Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

AGREE'd!

I'm Christian. Yes, I view Christmas as a religious thing. But I don't mind if someone tells me "Happy holidays" or whatever...I honestly don't care.

I generally say "Merry Christmas", but if I were talking to, say, one of my Jewish friends, I'd probably say "Happy holidays" or even "Happy Hannukah". (Though, for the record, Hannukah is a relatively minor holiday in Judaism.)

(One thing I've never understood, by the way: Why do we say "Merry Christmas", but never "Happy Christmas", even though we say, for example, 'Happy New Year" or "Happy Easter", and we NEVER say "Merry New Year" or "Merry Easter"?)

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Tradition... what a bugger!

I know I said it earlier, but the night before Thanksgiving, I heard a woman tell someone "Merry Thanksgiving"... blew my mind.

I'm all about making people feel comfortable, and, if Christmas is something they're truly not comfortable with, then, don't say it... It kinda shocked me that my Atmospheric Sciences department had a "Christmas Dinner" tonight, given the number of non-Christians we have (Muslims, Jews, Athiests, and Buddhists). That issue actually came up, and the consensus from them was, basically "Christmas is Christmas. Regardless of the religious meaning, Christmas is about togetherness and friendship. You don't have to believe in Jesus to believe in those things."
Don't tell the ACLU, we have non-Christians that don't care about hearing people say "Merry Christmas".

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Where has the ACLU gotten involved? I can say with absolute certainty that the ACLU has never tried to limit the right of any private citizen to say "Merry Christmas" to anyone else.



Agreed.

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Blow their minds.. Say "Imperative statement demanding your enjoyment of a non-specific winter holiday."

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If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

Well, they're the popularly perceived 'other side', which may or may not be accurate. Heh. At the very least, there's one ACLU member on my hall who has taken it up as her personal cause.

I technically celebrate Yule, OOI.

People say "Happy Christmas" in Britain.

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So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain. Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail? A smile from a veil? Do you think you can tell?

And doesn't it say "Happy Christmas" in "The Night Beofre Christmas"? That speaks for itself.

Uhh...Merry Christmas. I don't really see it as a religous holiday( I mean, he wasn't even born on that day. It's to bring a little happiness after the shortest day of the year(probabaly)) Course, I'll sayd Happy Holidays whenever I want to, too.

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Someone saying Merry Christmas to you is not enforcing their religion onto you, but not allowing people to say merry Christmas is. I thought everyone had the freedom of religion and speech?

I'm not sure if Bible scholars even know when Jesus was born (probably why Orthodox and Catholic/Other divisions disagree on when to celebrate).

Well, Didymus would know. Didyz0r?

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Some people seem to think that tose things don't apply to people that don't participate in their religion. I;m thinking it's mostly just soccer moms who have nothing better to do then try and make everything absolutley neutral.

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I doubt it, soccer moms would be the ones complaining about the imaginary attack on Xmas.

Last year our school's "Winter Break" was called "Christmas Break" but one child who was a Muslim made a comment and our school board, being the cowardly people they are, changed it to "Winter Break" I personally always say "Happy Festivus" because I have a few Jewish friends and a Hindu friend. So we all use that as our joke. Personally I don't follow any organized religion but I still celigrate Christmas, not as a coming of Jesus, but as just a time to be nicer and honor our savior Santa Claus.

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TIRES TIRES TIRES

To some people, it's about saying it. I think the root here is that they are over-publicizing christmas and downplaying all of the other holidays. I just would like to see more publicizing of the other holidays that take place during this month.

For example, since more than just people who celebrate Christmas shop at chain stores, I do find it as apporpriate to say Happy Holidays there.

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well, since according to the New Testament the shepherds were out tending their flocks at the time he was born, it definitely wouldn't have been in winter. it would have to have been after the end of the rainy season, so probably the middle of March, at the earliest. but springtime, probably.

December 25th was the date that the Romans celebrated the virgin birth of the pagan god Mithras, tho.

Considering that Mary and Joseph were poor due to taxes, it'd be Spring.

I think this is a toastpaint.

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I don't know what the climate is like in the middle east, but the shepherds out tending their flocks doesn't say much of anything about the time of year there (let alone here). Where do you figure the shepherds put their sheep during the winter?

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Haha I was just watching a segment on the Boondocks about the history of christmas.

"blah blah blah Gay sex, blah blah blah congress"

New I dea, create headphones that make everything sound PC.

