L144S - We go to the movies on Christmas too, but we're Christmas-celebrators. It is part of our tradition to see a movie. LOTS of people do, actually - seems like the theaters are pretty full!

It is 8 and we cover it by having a night designated for sets of aunts and uncles, gradparents and parents. So we only give the kids one gift from us. Seems much more sane and under control. Also we don't really exchange adult gifts. I will get something for my husband and he for me. BUT the catch in our house is that my younger son is born on Christmas, the only baby in the hospital at the time NOT wearing a green and red knit hat from the wonderful volenteers and my anniversary is the 23rd, again because everyone was off for Chrismas vacation from work and my family sometimes celebrates Chanukah around Christmas because the kids are all off from school, adults from work and it makes it all work. :) It is a happy holiday season for our family, just not the way it is for others :)

I like seeing movies that day, too. :) The theatres and video stores are always packed! :)

Years ago a friend of mine always went to Disneyland on Christmas Day...it used to be pretty empty...I understand others figured that out too!

Mandalinn & Aphil covered it pretty well. If I know which holiday someone celebrates, I'll wish them a happy/merry that specific holiday. If I don't, I'll stick with a generic happy holidays/seasons greetings. I just don't get the people who are claiming there's a "war on Christmas". It's the only federal holiday which is recognized by the government. Celebrants of holidays in other religions often have to use personal/vacation time to observe their holidays while those of us who observe Christmas (I'm a non-religious Catholic who celebrates in a secular sense) usually have the day off unless you work for a place that's open on Christmas.

You mean, it's the only religious holiday which is recognized by the government. (Cf. some Catholic countries in Europe which take Catholic holy days as civil holidays.)

But I agree with you that all this "War on Christmas" bull#2 is just demagoguery meant to make devout Christians feel that their traditional privilege is being taken away from them, that they're being persecuted as part of an EEEEEEVIL LIB'RUL PLOT!.

Then again, it is altogether possible that government agencies, public schools and the like, in their understandable wish to not offend people who don't observe Christmas, go to extremes in doing the stuff but not coming out and saying what it's for, and that gives the demagogues stuff to feed on: i.e., "holiday tree": an evergreen tree decorated with lights and ornaments is NOT emblematic of any holiday other than Christmas, and who the **** are they kidding? (Don't get me started on those black trees I see in some catalogs around Halloween.) I wish somebody would take a poll and I bet most people, as long as they feel the governing sentiment was "live and let live", don't really give a damn

:soap:

Yep, that's what I meant, for some reason, typed federal instead of religious. Probably because I was thinking of government.

But the trees as ornamentation in the Winter actually predate Christianity. I'm sure if they had the internet back when Christianity started usurping Pagan traditions people would complain about Solstice/Yule trees being renamed Christmas trees. And there would have been exhortations to put the Yule back in Yuletide. :)

The ones that really get me are the ones who insist that a Christian celebration of Christmas is "American". Just saw a pretty interesting program on the History Channel, "Christmas Unwrapped" which discussed how the Puritans outlawed celebration of Christmas. And after independence was declared, the government rejected it as being associated with England. Some churches in the US didn't even begin having Christmas services until the 19th century. It was a pretty good overview of the holiday from it's pre-Christian origins to current day. If anyone wants to try & catch a repeat, here's a link to a description/showtimes:

http://www.history.com/shows.do?acti...isodeId=203414

And here's a link talking about the history of evergreens used in winter celebrations and some of the controversies over history:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

except as Aphil said...the decorated evergreen tree is part of the winter solstice celebration and was LONG before it became part of the Christian celebration.

I think the "attack on Christmas" goes both ways.

I've been told that as a non-Christian I dont have the "right" to celebrate Christmas. I'm not anti-Christ (not THE Antichrist either;)) I know in some forums people go to the extremes of refusing to say Christmas, refusing to put a capital letter on Christ (ummm...even if you dont believe he is the son of god, it is still a proper noun!)..anyway I digress

I celebrate the joy of the season, the spirit of giving and love of family and friends and the message of Peace. I believe in the message if not the being. I personally use the term Christmas although it would be more accurate for me to celebrate Winter Solstice or Winter Holiday, but I believe in Santa - so maybe SantaDay:p. Celebrate what ever the season means to YOU.

Happy ChrisKwanzChanuRamaSolstice everyone! (tee hee, maybe we should make the stores put THAT in their circulars)

And yes, going to movies on Christmas is tradition for my family pre-kids and probably will be again when they are older

Ben Stine put it quite eloquently when he said that as Jew, he is not offended when someone wishes him Merry Christmas. Read it here:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp

Here is what I do. :)

If someone wishes me Merry Christmas, I'm inclined to say, "Thank you. May you enjoy the season!"

If someone wishes me Happy Hannukah, I would say, "Thank you. May you enjoy the season!"

Same for Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Eid Mubarak or Happy Eid, and so on.

Now, why don't I just return with "Merry Christmas," "Happy Hannukah," etc.?

Because I don't want the Christians to assume that I'm Christian, or the Jewish people to assume that I'm Jewish, or the Wiccans to assume that I'm Wiccan, etc. That's called "passing," and I don't want to "pass." If there were a Buddhist equivalent holiday around Hannukah, Christmas, and so on, I would greet that way--but there isn't in my form of Buddhism.

But I DO want people to enjoy the holy days of their faiths! We all benefit from the good will and joy of others. And so any greeting, including Happy Holidays, works for me!

Jay

I am Christian but 1/4 Jewish... We celebrate Christmas but I still have a Menorah on my coffee table. Wait...wasn't Jesus Jewish ;)

Anyway.... I just call it what it is... Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah :D


Merry Christmas Everyone :tree:

And here's to a Happy Healthy New Year

.

Personally, I've never seen/heard anyone taken to task for saying Merry Christmas. But I was taken to task by an HR person at my old company for wishing her a Happy Holiday season in an e-mail which I'd thanked her for assistance with some benefits questions. She sent off this scathing reply about how "in this country, we call it Christmas". I was too busy laughing at the irony of this coming from someone in HR who should know better to be offended. :lol: But she really could've gotten herself into some hot water there if she'd pulled that on someone who wanted to complain about it.

:) My DH was raised Jewish..he calls himself a 'Messianic Christian'. Most years we celebrate both holidays. :han: :tree:. I don't understand the tradition behind Boxing Day, but it might be an alternative for those who don't care to celebrate a religious holiday. :?:

Just my 2 cents..Happy holidays :dreidel: :coolsnow: :newyear: :ginger:

And for those who celebrate..Merry CHRISTmas!

I have been saying and writing Happy Holidays for years. I started it before all this other stuff came up and everyone was freaking out over what to say to who. I simply use(d) Happy Holidays to all in reference to Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...it covered both. Guess in a way I was too lazy to write them both, lol. But it really doesn't bother me one way or the other what people say, whether it's Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. But how are we supposed to know what to say anymore?

It cracks me up now days how so many are sensitive and offended by things that have been used and going on for years. A couple of years ago they changed the name of the Christmas Tree lighting to the Holiday Tree lighting because a handful of people complained. They had even more people complain because it has been The Christmas Tree lighting for many years and it shouldn't be changed. Celebrate what you celebrate in your own home people if you don't agree with a Christmas tree lighting then don't go to it...simple as that. Just like if you don't want to watch sex and drugs or crime on t.v. change the channel...simple as that.

Another Christmas Day movie goer here too! We started that a couple of years ago and plan on doing it every year from now on. We have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve so that we can have a nice, relaxing Christmas day and thought we would try the movies. I really was surprised at the number of people who go.