Should 'happy hols' replace 'merry xmas'?

@zykios (64)
India
December 29, 2006 1:32am CST
I recently read in an article that companies in Britain are asking their employees to greet coworkers with 'happy holidays' instead of 'merry christmas'. Even the government seems to be supporting this move. Official festivities and decorations seem to be low. And the reason stated for all this is that "hindus, muslims, Buddhists and people of other faiths will feel offended by the overtly display of religious symbols and ecorations". Now this is total rubbish and stupidity. I live in the state of Kerala in India which has a 20% Christian population. Rest are hindus and Muslims. We celebrate christmas with as much enthusiasm as we do Onam which is the local harvest festival. We have had no problems with christmas all these years and will never have either. If this is the case in a place where Christians are a relative minority then why fear in UK where Christians are the majority? The article I read says the move has support of a powerful group of people. This is dangerous and is nothing but 'pseudo secularism'. An interesting explanation given for employers encouraging the situation is that it makes economic sense to curb festivities, as the same provisions will have to be made for other religion festivals too. whatever be the reasons and real intentions, this move is dangerous and should be immediately reversed. Else the bad name for this too will fall on innocent muslims and hindus. What do you feel?
3 people like this
57 responses
@Signal20 (2281)
• United States
29 Dec 06
They've been doing that here in the US for the last few years now. But this year, I think a lot of places were starting to rebel, and were saying Merry Christmas again. You know what, if I was Jewish, and someone said Merry Christmas to me, I'd respond with a Happy Hannukkah to them. Who cares? It's the thought that someone's taking to wish you a good holiday, whether it's Christmas, Hannukkah(sp), Kwanzaa, Ramadan, whatever. People need to get over it.
1 person likes this
• New Zealand
29 Dec 06
Your right, but some people do take offence to these things, and I have no idea why. The government tries its best to please everybody, but alot of the time it actually doesnt please most people. Obviously, christmas isnt celebrated by everyone, but most religions have holidays around this time of year, and so people are encouraged to say 'Happy Holidays' instead. It is still saying merry christmas, just in a differant way.
1 person likes this
@WebMann (4731)
• Canada
29 Dec 06
Now this I agree with. You say Merry Christmas to me the way you feel within your heart, because this time of year is for giving and giving should come from the heart or it's just an act. Don't get me wrong, even giving as an act because you know it should be done, is better than not giving. :) So you say Merry Christmas in your way and I will say it my way and we will pass each other with a smile and a strong feeling of joy in our heart.
1 person likes this
• United States
29 Dec 06
I'm very tired of all of the "never offend" bs. Wishing someone a Merry Christmas should not offend anyone. I would not be offended if someone wished me "Happy Hannukah". People are getting so paranoid about potential offense that before you know it, no one will be able to talk to anyone else! My gosh, they might say the wrong thing! We should certainly not "intend" to offend with beligerence or hateful speech, but a little tolerance to other peoples beliefs is in order I think.
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
29 Dec 06
Hear, Hear. I agree with you wholeheartedly. Why is it that the younger generations seem to want to forget the past completely? Changes must be made in many areas but with a simple thing like Merry Christmas,,,,e Gods, what's the harm?
@DavidReedy (2378)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I, depending on my target audience say both "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays". I really don't see what's offensive about Merry Christmas, but I guess I've been a little indoctrinated. It's a day of celebrating peace and goodwill to humanity. Sad, that secularism would deny what has been the only real common denominator of European and American culture for several hundred years. (I realize you're writing this out of India, but the secularist movement is quite strong in the U.S. right now, butting heads with the Christian Rightwing movement, and the average folks aren't doing or saying a dam* thing.) The point is, we should take pride in who we are and in what we believe in, and if we should alter all of our society so that it is not offensive to someone... well, then what's left?
@bimmer999 (1159)
• Philippines
29 Dec 06
no..i think it should remain as merry christmas.. happy holidays just sounds so plain.. no go for me.. i hope it stays as merry xmas...
