While Xmas is a wide spread holiday, it is also a personal holiday. And I think you should be able to celebrate it anyway you want and express yourself anyway you want. The store clerk was probably instructed to answer you that way because the company doesn't want to "offend" anybody. When people sneeze, I still say "God bless you", and if it ever becomes "politically incorrect" . Too bad - I'm still going to say it!
Of course not anyone who does should take it up with me and I will set them straight LOL! Merry Christmas too you and all reading this , and if you are offended GOOD that was my intent!
Not at all! What is wrong is someone else's complaint's and rejections of a joyous and hearty salutation and the good wishes extended by such a greeting as an assault of their personal, religious or by other manner beliefs and heritage. To reject such a blessed wish by someone that is sincere is to degrade the person and their beliefs and instilling a secondary status of the person in the rejection of the good tidings.
Saying Merry Christmas should come from the heart and be meaningfully shared between two people...we all celebrate winter holidays in many different ways and traditions with our many different religions...We all celebrate the way we were taught from our families. On the December calendar what does it say for the holidays?...Hanukkah and Christmas...so if by me wishing you a ( "Merry Christmas Everyone" )...I am saying to you...have a very fun holly christmas holiday and ( "Happy Hanukkah" ) to every else! Djoyful
My best friend is a Director of a Child Development Center, and it's the same way. They have to say Happy Holidays. I think it is the most stupidest thing I have ever heard of in my life. Christ IS the reason for the season, and as a Christian, why should I have to say Happy Holidays? I don't care about politics. Look where it's gotten us so far. I care about who was born from a virgin, and who died for my sins so that I can live eternally with him in my mansion when I die. Why do people try and take that away from me? If I were to die today, and had lived my life believing the way that I do just to find out there is nothing in the end, I would of done everything exactly the same. It is a peace in my heart that only God can give. Can't explain it, but if you ask him to come into your heart, and you believe that he died and rose again, YOU WILL BE SAVED, and you will understand the peace. MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS....
MERRY CHRISTMAS, and I say when in Rome do as the Romans do and if it is not to your likings,you can always leave,and I be darn if I fought to bow down to anyone and will have respect but this countries practices are my practices and rites so once again MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL
If you are sincerely extending a greeting to a person, you'd want it to be received and appreciated. Respect and consideration for the other person and their beliefs is what is important here. I understand that you want to send out a specific greeting; but first ask yourself is this all about you and your wants - or about the gift of kind thoughts to uplift the other person?
Is this the greeting that the other person wants to receive? If yes, - fine! If no, I believe it's more appropriate to respect the other person and offer a greeting that they can appreciate and accept. It's not all about the wish you want to put out but it's also about what is received. Forcing a Christmas greeting upon someone who doesn't want it or doesn't celebrate Christmas doesn't create a loving or kind exchange. Instead it may be offensive and create an opposite than desired reaction.
Remember: Not all people are Christians. Not all people celebrate Christmas. Not all people want or welcome Christmas greetings. Consider how you would feel if a person sent you a greeting that was all about their beliefs which are different than yours and disrespectful of your belief. You wouldn't want a greeting about someone else's holiday forced upon you. I believe that Happy Holidays is not a political statement at all, it covers all winter holidays and it is respectful of all people. We live in a global community and need to pay attention to what creates love, peace and unity between people, today and every day.
I can't stand it when they try to tell me that I should say this instead of that. I say Merry Christmas, because that is the Holiday that is coming up. I can't imagine telling my tigger that she shouldn't say that because the rest of society is telling her that this is what should be said. I am sorry, but I was raised to say it that way. Even on my Christmas cards, I write Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. They are two different days. Hope this helps.
When you come to this country don't try to change its customs. You were allowed here originally. If you want to celebrate each holiday differently than the rest of the population, then do it in your own home and shut the hell up. If you don't like our customs then go back to your country of origin and be poor as dirt, afraid of your life everyday and kiss your dictators ass. Don't come here and think you're going to change things to suit your needs. Merry christmas!!! I pledge alleigence to the flag of the united states of america!!!! One nation under god!!! In god we trust!!!!
Christmas is Christmas, You can't change it. It can't be made into something else. All those political correct people should have their trees, wreaths, noels and taken from them, unless they actually celebrate all the holidays in their homes. Christmas was supposedly started because of the generosity of a Christian Saint to an improvished family with unmarried daughters. (first St. Nick) Which in turn gave other Christians cause to be giving. Christmas is not any other holiday except Christmas. Jesus is the reason, for this caring season.