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TIRES TIRES TIRES

They keep them in sheds, barns, or, if they are unshorn, outside. Either way, even thousands of years ago, the Middle East was always temperate to desert in climate.

Anydangways, I will don't say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas. My thing is "you have a good break" or "have fun" becuase that's what this time of the year is about: not doing work, getting together, and celebrating together. Whether its the solemnity of Ramadan, or the crazy Christian Christmas (ooo alliteration!), or Channukah, or Kwaanza, my wish is that you enjoy the time off from work or school in order to be with your family and friends.

And regarding the issue of Christmas in public, just chew on this. Many Muslim countries arrange schedules for Ramadan. In Israel they have a day off for Yom Kippur. It just so happens to be that 80% of America is of a Christian or Catholic sect, and that they celebrate Christmas. I just think that people are oversensitive about being wished "Happy Holidays" because they have too much time to think about non-trivial things. Christians are fighting back with an offensive attack against the political correctness issue, and everything is now out of hand.

So, I say to you all, during this holiday season, have a good break, eat some good food, and Happy Festivus...

...for the rest of us!

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How about Winter-een-mas?

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I still fail to see exactly what's wrong with saying "Merry Christmas" or what harm it's actually doing to anyone. But "Happy Holidays" does make a lot more sense for convenience reasons.

Slightly off-topic: I just found out that one of my bestest friends hasn't celebrated Christmas at all, or any Decemberween holiday, for the last several years, which is a surprise to me. It seems like he sincerely feels like people miss the entire point of what Christmas was meant to be about, celebrating the birth of Christ, and as such he doesn't actively take part in giving or receiving gifts.

Completely fine as long as you wish your fellow gamer a happy Winter-een-mas as well

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well, you know, the Puritans who colonized America actually banned the celebration of Christmas because they saw it as a holdover pagan festival, which, of course, it actually is.

I have kept out of this discussion for a while, but I think I put in my two cents after all. It really bugs me when people say "well its really a pagan holiday you know". Christmas originated as a Celebration of the birth of Christ. It was celebrated at the same time as the winter solstace, which is celebrated by pagans. Two seperate reasons for celabrating, one time of the year.... everyone clear? Besides, Christmas is what ever you make it. I celebrate the Birth of one who I deem my Savior and Redeemer. It is a very special time of year for me. Some don't, big deal. But I would think that if I wished someone, anyone, a merry Christmas; it would make them happy to know that I would include them in the joy that I feel this season... no matter if they are Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, or otherwise in affiliated as they choose. If I had a Muslim friend or aquantance that wished me Happy Ramadan, I would feel good that that person though enough of me to share with me the joy that they felt at such a special time for them. What is the fuss about?

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except that it's not true. December 25 was the date that the pagans celebrated the virgin birth of the demigod Mithras, and they did it by bringing a tree into their houses and decorating it, giving gifts, hanging mistetoe, etc. for the first few centuries after the formation of Christianity, the Church begged people not to celebrate this holiday because it was a pagan festival. but since most of the Christians at that time were relatively recent converts from paganism, the festival was just too deeply entrenched. so instead the Church compromised by saying "okay, you can celebrate it, but it's called Christmas now, and it's Jesus's birthday." that's just the way things are.

This is just an aside for those of you who do not believe that people are as touchy as some would make it seem.

After the Haliafx explosion, in gratitude for the aid sent from Boston, Halifax sends down a big Christmas Tree to Massachusits (however you spell that). Well, things were all good until recently Boston decided that it wasn't a Christmas tree anymore, it's a "Holiday Tree". Most people are against it, including the mayor, the only people who really want it to be called a Holiday Tree is the people at the Parks people down in Boston. If you think I'm just making this up, here's the artical;

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510132

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Im not sure where you got your info, I looked it up on the wiki, and this is what I found, which confirms what I said, along with some other tidbits. But the fact remains that it was adapted by Christians to celebrate Christ.

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I personally don't care because the holidays are about giving and not the name. But because the holiday is called Christmas, we should say regardless of religious differences, Merry Christmas.

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I do wish that public places like stores have "Happy Holidays" banners instead of "Merry Christmas" banners, but I don't get all uppity if they do. Also keep in mind that saying "Happy Holidays" probably includes Christmas (or whatever December holiday you celebrate) AND New Years, as Jon Stewart said.


Excellent point, and I agree completely.

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