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
30 Dec 06
hashthugin, I agree with you entirely. The governments come up with these outrageous ideas in the name of political correctness, but they only serve to cause disharmony. It is too easy for Christians to become angry at the suggestion that Muslims or followers of other religions are being disrespectful to our customs, whereas they are not the people to blame for this. I have no problem with people celebrating Yom Kippur or Ramadan, and my friends who follow other religions have never had a problem with me celebrating Christmas. So I suggest that the government should stop interfering and allow us to live in harmony.
29 Dec 06
me being a Muslim and hearing the word merry Christmas or if sum one says it to me doesn't offend me. i say it to my friends who are Christians. i think its just the government who are trying to split people apart.
@WebMann (4731)
• Canada
29 Dec 06
Well the world has gone nuts with politically correct crap. The more things that are tagged as politically incorrect that we will soon have no words left in our vocabulary except the word 'but...' I will say Merry Christmas until the day I die and maybe that will be in prison the way the people keep complaining about their damn religious rights. People killing people all around our happy little globe and they are worried about saying Merry Christmas. HOw can you have Happy Holidays if you have to watch out for non-christain idiots crying like little babies. So how do I feel about it? I think it's all crap and at some point it needs to stop. The funny thing is that we listen to these idiots. It's these idiots that cry and complain all the time and guess what? They get what they want because we don't like cry babies and we give in to them.
@Eborsisk (195)
• United States
29 Dec 06
Alot of people *cough*Christians*cough* are under the assumption that saying "Happy Holidays" is basically saying that Christmas is JUST a holiday. Or that they are denying their god. Saying "Happy Holidays" can mean "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" too. I think that is one thing that Christians are forgetting. Afterall, it's holidaysssssss - plural. The plural part of it wasn't originally intended to give good wishes to people of other religions and include their holidaysssssssss. I also think that it is rude of Christians to think that they are the only ones out there. Wether you agree with other religions or not, you can not deny that there are other people out there that do not think like you. They do exist! You're all so self-righteous and rude. As much as you're not supposed to judge people, you sure do it alot. People have said "Happy holidays" for years anyway!!! And only recently has it become some PC thing. There are old Christmas songs that say "Happy holidays" in them. I say "Happy holidays" because 1) I never know who is celebrating WHAT holiday. And 2) I also want them to have a good New Year too! I want their holidays to be happy and good times. No matter what they celebrate. I celebrate Christmas and I'm an atheist!!! I celebrate it as a tradition and to spend time with family.
• United States
29 Dec 06
It doesn't bother me that people want to say Happy Holidays, if thats your choice, go for it! The problem is being told "not" to say Merry Christmas. We should all be able to greet as we choose.
@Eborsisk (195)
• United States
29 Dec 06
Oh, I completely agree. I think when it comes to individual people, you should say what you want. But, when it comes to big chain stores -like Wal-Mart- they should be saying "Happy holidays". Their customers celebrate all different holidays, and some not at all. I think it makes a store look bad and unaccepting.
• United States
29 Dec 06
To someone who is Jewish, like myself, it's offensive to have someone say Merry Christmas. Go into a store and tell me where you see the Hanukkah decorations in a store....I bet you would be extremly hard pressed to find any. I feel like we have x-mas shoved down our throats by the commercialization of it and then to have someone say Merry Christmas on top of it all while wearing my Jewish Star around my neck! It's totally insensative! I had to go searching in 4 different stores, as far as an hour away just to find Hanukkah candles, and you are telling me I shouldn't be offended by Merry Christmas! Bah Humbug! Why should someone assume that everyone celebrates Christmas? My poor daughter at school was told to write a letter to Santa Clause, we don't believe in Santa and in the letter she apologized for being Jewish!!!! And you are telling me I shouldn't be offended! The state should support there being no religious affiliation in schools...here is the US there is supposed to be a separation of church and state, but I don't see it.
