas." In my 32 years here on this planet, so far, so good.

 

[chicago]

Apparently not much has changed in 2000 years. People still determined to spread the word Christmas instead of the meanings behind it. lol

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

Apparently not much has changed in 2000 years. People still determined to spread the word Christmas instead of the meanings behind it. lol

Sad. Isn't it?

And I agree on HangTen's sig. Time to resize. lol

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

The huge pics aren't his sig. Just pics he posted in this thread. His sig starts under the line - like everyone else's

 

[sasaxrah]

So what if someone doesn't celebrate any holidays at all? Isn't wishing someone Happy Holidays an assumption that they acknowledge holidays in the first place? I get where you're coming from, but where does it end?

That's a good point, which is why I don't say it much anyway. Just as I acknowledge when someone has said "Merry Christmas" to me, I'm sure a Jehovah's Witness or anyone else not celebrating holidays would have some sort of preference but would deal. I can't pinpoint a line for every person, but for me, if you want to say something nice to me, it'd be even nicer to not lump me in to the whole xmas thing. You'll never please everyone, but it doesn't hurt to at least try being considerate.

The huge pics aren't his sig. Just pics he posted in this thread. His sig starts under the line - like everyone else's

Lyz, your sig pic is huge.

 

[vladtickleman22]

you're always so ambiguous about your point of view

You're still butthurt because i didn't apologize to you after you made a crack about "small penis count". More then once in the same thread.


Exactly how was i being ambiguous? Did you even bother to read what i wrote or did you just see my name and attempt to start shit?

If i go out somewhere i expect to be greeted with Merry Christmas. Because stores are selling Christmas gifts and having Christmas sales. Restaurants put Christmas decorations up (lights, little decorated trees etc). Why would i think i would be greeted any other way other then Merry christmas? I wouldn't.

That couldn't be any more direct. After answering the OP i added in that i say Happy Hanukkah to my jewish friends. Perhaps that is what confused you. Just to help you understand those are two different things.

1. What i expect people to say to me not knowing what i celebrate but understanding they are selling things for Christmas or have Christmas decorations in their restaurant.

2. Since i know my friends are jewish. I obviously wouldn't say Merry Christmas to them.

Different thoughts. Not ambiguous at all.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

You're still butthurt because i didn't apologize to you after you made a crack about "small penis count". More then once in the same thread.


Exactly how was i being ambiguous? Did you even bother to read what i wrote or did you just see my name and attempt to start shit?

If i go out somewhere i expect to be greeted with Merry Christmas. Because stores are selling Christmas gifts and having Christmas sales. Restaurants put Christmas decorations up (lights, little decorated trees etc). Why would i think i would be greeted any other way other then Merry christmas? I wouldn't.

That couldn't be any more direct. After answering the OP i added in that i say Happy Hanukkah to my jewish friends. Perhaps that is what confused you. Just to help you understand those are two different things.

1. What i expect people to say to me not knowing what i celebrate but understanding they are selling things for Christmas or have Christmas decorations in their restaurant.

2. Since i know my friends are jewish. I obviously wouldn't say Merry Christmas to them.

Different thoughts. Not ambiguous at all.

I feel as though I should point out that he was being sarcastic, because you're never ambiguous about your points. You state them clearly and without any wiggle room. Hence, the joke. Cool your jets, big guy.

 

[vladtickleman22]

I feel as though I should point out that he was being sarcastic, because you're never ambiguous about your points. You state them clearly and without any wiggle room. Hence, the joke. Cool your jets, big guy.

Or are you being sarcastic about his being sarcastic? Either way you're right. I need to cool down.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

Or are you being sarcastic about his being sarcastic? Either way you're right. I need to cool down.

No. He. Was. Sarcastic. Not. Me.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

The huge pics aren't his sig. Just pics he posted in this thread. His sig starts under the line - like everyone else's

You're right. But, it's acting as a sig, being in every post here and elsewhere. It needs to be resized.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

You're right. But, it's acting as a sig, being in every post here and elsewhere. It needs to be resized.

Ah. My mistake I didn't know he posted them elsewhere.

 

[Marquis De Sade]

I'm not a huge fan of X-Mas to begin with so I don't really give a shit what someone says to me. I feel like a lot of people say it because they're supposed to. It's X-Mas. It's what you say. Just like on Valentine's Day a lot of guys go out and buy boxes of chocolate and a bunch of roses because that's what they've been trained to do.

I do like hearing it from the people who use the same intent during any day of the week though over just a robot event greeting pertaining to the holiday. In that case, it really doesn't matter WHAT they say - Happy Whatever - because I know they mean the part when they say Happy.

 

[QueenMari]

You're still butthurt because i didn't apologize to you after you made a crack about "small penis count". More then once in the same thread.


Exactly how was i being ambiguous? Did you even bother to read what i wrote or did you just see my name and attempt to start shit?

