Happy Christmasdays

[Seasanctuary]

I'm curious. Do any of you think people shouldn't say "Merry Christmas"?

...or is this just some kind of phantom complaint?

[anthrogirl]

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings...it's all the same to me. I do think, however, that "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" seem to make more sense, since most of us are celebrating Xmas Eve, Xmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. It's just easier than saying:

"Why hello, Seasanctuary! Happy Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day to you!"...

...but somehow, there are people who think that by abbreviating the holidays, we are trying to make Baby Jesus cry.

:twitch:

ag

[Spiritus Naturae]

my wife keeps singing some odd tune she heard on the radio, "Have a Happy Ramahannakwansmas!"...:nsm:

Theists are not allowed to post in the naturalism section. Thanks for understanding. ~Pilgrim.

[Seasanctuary]

Spiritus, prepare to be kersploded by the mods. Mu ha ha.

P.S. - We need an audio of that song though. Sounds amusing.

[bandecoot]

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings...it's all the same to me. I do think, however, that "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" seem to make more sense, since most of us are celebrating Xmas Eve, Xmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day. It's just easier than saying:

"Why hello, Seasanctuary! Happy Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day to you!"...

...but somehow, there are people who think that by abbreviating the holidays, we are trying to make Baby Jesus cry.

:twitch:

ag


Hey We in the British culture have Boxing Day as well. So our list goes like this:

Christmas eve, Christmas day, Boxing Day, Then we all hide for a few days to digest and sober up then we have the new years salutations.


Mind you Boxing day does not have its own greeting unless you count groans and moans from over doing it the day before. But it is an extension of the Christmas thing.

[anthrogirl]

you English heathen.

ag

[bandecoot]

you English heathen.

ag


Australian heathen if you dont mind. :tongue:

[anthrogirl]

:stunned:

:nc:

Oh my--I am sooo sorry for my blunder.
So very sorry.

Please forgive me.

:flowers:


ag
:blush:

[Mentalist]

I guess I am English heathen then!

No, I don't mind "Merry Christmas", it doesn't make me feel dirty like people blessing me does and at least it has some positive aspects, unlike most things to do with Christianity. Can't knock those sausages wrapped in bacon that seem to appear around Christmas time!

Apart from the name, there is no Christ in my Christmas, instead it consists of relatives, excessive food, occasional snow, trees, stockings. santa, mince pies, holly, presents, time off work/increased wages, apalling music, crowded high streets etc.

[rach12]

I don't care what people say. If they want to wish an atheist a Merry Christ's Mass, so be it.

[bandecoot]

I guess I am English heathen then!

No, I don't mind "Merry Christmas", it doesn't make me feel dirty like people blessing me does and at least it has some positive aspects, unlike most things to do with Christianity. Can't knock those sausages wrapped in bacon that seem to appear around Christmas time!

Apart from the name, there is no Christ in my Christmas, instead it consists of relatives, excessive food, occasional snow, trees, stockings. santa, mince pies, holly, presents, time off work/increased wages, apalling music, crowded high streets etc.


Cant Knock the snags in bacon. I got to try those last year. Plus those roast chestnut things. (still cant understand those)

In Australia the traditional fare has changed over the last 30 years as people have gotten sick of roast beef with the trimmings when it 38 C outside.

Instead it has changed to accomodate seasonal stuff, so Stonefruits, cherries that sort of thing with the Roasts making way for Cold meats and a lot more seafood. Prawns particulaly.

In fact this year I am using Nigella Lawsons "Forever Summer" for my Christmas lunch inspiration. (:duh: Nigella)

But other than that I have to agree with you re Crowds, awful music with the caveat that its also stinking hot. But You put up with it for the family thing. Presents dont hurt either.

[Kulindrichnus]

I'm curious. Do any of you think people shouldn't say "Merry Christmas"?

...or is this just some kind of phantom complaint?

Well, the whole festival has been subsumed by secular western society anyway, so the name might as well be too. I particularly like the way it irritates the loony Christian fringe who are obsessed with the 'Santan' thing.

K

[material_miser]

Well, the whole festival has been subsumed by secular western society anyway, so the name might as well be too. I particularly like the way it irritates the loony Christian fringe who are obsessed with the 'Santan' thing.

K
Me, I don't think of it in religious terms. I have a habit of not using any religious terms so as to not be misunderstood by anyone or seen as religiously observing a "holy day", but the holiday to me is just more family and fun time!

MM

[Gilgaron]

It doesn't bother me; nor does people saying "bless you" when someone sneezes.

[Timothy Leary]

I think people who complain about someone saying "Merry Christmas" should get a backbone.

[bandecoot]

Well seasanct its seems that none of us cares what people say to us. Perhaps its not Us that is complaining. There are a lot of cultures in both the US and The UK and Australia. Perhaps all this heat and light is coming from non atheist/agnostic non Christians.

However I will mention that this has not even made the silly season news here. Its a non-issue in Australia.

[Seasanctuary]

Well seasanct its seems that none of us cares what people say to us. Perhaps its not Us that is complaining. There are a lot of cultures in both the US and The UK and Australia. Perhaps all this heat and light is coming from non atheist/agnostic non Christians.

It's those dirty Wiccans!

[lao tzu]

Cool, it's an exclusively heathen gathering.

From what I've seen this has been a pro-actively engaged issue by the theists this season, with threatened boycotts of companies that refuse to replace "holiday" with "christmas".

I will add in the required dissenting opinion. I don't like being told to have a merry christmas. But it's not the "christ" thing, it's because I don't like christmas for personal reasons. Multiple friends have found a way to get themselves killed christmas day in recent years. Happy holidays at least blurs the association.

On other notes, "bless" and it's antonym that shall remain TWeb-less, don't catch me in any kind of religious association unless it's done with reference to a specific deity. But I have found that "God bless you" is too often used offensively by those who know of my non-christian beliefs and use it specifically to attract a negative reaction.

Talk about unclear on the concept. I've seen those biblical references to how god treats his chosen people, and if that's a blessing, no thanks, I'll take what's behind door number three. (Lesser artists borrow where greater artists steal, S^2.)

In the interest of politeness, "merry christmas" generally gets a "merry merry" in response, while "God bless you" directed as a closeted curse toward the known heathen gets an "I'm afraid that's counter to popular opinion" as a closeted double-entendre. Otherwise, it's "marshmallows, that reminds me, gotta stock up on marshmallows."

May you all be touched by his noodly appendage this holiday season. Arr, arr, arr, swabbies.

Jesse

[C. D. Ward]

It doesn't bother me; nor does people saying "bless you" when someone sneezes.
Interesting. I don't mind "Merry Xmas" or "Happy Chanukah", or any other kind of season's greeting, but it does annoy me when others say "bless you" when someone sneezes. However, it has nothing to do with any sort of religious connections, but rather that the practice seems to stem from a superstition (that your soul could be compromised during a sneeze, or something similar). I have the same dislike of the habits of throwing salt over the shoulder after a spill, avoiding black cats, and fearing Friday the 13th...

On those occasions when I feel obligated for propriety's sake, I usually say "Gesundheit!" or, if the sneezer is someone I know well, I use Jerry Seinfeld's suggested response: "You're so good looking!" :teeth:

[Alchemist]

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons greetings ect. don't bother me one bit. Though I do like to say Happy Holidays to the people I know it will annoy :teeth:

Remember kids, just like Jon Stewart says....

"Everytime you say 'happy holidays' an angel gets AIDS"

:lol:

Merry Christmas everyone