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Topic: Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas: Who Gets Most Offended? Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Matt Hawes
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 11:46am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

Okay... so I normally avoid getting into internet discussions about politics and religion, and admittedly this smacks of both(!!), but I am sincerely curious as to what you guys think about the matter:

I was just writing a message to an eBay customer. I closed it by saying I hope that the person has a wonderful holiday season. I was hesitant at how to phrase it, though, because people are so damn sensitive about that, it seems. If you wish someone "Merry Christmas," you might get charged with being non-inclusive. If you say "Happy holidays," you are apparently warring on Christmas. Ugh.

Personally, I do believe in being inclusive, and in being so I don't see that as in any way rejecting Christmas as a holiday. After all, "holidays" would include Christmas, right? Why is it a bad thing to honor and respect other people's traditions?

This got me thinking...

Who gets more offended:

Does someone celebrating another seasonal holiday over Christmas get offended at "Merry Christmas" more than some religious Christians gets mad at people using the phrase "happy holidays"?

In the spirit of the season, regardless of which actual holiday, wouldn't it be nice if we all just were respectful of each other and such greetings were taken for what they are, a nicety meant to be polite and obviously not stated with intent to offend?
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David Miller
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 12:00pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I switch up between "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays," sometimes throwing out Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus and Ramadan depending on whimsy and audience. 

I've never had a "Merry Christmas" rebuked with anything stronger than a "Happy Holidays" or whatever, delivered with equal warmth and similar spirit. 

I have had "Happy Holidays" greeted with a steely glare, pursed lips and "Merry Christmas" delivered in a cold, corrective tone. Based on listening to talk radio, that response is pushed by activists, who like to complain when their counter-greeting put other people off for some reason they presume is Godless war-on-Christmas anti-Christianity and not surprise at the rudeness.  So to hell with those people. 
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Michael Penn
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 12:06pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

I'm Jewish and nobody I know in my tribe has any problem wishing others "Merry Christmas" or if wished that in error by somebody else merely replying, "you too." Of course, one should take the trouble to get to know people and wish whatever would be appropriate.*

But, generally, I remember when it seemed to be the most standard to just offer "Seasons Greetings" and leave it at that.



*I'm reminded of this bit from "All In The Family":

Mike Stivic:
Why couldn't they say "Buddha, bless you" in Chinese?

Archie Bunker:
Because they don't say that, that's why. If they say... Well, if they say anything at all, it's "Sayonara".

Mike Stivic:
That's Japanese.

Archie Bunker:
Same thing.

Mike Stivic:
It's not the same thing!

Archie Bunker:
What are you talking about? You put a Jap and a Chink together, you gonna tell me which is which?

Mike Stivic:
That's right, because I find out about them. I talk to them as individuals.

Archie Bunker:
Sure you talk to them. You say, "Which one of you guys is the Chink?"

Mike Stivic:
[yells] I don't believe this. He's making me crazy!
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John Byrne
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 12:07pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply

A few years back, as an experiment, I took to responding to "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Hanukka". Quite fascinating to note the number of people who sort of blinked and said "I'm not Jewish."

Perfectly willing to foist their festivities on others, but not willing to be put in the wrong box themselves.

SEASONS GREETINGS!

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Robbie Parry
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 12:18pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

In the spirit of the season, regardless of which actual holiday, wouldn't it be nice if we all just were respectful of each other and such greetings were taken for what they are, a nicety meant to be polite and obviously not stated with intent to offend?

***

Intent is the keyword.

I was told off recently for describing an MP as "wheelchair-bound". I meant no offense (I was discussing the MP, not speaking to her). Apparently, the term should be "wheelchair user". That's fine, I can use that. Happy to, it creates no problem for me to do that.

But what Matt describes worries me. People must be offended now. Always. And you can't win at times. There are people who get offended, but there are also people who seek to be offended.

