War on Christmas: Is the festival under attack?

[LemonAndLime]

“In recent years, there has been an effort by some to ban any reference to Christmas by the federal government or our elected officials,” Arkansas Democratic Congressman Mike Ross wrote to supporters on Monday. “While I certainly respect the US Constitution… it does not expressly ban any mention of religion or reference to God, Christianity or Christmas by practising Christians.”

In wading into the debate, Congress joins a coalition of conservatives who say they are fighting to save Christmas from, say, shopkeepers who would offer discounts for the “holiday season” rather than for Christmas alone. In Anchorage, Alaska, a group was planning to converge on city hall to hold a carol-singing protest in defence of Christmas customs they believe to be under threat, such as the habit of wishing someone “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”.

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But if anyone is fighting against Christmas, they seem to be losing the battle. Indeed, polls indicate the vast majority of Americans celebrate the holiday, with most incorporating religious elements into the observance. “We’re inundated with Christmas,” says Max Brantley, a journalist and political analyst in Arkansas who has followed Mr Ross’s career. “Christmas is not in danger, and the notion that the US congress needs to waste time with a resolution that asserts it’s in danger is just silly.”

bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16273917

 

[centurionguard]

“In recent years, there has been an effort by some to ban any reference to Christmas by the federal government or our elected officials,” Arkansas Democratic Congressman Mike Ross wrote to supporters on Monday. “While I certainly respect the US Constitution… it does not expressly ban any mention of religion or reference to God, Christianity or Christmas by practising Christians.”

In wading into the debate, Congress joins a coalition of conservatives who say they are fighting to save Christmas from, say, shopkeepers who would offer discounts for the “holiday season” rather than for Christmas alone. In Anchorage, Alaska, a group was planning to converge on city hall to hold a carol-singing protest in defence of Christmas customs they believe to be under threat, such as the habit of wishing someone “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”.

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But if anyone is fighting against Christmas, they seem to be losing the battle. Indeed, polls indicate the vast majority of Americans celebrate the holiday, with most incorporating religious elements into the observance. “We’re inundated with Christmas,” says Max Brantley, a journalist and political analyst in Arkansas who has followed Mr Ross’s career. “Christmas is not in danger, and the notion that the US congress needs to waste time with a resolution that asserts it’s in danger is just silly.”

bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16273917

I have an American family cousin who recently emailed about the story you speak about
afa.net/Detail.aspx?id=2147515098

Yesterday morning I was helping my youngest brother and his wife with groceries at a strip-mall. While finishing paying the cashier we wished her a Merry Christmas. She told us under her breath she couldn’t use the greeting Merry Christmas in return with the customers on authority of her boss manager. She’d be fired on the spot if her manager caught her. It was apparent she was disturbed about it in a sad way.

I felt for her.

 

[nickybr38]

Hehehehe.

Yesterday I was wishing everyone Merry Christmas at my till! And my packer was wishing everyone Happy Holidays!

I live in a small town. I have heard people complain about Christmas but we’ve never been told we HAVE to say Happy Holidays.

On this issue, though, I can only speak from experience and in my experience I would say that there are those who don’t participate and those who do but the ones who don’t just ask that we not wish them a Merry Christmas and the ones that do are generally pretty respectful about just smiling and saying: Have a Nice Day! in response.

Outright attack? I’m sure there are those who do. There are people who can’t stand it when other people don’t agree with them… that’s just life. I don’t believe it’s anything systematic or organized though… maybe I’m just naive?

 

[meltzerboy]

Hehehehe.

Yesterday I was wishing everyone Merry Christmas at my till! And my packer was wishing everyone Happy Holidays!

I live in a small town. I have heard people complain about Christmas but we’ve never been told we HAVE to say Happy Holidays.

On this issue, though, I can only speak from experience and in my experience I would say that there are those who don’t participate and those who do but the ones who don’t just ask that we not wish them a Merry Christmas and the ones that do are generally pretty respectful about just smiling and saying: Have a Nice Day! in response.

Outright attack? I’m sure there are those who do. There are people who can’t stand it when other people don’t agree with them… that’s just life. I don’t believe it’s anything systematic or organized though… maybe I’m just naive?

There’s a difference between living in a small town, where there may be mostly Christians, and a large city, such as New York, where there is so much diversity of cultures. So in the public sector in NYC, many people just say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, in case the other person does not celebrate Christmas. However, I somewhat disagree with this. That is, if one prefers to say Merry Christmas, why not? I do, especially if I’m fairly sure the other person is Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant, and particularly if they say Merry Christmas to me first. I wish my classes Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, AND Happy Holidays, even though I know I have some Muslim and Hindu students, as well as mainly Catholic and a sprinkling of Jewish students, along with perhaps a few atheists. What’s the big deal? It’s a Season’s Greeting wish (another, long-time change in the card industry). We have much more important matters involving Church and State about which to be concerned.

 

[nickybr38]

There’s a difference between living in a small town, where there may be mostly Christians, and a large city, such as New York, where there is such diversity of cultures. So in the public sector in NYC, many people just say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, in case the other person does not celebrate Christmas. However, I somewhat disagree with this. That is, if one prefers to say Merry Christmas, why not? I do, especially if I’m fairly sure the other person is Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant, and particularly if they say Merry Christmas to me first. I wish my classes Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, AND Happy Holidays, even though I know I have some Muslim and Hindu students, as well as mainly Catholic and a sprinkling of Jewish students, along with perhaps a few atheists. What’s the big deal? It’s a Season’s Greeting wish (another, long-time change in the card industry). We have much more important matters involving Church and State about which to be concerned.

Oh yeah. I’m aware of this. We have several JW’s who come into my workplace but I KNOW who they are so I know not to greet them in this way (and I DO refrain from saying Merry Christmas because I know they find it offensive).

In a city you wouldn’t have that privilege or familiarity.