Happy Holidays Means What Exactly?
 

Help me out here ladies. If I am supposed to be saying HAPPY HOLIDAYS so as not to offend anybody, what exactly does that mean. As far as I can tell the only recognized holiday left for this year is CHRISTmas.

Next year we have New Year's Day of course, another recognized holiday. Later in the year we have Valentine's Day ~ Memorial Day ~ President's Day ~ Veteran's Day ~ to name a few.

Let's not forget my birthday Feb. 27th either! :)

Anyway, do we just go ALL year round say "HAPPY HOLIDAYS?"

help me here please...somebody...anybody.....`:)

New Years is a holiday, first off, and wishing "Happy Holidays" encompasses good New Years wishes, all the way up until Dec 31st (the first day we start celebrating the new year).

It is also inaccurate to say that all the recognized holidays have passed. Winter Solstice is on the 22nd of December, and I -think- the first day of Kwanzaa is Dec. 26th. Today is also Eid al-adha, a Muslim holiday.

"Happy Holidays" is a way of giving out good wishes to everyone, for the entire season, whether the particular holiday they celebrate has passed. After all, it is a festive, celebratory season for so many different faiths, and for people who don't associate with any particular religion.

Well that would certainly take care of everything at once! :)
Gary, you remind me of me sometimes. I used to ask why we were supposed to say "good morning" and then "good night" and sometimes "good afternoon" and "have a nice DAY," because couldn't you just wish somebody a good FOREVER and then be done with it once and for all??

:D

Well, I always understood "Happy Holidays" to be shorthand for "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year", and I do NOT get these demagogues who try to convince us it's part of some EEEEEEVIL LIB'RAL PLOT TO DESTROY CHRISTIANITY AND ALL THAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT! CUL8R

i agree with mandalinn...you are neglecting to acknowledge several holidays!
i don't really think people get offended if you say merry christmas, happy holidays, happy kwanzaa, whatever!...at least, in my opinion, they shouldn't be offended...
no matter what holiday greeting someone says to me, i just appreciate that they are wishing me well...that's the point of a holiday greeting, isn't it??
just because i celebrate christmas doesn't mean i am offended if someone says happy holidays, happy hannukah...or happy whatever-else...there's no reason to make an issue of it...people believe what they believe, and this diversity is what makes our world a wonderful place.
i believe that people spend so much time arguing and being offended that we forget that the point is to LOVE one another.

Not only is she good lookin' ~ she has brains! Let's not forget BOXING DAY either kiddo! :hug:

Now MOUSEY, "FOREVER" just doesn't work for those that don't believe in an afterlife. :)

I celebrate Christmas, and have no Jewish heritage. My Jewish friend greets me with "Happy Hanukkah" (and I'm horrible at spelling that, apologies to all), I greet her with "Merry Christmas". As long as the two of us are wishing eachother the best, what does it matter how we say it?

I don't think a non-Christian being wished "Merry Christmas" is all that offensive (you're wishing someone merriment! How bad can it be, really?). In the same vein, I don't think that a Christian who is told "Happy Holidays" has much to balk at either. As long as someone is saying, essentially, "I hope you have a very happy month and year to come", where is the harm either way?

Again, THANK YOU....for taking the words right out of my mouth!

I guess what I don't understand is why it is ok to say HAPPY HANNUKAH (which I do, to my Jewish friends) and why it is OK to say Happy Kwanzaa (which I don't do since I don't know anyone from Africa and my black friends don't celebrate it either) but we are being told in the secular world you can't say MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Why is that?

em1183 pretty much said it!
I am Pagan, however where I live a majority of people are Christian, so I get greeted Merry Christmas all the time. It doesn't bother me and I greet them the same back.

You know, I say all kinds of things to people, and I've never been told I can't say Merry Christmas.

I do know that there have been objections to publically-funded institutions celebrating Christmas exclusively over other holidays (ie, schools having only "Christmas" parties), and that some retailers have decided that the more inclusive "Happy Holidays" is more in tune with the marketing messages they'd like to send...both of which are valid, I think. But no one has ever said to me "You can't say Merry Christmas!". Maybe that's just my experience, but even here in Hippie-liberal-ville (aka Davis, CA), people just smile when you say ANY pleasant holiday sentiment.

