How do you greet people this time of year?

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This is copied from what I just posted in a different thread. I am glad to see people are talking about this.

As I get older, I find I am not afraid to broadcast my faith and if someone says to me, “Happy Holidays”, I return with “Merry Christmas”, because that is what we are celebrating. I really don’t care if someone thinks I am not PC and I don’t really care what the secular community thinks as they are not really celebrating anything during this season, they just think they are. And thats OK, maybe somewhere along the line, they will get a hint of the true meaning and reflect on it. I think Christians as a whole should be proud of their holidays and flaunt them for what they are…celebrations of our faith in Jesus Christ. If the secular community doesn’t like it, they don’t have to join the party…"Those who have ears…"

God Bless
 
WanderAimlessly:

“Bah!! Humbug!!” ?? I LOVE IT!!
  • good-humored grin * 👍
cheddarsox:

Well, I’ve heard some people write “MARY CHRISTMAS” to better get the spiritual point across. I’ve also heard that the phrase “Merry Old England” came about because in former days, England was once a strong Catholic country firmly devoted to Mary, so “merry” actually grew out of “Mary”.

In fact, there’s a web page at History.net with an article called “Robin Hood’s Merry England” where it is claimed that Robin Hood himself “was thought to have prayed at the medieval church of St. Mary” in Nottingham.

Robin Hood’s Merry England – History.net

~~ the phoenix
 
For some reason I’ve yet to figure out, my siblings tend to use, “Happy ho-ho.” I don’t myself.
 
Other.

If it is someone whom I know celebrates Christmas, I say “Merry Christmas.!”

Otherwise I say have a wonderful day!

When I worked in retail as a young adult, I made the mistake a few times of saying “Merry Christmas” and getting chewed out for it. I often got angry earfulls of how the person doesn’t celebrate Christmas or birthdays, etc. Somehow customers sometimes think it is fun to treat the people behind the counter as less than human. I learned quickly to edit my holiday greetings! When I was about twenty a little girl was going through my line two days before Christmas, She was grinning ear to ear, and she said “Hi !” and I asked her if she was excited about Christmas. They were wearing crosses (a tell tale sign, right? WRONG!) The mom became angry and said. “We dont’ *get *excited at Christmas time because it is not our day it is the Birthday of Jesus. We don’t give giffts or sing Christmas carols or celebrate!” The little girl looked very sad and I felt quite cut down to size. One customer even demanded to speak to a manager. In front of me she demanded that he talk to his “under educated” employees about not assuming everyone celebrates Christmas. After she left the very kind Manager apologized to me, gave me a free 15 minute coffee break on the clock and told me to just hang in there and think of another greeting.

I say something very neutral to strangers, unless I have a good feeling that they celebrate Christmas. Once bitten, twice shy.

Actually, I received that type of bite at least half a dozen times before I wised up and decided that I didnt’ want to offend anyone. I did it as a form of professionalism while working and it is still present.

Almost everyone I know celebrates Christmas and I no longer work so I dont’ usually need to tread softly, but when working 9 years ago, I had to.
 
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Lapsed:
For some reason I’ve yet to figure out, my siblings tend to use, “Happy ho-ho.” I don’t myself.
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almost annoying as
“Happy Turkey Day” or “Happy Gobble”
 
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CatholicSam:
No, I didn’t see it, but now I’m all curious. What did they say about Wal Mart?
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I didn’t see any of this Wal Mart stuff, but the two stores I worked at where my “Merry Christmas” greeting was such a problem happened to be a Wal Mart and a jewelery store located in a shopping center next to Wal Mart.

It was a real eye opener at how offended people could get about the greeting “Merry Christmas” Perhaps enough people complained to Wal Mart managers like the lady I mentioned.
 
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Katie1723:
you reading the dictionary…or just that “learned”? 🤓

~ Kathy ~ 👋
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“learned”. 🤓 But also “urbane” works well here.
 
I’ve been known to wish people a Sacred Solstice. It is good to remember that Jesus isn’t the only reason for the season and that there are many religions in my culture.

Jesus if the reason many are celebrating, but others are celebrating their holidays as well.

cheddar
 
Where is the choice for “Howdy”?

I’ll use “Merry Christmas” very close to Christmas, and then only when I’m failry confident they are at least nominally Christian. Happy New Year gets a bit more use.

However, I do start playing (and singing) Christmas music 24/7 almost immediately after Thanksgiving.
 
Call me a rebel, but I say Merry Christmas even more now that it has become politically incorrect. If someone is offended because I am wishing them happiness on a day that I celebrate, then that’s their problem. For my Jewish friends, I wish them Happy Hannukkah on the appropriate days.
 
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