Con: 'Happy Holidays' includes more people, their observances
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Supporters of the expression "Happy Holidays" point out that the holiday season from November to January isn't exclusive to Christmas.
In addition to Christmas, the Jewish faith observes Hanukkah, African-American families may observe Kwanzaa, Muslims may observe Muharram, and some international cultures observe variations of Winter Solstice festivals. Still others may celebrate none at all.
"I think people need to be careful when they say 'Merry Christmas' because you're assuming that the other person is Christian or celebrates Christmas," said Jennifer Nichols, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations' southwest district director for lifespan faith development in Fort Worth. "But that's not always true."
Nichols also points out that many of the traditions of Christmas - such as the Yule log, Christmas tree, mistletoe, holly wreaths and even the celebration date of Christmas - are linked to pre-Christian pagan traditions and are not directly tied with Christianity.
Nichols said she prefers "Happy Holidays" because everyone's faith - and even non-believers - are represented in a universal greeting.
"I'm not offended by 'Merry Christmas,' but when someone greets me that way, I'll usually just respond, "Happy Holidays."
As a follower of the Unitarian Universalist faith - which agrees and supports a comprehensive religious formation extracted from all world religions - Nichols said she believes Christmas shouldn't dominate the holiday season, or be seen as the most important over other holidays.
Kirsten Bokenkamp, Houston-based communications coordinator for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said the ACLU supports the use of both "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas" equally, as long as the government does not force one expression over the other.
"The ACLU of Texas believes that every individual should be able to say whatever holiday greeting is appropriate according to their beliefs. . Our concern is that the government does not force anybody to say a greeting that they are uncomfortable with, or restrict somebody from saying 'Merry Christmas' if that is that person's greeting of choice," Bokenkamp said.
Bokenkamp points out that the ACLU supports First Amendment rights for any and all to express their religious beliefs.
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Comments
Merry Christmas, Ya'll!
December 12, 2011 at 10:23 p.m.Kyle,
No sarcasm intended here... Your posts on this have been some of the better ones.
Thanks for the laughs.
December 12, 2011 at 4:57 p.m.Merry Xmas, itisi!
December 12, 2011 at 4:27 p.m.Hey Kyle, Merry Christmas, if that doesn't work for you sue me...
December 12, 2011 at 4:21 p.m.We celebrate the miracle of His birth/being, not the day.
December 12, 2011 at 3:58 p.m.Disciples of Jesus to a crowd:"Hey guys, look it's Jesus' birthday today! Let's all celebrate!"
December 12, 2011 at 3:50 p.m.Man in crowd: "That's great! Hey, did you know it's also Dave's birthday too?"
Disciples of Jesus: "That's great, but really we're just celebrating Jesus only."
Other man in crowd: "I didn't know it was Dave's birthday! It's also Laura's birthday too!"
Disciples of Jesus: "People, people, people - look, that's great and all but nobody is celebrating anything unless it's the big J's birthday, OK?"
Man in crowd: "But that's not what Jesus would want! Besides Dave is 20 years older than Jesus!"
Other man in crowd:" Wow, I've just found out it's Brian's, Greg's, Rhonda's, Barry's and Geoff's birthday's! Ooh and Gary's birthday is tomorrow! Let's combine them into one big celebration!"
Disciples of Jesus: "Uh...nope- that's definitely not happening. OK, now line up - gifts for the King of Kings on the left, bottles of communion wine on the right..."
Crowd: *sulks for near 2000 years until rise of enlightenment and freedom of speech under western civilizations*
Yeah Hicktoria, no one really knows. But for at least the last few years a lot of folks chose the 25th to celebrate Christs birth.
Hey Jesus, I'm here for you buddy!!!
December 12, 2011 at 3:20 p.m.No one knows when Jesus was born. Nor does the bible say to celebrate his birthday rather his death...
December 12, 2011 at 2:57 p.m.I'm celebrating the birth of Christ, so I WILL say Merry Christmas. If someone has a problem with that, it's their problem, not mine.
December 12, 2011 at 1:51 p.m.Besides, it's still on the calander and it is why the Holiday came to be in the first place.
Really. Does the ACLU REALLY think the government is going to force the citizens to say either Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas or Happy Kwanzaa or your holiday of choice? REALLY? That is the most inane statement I have heard in quite a while.
Is this kind of thing what the people of this great nation (and I am trying to say that seriously) really need to spend their time and energy debating? There are so many more serious problems facing us, both as a state and as a nation. As a state - we need to really focus on the education of our children. Does anyone even CARE that Texas consistently falls toward the bottom of the list of states in the quality of our public education? That, in VISD at least, if you count the testing and "practice" testing days each school year, there are approximately 55-60 non-educational days for the kids? Two months DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR where they are either not in school or are not learning anything.
We are in the 21st century! We made such vast scientific leaps during the 20th century, but then we just tapered off...now it seems that all the US is good at is arguing among ourselves, shooting each other, using drugs, allowing any and all people to cross into our sovereign nation with impunity, apologizing ad nauseum for any and all wrongs done to any and all peoples for the past millenium, and asking the government to take care of those people who simply have no desire to get up off their collective lazy rears to take care of themselves. From the local level to the federal level, we the people have enabled this in our government. When are we actually going to stand up and take back governing ourselves; not a military coup, but using the democratic methods espoused by the founding fathers.
Start locally and change up the school board, change up the city council - put on members who actually want to accomplish something for this city - bring Victoria into the 21st century and make it progressive. Morph to the state level and vote in people who can make education and state safety a priority, not kowtowing to special interests, and finally move into the federal level and take back our government.
I know this got WAY off topic from Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas. It's just that the triviality of the subject really hit a sore spot with me. If my comment gets removed, so be it. If it offends some, or sounds ignorant to some, again, so be it. I say Merry Christmas. If someone responds Happy Holidays, that's okay. We can both be happy and go on our "Merry" and "Happy" way!
If I may be so bold, then --- may each of you have a joyous holiday season, no matter what you call it, and a properous New Year!
December 12, 2011 at 12:01 p.m.