Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

[cleochatra]

If someone says, "Happy Holidays" to you, are you offended?

I think it's about sentiment and being kind more than the actual terminology.

If someone smiles at me and says, "HappyOvercommercializationandeggnogWal- MartySuperfluousness" I'd smile back and say, "Same to you, and with a fiscally responsible New Year!"

I'm not offended by the "Happy Holidays" or the "Merry Kwanzsmasachanukas". It's the sentiment that matters.

[not2late]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

I'm not offended. I'm not offended if people say "Merry Christmas" to me either. "Good morning" is a conversational greeting. I look at "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" or "Happy Thanksgiving" as seasonal conversational greetings, like "Happy 4th of July".

Last year I did do an experiment of sorts. I made it a point to tell the clerks at stores "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" or "Happy Thanksgiving". I can't tell you the number of people who suddenly smiled and greeted me back with equal enthuiasm, as though we were members of a secret club or something.

It makes me think that we are trying to be so politically correct by purposefully trying not to offend anyone that we are just becoming offensively rude.

[PrinceJeff]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

This much is true. I am a Christian and quite honestly I don't see why in creation we need to be validated by retail companies who are not there to glorify God, but to take our money.

I say merry christmas without any intention of being pushy about my beliefs. However, I do draw the line at the tomfoolery the ACLU is trying to pull in public.

That said, we shouldn't be waiting around for nativity scenes in a town square or whatever, but we surely ought to do this in our own homes, where it is 100% legal. It is the job of the believer, not retail stores or government for that matter, to glorify and edify.

To all this I say, "merry holidays" or "happy Christmas". :P

[ladyinred]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

I agree. Happy holidays is fine because you are wishing people peace, love and happy times spent with family and friends. But I just went to DH's office party which was totally devoid of any decorations of any kind. The walls were decorated in black cloth. I thought I'd walked into a shiva house by mistake. They wanted to celebrate the ethnic diversity which comprises the backbone of the company....yadda yadda whatever. Whatever their religious beliefs, I don't know of any ethnic groups that choose to party in a black room. Not a sprig of holly or a red candle or anything. That too me is just going too far the other way. They could have just celebrated the ethnic diversity at another time. It wasn't a "holiday" party b/c there didn't seem to be any type of holiday being celebrated. I think it's cool that the kids learn about all this at school and they have a "holiday party" but they make Christmas decorations and learn Jewish songs and read about Qwanza and they truly celebrate each of these events. That to me is a holiday party. Calling it nothing for fear of offending someone doesn't do justice to anyone. Bottom line. There are holidays. They should be happy. = Happy Holidays. Nothing wrong with that.

[sadie147]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

You know..I was going to start this same thread late last week after seeing a phone poll on the local news about it. Toronto has been doing the "happy holidays' for quite some time now. Schools can only have 'holiday celebrations' not christmas concerts, no carols in schools can be sung with any reference to Jesus, Mary etc. Only songs like Rudolph etc are allowed.

In my opinion it's a christian holiday, so it should remain a Christmas tree. It shouldn't be renamed any more than a menorah should be called a 'holiday candle holder'.

This is the story that I saw that prompted the poll last week:

Logger spitting sawdust over Hub con-tree-versy


“My family donated a Christmas tree. If Boston wants to call it something else, maybe they should just send it back,” said Donnie Hatt, the logger who donated the 48-foot-tall white spruce that grew in his front yard for 36 years. “If I’d known there would be this much craziness, I would have ground it up myself.”


Hatt was referring to the flurry of media calls he’s received since yesterday’s Herald reported Christian fundamentalist preacher Jerry Falwell’s army of conservative lawyers was targeting Boston’s “holiday tree” in its campaign against cities and school districts that attempt to “secularize” Christmas.


Yesterday, Mayor Thomas M. Menino insisted the tree he’ll light at a 6:30 p.m. ceremonyon the Common Dec. 1 “is a Christmas tree, and is going to stay a Christmas tree as long as I’m mayor.”


Asked why the city’s Web site still referred to the event as “Boston’s Official Holiday Tree Lighting,” Menino said, “I didn’t write the Web site. If I had, it would have said Christmas tree.”


