That adds up to more paying customers. Actually any time is a perfect time to be nice, but that's another whole argument in and of itself. The dumb debate over whether one should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy holidays” has been going on for decades. The phrase "Merry Christmas" refers to a specific Christian holiday, while "Happy holidays" covers the winter holidays from a variety of traditions. Tolerance allows us to keep our cultural diversity and lets us grow and learn from each other. That day is truly Christmas and nobody, not Jews, Muslims, Atheists, corporations, or the Government, can ever ever take that away from you. What would actually be so bad about that? 'https' : 'http'; Hence the question, “What would Jesus do?” Surely, he would want people to display loving behavior toward everyone — especially if they are different. And compared with five years ago, a growing share of Americans (52%) say it does not matter to them how they are greeted in stores and businesses during the holiday season – whether with “merry Christmas” or a less-religious greeting like “happy holidays”. That was part of my catechism, it’s in the Bible, it just makes sense. Do you wish people a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holidays? This season, I want to greet people the way I want to without being afraid of criticism from others. Save the statement for when you mean it. I would not presume that you would impose your beliefs or choice of celebrations on me. seems to indicate a persecution complex on the part of the listener. Should we greet each other with vague holiday cheer or specific Christmas-related well wishes? PC rules limit what we can do and terrifyingly what we can even think. Another thing to consider is when you're saying "Happy Holidays" in a commercial context, it just makes good business sense, if you are selling a particular product or service, to be as inclusive as you can. Maybe they're trying to appeal to Atheists now. It seems like, if I believe the chatter I'm hearing on the radio and television this month, that a lot of Christians are getting up in arms about rampant political correctness in the form of a war waged against "Merry Christmas," in favor of being all-inclusive with "Happy Holidays." Too many Christians are so Heaven bound; they have no connection with the people they are supposed to evangelize. There is only one choice. When one is speaking of a happy or merry Christmas, the adjectives are lowercase. Variations include “happy Christmas” and “merry Xmas” (where the “X” stands in for “Christ”). She would jingle bells while I was “sleeping” aka staring at my ceiling waiting for Santa to come so that it sounded like Santa’s sleigh. Ilana Mermelstein can be reached at imerm@umich.edu . Think of it this way: “Happy Holidays” includes Christmas as one of those holidays, and “Merry Christmas” leaves out everything other than Christmas. I don’t know about you, but I want to stand up for this Christmas season I love. Since December 25 is not the actual day Christ was born, why not consider the fact that several holidays fall in December. Also, several U.S. chain retailers, such as Walmart, Macy's, and Sears, have experimented with greeting their customers with "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" rather than with "Merry Christmas". Of all the things happening in the world, this type of disagreement should not be one that activists take a major stance on. In good conscience, I can no longer accept that notion. According to these books, the phrase "Merry Christmas" is a far more importantpart of our literary culture than "Happy Holidays." Nobody's trying to pass laws making them do this, they do it on their own because, generally speaking, businesses try to make as much money as they can. I was raised a Catholic—attended Catholic school through high school.I lived in a white, suburban Christian community. However, the resilience of the U.K. with this term actually has to do with some of the British upper class. I choose to celebrate Christmas. So, I may not like you; I may not want to be the person you are; I may disagree with your beliefs or choices; but I must treat you with courtesy and respect and agree to disagree or to not engage with you any more than I have to—but I cannot force you to view the world from my point of view or to believe what I believe. There seems to be renewed debate this Holiday Season over "Merry Christmas" versus "Happy Holidays." 0. By a large margin. That is the tragedy of this whole debate on Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas - many are greeting others based on fear rather than greeting them. Political Correctness is not a good replacement for Tolerance but as society runs increacingly low on the latter we are seeing massive amounts of PC rules being created to try and compensate for it. { Instead of embracing another opportunity to walk in love, many would rather argue a ridiculous point of view. For example, you might say: Have a very merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year! (function(d) { I sang in the church choir. Christians are encouraged to spread the love of Christ to everyone. My mom always went all out for Christmas, and to this day it’s remained one of my favorite holidays. Instead, it falls under the “dumb debate” category that surrounds the glorious season of Christmas. But, even if you are saying it for the sake of being all-inclusive and politically correct, so what? October 31 through January 1 (if you want to include Halloween) is chock full of 'em. Wal-Mart actually began encouraging the use of the term “happy holidays” in place of “Merry Christmas” in 2004 and 2005. Besides the parenthetically