@zykios (64)
• India
29 Dec 06
i can understand your frustration in not seeing your religion and festival being given as much importance as christmas by others. but this is natural when the majority are christians and the local culture is more tuned for it. people here irrespective of their religion join in all the festivities. after all if you leave out the religious angle to it all these festivals are an occasion for us to celebrate.
@lilly22 (35)
• Australia
29 Dec 06
'Happy Hols' is not a holiday. Christmas is the reason we have a holiday. If there was no Christmas Day there would be no holiday. I am sick of people trying to change the name of Christmas to something that is not religious. Why not then just abolish Christmas. Maybe this would then make them happy. I live in Australia and I am sick of the government bowing to minorities.
@Eborsisk (195)
• United States
30 Dec 06
No one is trying to replace the word "Christmas" with the word "holiday". And no one is trying to abolish Christmas. Quit being extreme. And you're saying that is there was no Christmas there'd be no holiday. Are you kidding? You think that if Christmas all of a sudden disappeared that no one else would celebrate their holiday. You're nuts. And sweetheart, the winter solstice is the reason there is a holiday. Not the birth of some imaginary baby.
• United States
29 Dec 06
I make an effort of doing my business at a businesses that say Merry Christmas over Happy Holidays. Since when is Christmas an offensive thing to say to some people?
• Philippines
29 Dec 06
I dont celebrate Christmas but I too dont get offended when they greet me Merry Christmas, problem is not everybody feels the same...
• Romania
29 Dec 06
You are right to think this way, but think about the people that are not from the same religion like u. And in UK are a lot of imigrants, that are so different. UK wants to be a place where no one should feel offended.Imagine that you will work in a company where you are in minority. And someone will wish you something that doesnt have anything with your religion. Wouldnt u feel bad? Coz you are also working there but it seams that you are excluded. Its like i am muslim and i am working with lots of christians in a big company. ANd the owner is sending Merry Christmas to everybody, without to mention that i am not sharing the same ideas and wihtout to know that i also celebrate a very important religios celebration that is in the same time ( Hajj ) So, telling them Happy Holidays includes everybody without discrimination .
29 Dec 06
It isn't to do with offending anyone. Thats the whole point. Its to do with allowing people to celebrate what they want and when you live in a country that follows christian beliefs thats the way it goes. If people are so easily offended then every single religious celebration should be banned. But, most people aren't, its hype and PC gone mad by the minority. If I moved to a country that had a different faith I would respect that faith and not feel offended if someone mistook me for their own faith. I would politely tell them that I am ..... and if they are interested to know more I would happily tell them. Maybe you should tell your colleagues about your religious celebrations and what greeting you give to each other. Maybe they will greet you with it. We celebrate many other religious festivals in this country because we have repect. So this means every religious festival including christmas. Where I work, halal meat is served, pork is banned, members of staff take a day off for Eid. We have respect for each other and greet each other with the greeting of our faith's. I am lucky that I live in London where the majority of people I work with hold no prejudice. Life's to short to worry about someone saying happy christmas to you to get upset or feel excluded, if it is not done as an insult. All this does is keep us fighting among ourselves so we don't have time to look at who really is at fault. Happy Eid ul-Adha to you and your family
@Sueros (29)
• India
29 Dec 06
I guess this is done where the religion thng is very sensitive..Some ppl are very touchy....Live and let live is all I would say...
@lulylove (1560)
• Brazil
29 Dec 06
I think that the religion is not more so remembered in the day of the Christmas. The people alone think about gifts and are forgetting the main reason. the Birth of Christ.
• Italy
30 Dec 06
I think it depends on which country you're talking about. In Italy a large amount of population is catholic but quite no one who is devoted to any other religion says that Merryt Xmas is offensive... they 're just happy and they enjoy the holidays maybe, but thei don't complain about it...
