Comments | firefly124: Excellent article on the whole "stand up for Christmas" business

firefly124

Excellent article on the whole "stand up for Christmas" business

Dec 04, 2009 13:55

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Christmas. More so this year for some reason. But that's a rambly post for another day when I'm not actively procrastinating writing up med sheets ( Read more... )

christmas, holiday, spirituality, religion

Comments 26

scatteredlogic December 4 2009, 19:22:32 UTC

I have no use for the "stand up for Christmas" campaign. In a country where 78.4% of the population self-identify as belonging to a Christian religion, the claim that such a large portion of the population are somehow being marginalized is little more than delusional wish fulfillment. They're trying so very hard to be marginalized because they're so desperate to be martyrs to their faith. The fact that very few people are truly cooperating with that self-serving wish must be incredibly frustrating to them. ~shrug~

firefly124 December 4 2009, 20:14:21 UTC

They're trying so very hard to be marginalized because they're so desperate to be martyrs to their faith.

Exactly. When the point would seem to be to actually live said faith. But what do I know. *shrug*

scatteredlogic December 4 2009, 20:24:47 UTC

When the point would seem to be to actually live said faith.

They're supposed to, but it's easier to whine and have tantrums about someone not saying "Merry Christmas" every single freaking time they enter or leave a story than to, y'know, bestir themselves to give to the poor and feed the hungry. /cynicism

firefly124 December 4 2009, 20:14:40 UTC

veradee December 4 2009, 19:36:09 UTC

Are they actually complaining that retailers don't wish them "Merry Christmas" right now? That's three weeks too early.

firefly124 December 4 2009, 20:16:53 UTC

Timing isn't the issue. Stores have been all decked out since before Halloween in some cases, in full swing with music and lights and whatnot since Thanksgiving last week. And your average cashier is already sick to death of wishing everyone "Happy Holidays," "Seasons Greetings," or "Merry Christmas." And that's the complaint: that some opt for the more open-ended greeting. You'd think they could find actual problems in the world to get upset about, which is one of the points made in the article I linked.

veradee December 4 2009, 22:19:03 UTC

Of course, the complaint is ridiculous, but it's even more ridiculous because Christmas is still three weeks off. Might be a cultural difference, though. Here many shops have been decorated for a couple of weeks also, but no shop assistant would dream of wishing any customer "Merry Christmas" now. Actually, most customers would be very much taken aback if the shop assistants did so.

As for the more open-ended terms... That's not such a big problem here although you'll find people who will wish you "Happy Holidays" as well. I think it's just stupid, though. It happens to be Christmas on 25 December, and despite the fact that I don't believe in God, Jesus, etc., I don't see any reason not to call it Christmas.

firefly124 December 5 2009, 05:06:12 UTC

Yeah, I'm not much fussed one way or the other. I get that the stores, in particular, are trying to be open-ended because the want to score sales from people who are celebrating other things as well, but I can't see making such a big deal of it.

openhands December 4 2009, 20:44:40 UTC

Some of my relatives gripe about this and I can't help but think about how petty it sounds. There are so many bigger things happening in this world and people are getting their panties in a bunch over a damned phrase.

Great blog article, thanks for sharing.

firefly124 December 5 2009, 05:06:50 UTC

You're welcome. And yes, petty. Perfect word for it.

shiv5468 December 4 2009, 21:01:13 UTC

I'm a militant atheist and I don't care if someone says merry Christmas. It bloody well is Christmas. I've never seen anyone whine about Christmas so I don't see where this idea comes from that it's somehow being excluded.

We get the odd story that it's been banned but that turns out to be bollocks when you look into the story so the need to feel all martyred is pretty widespread.

firefly124 December 5 2009, 05:09:05 UTC

I'm a militant atheist and I don't care if someone says merry Christmas. It bloody well is Christmas.

And, y'see, stuff like that is what makes the whole thing *really* amusing. I've never seen or heard of any Jews, Pagans, or atheists making a fuss over "Merry Christmas." The stores and all apparently go more generic in hopes of ensuring they get maximum sales from everyone or something. It's just the far-right wingnuts that freak out over "Happy Holidays."

(The comment has been removed)

firefly124 December 5 2009, 05:11:13 UTC

Rating stores based on how Christmas-based their holiday campaigns are? Laaaaame.

*nods* Exactly. I'd find a rating system such as the article's author described far more useful.

I totally have no patience for all the Pagan whining about the Christians stealing their holidays and traditions. I'll go celebrate Yule, and you can go celebrate Christ's birth, and if we both happen to have coinciding traditions, whoopde-freaking-do.

Yup, absolutely.