Saying to someone "Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays".......Apparently a BIG deal to some people.

[Smartucus99]

Whenever the Holidays roll around, I remember when a friend/co-worker chewed me out & bit my head off (very hard to do both) for saying Happy Holidays to her.
"It's Merry Christmas," she YELLED at me!
I was stunned and my first thought was, wow, that is the WORST response you could ever give someone who just wished you happy holidays. Also, if you celebrate Christmas, you are usually Christian and THAT response was not Christian at all.
I explained to her (how bizarre to have to explain...) that I have Jewish friends and am WAY more comfortable with saying Happy Holidays.
She continued to be snotty and said something to the effect that there aren't any Jewish people here.
I wrote it off that she was just having a bad day, but it was still so unnecessary and somewhat nasty too.

It still bothers me five years later, to a lesser degree. But, if you think about it - Saying Merry Christmas is actually worse than just saying Happy Holidays because HH is more inclusive to all beliefs.

What are your thoughts and preferences here?

 

[unloadonme]

Happy Holidays is more politically correct and arguably more inclusive, but the holiday on 25 December is Christmas like it or not. I'm not a Christian, but I wish people Happy Christmas and would never, ever say Happy Holidays unless I was taking the piss. I wouldn't challenge anyone who said that to me, but I'd mentally make a note that they were a PC wanker.

Don't, by the way, expect Christian responses from Christians. Some of the most obnoxious, hypocritical people I've ever met professed to be Christian.

 

[unloadonme]

I'll add that I've never heard anyone wish a Muslim Happy Holidays at Eid. The accepted greeting is Eid Mubarak. This inclusiveness nonsense only seems to run one way.

 

[USEDCAR]

i hear people say "Happy Hoildays or Merry Christmas" whatever works for you.

 

[EddMarkStarr]

Happy Holidays is more politically correct and arguably more inclusive, but the holiday on 25 December is Christmas like it or not. I'm not a Christian, but I wish people Happy Christmas and would never, ever say Happy Holidays unless I was taking the piss. I wouldn't challenge anyone who said that to me, but I'd mentally make a note that they were a PC wanker.

Don't, by the way, expect Christian responses from Christians. Some of the most obnoxious, hypocritical people I've ever met professed to be Christian.

One of the benefits of school desegregation in the 1960's was having teachers share Jewish traditions and observances. Being aware of different faiths made Christmas more special. Jewish classmates and teachers were some of the merriest people at Christmas parties. Still, I was encouraged to say, "Happy Holidays", as an acknowledgement of non-Christians.

 

[LeicsDom]

Happy Holidays is more politically correct and arguably more inclusive, but the holiday on 25 December is Christmas like it or not.

I think Happy Holidays is much more of an American thing rather than British

 

[MusicMan321]

I would say Merry Christmas to someone

 

[me203]

I find that if I tell everyone: "Go fuck yourself!!!!!!!!!" works nicely, because 100% of people are 100% offended, which means everyone gets equal treatment, regardless of religion or culture.

 

[Rickrock]

I prefer to wish someone Merry Christmas, but if I know that they aren't Christian, I wish them Happy Holidays.

 

[MTLDude]

I wish a end of civil year secular festival that is up to your expectations and beliefs...

 

[unloadonme]

I find that if I tell everyone: "Go fuck yourself!!!!!!!!!" works nicely, because 100% of people are 100% offended, which means everyone gets equal treatment, regardless of religion or culture.

 

[Smartucus99]

Happy Holidays is more politically correct and arguably more inclusive, but the holiday on 25 December is Christmas like it or not. I'm not a Christian, but I wish people Happy Christmas and would never, ever say Happy Holidays unless I was taking the piss. I wouldn't challenge anyone who said that to me, but I'd mentally make a note that they were a PC wanker.

Don't, by the way, expect Christian responses from Christians. Some of the most obnoxious, hypocritical people I've ever met professed to be Christian.

totally agree on people who claim to be Christian being very unChristian and nasty. The one church I attended was just full of mean spirited and bigoted hypocrites.

 

[rareboy]

I would have told her to go fuck herself.

