Media influence on Christmas season

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pure_angel

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My roommates say Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. I am the only one that says Merry Christmas. It gets a little annoying just hearing those words.

Just wondering…

When did the US start saying Happy Holidays? Is it because there are many holidays that people celebrate in December?

Why do more people say Happy Holidays than Merry Christmas?

How should I respond to someone who says Happy Holidays? Should I just say Merry Christmas to them?

I feel like just saying Merry Christmas to them rather than Happy Holidays because it’s the reason for the season.

Thank you.
 
The theory is probably that because in an increasingly diverse society, the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas calls for a more generic greeting. The irony of course is that in the name of “diversity,” everyone ELSE’S traditions receive acknowledgement, but those of the majority - Christians of whatever stripe - are formally or informally suppressed or framed as somehow inappropriate. And then there are individuals who make it their business to be professionally offended, and the media tends to act as an echo chamber for such complaints. The word “Christmas” seems to have disappeared from a majority of retail advertisements, and I know of private businesses that have urged their employees not to use the dreaded “C word” in the workplace, lest other employees be “offended.” Hard to know what, if anything, could ever stem the tide of Political Correctness.
 
VeritasLuxMea said:
What if you know that they’re Jewish?
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Well, then…I guess that’s why I am asking Catholic Answer forums. If I DID have a roommate who was Jewish we probably would have talked about it and I would not be asking these questions.
 
A few years ago when I worked in retail, we were told to only say “Happy Holidays”. I often figured out what holiday they were shopping for and I would get some surprised faces when I’d asked if they were getting an 8th Day present and wish them a happy Hanukkah instead. 😃

Honestly I’d rather say Happy Holidays then get yelled at by someone for saying the wrong thing. Even then I have gotten yelled at for that… but those people were often grumpy atheists.
 
I believe the “happy holidays” push started in the early 90s. I quit saying it when a Jewish customer asked me why I was saying “happy holidays” when it was two days before Christmas. I’ve noticed that nobody ever says “happy holidays” on Labor Day, or July 4th, or Memorial Day, or Presidents Day, or MLK Day. If everyone starts saying it on those days, I’ll consider going back to it for Christmas.
 
In all of the news articles that I have read about “Christmas Tree Wars”,---- Christmas displays on public property----and debates on whether to say “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas”, the only people that seem to be offended by holiday decorations are militant atheists. Even Jews that have been involved in some of these disputes who just wanted a menorah be included in the decorations never intended for Christmas decorations to be removed and were devastated at the response taken. I have also read that most Jews are not offended when someone wishes them a Merry Christmas. Here is a good article worth reading:
Is it OK to wish Jews a Merry Chritmas?
 
Holiday is just short for ‘Holy day’. I say ‘happy holidays’ because I live in a very religiously diverse area and although no one in real life actually gets offended by ‘Merry Christmas’, I just think it’s nice to wish people a special celebration regardless of what day they think is holy.

I’m never offended when people say ‘Merry Christmas’ to me though, and I don’t know anyone who would be.
 
In general, the media will never acknowledge God or Christianity in a positive light, but they will talk positively about the muslims! LOL Talk about a double standard!!

I always thought people who used ‘XMAS’ was voicing their opinion and Xing out Christ, but I learned today I was completely wrong the X is actually represents something of religious significance, they explained it in detail, but cant remember all the details, but I was surprised to learn about this, and I will definitely be looking at anyone who uses XMAS in a more positive light now, as it truly means they are paying more tribute to God than simply using Christmas.
 
mikekle said:
In general, the media will never acknowledge God or Christianity in a positive light, but they will talk positively about the muslims! LOL Talk about a double standard!!

I always thought people who used ‘XMAS’ was voicing their opinion and Xing out Christ, but I learned today I was completely wrong the X is actually represents something of religious significance, they explained it in detail, but cant remember all the details, but I was surprised to learn about this, and I will definitely be looking at anyone who uses XMAS in a more positive light now, as it truly means they are paying more tribute to God than simply using Christmas.
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“X” represent a Cross being carried on it’s side, a sign of the coming Crucifixion. “X” is a religious symbol representing Christ because it’s a symbol of The Cross being carried by Christ through Jerusalem. So it’s somewhat ironic they choose to use that instead of "Christ"mas.

I guess it’s a reminder that our sins at this time of year are the reason we need Easter!
 
pure_angel said:
My roommates say Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. I am the only one that says Merry Christmas. It gets a little annoying just hearing those words.

Just wondering…

When did the US start saying Happy Holidays? Is it because there are many holidays that people celebrate in December?

Why do more people say Happy Holidays than Merry Christmas?

How should I respond to someone who says Happy Holidays? Should I just say Merry Christmas to them?

I feel like just saying Merry Christmas to them rather than Happy Holidays because it’s the reason for the season.

Thank you.
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Well ask them if they’re offended by Merry Christmas. If they’re offended, ask why they’re not offended by Happy Holidays (HOLY days)? Tell them you celebrate Christmas and that you’re offended if they don’t mention it by name when they speak to you.

Around here, in South Africa, one upmarket department store chain displays:

“Merry Christmas to our Christian customers”. They also display Happy Diwali to our Hindu Customers, or Happy Eid to our Muslim customers, whenever the time comes.

Sadly much of this PC nonsense is coming from the United States where your liberals think we’re Third World savages. They think Muslims and Blacks who celebrate tribal religions will be offended. I’ve never met a person who was offended by this and I meet these people regularly. I guess white Western imperialism can’t go away so easily.

Also I’m not sure why HAPPY NEW YEAR is not considered offensive. It should be offensive to the Russians, Chinese (and other East Asians) and Muslims, who count their year transitions and years differently.
 
Tenofovir said:
W…

Also I’m not sure why HAPPY NEW YEAR is not considered offensive. It should be offensive to the Russians, Chinese (and other East Asians) and Muslims, who count their year transitions and years differently.
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I have pointed out a simalar thing to those who insist on “winter solstice” as being pc. It is the Summer soltice for half the physical world/

I really don’t mind “Happy Holidays” during those weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas but it bugs me when I can get a “Happy Eid” or “Happy Hannukah” from the local news but on Christmas Day we still get 'Happy Holiday" I was glad that this year I saw Merry Christmas on the news.
The greeting though is old. I am thinking of that “HaPPY Holidays” song.

We are all too easily offended
 
In general usage the Chinese do not find saying “Happy New Year” on January 1st offensive.

Many have simply adopted it as a celebration(of the western new year) in addition to the Lunar new year(like many non-Chinese who happen to celebrate both).

It might be offensive for a westerner to say it in Chinese(given that it’s a greeting reserved for the Lunar new year), but not in English.

I’ve heard it can be considered offensive(either racist or ignorant) to call the Lunar new year by the name “Chinese New Year”, due to the fact that it’s not only for the Chinese.
 
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