@Rotiro3 (27)
• United States
29 Dec 06
People need to relax and not be uptight. Some people want to call the Christmas tree a Holiday tree which is stupid we would not call the Menorah the Holiday Menorah. If people are offended by Merry Christmas than I will give them a tissue to cry on. We must not give up our rights if you continue to let people slowly take away your freedom soon there will be none. Mulims and Hindus believe women are second class citizens they are offending all women so they have nothing to complain about.
@zykios (64)
• India
29 Dec 06
my dear friend as i stated in the discussion topic, in my own state and country Hindus and Muslims have no problem with christmas. In fact all are celbrating the festival together, in the right spirit. And your comment that hindus and muslims treat women as second class citizens is total rubbish. You are making a generalised statement based on isolated incidents. I am a Hindu and I love and respect my mother and cousin-sisters as much as I do anyone else.
@amy69cne (95)
• United States
29 Dec 06
in my view they will ruin christmas for the rest of us who enjoy it...and I believe that the original way is best...merry christmas has worked so well for us for so many years why should it change now????...it is only because of someone's stupid belief that someone is getting there feelings hurt...WAKE UP!!!!!!...every day there are millions of people getting thier feelings hurt for some reason or other...do they care about that...NO!!!!...I say stop trying to change something that has been around for ever to save a few people's feelings
@Eborsisk (195)
• United States
29 Dec 06
Why would you call someone elses religion a stupid belief? Maybe they think your Christian views are stupid beliefs.
• United States
29 Dec 06
I don't like the fact that America has freedoms that are slowly being taken away. If I have a freedom of relgion right of life, then why would I ever have to reply using Happy Holidays instead of Christmas, which is a phrase we have been using for years. If poeple from other countries take offense to our religion, maybe they should go back, we don't need them here. I will continue to say Merry Christmas and believe in Jesus until I die. I will not stop anything I do because people of other religions take offense. I don't take offense to their beliefs so I would expect the same. But nowadays people are just STUPID.
@Eborsisk (195)
• United States
30 Dec 06
This might be the dumbest response to this discussion. Way to go! Why are you assuming that everyone that has a different belief than you isn't from this country? Are you that vapid? And what is this "our religion" crap? Do not imply that everyone in America is Christian. Basically did you mean to say... "Burn the Jews!!!"? Cause that's what it sounds like to me.
@QnAQueen (555)
• United States
30 Dec 06
it's all this hype about being politically correct. the question is, what were we before all this political correctness came about? i don't really take offense in saying merry christmas as opposed to happy holidays - for one thing, christmas is not the only holiday. should we stop saying happy easter and say happy holidays during easter as well?
@ozangel82 (753)
• Australia
30 Dec 06
I htink this is a bit silly, i mean shouldn't we be allowed to say whatever we want to say? people get to uptight these days over political correctness and offending other religions that they forget to do or say it how they feel. So mery christmas and happy holidays and have a great time!
@runsgame (2031)
• India
30 Dec 06
i do not think there is a clear connection between greeting with the name of the function and the particular community / caste. Greet is normally based on certain function / activity /action /job etc., like have a nice holiday , have a good night/ good sleep/dream/diwali/ramzon. etc etc but i feel there is also no connection beteeen greeting and the government. because , any body can greet on any occasion any one. for exaple if a multiple functions fall on a same day supported by holidays then it will become to difficult for one to keep remember of all those and greet separately.
• Philippines
30 Dec 06
dont really matter if what words a person uses to greet someone about the holiday. for sure they know what the holiday is. if you're greeting a christian(catholic) it would be better saying merry christmas, if the person is of other faith then it is just proper to use happy holidays.
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
30 Dec 06
I agree it has in the United States.I am a christain myself and I think it should be and stay Merry Christmas. I mean that is the reason is Christ or Jesus's birthday.
@sahergul (774)
• Pakistan
30 Dec 06
one should see the thing with open braod way, its a business tact where they attract their employees to work double shift in these holidays... buddy... :)