mentioned All Hallow's Eve, you have Thanksgiving (both Canadian and American), Chanukkah or Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia, St. Nicholas Day, Ramadan, Juletide, Weihnachtszeit, Dagur nemenda, Winter Solstice, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and Christmas, just to name a few. Each of us must find our own path, our own teacher, our own way to hear the messages that will take us to the promised land. WHY?? Merry Christmas and Happy Christmas are both greetings used during the last part of December, around Christmastime. Hero Capitol Police Officer Protects Senate Chamber From Insurgents, Insurgents Plan Riots Ahead of January 20th Despite Trump Admitting Defeat, NBA Teams Respond to Trump Supporter Invasion of Capital [Video], Nutritious Drink Recipes With Negative Ions: Part Two, LSU Hires Two of Joe Brady’s Assistants to Get Team Back on Track [Video], Padres Ha-Seong Kim’s Vision of 2021 World Series Victory [Video]. There are many holidays around this time of year because in the beginning or the middle of winter, midwinter celebrations used to be essential in the days before modern technology where winter truly meant death, lots of people died from exposure to the cold, and you truly didn't have enough food unless you'd stocked up. God is Buddha, Mohammed, Yahweh, Jesus, Mother Teresa, Mother, Father, Husband, Friend, Stranger, ET (the extraterrestrial) and Enemy. The truth is, it should not affect anyone’s personal admiration of the honoree any more than Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas. This is all good except they must have forgotten Christ was not an original ingredient of this season. With all of the chaos going on in the world, that energy should be used to unite the already divided church and love the unchurched. All content copyright © original author unless stated otherwise. Everything2 ™ is brought to you by Everything2 Media, LLC. The debate is different, though, when you get into situations where schools are taking down Christmas decorations, be it an earnest effort to be politically correct or to avoid a lawsuit. How no-one dares to say “Happy CHRISTMAS” in public anymore? God is anyone or anything that helps me grow and learn about myself, my world, my responsibilities and my reason for being. In Culture Exchange. As the world continues in a downward spiral, the season for dumb debates is in full swing. The history of the word Xmas is actually more respectable and even fascinating than one might suspect. By Cherese Jackson on December 22, 2017Comments Off on Happy Holidays Versus Merry Christmas and Other Dumb Debates. Merry Christmas! var params = Not all people celebrate the season the same. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are the three major holidays that can be found in December. Christians are wasting energy on the same “Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas” useless chatter. America is more religiously and culturally diverse than ever before and the reality seemingly poses a “threat” to those used to Christianity being the dominant religion. December 25 is the day set aside to celebrate the Son of God’s birth, but many know this is not the actual day of his birth. themanwho says: "oh... you can remove ramadan. Perhaps that's taking it a bit too far. id: "440c396f-3561-4a33-985f-879a46a8d585", Why would you want to wish somebody a Merry Christmas who you know is or could possibly be Jewish? If you've noticed they actually do still have "Merry Christmas" ones, but they only air them on December 25th. "Happy Holidays" is not a bad thing. Merry Christmas! I have friends that are Muslim. Inline Image Courtesy of Erin’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License And, I respect your path to God, despite what name you give her. You don't tell people "Happy Birthday" unless it's actually their birthday. Well, now they just call them Winter Oreos. And don't get upset at a TV station that airs "Happy Holidays" bumpers during commercials. Trump, Obama and the War on Christmas A look at how the phrases "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays" were used under President Donald Trump and President Barack Obama. It is something I can honestly wish everyone I know. However, it is more complex than that. And wreaths and such, although commonly thought of as Christmas traditions, actually are Pagan traditions going back much further than Christ, but that's for another node. The Bible Study Site: Why is Christmas shortened to XMAS? The ecumenical symbol originated in the early Christian church and has since become a source of disagreement for followers of Jesus. The Atlantic: Merry Christmas vs. The ubiquitious nature of having every clerk who hands you change in a store wishing you a happy holiday cheapens the wish. s.src = p + "://api.content-ad.net/Scripts/widget2.aspx?" Sometimes I say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. The perennial debate gets a new coat of cheer from Donald Trump. Try to see it from that perspective. Each deserves to be acknowledged and respected. It's a simply a marketing strategy. Every year, around this time, the same debate comes to light. I was raised a Catholic—attended Catholic school through high school. Happy Holidays December 22, 2017. d.getElementById("contentad622858").appendChild(s); Maybe they should read a few of those write-ups here. Let's face it, there are a lot of Holidays towards the end of the year. Why can't "Happy Holidays" mean wishing you well on all of the holidays you celebrate this time of year? My husband is Catholic. For example, when “it doesn’t matter” is included as an option, 63% of Republicans or those who lean Republican say they prefer “Merry