Taking Christ out of Christmas

[Indy Gal]

No, I never have. But I have witnessed the opposite side. Just a few days ago, I witnessed a lady tell a salesclerk who wished her "Happy Holidays" that she was a Christian that celebrated Christmas and if she could not say Merry Christmas to her then she should just keep her mouth shut. I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing.

IMO that is just wrong. These people have been told what to say and not say. Poor sales lady!

IM I am still in my jammies too and yes its 1050 am here too...LOL

 

[southcitymom]

No, I never have. But I have witnessed the opposite side. Just a few days ago, I witnessed a lady tell a salesclerk who wished her "Happy Holidays" that she was a Christian that celebrated Christmas and if she could not say Merry Christmas to her then she should just keep her mouth shut. I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Gah - there's the Christ-like spirit coming through!

Honestly, I've never witnessed that either in public, though I've heard some private grumblings!

 

[southcitymom]

Hi SCM! So far, so good!
Love, IrishMist <--- who is still in her jammies at 10:45 am! :woohoo: :woohoo:

Excellent! I've missed you - you've been working while I've been being a slacker. To check out how dirty we've all been getting in your absence, head to the Parking Lot!

 

[csds703]

I have never been offended when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. I just respond in kind.
I am jewish and have raised my daughter in the jewish faith. My ex husband is also jewish. We are both remarried and have both married Catholics. My current husband does celebrate Christmas at our house with his girls and we also celebrate Chanukah.
My ex husband does not celebrate Chanukah anymore.
My daughter gets offended when her dad wishes her a Merry Christmas, and never even acknowledges Chanukah.

 

[JanetElaine]

The only thing for me that comes closes to encountering someone who was 'offended' by me wishing them Merry Christmas, is my Hindu friend whom I mentioned earlier. Although she wasn't offended by me wishing her Merry Christmas. But at some point in our teens she said she was going to get more serious about her Hindu faith and that she wasn't going to celebrate other religion's holidays anymore. It was somewhere before Christmas. That year she started sending out the Happy New Year cards and I didn't wish her a MC (sorry, getting too long LOL) that year. But that was natural, between friends, nobody was offended or felt awkward about it.

I have yet to meet the first person going into a rage (or even frowning ) about me saying Merry Christmas, or to be fair, the first person who gets mad when I say Happy Holidays. If and when I do I'll be back here. LOL

 

[IrishMist]

I have never been offended when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. I just respond in kind.
I am jewish and have raised my daughter in the jewish faith. My ex husband is also jewish. We are both remarried and have both married Catholics. My current husband does celebrate Christmas at our house with his girls and we also celebrate Chanukah.
My ex husband does not celebrate Chanukah anymore.
My daughter gets offended when her dad wishes her a Merry Christmas, and never even acknowledges Chanukah.

I'm thinking that speaks more to his basic lack of respect for his daughter more than the actual words used?

 

[IrishMist]

Excellent! I've missed you - you've been working while I've been being a slacker. To check out how dirty we've all been getting in your absence, head to the Parking Lot!

I see how you guys are... wait till I'm not around to have all the fun!

I'll go check it out

And Indy Gal, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one being a bit on the lazy side this morning... Though I'm going with the description of "cozy and relaxed." LOL!

 

[Paladin]

Wow, looks like I missed alot. Thanks for the Christmas wishses, Nova.

 

[csds703]

I'm thinking that speaks more to his basic lack of respect for his daughter more than the actual words used?

That is exactly what I told her, but I said he doesn't respect himself.
She was invited to his house last year during Passover. His wife served shrimp scampi, even though my daughter tries to keep kosher for Passover. I don't know how she got sooo religious LOL.
His wife then asked my daughter to say grace. When she told her that didn't make her comfortable, and that she would just prefer to observe, his wife became very angry and she came home very upset.

I have taught my daughter to be respectful of other people's beliefs and customs. We have always included both sets of kids in all our holiday traditions, and all our girls have enjoyed learning about each other's beliefs.

 

[IrishMist]

That is exactly what I told her, but I said he doesn't respect himself.
She was invited to his house last year during Passover. His wife served shrimp scampi, even though my daughter tries to keep kosher for Passover. I don't know how she got sooo religious LOL.
His wife then asked my daughter to say grace. When she told her that didn't make her comfortable, and that she would just prefer to observe, his wife became very angry and she came home very upset.

I have taught my daughter to be respectful of other people's beliefs and customs. We have always included both sets of kids in all our holiday traditions, and all our girls have enjoyed learning about each other's beliefs.

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a life lesson. How to respect and be true to yourself in the face of peer pressure. It never fails to amaze me that some parents will put their kids (or step-kids) in such positions.

 

[csds703]

Sounds like the perfect opportunity for a life lesson. How to respect and be true to yourself in the face of peer pressure. It never fails to amaze me that some parents will put their kids (or step-kids) in such positions.

