Feeling subversive? Why not throw caution to the winds and send out an old-style season’s greetings? Wish someone a Merry Christmas and don’t apologize for it.
Canada and the US are among the worlds Christmas celebrating countries. This is not a crime even as millions of citizens of those countries are of a different faith or no faith at all. So what?
Would anyone water down his or her Happy Hanukkah greeting? Or apologize for a hearty Good Yule? No, nor should they. And anyone who follows the Christmas tradition shouldn’t have to torque down their beliefs either.
It’s another symptom of the fear of difference. We think we’re doing everyone a favor by homogenizing the holiday.
Instead we get head-shaker moments like the New York store’s hams for Hanukkah window display.
And this from the Department of Antipodal Assininity where a Santa was fired for saying Ho Ho Ho. All the Santas in this Australian store were instructed to say Ha, not Ho, because the American slang meaning may offend some women.
Mr.Subversive Santa got all traditional and said Ho anyway. It got him turfed.
Enough fun. My point is while not everyone is a Christian those who are ought to be able to celebrate their season openly and without shame.
Merry Christmas.
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5 comments:
Ho, Ho, Ho. (Think the Bag Lady is going to jail?)
Hannukah Ham? Oh, dear.
One wonders if that particular employee is going to have a Happy Holiday...
I actually prefer "happy holidays" when it's a greeting by a store employee--I like the idea that the well-wisher is being sensitive to the fact that not everyone celebrates Christmas.
But I agree, sometimes the "lets not offend anyone" sentiment goes way too far and gets completely ludicrous.
I work at the most ethnically diverse urban university in the United States. For that reason and for the fact that our break encompasses both Christmas AND New Year's (HolidaySSS PLURAL) "Happy Holidays" is the most sensible greeting around here, although most of us say Merry Christmas anyway except in cases where we know for a fact the person in question doesn't celebrate.
I'm actually quite puzzled why "Happy Holidays" offends anyone. It's been around for decades and I always assumed it was the syllable-conservation version of saying "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."
Maybe I'm just naive.
Better watch your back, dfBag Lady.
There's nothing wrong with Happy Holidays, Crabby and Bunnygirl. It's the idea that we shouldn't be saying Merry Christmas at all that galls me.
Having worked several Christmas seasons in retail, I have always said Merry Christmas, if I was corrected, I would simply say, "Oh, well, Happy Hannukah!" If you say either with a smile and a bit of sincerity (unlike todays crop of retail workers) no-one minds in the least.
I think the governments are just tired of paying for their past mistakes and so now are overcompensating.
Merry Christmas Leah!
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