Christmas,” while 5% choose “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” and 32% say it doesn’t matter. So, before getting bent out of shape this season, one must ask, if a letter cannot really replace the Son of God, why are they offended? One of my values—supported by my early teachings from families and teachers and constantly reinforced by everyone I respect—is that I should “do unto others as I would have done to me”. }; It's all part of the greater war they feel is being waged against Christianity in general, what with removing the Ten Commandments from Federal courthouses and whatnot. However, the debate over whether to wish “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” seems to have resurfaced again. Happy Holidays, Round 2,016. I am Jewish. The phrases Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays do have some differences. is going way out of control these days, but I don't necessarily think that wishing somebody "Happy Holidays" should or could be lumped into that. Merry Christmas everyone! Bottom line: if you don't know someone well enough to know what they celebrate, either don't wish them anything or just wish them a Happy Holiday. var qs = Object.keys(params).reduce(function(a, k){ a.push(k + '=' + encodeURIComponent(params[k])); return a},[]).join(String.fromCharCode(38)); Whether it’s “merry Christmas” or “happy holidays,” they say the same thing: I hope you have a happy, healthy holiday season. The 'Happy Holidays' rule being just one more. Happy Hanukkah! Be nice; it's the perfect time of year for it. Before, when I was younger and before I'd ever heard the term "politically correct," "Happy Holidays," to me, meant "Have a Happy Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year." My favorite Christmas song was “O Holy Night”. Also, most people don't think about another's feelings enough. Christmas has almost arrived and while it is time to exchange pleasantries — this year it would be mostly virtual meet-ups and couriered presents due to the coronavirus pandemic. I may not understand their holidays to the extent that they do, but if it is a joyous event, I can feel comfortable wishing them a happy holiday. Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays What do you say? The path to “heaven” has many roads, many teachers and many ways to hear the right messages. It is important to understand that some Jews actually get pissed when you wish them a Merry Christmas; that node actually touches on some of the things I'm going to go over, but not all. Culture 'Merry Christmas' versus 'happy holidays': A tale of two expressions. Obviously. Happy Holidays! I have cousins that are Buddists. Keep in mind that you're being quite paranoid if you think that people are trying to stop you from saying "Merry Christmas," like there's a Holiday Gestapo out there ready to suit up and beat everybody down who likes to say it. What does saying 'Merry Christmas' at school really hurt anyway? So, where am I in the controversy over “Merry Christmas” versus “Happy Holidays”? out beside it and dare them to reveal themselves. Pawel Kopczynski/Reuters. Why not put more up, of every December holiday you can think of? Andrew McGill December 20, 2016. I lived in a white, suburban Christian community. I see it as a way to wish people well on all of the holidays they celebrate this time of year, a shorter way to say "Have a Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Ramadan and a Happy New Year." It's no coincidence that the early Christians chose the end of December to celebrate Christ's birth even though it is more likely that he was born in the spring. Still, try to at least understand what I have said. Even still, without any research or foundational information, many have succumbed to the default belief that Xmas should be viewed as offensive. I want to defend the Christ whose birth I celebrate. })(document); on Happy Holidays Versus Merry Christmas and Other Dumb Debates, Missing Indonesian Plane Crashes Into the Java Sea, Insurgents Plan Riots Ahead of January 20th, Capitol Hill Riot (Fueled by Alternative Facts) Confirms Two Americas, Manhunt in California for 6 Escaped Inmates, PGA Pulls All Golf Tournaments From Trump Owned Courses [Video], Kudos! Calling, always calling, not understanding, but calling still. When somebody says "Happy Holidays" to me, it means that they are wishing me well on all of the November/December holidays that I celebrate or mean anything to me. 2020/2021 Georgia Senate Run-Off Election. Merry Christmas! Remember, the biggest contradiction to the birth of Jesus is the absence of love. For me, it isn’t about saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays." There was no Christmas break. In other words, we got the secular versions of holidays. Because they are clowns, that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous. I went to a public high school. This helped continue the celebrations and festivities without ignoring the Christian religion. I prefer Happy Holidays. Light a gigantic fire, get together with friends, eat, be merry, and parrr-tay like there's no tomorrow, because in those days there was truly a chance there wouldn't be a tomorrow for you. Today, I got an email from the alumni director of my high school. I still have a small nativity set (a very special Mary, Jesus and donkey made by students in an inner city special education class where I did some student teaching). To interpret it as 'Hey Jew/Buddist/Muslim/Whatever, why don't you believe in Christ for a change!' Ultimately, life boils down to what people make things mean, not what others say. And, for the most part, that is what it still means to me. 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