I answered this a bit in the other thread...but I'll go again. :)

mandalinn is right, there are many holidays in the month of December. She listed them all for you already. :)

There has been a recent uproar recently about different stores using the term "holiday tree" and not Christmas tree in their ads, as well as the term "Happy Holidays" instead of saying Christmas..and people have been getting upset about it. Actually, I find this very interesting, because the tradition of decorating an evergreen tree in the winter actually came from Pagan traditions-Yule/Winter Solstice, NOT from Christianity. When Christmas started being celebrated in the month of December, and his resurrection started being celebrated in the spring, these dates were actually chosen purposely to "replace" the Pagan holidays (Winter Solstice and Ostara/Eostre)-rather than during the times that those events actually happened.

It was basically done on purpose by certain rulers...but I won't get into all that.

In fact, the date of "Easter" still goes by the phases of the moon, in Pagan tradition, rather than the same date every year. It even has kept the Pagan name-with a slight spelling change.

Red and green, cranberry dishes, ham, evergreen decorations-all of these things come from Yule/Winter Solstice. Other than crosses and nativity scenes...most of the Christmas decorations and traditions people do today have nothing to do with the birth of Christ or his rebirth at all.

Well, I am Jewish,
I have no problem with Merry Christmas to people I know celebrate and as a general thing in passing, I know it is not said to be offensive, but I don't celebrate. and it does bother me when people I know keep wishing me a merry christmas (ex a mother in my son's class wished me a merry christmas 4x the other day while thanking me for doing the chanukah party for the class) I do appriciate Happy Holidays because as said above it covers it all, and does not offend or leave anyone out. I and my kids feel included in the holiday season. I have no problem with the Christmas tree, I just don't have one. i don't wear sweaters with santa and gifts all over it, dress in red and green or sport a santa hat. It does not mean I can't appriciate what others celebrate.

I do appriciate the holiday sales and Happy holidays from the sales clerks It makes me feel good and after all my money is green too right? I think Happy holidays is much friendlier and more inclusive to others not celebrating Christmas as well as those that do.

So Merry Christmas to all of you that celebrate and a Healthy and happy New Year, I will be having a party for my son's birthday with gifts I bought on sale, eating chineese and going to the movies on that day :)

That's funny Dixie's mom ~ I dated a jewish girl for 3+ years back in high school and after...she just loved getting Christmas presents! And I enjoyed the celebration of Hannukah with her...although it was TOUGH trying to get ideas for, what was it, 7 presents!

Again...I wish everyone HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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.

I don't know why some feel that Christmas is under attack. Christmas is alive and well for everyone who celebrates it. More inclusive language, to be respectful to people of other faiths and backgrounds, in no way tears at the foundation of Christianity. I don't get the arguments about this.

If I know the person celebrates Christmas, I'll say Merry Christmas. If I know they celebrate another holiday, I'll offer good wishes for their specific holiday. If I don't know, I'll say Happy Holidays.

I only wish the same courtesy was extended as consistently back to me. Some people set out to make a point at this time of year, and their Merry Christmases are not as innocent as they would have you believe. It used to get under my skin, being a non-Christian and the recipient of these pointed and not innocent holiday wishes, but I've let it go. Now I purposely choose to take their wishes at face value, and bask in the good cheer. Even if they didn't really mean it. I wish the same peace to everyone else during this holiday season.

Boxing day is derived from the old custom in England of the gentry putting out a box of food and clothing on the day after Christmas for the workers on their estates. It's really only a holiday in England, Australia and Canada, but I've seen "Boxing Day Sales" beginning to be advertised here.

When I first moved to Canada, I thought it meant the day that everyone threw out their gift boxes :lol:

I also am happy to have anyone wish me a Merry or Happy anything!

Mel

I could not agree more. I could care less about the Christmas tree lighting, I don't care that there is no menora lighting, frankly I am happy to have my holiday quietly with my family and friends and have it not be a huge finacial fiasco.

That said i do tip certain people at Christmas time, because it is not my holiday does not mean it is not theirs. I do give to the food drives and salvation army kettle ringers, But I also give other times of the year too, it is not about CHRISTmas to be but about humanity and kindness to others which is what the holiday season should be about.

LOL - I thought the same thing. I had never heard of boxing day until we went to Toronto for our honeymoon (over Christmas vacation). We found only one restaurant open on Boxing Day (several had been open and serving a nice dinner for Christmas day, however). We were totally mystified as to what Boxing Day was all about. I had to look it up when we got home.