It's Christmas once again at Wal-Mart

[deanws]

EDIT: When I said that "everyone disliked everyone else" I am not saying Jewish kids didn't like Christians or vice versa, only that nobody liked being at a boarding school for four years, so the tension was a little high at times lol

Gosh, I would have given anything to have been able to go off to boarding school.

 

[JBean]

JBean--I second that--great post---I also went to a 50% Jewish School,a private school in Princeton, NJ---It was certainly a change from Connecticut, since in our town of 10,000, we had no Jewish people, and I had never heard of them until I entered private school at age 14---But you must have gone to a nicer school than I did--Boarding School was not a pleasant experience, most everyone disliked everyone else--We certainly didn't sing Christmas or Hannaka songs, religion was pretty much downplayed--We were there to strictly study our azzes off and we did, it was an intensely competitive atmosphere where 100% of us were accepted at a four year university---nobody talked about holidays, either Christian or Jewish---so all this talk here about complaining about holiday behavior by others seems very strange to me--I've always found the Christmas season to be a fantastic time of the year, whether it was at work, at home or at play

Oh now that was an interesting educational experience. I am sure you benefitted in many ways.
My high school was a little more diverse, but it was among the top 5 public HS in the nation at the time , so it wasn't quite as fun loving as Junior High. But still holidays were a glorious time along with the intense study time and I am grateful for that.
I agree with you regarding the holiday season being a fabulous time of year. The funny thing is I have always loved the holidays because it is a time of year when many come together, despite the differnt holidays,put differences aside and join in celebration. That is what makes it so special.
Now we are arguing about what to call it. Very discouraging to me because so much is being lost.

 

[tybee204]

I wonder if those that feel tread upon at work over the Christmas Holiday reject Christmas bonus's from their employers? I know every year Mr Tybee hands out a nice chunky Christmas check accompanied with a $100 grocery gift certificate to cover Christmas dinner to all of his employee's and never once has one been returned or rejected.

 

[deanws]

I wonder if those that feel tread upon at work over the Christmas Holiday reject Christmas bonus's from their employers? I know every year Mr Tybee hands out a nice chunky Christmas check accompanied with a $100 grocery gift certificate to cover Christmas dinner to all of his employee's and never once has one been returned or rejected.

WOW...that is VERY nice of Mr. Tybee! :angel:

 

[tybee204]

LOL fortunatly he dosent have alot of employee's.

 

[JBean]

JBean you are so right... It does sound like that...

Christmas has been around for so long and people all over the world has celebrated it. Saying Merry Christmas is very traditional as well as Happy Holidays...I don't mind either but I like Merry Christmas because that is what we are celebrating, CHRIST's birth, nothing more, nothing less...

Hey there PD.
i am celebrating Christmas too, I also understand that not everyone is. But I would expect my Jewish friends to wish me Happy Channukah because that is their joy and they would expect me to wish them Merry Christmas. No one would ever be offended?! I may wish them Happy CHannukah, may not know what to wish them, but that is what always made the holidays wonderful..it just didn't matter what we said and that was the beauty of it all.The wish was for happiness and joy and that's the way it has always been taken.
But not anymore. The whole feeling is getting lost IMO, people are taking away the negative, not the positive and that defeats the whole purpose.
Some people will always hear the negative, but I choose to stay with the positive.

 

[JBean]

I wonder if those that feel tread upon at work over the Christmas Holiday reject Christmas bonus's from their employers? I know every year Mr Tybee hands out a nice chunky Christmas check accompanied with a $100 grocery gift certificate to cover Christmas dinner to all of his employee's and never once has one been returned or rejected.

OMG Tybee that is a great question. There probably are those that would not take the bonus if it is called a CHristmas bonus...

 

[windovervocalcords]

I wonder if those that feel tread upon at work over the Christmas Holiday reject Christmas bonus's from their employers? I know every year Mr Tybee hands out a nice chunky Christmas check accompanied with a $100 grocery gift certificate to cover Christmas dinner to all of his employee's and never once has one been returned or rejected.

No one gets Christmas bonuses at my office.

Many businesses share their profits at year end, so it may actually be in many businesses a new year's bonus early. Perhaps, folks who do not celebrate Christmas view the bonus that way no matter what Mr Tybee calls it.

How wonderful that Mr Tybee is generous and feels Christmasy toward ALL his employees whether they celebrate his holiday or not.

May his generosity be the cause of continued prosperity in the new year.