OT but welcome back. I've missed you. Hope everything is ok with you.

Back to Christmas, I have always felt that this time of the year should be about tolerance and acceptance and sharing/learning about different cultures.
My brother teaches in a city school, and he invites parents in to help teach about the different holidays that the different children celebrate at this time of the year.
Each parent brings a book explaining the holiday that is read to the class, then they sample different traditional foods.
A different holiday is covered on different days. The kids love it and everybody gets to feel special.

 

[IrishMist]

OT but welcome back. I've missed you. Hope everything is ok with you.

Back to Christmas, I have always felt that this time of the year should be about tolerance and acceptance and sharing/learning about different cultures.
My brother teaches in a city school, and he invites parents in to help teach about the different holidays that the different children celebrate at this time of the year.
Each parent brings a book explaining the holiday that is read to the class, then they sample different traditional foods.
A different holiday is covered on different days. The kids love it and everybody gets to feel special.

Thanks for the welcome back. I started a new job, and I'm trying desperately to get adjusted. Mostly, I've just been REALLY tired. I won't be on as much, though, because I work Monday-Friday.

I love the idea of teaching about the different holidays! IMO, that is an excellent idea. Sadly, I think there are too many people in this country that would find fault in those activities. That somehow, Christmas is harmed by including these other holidays.

 

[csds703]

Thanks for the welcome back. I started a new job, and I'm trying desperately to get adjusted. Mostly, I've just been REALLY tired. I won't be on as much, though, because I work Monday-Friday.

I love the idea of teaching about the different holidays! IMO, that is an excellent idea. Sadly, I think there are too many people in this country that would find fault in those activities. That somehow, Christmas is harmed by including these other holidays.

Congrats on the new job!

I have to say that I am actually confused by the whole Merry Christmas vs Happy Holiday debate.
I don't really understand why someone is offended by Happy Holidays. If I was Christian, I wouldn't expect someone to know that just by looking at me. At the same time, to wish someone Merry Christmas who doesn't believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior makes that an empty greeting especially for those who are concerned that Christ has been taken out of Christmas.
When my stepdaughters were little, they only knew of Christmas as Santa Claus and presents. It was me who took them to midnight mass and explained why they were really celebrating Christmas.
I really don't understand this. Maybe somebody can explain it to me.

 

[IrishMist]

Congrats on the new job!

Thanks, csds! :blowkiss:

 

[reb]

actually.... it seems like in the old days, the christian christmas and the non-christian yuletide, the pagan winter holiday/winter solstice, and the gift-giving st. nicholas... and all that seemed to blend together seamlessly. what has really ruined it above all else, is the relentless, shameless, greedy, ultra-capitalistic commercialism that has really taken over. which is why i boycott that whole part of it altogether.

 

[reb]

what?! so now people are offended by 'happy holidays' too...??? LOL.. i must have missed that part. good grief! how about 'have a nice december'... is that safe enough?

 

[Paladin]

what?! so now people are offended by 'happy holidays' too...??? LOL.. i must have missed that part. good grief! how about 'have a nice december'... is that safe enough?

I think some people who like to be wished "Happy Holidays" resent it because they'd rather be wished a "Merry Christmas."

 

[JDB]

Did not read this entire thread. But being a Preacher kid the thought of taking Christ out has always upset me.

 

[MREG2]

This is exactly why I don't mind saying 'happy holidays' (I never say 'season's greetings', but only because that sounds so middle-ages, LOL). Whenever I mean just Christmas, I say 'Merry Christmas'. I don't even really give it too much thought though. Whatever I say, it's meant well, and if you want to skip that part and don't like what I said and be all grumpy about it, then that's for you to deal with.

I used to have muslem neighbors and we wished eachother 'Merry Christmas' both in person and with cards (I always got theirs first :blushing: ), and I have a Hindu friend who goes out of her way to find cards that just say 'Happy New Year'. It's all good with me. People aren't obligated to wish me anything, so if they do, no matter how they do it or which words they use, I appreciate their thinking of me.

Yes!!! :clap:

 

[MREG2]

Perhaps we need a new Christmas story that celebrates "victimization" as the new Spirit of Christmas. Here's a brief synopsis:

Mary sues on the ground that the temporary housing she was given violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. Instead of shepherds, PETA reps storm the stable to liberate the sheep from the unfair treatment the poor beasts received in ancient Palestine. As for the angels, they are obviously transgendered and have any number of grievances on that score. The magi? Cross-dressers fleeing persecution in their homeland. Or the founders of a new Men's Group that promotes wandering in all-male bands to allow its members to reconnect with traditional masculinity outside the sissifying influence of mothers and wives.

Joseph? Well, he goes on Maury Povich for a DNA test. And we all know how that turns out...[/QUOTE]


LMAO!!!!