Why do some consider it offensive to say Season's Greetings rather than Merry Ch

1. 90

   Kylyssaposted 8 years ago

   Why do some consider it offensive to say Season's Greetings rather than Merry Christmas in November?
   
   OK, I understand why some Christians are offended by people saying something inclusive like Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays on Christmas itself, but why are some insistent that businesses start saying Merry Christmas rather than Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays starting right after Thanksgiving? There are a lot of holidays and a season going on between Thanksgiving and Christmas; how is it discrimination to use a greeting that includes all holidays and seasonal celebrations rather than a greeting that's really only appropriate for the days surrounding the specific holiday?
   
   

   replyreport
2. 84

   ronbergeronposted 8 years ago

   I think the people who are offended by "Happy Holidays" are trying to force their religious beliefs on people who don't share those beliefs. Maybe they're starting to feel nervous that there are fewer and fewer people who have the same beliefs, and they mistakenly think that an angry response will encourage people to be more like them.
   
   I think "Happy Holidays" is more appropriate, unless it actually happens to be December 25th. In that case, "Merry Christmas" makes complete sense.
   
   As you said, there are many holidays around those times. Getting upset because people choose to use the more inclusive "Holidays" rather than "Christmas" seems a bit small-minded. It takes a special type of person to be offended by someone wishing them a happy season.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      adagio4639posted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Those that are offended are the very same that see America as a "Christian Nation. They want a dominant role for their Christian faith here and are expressing their outrage that others don't accept that exhalted status.

      replyreport
   2. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your insight. I'd really like to understand what exact mental process leads people to feeling so strongly about something so insignificant that also makes no logical sense.

      replyreport
3. 86

   joanhallposted 8 years ago

   A lot of Christians have forgotten that the way we got a lot of our Christmas stuff (I say "we" because I'm a Christian) was by appropriating holiday practices from other religions and Christianizing them.  They have the idea that Christmas has always been completely Christian, therefore they feel that anything that includes the trees, tinsel, lights, etc., had better mention Jesus, otherwise they're "taking Christ out of Christmas".  Thus, terms like "Seasons Greetings" and "holiday trees" offend them.
   
   My sense is that if a Jewish space was completely decorated with Hannukah stuff only, they would have no problem with people there saying "Happy Hannukah".  But the more generic holiday-themed things they consider to be the property of Christianity.

   replyreport
   1. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you for your answer. That's an angle that never occurred to me, that some Christians might think all winter seasonal decorations are Christian symbols unless they are overtly of another religion.

      replyreport
   2. 84

      ronbergeronposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      It's interesting that many of those Christmas things have pagan origins.

      replyreport
   3. 90

      Kylyssaposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Indeed, Ron. I have a hard time seeing why Christians would even want to claim a lot of the stuff as Christian because it's either so clearly Pagan or just plain weird. Like why would elves and snowmen be Christian?

      replyreport
   4. 86

      joanhallposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      There are some Christian groups who shun Christmas for those very reasons.

      replyreport