Happy holidays to you and yours! During the holiday season, I like to use the phrase, “happy holidays,” instead of, “merry Christmas,” when I do not know the religion or traditions of the person or people that I am greeting. To me, it is the most respectful greeting of them all. Wouldn’t it be more offensive to tell Christians, “happy Hanukkah,” than to simply wish them a happy holiday? Likewise, do you think that the Jewish minority appreciates the countless, “merry Christmas,” greetings?
Realistically, I don’t think any of the above greetings are offensive, they are all meant to convey good wishes. If you said any of them to me, I would thank you and reply with a friendly greeting as well. However, assuming that everyone celebrates the same holiday is insensitive to many individuals in our culturally diverse society.
When I’m talking with someone I know to be Christian, I tell them, “merry Christmas.” On Saturday, I sent text messages to my Jewish friends wishing them a happy first day of Hanukkah. And to my non-religious friends, it’s a combination of, “happy holidays,” “merry solstice,” and “happy Festivus.”
While I am non-religious, I still celebrate Christmas. To me, it is a secular tradition from my childhood. I even enjoy listening and singing along with traditional Christmas songs, many of which include religious verses about Christ. No, I don’t put up a manger or go to church on Christmas Eve, but I do put up a Christmas tree and exchange presents.
So, this holiday season, when someone wishes you well with, “happy holidays,” appreciate their respect for you, your traditions and your holiday.
Last week on the Dinner Party Download, Kinky Friedman closed his interview with “May the God of your choice bless you.” I think I may try “May you have a joyful December holiday of your choice.” A little longer, but I just like the sound of it.
I’m largely sympathetic to this view. The takeaway from this time of year is simply that it’s a time take a little break & to spend with family and friends. Whatever the greeting, it seems best to be general about it, especially in mixed company.
Being told to have a Merry Christmas doesn’t bother me, but I sure cringe whenever people would turn to my kids and ask if they were ready for Santa to arrive. Even now, when people ask what they got for Christmas, I want to die, especially as for us, Hanukkah really isn’t about giving gifts (that tradition only expanded in the 1950s, as a way to keep up with the burgeoning Christmas festivities).
Just because someone wouldn’t look out of place at Christmas Eve services doesn’t mean they automatically celebrate your holidays. Keep the wishes coming, but don’t assume that Santa accompanies those good vibes.
This is an interesting perspective. In this case, it isn’t the religious holiday, Christmas, that is offensive to you. It’s actually the secular mythology of Santa Claus being pushed on your children. I completely see your side on that. Thanks for the insightful comment, Susan.
It depends what you mean by “celebrate Christmas”. As a general winnter solstice celebration inspired by Yule and Saturnalia, I quite enjoy it. But taken literally, the English word means “Christ’s mass”, so celebrating it requires taking communion.
(A detail that seems to escape those, mostly baptist, people who shout “keep the Christ in Christmas!”)
I understand, which is why I included a mini description of what it is I am celebrating. I don’t go to mass, but I do like the secular aspects of the holiday.
Just out of curiosity, what do you celebrate?
While I grew up in a very religious household, I am no longer religious. Though, out of respect to my family, I will attend church services with them whenever I am home. I just thought about it, and I don’t think I wish anyone a Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or anything. Maybe I’m just a grinch, but I think my preferred method of greeting (if I had to choose one) would be: “Happy Bowl Season!”
It’s very presumptuous of you to think that you would, could or even possibly offend someone during the Christmas holiday season. It’s a selfish outward behavior on your part to be honest but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s mean spirited. I get your point but it’s misguided and it’s truly self-serving and not the other way around which you attempt to make us believe. I’m not saying you’re a bad guy and I’m not rebuking you as a human being except in this very specific case when you choose to say those words. I challenge you to not say anything at all besides a welcomed hello. I am probably older than you and have celebrated Christmas all my life and somehow…….don’t ask me how James, but somehow…..after living all over this country and abroad…..I have YET had a single person become offended at a “Merry Christmas” greeting. You will find that more people would appreciate that then what you choose to say. It’s my experience and my advice to you.
Merry Christmas.
Well, you certainly seem pretty offended. I imagine that you are one of those people who shout “MERRY CHRISTMAS” and storm off when someone wishes you a “Happy Holiday.”
Merry Christmas!!!!!!
So once you die James you die but the ones that belive and serve him and Glorifiy him will live for ever who know may be he will come to you before you take your last breath and if you truly have time to repent he will welcome you to
“Wouldn’t it be more offensive to tell Christians, “happy Hanukkah,” than to simply wish them a happy holiday?”
No. No it’s not “offensive” at all. When I do get “Happy Hanukkah” I say thanks, laugh, and say that I wish I got presents for 8 days.
Overly sensitive people need to get over themselves.
The article wasn’t that long, but here let me refresh your memory to the words directly following your out of context quote:
“Realistically, I don’t think any of the above greetings are offensive, they are all meant to convey good wishes. If you said any of them to me, I would thank you and reply with a friendly greeting as well. However, assuming that everyone celebrates the same holiday is insensitive to many individuals in our culturally diverse society.”
If someone wishes you a “Happy Valentine’s Day” and you don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, are you going to accuse the well wisher of being “insensitive” as well? Of course not. What about “Happy St. Patrick’s Day?” I doubt it.
This is all about suppression and creating division for political purposes. Nothing more.
It’s about accepting that not everyone celebrates the same religious holiday’s as you. Somehow, I think you’d be upset if the government or cashiers at stores made reference to the half dozen holy periods that Islam observers each year.
No, if i was in a predominantly Muslim country, I would not be upset. I would actually be happy that they made me feel included and accepted into their culture enough to want to share it with me. Everyone wants to blend in as much as possible when they’re in a foreign country, don’t you agree?
Only self-important elitists feel the need to have everyone else suppress their expressions of their culture so that they do not “offend” the delicate sensibilities of said elitists. (I have better names for these people, but I will suppress the urge to use them.)
Now we have entered the realm of name calling and ad hominem attacks, so I probably shouldn’t even dignify this with a response, but I will answer you one last time:
I am not offended by Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or any other greeting. This has nothing to do with which particular religion has monopolized the majority opinion of the nation I reside. In America, the first amendment protects and allows people to say whatever they want on public property and I would respect whatever holiday they are celebrating.
However, you clearly *are* offended by “Happy Holidays.” Instead of coming out and say it, you argue that no one should be offended by, “Merry Christmas.” Well, we’re not, so stop being offended by our, “Happy Holidays.” But also realize how narrow minded you are to assume that because you are in the majority opinion, your greeting is the only one that *shouldn’t* be taken offensively.
I personally celebrate the tradition of Christmas. I wish almost everyone I know a Merry Christmas. But when I initiate the greeting with someone I do not know, it’s always, “I hope you have a great holiday.”
“Now we have entered the realm of name calling and ad hominem attacks, so I probably shouldn’t even dignify this with a response…”
OK…when did I call you (or anyone else) a name? I refrained from calling elitists certain names–do you consider yourself to be an elitist? I just assumed that you do not.
If you’re not the type to rudely take offense or ignore someone wishing you a “Merry Christmas” that I am not talking about you. But there are people in America who do respond with a rude, Grinch-like “What’s so merry about it?!”–simply because they do not want to be associated with Christianity in any way. Even indirectly.
And no, these whiny elitists are usually not ethnic minorities nor are they immigrants–they’re usually whites born and raised in America.