As a kid, a Sikh guy ran the grocery shop. Aged around 9, I went in there on Xmas Eve to buy some sweets (yes, a grocery shop sold sweets). As I left, I wished him a "Merry Christmas". He smiled and said, "Same to you, Merry Christmas."

Do Sikhs celebrate Xmas? Is it a personal choice? Is there a Sikh equivalent of Xmas? I don't know. I don't know as it pertains to this person. Looking back, I'd wager he didn't specifically celebrate the religious elements of Xmas. Did he partake in the consumerist aspects of Xmas? I don't know. But I do know he wasn't offended.

Intent is what it's about. 
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David Miller
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 12:56pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

When I receive a warm personal greeting or benediction from another culture, I consider it inclusive. 

Until I learned Joyeux Noël doubled as French slang for "To hell with you, fat American."
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Brian O'Neill
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 1:24pm | IP Logged | 7 post reply

Robbie Parry:

But what Matt describes worries me. People must be offended now. Always. And you can't win at times. There are people who get offended, but there are also people who seek to be offended.

As a kid, a Sikh guy ran the grocery shop. Aged around 9, I went in there on Xmas Eve to buy some sweets (yes, a grocery shop sold sweets). As I left, I wished him a "Merry Christmas". He smiled and said, "Same to you, Merry Christmas."

Do Sikhs celebrate Xmas? Is it a personal choice? Is there a Sikh equivalent of Xmas? I don't know. I don't know as it pertains to this person. Looking back, I'd wager he didn't specifically celebrate the religious elements of Xmas. Did he partake in the consumerist aspects of Xmas? I don't know. But I do know he wasn't offended.

Intent is what it's about. 

*****
Amen.
Oops, that offends somebody. I mean, "Yeah."
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Michael Murphy
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 2:23pm | IP Logged | 8 post reply

I used to manage a store in northeast Ohio and there was a large Jewish community in the area. I started wishing customers a "happy holiday" because I knew a significant portion of my customers who were not Christians. One customer got upset with me and went into the Fox News "War on Christmas" rant. I told the customer that it was not my intention to offend them but I don't know the faith or habits of all my customers so I chose my phrasing to be polite. I also apologized for wishing them well during the holidays and ensured them that since some people were incapable of appreciating well-wishes in the spirit intended that I would stop doing so in any fashion. If I remember correctly he went back into rant mode so I kicked him out of the store.
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David Miller
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 2:41pm | IP Logged | 9 post reply

People need to remember what the season is truly about: heavy mead drinking while coaxing back the blessed attention of Mother Sun through human sacrifice of our foes.
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Eric Sofer
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 2:51pm | IP Logged | 10 post reply

I am with Michael P., especially with being Jewish and unoffended. I appreciate the sentiment, notwithstanding the phrasing. And in the end, I don't go from Dec 24, 11:59:59 to Dec 26, 12:00:00.

I've never met someone yet who objected to "Happy Holidays", although once or twice, I got a rather vocal reply, "Merry CHRISTMAS." Yeah, whatever.

Mostly because I think most people expect this from me... which they would indeed get.

ELS: Happy holidays!
Jerk: That's incorrect.
ELS: Okay. Have a crappy holiday.

We aims to please...
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James Johnson
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 2:54pm | IP Logged | 11 post reply

"Happy Holidays!"

'Nuff Said!.....Keep It Movin'!...... 

If a person has a problem with that, then they have deeper issues.

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Robbie Parry
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Posted: 12 December 2017 at 3:49pm | IP Logged | 12 post reply

 Michael Murphy wrote:
I told the customer that it was not my intention to offend them but I don't know the faith or habits of all my customers so I chose my phrasing to be polite. I also apologized for wishing them well during the holidays and ensured them that since some people were incapable of appreciating well-wishes in the spirit intended that I would stop doing so in any fashion. If I remember correctly he went back into rant mode so I kicked him out of the store.

Michael, had I been there, you'd have been having a free beer - on me! 

In fact, if you ever visit the UK, the free beer is still on me. I like that response! 
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