 

[windovervocalcords]

OMG Tybee that is a great question. There probably are those that would not take the bonus if it is called a CHristmas bonus...

My co-worker would refuse it if it was called a Christmas bonus.

 

[JBean]

My co-worker would refuse it if it was called a Christmas bonus.

That is so sad to me.This is what i mean about focusing on the negative.
Instead of hearing "Thank you for a great year and here is how I celebrate this holiday with you with gratitude" your co-worker may hear "I do not respect your holiday I want you to celerate my holiday ,my way". That is about their own unhappiness IMO.

 

[windovervocalcords]

That is so sad to me.This is what i mean about focusing on the negative.
Instead of hearing "Thank you for a great year and here is how I celebrate this holiday with you with gratitude" your co-worker may hear "I do not respect your holiday I want you to celerate my holiday ,my way". That is about their own unhappiness IMO.

It is not a cause for sadness IMO. And your post sounds judging of my co-worker in a way that I don't feel.

Why would Mr Tybee knowing how this woman feels not call his gift a New Year's bonus if he wanted to be equally generous to all?

How many times and ways must this woman say that Christmas is a pagan holiday for her as a Christian. I understand and respect her feelings even though they are different from mine. She has an unusual view. So what?

It's kind of like everyone thinks her ideas are crazy so she does not have to be respected. Her beliefs are just WRONG so she can be dismissed and disregarded or made to be responsible for someone else's intolerance.

In my case, I believe in supporting generosity and I would be happy to accept Mr Tybee's generosity in the spirit in which it is offered. It is a great kindness to accept generosity because it is good for the heart of the giver and everyone benefits IMO. Even someone who observes kindness benefits.

 

[Maral]

I am Catholic and went to a predominantly Jewish school when I was growing up. Maybe 2 to 3 Catholics and Christians to 25 Jewish per classroom.

We sang Channukah Songs and Christmas Songs.We just celebrated it all in the classroom. We didn't say Happy Holidays, we said Merry Christmas and Happy Channukah. We drew pictures of dreidels and Santa Claus. We decorated Christmas Trees and lit menorahs. We made red and green cookies and blue and silver cookies. It was great, to tell you the truth.I learned a lot about a different tradition. We all just learned about each other.

So, for me it is all about the spirit of the season. I don't care if someone says Happy Channukah to me because they are expressing joy over their holiday.I welcome their wish and appreciate it.
I say Merry Christmas because that's what I know.I am floored at the offense so many take over a well wish. It's truly discouraging. The stores are only about marketing, so I couldn't care less what they say or do, because the position of Walmart doesn't impact my relationship with the holidays.I am solid in my holiday and I am not offended by much that goes on, because it is inconsequential to my holiday spirit.Nor am I offended by the holiday party at work or anything else that may be geared heavily towards one holiday or another.
I am not a sensitive person, by that I mean it takes a lot to upset me or ruffle my feathers. So, if anyone said Happy Anything to me, I appreciate where they are coming from and never take offense to what is behind their message.
I just couldn't imagine taking the message of Merry Christmas in the stores as a personal affront to my choice of religions. I just cannot understand how and why so many can be offended by the phrase Merry Christmas.
My relationship with Christmas is personal and special. It has nothing to do with what the rest of the world does.

Great post, JBean!
I can't understand either why anyone would be offended by the phrase Merry Christmas. Nor can I understand why anyone would be offended by the phrase Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. When I lived in Denver, my best friend, who is Jewish, and I hosted an annual party every December. Just because we called it our annual "Christmas" party, it had absolutely nothing to do with my religious beliefs, my friend's religous beliefs, or the religious beliefs of our guests. The secular aspect of the Christmas/Holiday season is totally different to me than when I go to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to commemorate the birth of Jesus. It doesn't matter to me that the day Christians celebrate the birth of Our Lord is not the day that He was actually born or that the day is based on a Pagan holiday. What matters to me is that Christians have a day when we all can be reminded that God sent His Son to us.

 

[cappuccina]

..for a little comic relief...all of us...

https://www.chrismukkah.com/content/shop_chrismukkah/index.html
(I LOVE the music!)

http://www.chrismukkah.com/

I want this book for Christmas...

http://www.chosencouture.com/chosen-product.php?model=georgeandlaura

 

[JBean]

Great post, JBean!
I can't understand either why anyone would be offended by the phrase Merry Christmas. Nor can I understand why anyone would be offended by the phrase Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. When I lived in Denver, my best friend, who is Jewish, and I hosted an annual party every December. Just because we called it our annual "Christmas" party, it had absolutely nothing to do with my religious beliefs, my friend's religous beliefs, or the religious beliefs of our guests. The secular aspect of the Christmas/Holiday season is totally different to me than when I go to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve to commemorate the birth of Jesus. It doesn't matter to me that the day Christians celebrate the birth of Our Lord is not the day that He was actually born or that the day is based on a Pagan holiday. What matters to me is that Christians have a day when we all can be reminded that God sent His Son to us.