The mayor added, “If Jerry Falwell wants to do his thing, that’s up to him.”


Not every city official particularly cares what the tree is called.


“I think the spirit of Christmas goes beyond a tree. You can kill it by doing this type of thing,” said City Councilor Felix Arroyo about the conflict sparked by Falwell and the Liberty Counsel, the Orlando-based group behind the “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign.”


“I would prefer that people who call themselves Christian dedicate themselves to helping the poor,” Arroyo added.


But to Liberty Counsel president Mathew Staver, Boston is merely the first Bay State target to fall in his group’s war on the politically correct.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRe...ticleid=113844

[matawguro]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

In my opinion it's a christian holiday, so it should remain a Christmas tree.

I have no idea what trees have to do with Christmas.

Back to the topic, in a society where openess to other cultures / beliefs / religions is encouraged, why is the expression of those cultures / beliefs / religions now considered anathema? So it's okay for me to be a Christian as long as I practice being a Christian in secret in my own little cubby hole?

Frankly, I'd rather be fed to the lions.

[xellios]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

Happy RamaHanuKwanzMas!

yeah.. we are way to PC on this.. I dont mind respecting all December Holidays.. but it alwyas seems as if Christmas is the one people have a problem with.

[slimndown]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

xellios - are you a fellow Glenn Beck fan????

Guys - I don't participate in celebrating any holidays but find it interesting how Christmas is a mix of different religious celebrations based on pagan practices (christmas tree) and was converted to being a Christian holiday when the early christian movement was trying to convert people of other faiths to christianity. Making it a christian celebration made it easier for others to subsribe to the christian beliefs without giving up the religious practices and celebrations they held so dear. Now it just seems ridiculous how people keep fighting over it being a Christian holiday or changing it once again to encompass all beliefs so everyone feels comfortable. 'Tis the season I guess.....

[BabyDreamer]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

My term to chime in...as most of you know I teach online at a college (ok where open minds should prevail). Well, I posted a gif (animated picture) of Mickey Mouse decorating a tree last Christmas (I also post frogs, pumpkins, butterflies, Winnie the Pooh and well, I have over 500). Anyway, I got a terse email from my boss telling me that he had one complaint--one out of 120 people and that I had to remove it immediately. I also have to be careful not to say "Christmas Break" when referring to the time between semesters. It is to be called "Winter Break". Good grief. There are plenty of people out there who are not believers in Christ who still celebrate the commerical side of Christmas. It is terrible that in my own classroom I cannot say, "have a good Christmas break" to my students.


Deb

[matawguro]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

I also have to be careful not to say "Christmas Break" when referring to the time between semesters. It is to be called "Winter Break".

Coming from a third world tropical country, I am offended by your use of "Winter break". It reinforces the colonial mentality of my countrymen which was brought about by western powers colonizing our country.

Don't take the above paragraph seriously. I'm just trying to point out that in a large enough community, there will always be someone who will be offended.

There really is no point in using or creating neutral terms. Any neutral term will acquire its own meaning over time. I gather that the term "Happy Holidays" is already taken as an ant-Christian greeting in the minds of some people.

BTW, how do people over there generally feel about using X'mas to refer to Christmas?

[PrinceJeff]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

Doesn't make much difference to me. I know what is said.

[cleochatra]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

X = icthos (greek fish symbol) or annointed one which is the symbol for Christos or Christ. X-mas is still Christmas

~from a former linguistics major

[not2late]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

It shouldn't be renamed any more than a menorah should be called a 'holiday candle holder'.

I gotta remember that one.

Re: Christmas Trees

It's a German tradition popularized by celeb couple of the 1800s Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Its origins are pagan. http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

[snowlily]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

Depending on the writer~~saying X-Mas is another way for them to take Christ out of Christmas. So, as I christian I dont like writing x-mas. Thats my personal preference.

[Perry]

Re: Are we becoming too politically correct about the holidays? Not PC enough?

Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all;

Additionally,

a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great, without regard to the race, creed, color, religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes.

(Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)