If i go out somewhere i expect to be greeted with Merry Christmas. Because stores are selling Christmas gifts and having Christmas sales. Restaurants put Christmas decorations up (lights, little decorated trees etc). Why would i think i would be greeted any other way other then Merry christmas? I wouldn't.

That couldn't be any more direct. After answering the OP i added in that i say Happy Hanukkah to my jewish friends. Perhaps that is what confused you. Just to help you understand those are two different things.

1. What i expect people to say to me not knowing what i celebrate but understanding they are selling things for Christmas or have Christmas decorations in their restaurant.

2. Since i know my friends are jewish. I obviously wouldn't say Merry Christmas to them.

Different thoughts. Not ambiguous at all.

So,what do they say when they sell Christmas stuff and a dreidel?

 

[chicago]

I don't think there are places where they make the employees say "Merry Christmas." At any rate, if they are required to say something like that, it's probably "Happy Holidays." And Christmas is more than just a Halmark Holiday, but that doesn't mean EVERYONE is a Christian and has to celebrate it, tree and all.

 

[LD_Tickler]

Yeah, I'm not Christian, and I don't really care whether somebody wishes me a happy christmas, hanukkah, holidays, or whatever.

I DO think it's very funny and hypocritical, however, to hear many of you say, "it's not about Christmas, it's about the sentiment behind it" then say "but I refuse to change how I'm saying it." Obviously, you place importance on more than just the sentiment, otherwise you wouldn't be so insistent that you get to continue saying "Christmas."

 

[alchemy]

I work in retail and we HAVE to say "Happy Holidays." As a company, we aren't even allowed to have any Christmas decorations up besides a tree...and it's even referred to as our Holiday tree for fucks sake.

I'm not a big fan of Christmas (Halloween kicks it ass!), but I say Merry Christmas just the same. I fucking hate political correctness. If somebody gets all butthurt about it and says something to the tune of "Actually, I don't celebrate Christmas, I'm .....", I just shrug and say "Ok, well, Happy ..... then."

I have better things to do with my time than get offended or worry about others being offended over stupid shit.

 

[Artoo]

I couldn't care less if someone wishes me a merry *insert your festival here*. I might not be religious, but Christmas is essentially a secular, seasonal festival these days anyway; ergo I celebrate it.

Besides, I appreciate the sentiment behind it.

 

[venray]

I say the same thing isay to my customers every day... "have a great day/night"

Unless it is Christmas day itself that I am addressing them on.....in which case I wish them a merry christmas...

If it isnt actually Christmas or a holiday I find it silly to address them on the future event when the true sentiment I wish to convey is that the day goes well for them...

Just me..

 

[goddess_nemesis]

I say the same thing isay to my customers every day... "have a great day/night"

Unless it is Christmas day itself that I am addressing them on.....in which case I wish them a merry christmas...

If it isnt actually Christmas or a holiday I find it silly to address them on the future event when the true sentiment I wish to convey is that the day goes well for them...

Just me..

Yep, that's what I do too. Though the store I work at is closed Christmas day, on Christmas eve, if I work, I usually say something like "Have a nice day/night and Merry Christmas".

 

[ParanoidChant]

I believe we have this backwards.

In my experience, vastly more people have been offended by 'Happy Holidays' than by 'Merry Christmas.' In this thread alone, no one has been offended by the phrase 'Merry Christmas' yet we've had a few people who've been offended by 'political correctness.'

I say 'Happy Holidays' for the same reason why many of you say 'Merry Christmas' : because I'm wishing you well and it's just what you say at this of year. I simply go with 'Happy Holidays' coz I'm secular.

And hell, whenever I do say 'Happy Holidays,' it's usually to some random customer whom I'm going to forget I met in a day anyway. If it's the holidays and and I'm with friends and family, I don't say 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Hanukkah' or 'Happy Holidays' or any of that crap: I say "I love you."

 

[sasaxrah]

Interesting timing ... today on my walk home from the train a dude said "Merry Christmas (pause) in Christ's holy name." It's hard for me to think this is an OK thing to say to a stranger on the street. But it's not anywhere near the weirdest thing I've heard from a stranger in my city, so whatever.

 

[MrMacphisto]

I think the best way to go, if you're going to say something like Merry Christmas to someone, which I think is totally unnecessary anyway, is to say Happy Holidays instead if you're unsure of the person's religious beliefs. I mean, otherwise, you probably come across as an ignorant asshole, but hey, you're not alone.

To counterpoint, one could say that, if someone wishing you well in a way that happens to relate to a religion you may not believe in offends you, you might be an oversensitive, whiny schmuck.

 

[chicago]

lol Interesting use of the word "schmuck." Isn't that yiddish for penis?

Anyway, I don't think anyone would say "Fuck you, I'm (insert religious affiliation)," if someone wished them a Merry Christmas, but I know what I'd be thinking if I was in that situation.