Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays...

reply to post by Jkd Up


I still say Merry Christmas. If anything to upset my more fanatical fellow atheists, and the pagans. There really isn't all that much 'christian' in Christmas. Sure, we all get together for a table full of food for the feast of Saturnalia, put up a tree which should be an oak tree, put a yule log on the fire, and many other symbolism's from pagan and other religious traditions.

Everybody needs to relax, and just enjoy themselves (they should do this all year, but if there's a need for a token 'season' for it then so be it). If someone is that atheist they are free to put up a festivus pole, and celebrate unabashed consumerism.

reply to post by Jkd Up


I have difficulty taking this thread seriously because you intentionally address only one side of this issue that seems to break out every year. And IMO, the side you address is the smaller of the problems on this topic.

I'll take a Christian with a bumper sticker on their car over an overly offended thin skinned individual filing a lawsuit because there is a Christmas tree in their town's downtown square.

I have to admit hearing the words happy holidays makes me cringe..

in my eyes it's a general response of nothingness

I would rather they said, no sorry I'm celibrating x and wish them a happy whatever it is they are celibrating than utilise a bland cover most options response.

Still "happy holidays" has the same flaw in the assumption that the person recieving those best wishes is celebrating some kind of holiday when they might not be.

Anyway if someone wishes me happy something, whatever it is, even if I didn't celebrate the occation in a genuine and heartfelt way, I take it in the spirit of kindness those wishes were given and feel all the better becuase of it

[edit on 16/12/09 by thoughtsfull]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! AND TO MY JEWISH FRIENDS A VERY HAPPY HANUKKAH!
My daughters are 3 years old and this is the year when they are truly understanding the concept and the magic of Christmas.

Yes, the season may be a little over commercialized but you can't beat the look of a child's face when they get to sit with Santa. I can't wait for our Christmas Eve candlelight choir service. The kids will love that too.

Kids don't have much left to enjoy these days. They are forced by society to grow up and mature far too early. I see elementary school kids walking home talking on cell phones. Let Christmas be what it is because I fear that the coming years will lead to an increased minimization of Christmas by the PC police one year at a time. FUBO!

To everyone else... Seasons Greetings!

If you don't like it, don't participate. It will be over soon!! Bahh!!

I think guys, even though I'm a Hindu, I want to just say that we should all respect everyone's religions. Yeah it might be a bit overcommercialized however to be honest, it's like the only time of year for people in e.g. the UK to celebrate family and such things, cause in America you've all got Thanksgiving. It's like the little spark of hope and joy some people get in the year.

So Merry Christmas to all of you who do celebrate it and to all of you who don't...just enjoy your holiday.

Here's Stephen Colbert's take on the issue. It's pretty funny:

The Blitzkrieg on Grinchitude

For the War on the War on Christmas (listen up O'Reilly) there's the CHRIST-mas tree from Boss Creations.



The company's owner has this to say:

When I became a Christian a few years ago... I was appalled by the secularization of the Christmas holiday. When retail stores started substituting 'Happy Holidays' for 'Merry Christmas,' and schools began calling their Christmas programs 'Winter Plays,' it all seemed ridiculous to me. That's why we have created products that remind people what the Christmas season is really all about—the birth of Christ.

Um... the birth of Christ, huh? Correct me if I"m wrong, but Christ was not BORN on a cross.

Source

Originally posted by drmeola
But I will stop here, I am a Christian, and by definition it simply means that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. Nothing more, if you believe he existed and died for you that is all that is required.

but what about:

love your neighbor as yourself
love your enemies, too
and the big one, judge not?

i thought to be a christian meant to emulate christ.?

I'll add my .02 cents... I'm not Christian and in my family, Christmas has never been about Christ. The Holidays have been and always will be about Family and in that spirit, we celebrate. I have always said both Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, I see no reason not to. I do predominantly lean towards Happy Holidays simply because (for me) it encompasses all of the Holidays that fall between Thanksgiving and New Year and I don't have to worry about it if I just include them all in a single sentiment. That's me, that's how I roll...

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas ATS.

So what is Christmas?

Sure it is "Christ" "Mass" if you break it down and most are celebrating the birth of Jesus. But there is nothing wrong with happy holidays, because we're also celebrating Kwanza (s.p) Hannuka (s.p) and the new year as well as a dozen other things.

I do honor Jesus and find it hard to pick apart most of what has been attributed to him in the bible. Amazing words. I am not however a Christian but do believe in god. Just so you have a point of reference for me.

I was offended by the Christian commercial I saw the other day, it went way beyond celebrating the birth of Jesus and into salvation etc.

What Christmas really is: It's the one time of year when the world seems to stop for a few days or slow down and help each other out. It's that one time when families get together again and when we give each other gifts just because we like each other. Sure it's commercialized to the extreme but despite everything it's "the most wonderful time of year".

All this talk of the battle of Christmas is disturbing and way past the reality of the time. I get pissed at the Christians for trying to ram salvation down my throat, I get pissed at athiests who get offended because they had to walk past a nativity scene or a cross or a Christmas tree. Really? You have nothing better to do but rant against a symbol and something that makes somebody else happy? What is wrong with both of you types of people?

Relax...enjoy the good will ...the parties...the gifts...the lights...the full foodbanks...all the treats, chocolates, mints and candies...enjoy your families...enjoy the christmas trees...enjoy the nativity scenes...(besides Christianity..there really wasn't anything wrong with jesus...he really was awesome and i'm pretty sure he never thought he'd be at the center or such a bunch of retards) enjoy the wreaths...enjoy each other. These are the good times.

Originally posted by amazing
So what is Christmas?

Great question! Ask 10 people and you could get 10 different answers! Maybe that's why so many people have a problem with OTHER people's celebration of it. Some people think we should all celebrate the same way for the same reasons.

To me, it's a time when (no particular order):

- I stay out of ALL stores after 8 AM
- I prepare for all stores to be closed on the day.
- I have a great excuse to cook a delicious meal and cookies.
- my husband has time off so we do fun stuff together
- I sit back and observe the strange behavior of the human race...
- I have an excuse to do something nice for people without them thinking I'm strange.
- A day for my husband to clean the vermin out of the pump house. (It's been 3 years in a row now. Maybe this is the year for a new pump house. )