This is just my opinion as a non-Christian.

Using "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" is better for me because its inclusive of everyone, and its an acknowledgement that everyone isn't a Christian, and that they still be will celebrating a holiday important to their faith at this time of year, and hat you wish them well (I think that was a run-on sentence).

I'm not so offended, but I do get a little irritated that people constantly assume that I'm celebrating Christmas. "Happy holidays" to me is more respectful of everyone's differences and realizing that there are those who are not Christian, so Christmas has no significance to them. For me, its just another day on the calendar, nothing special.

That's what I was thinking. Its just a card.

And I hope that the White House's 2006 card simply reads, "Festivus! For The Rest Of Us!"

:) :)

This time of year does encompass more than 1 holiday.

The 4 "usual" of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Yule and the New Year

This year it also happens Chanukah (not a high holiday....we had October for that this year). Chanukah and Ramadan (in October if I recall correctly) are always moving based on the Lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar.

So I see on problem saying Happy Holidays because, December has a lot more than just Christmas. There are also A LOT of religions out there than just Christians...


/begin rant
hey fundies....get over yourselves :rolleyes:
/end rant

On another note, because I'm black, some people assume that celebrate Kwanzaa, of which I don't. So when someone say "Happy Kwanzaa" i don't get offended or irrated and go off the deep end. I just smile, nod and say I don't celebrate that (or something to that effect) and keep stepping.

No hard feelings and its given not a second thought.

holidays=holy days

what's the big deal?

Just an FYI - neither the White House nor the Government pay for the White House Christmas Cards, although I don't know about the postage. They paid for by whichever party has "their" President in office.


I am curious as how Christmas is different from Yule, though. Is Yule covering the Druid end of things?

Scandinavian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

-Rudey

Thank you! I rarely use wikipedia, so wasn't sure.

The Druidic festival/holiday is the Winter Solstice which falls usually on Dec. 21st or 22nd - if you want to check out something cool Druid/Winter Solstice wise check out Newgrange:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange

During the solstice, and only during the solstice, the length of the tomb is lit up by the rising sun; which illuminates the carvings and engraving in the deepest chamber - not bad for something over 500 years older than the Great Pyramid.

Somewhat relates to this thread - Holiday trees
 

I have noticed also this year (and maybe it has happened in past years, but I didn't really notice it until now) that small city goverments around where I live are using the term "Holiday tree" (in leiu of "Christmas tree"). Even UNT is using that this year.

Is this common? Has it been happening for awhile?

Personally, I am pretty indifferent on the whole "Christmas"/"happy holidays" thing. I'm just curious to see what other people think.

Do other faiths decorate a tree similar to a "Christmas tree" and call it something else (hence the term "holiday tree")? Or are the small governments and universities like UNT just calling it a "holiday tree" for the same reason as the "happy holidays"/"Merry Christmas" arguement? I'm just wondering b/c I don't know a lot about what other religions do at this time of year (i.e. decorate a similar tree, etc)

Re: Somewhat relates to this thread - Holiday trees
 

In my honest opinion, I think retailers are calling anything related to Christmas "holiday" is simply because they think it will sell more merchandise and increase profits, but yet the general public is suckered into thinking its because they want to be "politically correct" (and who doesn't want to be that nowadays). Shoot, the other day I was in a national retail store and they were selling......"Holiday Menorahs"! :eek: And they also sold "Holiday Mangers" (formerly known as nativity scenes).

I mean really.......Call stuff what it is....if its been popularly known as a Christmas tree call it that....if its a Jewish Menorah, then call it that. If the song is called "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" don't change the lyrics, just pick a different song. There are plenty with no references to Christmas/religion (ie Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, etc.).

Sorry for getting on my mini-soap box but I seriously think all this hoopla was started by retailers in hopes of increasing profits, but its backfired on them. Now people are caught up in the Christianity vs the world agruments, while they sit back and just watch (to see what terms will sell next year).

How about they just send this to everyone:
http://jbittner.com/images/happy_everything.jpg

While I have no problem with the noble preoccupation with not offending the delicate sensibilities of all those who are not Christian, it seems to me that the last few years have been more about the deliberate exclusion and expulsion of anything of a Christian nature from the "Happy Holidays". That is in and of itself intolerant.

The only thing I have little tolerance for is the tired "Christians are stupid and intolerant" canard.

How is saying "Happy Holidays" excluding Christians or Christianity? Or are you actually buying into the Bill O'Reilly/John Gibson ratings grab that somehow states there is a war on Christmas or Christianity? So holding a Holiday Party is somehow insulting to Christians because it doesn't single them out for more special treatment?

I'm sorry I just don't get the whole problem with people being aware or considerate of other faiths ~ but then again I come from one of those "evil" secular societies :rolleyes: