Should we have Merry Christmas, Happy Hannaka, Happy Kwanza Happy Holiday or none of the above? Should we patronize merchants who don't honor those holidays?

What you talkin about, Willis?

i dont think it matters......people should lighten up about the whole situation. yes, each system of beliefs deserves to be recognized, but i think for example if someone says merry christmas to someone who is jewish, it would be stupid for the jewish person to be offended. politely inform them of your beliefs. maybe its because i dont hold beliefs concurrent to any single religion, but i think being angry at someones good intentions would be stupid.

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"Be excellent to each other." - Bill S Preston, Esquire & Ted "Theodore" Logan

Here ya go Jimmo and other's who may have the same concern:
https://secure.afa.net/afa/afapetition/signpetition.asp?id=1480

I don't think it matters and I agree everyone should lighten up. My daughter works at Target and has been harassed lately by customers who are offended that she uses the phrase Happy Holidays as a greeting rather than Merry Christmas. They have been rude and argumentative with her and other employees at the store. Not very Christ-like of them I would say. The point is, this holiday season belongs to all, not only Christians.

Christmas is the celebration, honor, and memorial of the birth of the Lord. I don't understand why those who do not even believe He exists would even want to celebrate the holiday. HE IS the reason for the season. If you remove the reason, there is NO season. So what exactly does the term "Happy Holidays" mean to unbelievers? What Holiday? "Holiday"="Holy Day". What exactly are they celebrating? Just curious :confused:

Whether or not someone has or hasn't got a reason, it is still a Holiday. Why would someone be upset if someone wished them a Happy Holiday. Some people think a Holiday constitutes having a day off work. Whatever! "Happy Holidays" has been written on napkins and greeting cards for decades.By the way, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Ho Ho Ho!

How do you define 'unbelievers'? As, perhaps, someone who isn't just like you? A number of other religions also observe celebrations at this time of year, some of which predate Christianity. The greeting "Happy Holidays" is meant to be inclusive to all, for it acknowledges that others celebrate at this time of year as well, and is offensive only to those looking for a reason to be offended. Would you prefer that the standard greeting be something like "Happy Aztec Day of the Dead -- may Huitzilopoctli feast forever upon the flesh of your ancestors!?"
No one is preventing you from celebrating Christmas in whatever way you see fit. No company owes your beliefs special treatment at the expense of others. The core of your complaint is that its somehow anti-christian to eliminate a preference for your own holiday over that of others -- your insistence on favoritism reveals a self-serving bias in the extreme. If you want to boycott them because you feel they are somehow disrespecting Christians, by attempting to include EVERYONE in their marketing, then I say 'Thank You'. You are one less person in front of me in line.
Oh...and to those who feel the Salvation Army ouster by Target is somehow an example of religious persecution, please go to Target's website and actually read about why Target told them to go away.
Happy Holidays to one and all and may this be your best Christmas, Hannukah, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Solstice, whatever, ever!

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When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.

I think when folks say "Happy Holidays", they are just saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year all in two words. I don't take offense to someone wishing me well, however they say it.

i think the virgin mobile cell phone commercial is onto something with "happy christmahanakwanza".

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"Be excellent to each other." - Bill S Preston, Esquire & Ted "Theodore" Logan

ODDS BODKINS! Since Brian has mentioned FESTIVUS , has everyone picked out their FESTIVUS POLE yet. If not , here`s a link to a nice one.

http://www.festivuspoles.com/pages/Festivuspoles.htm

http://www.seinfeld-fan.net/festivus.php

<small>[ December 04, 2005, 03:08 PM: Message edited by: KEN ]</small>

Ok, for Brian's sake, I will be more specific. Unbeliever as in, does not believe in Jesus Christ as true God and true Man.

Oh, and BTW Brian, what complaint? I wasn't complaining. But maybe it is considered complaining for, perhaps, people just like you.

I'm a lifelong pagan of course and the Winter Solstice is about as close as you can get to an empirically fact-based festive occasion. Christ if he existed at all was born in the fall and some of the other religious based occasions are on even shakier ground. I think the public is tired of having religion forced on them and are now more sensitive about these things. So if you see me, a "Happy Winter Solstice" will do.

The Winter Solstice used to be a very widespread and important celebration. So much in fact that the early christians moved the "birthday celebration" of Christ to coincide with it so at least they could say people were celebrating "Christmas" when in fact they were celebrating the winter solstice.

This sort of related program tomorrow morning on Wisconsin Public Radio:

THE IDEAS NETWORK PROGRAM NOTES FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2005

6:00 AM Joy Cardin - 12/05A
'Tis the season to be... Annoyed! says Joy Cardin's guest, after
six. From shopping, to traveling, to beating the crowds, most have
something to complain about the holiday season. Do you?GUEST: Ian
Urbina, (er-BEE-na), reporter for The New York Times based in
Washington. Author, "Life's Little Annoyances: True Tales of People
Who Just Can't Take It Anymore" (Henry Holt)

Happy Winter Solstice Season

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"Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other." -Baha'u'llah

I would almost rather go in for a double colonoscopy than agree with Abraham, but then the holiday season does funny things to everyone. If Christmas means anything at all it is supposed to be good will to all men. I don't know what others may have in mind, but that is what the season means to me. I can't see how any of us, regardless of our particular beliefs, can really gain anything from the experience if we are too busy fighting about what it means and who owns it. We have an American tradition built around Christmas that is large enough and broad enough to include everyone. I don't think Scrooge ever found Jesus at the end of his midnight journey, but I do remember that he found the love of his fellow man and this is significant. Christmas is supposed to be a time when we can all come together and enjoy the finer aspects of just being alive. I think everyone should put the religious wars aside for awhile, have a glass of highly spiked eggnog, and just celebrate together. Here's to you Abraham, and may your solstice this year be the best one yet.

"What exactly are they celebrating? Just curious"

Wow, that's a shame that you don't think 'we' should celebrate the Holidays. To me, Christmas/Kwanaa/Hanukkah/Winter Solstice/Festivus (e.g. the holiday season) is about celebrating world unity in that we can all appreciate our diverse faiths and strength as humanity. We could be celebrating the fact that we meet with family and friends and appreciate that we are alive and together. Just because Jesus is, in my mind, no more than a great man does not in any way cancel me out from your celebrations. How offensive and exclusive to suggest that!

.

Wow, you people really read a whole lot more into what I say than what I really said, LOL
Where in the world did you read that I ever said "Happy Holidays" is a "non-Christian" term?
If people want diversity, I have no problem with that. I would just like to know why Christianity seems to have to be wiped out entirely in order to do it. Personally I prefer "Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season"
So, with that said:
Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season to One and All!

Wow. So, ummm..., you now believe that an entire religion, cherished by millions, will instantly be erased from civilization simply because someone, somewhere, says 'Happy Holidays' to another? Please tell me that you were just engaging in hyperbole...

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When you wish upon a falling star, your dreams can come true. Unless it's really a meteorite hurtling to the Earth which will destroy all life. Then you're pretty much hosed no matter what you wish for. Unless it's death by meteor.

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Like I said previously, you are reading way more into what I'm saying that what I am actually saying, LOL...typical...

To all of you: What ever.

I believe in God the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit.
I don't pretend to know the bible by heart, but believe that it is God's word. If I am asked, I will try to explain my joy of the Season.

I won't think less of anyone else who is celebrating the season for their own reason. For all I know they're praying to their version of the same God. I'll say Merry Christmas to all. If your response is "Happy holidays", that's fine with me.

<small>[ December 07, 2005, 10:36 PM: Message edited by: Jeff Boettcher ]</small>

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What if there were no hypothetical questions?

I think that since the majority of Americans are Christians--whether or not they are actually practicing, since most I know call themselves Christian, but haven't been to church in years--they need to stop whining about being censored. Note to the majority: you are the majority! By that very term, you are not being discriminated against!

Christianity is not the end-all-be-all of existence, but I guess a lot of people have a hard time going outside their happy little whitebread community to realize that there are lots and lots of very diverse cultures and traditional practices--and dear lord, some are right here in this ol' country of ours!

Amen,Jeff, Amen.

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Life is too short for drama & petty things!
So, laugh insanely, love truly and forgive quickly!

Peace and Goodwill :p