There is more than Christmas Day celebrated around this time of the year and our Christmas Day is really just co-opted from Saturnalia and a lot of other pagan celebrations.

For many people, Christmas is meaningless...and that includes for many 'christians' as well.

It now is really just an orgy of empty consumption and greed that I hated from the time I was likely about 8 years old.

Frankly, I don't wish anyone anything any more, except for the closest family and friends based on their own preferences and beliefs.

I will send everyone a greeting around the winter solstice celebrating the return of the longer sunlight hours.

 

[DantheManFL]

 

[KaraBulut]

"Damnatio ad beastias" is how they used to wish troublesome Christians a happy holiday. Ah, for the good old days.

I'll add that I've never heard anyone wish a Muslim Happy Holidays at Eid. The accepted greeting is Eid Mubarak. This inclusiveness nonsense only seems to run one way.

It's more a tradition for Muslim families to gather to celebrate the New Year together. Happy Holidays covers New Years Day, so it's a safe bet.

Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr (aka Bayram) are holidays where gifts are exchanged, but those are celebrated on the Islamic religious calendar, not the Christian calendar, so the date changes every year. Eid al-Adha is a feast to celebrate Abraham's sacrifice, so it overlaps with Jewish and Christian beliefs.

 

[Thad1527]

Why not say both?

 

[rareboy]

"Damnatio ad beastias" is how they used to wish troublesome Christians a happy holiday. Ah, for the good old days.

It's more a tradition for Muslim families to gather to celebrate the New Year together. Happy Holidays covers New Years Day, so it's a safe bet.

Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr (aka Bayram) are holidays where gifts are exchanged, but those are celebrated on the Islamic religious calendar, not the Christian calendar, so the date changes every year. Eid al-Adha is a feast to celebrate Abraham's sacrifice, so it overlaps with Jewish and Christian beliefs.

I understand that in 2030 Eid and Christmas will fall on the same day.

That should be fun.

 

[EJMichaels]

I'm not Christian but don't mind if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. They have wished me well for the holiday season and that's fine. As a Jew, I feel erased when someone objects to "Happy Holidays" and insists on "Merry Christmas". That works best if you know the audience is Christian. (Also, many people don't understand that Chanukkah is not a Jewish Christmas equivalent in religious significance and gift-giving tradition.) I try to adjust my greetings to avoid conflict, but it doesn't always work. Best thing is to wait for a day or two after Christmas when I can wish everyone a Happy New Year.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Citing the film’s problematic portrayal of humanity as inherently good and capable of redemption, TV network Turner Classic Movies announced Monday that it would no longer be airing Miracle On 34th Street due to the 1947 Christmas film’s outdated depictions of hope and joy. “While this movie’s celebration of peace on earth and goodwill toward men might have resonated with Americans in the immediate postwar years, its antiquated themes of holiday cheer and the power of belief were wrong then and they are wrong now,” said Charles Tabesh, TCM’s head of programming, stating that the film did not belong on television and should never be screened without an introduction from a scholar that provided viewers with the full historical context of its misplaced optimism.

“We understand that many Americans consider Miracle On 34th Street to be a classic, but it sets unattainable standards for the holiday spirit that have no place in our annual Christmas movie marathon.” Tabesh went on to add that the network would still be airing seasonal favorite It’s A Wonderful Life, having opted for a restored and revised cut of the film that ends right when George Bailey attempts suicide.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I'm not Christian but don't mind if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. They have wished me well for the holiday season and that's fine. As a Jew, I feel erased when someone objects to "Happy Holidays" and insists on "Merry Christmas". That works best if you know the audience is Christian. (Also, many people don't understand that Chanukkah is not a Jewish Christmas equivalent in religious significance and gift-giving tradition.) I try to adjust my greetings to avoid conflict, but it doesn't always work. Best thing is to wait for a day or two after Christmas when I can wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Friend, I hope you will be amused to learn that I replied to every texted "Merry Christmas" yesterday with "Mazel tov!", and did the same in person at work as everyone made the rounds to wish one another a Merry Christmas.

Making Alabama more culturally aware . . . or else.