Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas
December 7, 2007 on 11:57 am | In holiday |Oh, the hostility. It’s been going on for what, 2 years now? At least that’s when I really noticed it. Wal-Mart says Merry Christmas, Target doesn’t, etc. I know the arguments.
Happy Holidays: “We should be sensitive to those who don’t celebrate Christmas. We don’t want to offend or alienate those who have different religious beliefs.”
Merry Christmas: “It’s Christ’s birthday that we’re celebrating. He’s the reason for the season. We aren’t compromising for other people. If they don’t like it, they can leave.”
I’m not partial either way, though I do lean toward happy holidays. I can see the point of both sides. But here’s something I thought of: which argument is kinder? As Christians, yes, we celebrate Christ’s birth. That’s what this season means to us. But why get hostile over it? Saying happy holidays or merry x-mas won’t take away what we have. It just means something different to other people. Why do we have to be so dogmatic about it?
I hate the hostility that this debate brings. I hate having to find cards that say “merry Christmas” for those friends/family members who are caught up in the whole argument. I just want to enjoy the season, and focus on what it means to me. Christ’s birth, a time of giving, a time to spend with your family or the people you love.
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I mostly agree with you. I only get huffy whey people tell their employees that they CANNOT say Merry Christmas because it offends people. (Number one, why does it seem freedom of speech only works on behalf of those who are against Christ?)
We have a devo speaker here and he said that without the birth of Christ, there would be no holiday…that’s true. Also, the United States was ORIGINALLY founded to find religious freedom. So why should we be banned from saying Merry Christmas?
Hmmm…I agree though, that people who get angry about the disparity are missing the point. You can still say Happy Holiday and explain that the holiday is about Christ. We’re not going to be good witnesses when we go around like Peter Rabbit “bopping” people on the head
Comment by Replacement Receptionist — December 7, 2007 #
Also, the United States was ORIGINALLY founded to find religious freedom. So why should we be banned from saying Merry Christmas?
Exactly. But it can be turned the other way around as well. People of different religions may feel that when we say “Merry Christmas,” we are leaving their holiday out (even the “chosen people,” of whom it is hip with evangelicals to revere, have Chanukkah). The way I think of it, “Happy Holidays” is just all-inclusive. Sort of like, “whatever you celebrate, I wish you well.”
It’s not like we’re giving in to the secular world and denying God and Christ by not saying Christmas, which is how some people feel.
I liked your comparison to bopping people on the head.
Comment by Wendy W — December 7, 2007 #
[…] “As Christians, yes, we celebrate Christ’s birth. That’s what this season means to us. But why get hostile over it? Saying happy holidays or merry x-mas won’t take away what we have. It just means something different to other people. Why do we have to be so dogmatic about it?” […]
Pingback by Christ and Pop Culture | Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas — December 7, 2007 #
When I worked at the Olive Garden, we weren’t “supposed” to say “Merry Christmas,” but most of us did it without thinking about it. The best (worst) part were the old ladies who would growl the phrase at me, trying to make a point. I liked making them feel stupid by responding “Yeah
Merry Christmas!”
Old lady dumbfounded face is the best.
Comment by Adena — December 7, 2007 #
Heheh. That’s awesome. I love grumpy old ladies.
Comment by Wendy W — December 7, 2007 #
My parents and grandparents are even more conservative than that. Not only do they NOT say Happy X-Mas (for the reasons you mentioned) but they refuse to say ‘Merry Christmas’ either (Happy Holidays is not common in Oz). Reason being that Merry = drunk people, and they are strict tee-totalers. Not sure what my stance on it is since I do drink occasionally. But I still only say ‘Happy Christmas’.
Comment by Sarah — December 9, 2007 #
Wow. That is seriously conservative. So if you told them “merry holidays” would they disown you?
Comment by Wendy W — December 9, 2007 #
possibly
Comment by Sarah — December 10, 2007 #
The whole argument over the phrase “Merry Christmas” is just another example of how much the world hates the gospel. When we stand for saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, we are standing for the gospel. The world will hate us for this. One thing to think about, is being a people pleaser worth the compromise? Stand up for what you believe in. I say this not in a condemning way, but as an encouragement to stand firm. 2 Thess. 2:15 “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught”. Our aim as Christians is not to be accommodating by not offending people. We are to proclaim the gospel, not shrink back from it.
Comment by Julia — December 13, 2007 #
Hi Julia,
Though in some cases people may avoid saying Merry Christmas because they hate or are offended the gospel, I truly do not think this is the case with the majority. With retailers, it makes sense to say “happy holidays” because they want to be all-inclusive; alienating anyone by not acknowledging their holiday does not benefit their sales.
I do not feel that saying Happy Holidays is necessarily “people pleasing.” I don’t feel that by saying it I am not standing up for the gospel. True, I do not share the beliefs of most people that celebrate different holidays. But how does insisting on saying Merry Christmas prove anything?
Yes, I still say Merry Christmas to others. But I do not feel that not saying it is a compromise or shrinking back from the gospel. If you are convicted to do so, that is your conscience and I understand.
Comment by Wendy W — December 17, 2007 #
As an agnostic living in a large American city, I have learned to see the world through the eyes of people who belong to “other faiths” and have noticed that Christmas can be rather oppressive and those who celebrate it are becoming increasingly rude, intolerant and greedy during this time of year.
One good reason people in the service industry should not say “Merry Christmas” to everyone is because some people, many people, do not celebrate Christmas. It didn’t even start as a Christian holiday, but as a time of year to celebrate the winter solstice, that time of year when the daylight begin to get longer.
Imagine for a moment what it is like to live in America as a person of another faith and not be able to escape the constant barrage of decorations, lights, music and hordes of shoppers acting anything but Christian.
I’m not asking ya’ll to tone it down a bit… make it as flashy and gaudy and bright and silly as you want Christmas to be. The rest of us know it will only last a couple months of the year, so the majority of us don’t complain…
But please don’t add insult to injury by wishing us to have a merry YOUR holiday just because I happen to be out shopping or at a restaurant in the month of December. Why not just make it something general and non-religious. I’m cool with “enjoy the holidays.” I don’t think it’s an issue of corporate America not wanting to alienate any particular group… I think it’s an issue of respect for other people and their beliefs.
Comment by Stacy — December 24, 2007 #