I don't celebrate any winter holidays, christian, jewish, muslim, pagan asatru, et cetera and I could care less what any one wishes me. Whatever makes them happy. It doesn't harm nor hinder me and brightens their day so I'd say it's a good thing. I've developed my own little custom over the years of replying with one of several replies depending on the person and if it will offend them or not. I make sure the reply fits the person so it's non offensive. They feel good, I feel good, everyone wins ;)
In the USA, you should greet people with the winter holiday greeting reflective of your own faith. To heck with the so-called "politically correct"; religion is part and parcel of everyone's life in a true pluralistic society such as they give lip service to. As an exile in India, I find it refreshing that not only is a "Merry Christmas" acceptable here, but non-offensive to neighboring Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. Just as a Muslim can wish me "Eid Mubarak" or a Hindu can wish me "Shubh Diwali" without offense, my "Merry Christmas" does not offend those of other faiths.
The only thing that strikes the locals offensive is not having a deity, ie atheism. If the USA becomes as multicultural as the politically correct tout, then they'll have to stomach the majority freely worshipping as they see fit.
As I tell my "students" in a major global contact center, saying "Merry Christmas" to North Americans is always apropos. The only ones who take offense have no gods anyway.
I believe more than Merry Christmas Might be in order maybe would you like a beer good looking Blond Scooter Lady! Oh! I saw your photos on my space and your easy on the eyes! So for now Merry Christmas to you!
All good answers; personal religious, country, whatever difference, but at one time CHRISTMAS MEANT A TIME OF CHEER AND GOOD WILL TOWARD ALL!
Because we Christians are being persecuted the world over now and with all the "anti-god" rhetoric, we've been made to feel as if expressing our deepest desire to respect the notion of the season being the time of Our Lord's birth, we're made to feel ashamed, but we knew it wasn't really, rather a time of gathering with loved ones for the spirit it instilled in us and comraderie we briefly shared.
It was merry, it was gay when it meant frivolity and festive! It was Christmas Time for whatever reason, however politcally incorrect, it was a time to enjoy and to get to show those who you may have avoided afforded a little neglected kindness.
A time to smile at those annoyances we sometimes disliked and even back then, it seemed smiles came quicker for some reason.
Cold seasons were the best! Huddled in some Cafe or Coffee shop, yeah, bet Starbucks gets a lot of trade a Christmas. Probable a better place for pick-ups than the grocery.
Most of all it was a time to remember the birth of Christ, even if it wasn't really, and even if you weren't Christian... Just the idea made us happy... The star... The music. They were all the Joy of it, EVERYONE used to revel in.
It all became commercialized in the 70's and from the time some idiot said everyone had to be politically correct instead of ideally upright, we've taken the joy out of Christmas.
I feel sad for the foreigner above who came here for just the things we've so blithely discarded and thrown away. The tradition of Christmas and its Spirit used to make everyone smile and Merry Christmas meant a cheerful Happy Holiday in its own right, nothing more but a warm cheering greeting!
If you were Christian, a knowing glance would suffice, if you weren't so what, it was Christmas!
I too am sad too that now you have to watch who you say it to!
I am Christian born in Iraq. I came to the (God Blessed) the United States of America where I can say Merry Christmas without having my head cut off by Muslim Only to find out that here in the U.S., I have to say Holiday this or Winter that. No. No, I am not going to do that. I gave up everything I had just to reach to America the beautiful. Now, I am going to fight for America, Christmas & Christ. Merry Christmas to all my fellow Americans. I love you with all my heart. It really hurt me to see so many famous actors, media, companies and other hurt America like this. I have one thing to share with you if you want to know who's behind all this: 2000 years ago, they chose to crucify him. Then they created Islam to stop the spread of Christianity. Now, they are the same people who control Hollywood & the media. They are supporting Islam in order to defeat Christianity. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...
Of course not. I also don't think it is wrong to say Happy Hanukkah, or Haapy Kwanzaa, or any other holiday. If someone wants to wish me well in any form, I will gladly say "Thank you, and the same to you."
That is true when someone says happy holidays as well. I have seen people who have said that and people try to "correct" into saying Merry Christmas. That is wrong. Correctling anyone who is wishing you well in any form, is just plain rude.
No. I am a Christian, Christ was born on that day, we celebrate a mass in honor of this day--It is never wrong to accept your feelings/beliefs. If another does not agree--I tried---