Oh so true, well said, and a wondeful post in true Maral style.

 

[JBean]

It is not a cause for sadness IMO. And your post sounds judging of my co-worker in a way that I don't feel.

Why would Mr Tybee knowing how this woman feels not call his gift a New Year's bonus if he wanted to be equally generous to all?

How many times and ways must this woman say that Christmas is a pagan holiday for her as a Christian. I understand and respect her feelings even though they are different from mine. She has an unusual view. So what?

It's kind of like everyone thinks her ideas are crazy so she does not have to be respected. Her beliefs are just WRONG so she can be dismissed and disregarded or made to be responsible for someone else's intolerance.

In my case, I believe in supporting generosity and I would be happy to accept Mr Tybee's generosity in the spirit in which it is offered. It is a great kindness to accept generosity because it is good for the heart of the giver and everyone benefits IMO. Even someone who observes kindness benefits.

I absolutely respect her right to her own view. that is what i call an "of course" issue.
I also agree "so what?" and that's the attitude I would have if I were her.

 

[windovervocalcords]

I absolutely respect her right to her own view. that is what i call an "of course" issue.
I also agree "so what?" and that's the attitude I would have if I were her.

Its hard for her to have a "so what" attitude after ten years. When are those folks going to "get it"?

"Celebrating Christmas has been controversial since its inception. Since numerous festivities found their roots in pagan practices, they were greatly frowned upon by conservatives within the Church. The feasting, gift-giving and frequent excesses presented a drastic contrast with the simplicity of the Nativity, and many people throughout the centuries and into the present, condemn such practices as being contrary to the true spirit of Christmas."
http://www.christmas-time.com/cp-hist.html

She doesn't have the training I have in my path. We don't expect people to be different or kind and open.

We expect that of ourselves.

 

[Nova]

I don't think she should be forced into it. If that's what it comes down, then that is wrong. Nor should she be taunted with it. But that can all be avoided without resorting to a Winter Holidays Party, too. Why can't people's beliefs be respected without going whole hog in another direction?

Why is a Winter Holiday Party a "resort," as you put it? Christmas is certainly one of the winter holidays. (And you know perfectly well Christmas didn't originate with the birth of Christ, but was an adaptation of older, pagan holidays celebrated on or near the Winter solstice.)

 

[windovervocalcords]

Why is a Winter Holiday Party a "resort," as you put it? Christmas is certainly one of the winter holidays. (And you know perfectly well Christmas didn't originate with the birth of Christ, but was an adaptation of older, pagan holidays celebrated on or near the Winter solstice.)

That's what my co-worker argues. It is adapted from pagan Solstice celebration. The return of the light. Days begin to get lighter.

The history of Christmas dates back over 4000 years. Many of our Christmas traditions were celebrated centuries before the Christ child was born. The 12 days of Christmas, the bright fires, the yule log, the giving of gifts, carnivals(parades) with floats, carolers who sing while going from house to house, the holiday feasts, and the church processions can all be traced back to the early Mesopotamians.
http://www.holidays.net/christmas/story.htm

It works for the Christ child holiday too. But with all the fuss, my understanding is Christmas is not even the most sacred Christian holiday.

Isn't that Easter?

Why no outrage over Easter?

 

[Nova]

I wonder if those that feel tread upon at work over the Christmas Holiday reject Christmas bonus's from their employers? I know every year Mr Tybee hands out a nice chunky Christmas check accompanied with a $100 grocery gift certificate to cover Christmas dinner to all of his employee's and never once has one been returned or rejected.

That's not fair, tybee, and you know it. Just because people don't feel they can afford to reject a year-end bonus doesn't mean they wouldn't prefer that bonus not be linked to Mr. Tybee's religious traditions.

 

[windovervocalcords]

That's not fair, tybee, and you know it. Just because people don't feel they can afford to reject a year-end bonus doesn't mean they wouldn't prefer that bonus not be linked to Mr. Tybee's religious traditions.

I'd rather have a share in the profits at year end myself. Less paternal.