[Discussion] Your opinion: "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"?

[Yoshikkko]

You can't take everyone into account. Generally Christmas is celebrated, so you say Merry Christmas. You can't consider every single person who doesn't celebrate Christmas or celebrates something else like Chanooka or whatever else there is. People who get offended when you tell them Merry Christmas while they don't celebrate it expect way too much of others. Christmas isn't even officially celebrated here and people don't care what people say to eachother.

[Insomniac]

Originally Posted by Keiran777

I don't attribute modern Christmas to any religion, and I think it's silly to do so, but I still say "Happy Holidays" because it's a term that encompasses every holiday happening around the same time. I don't take offense to Merry Christmas.

If any holiday has the ability to be offensive, it's Thanksgiving.

Same here, I don't really care much, so I simply say 'holidays' because there are a lot of religious holidays that people celebrate at the time. And I also don't take offense when someone says, 'merry Christmas', because that's silly.

[TRIFORCE89]

Originally Posted by PhantomX0990

This is one of the weirdest times of the year to be an atheist.

Especially a former believer.

As it is I say neither. If someone says something to me I will be polite and say thanks instead of returning the greeting, except I swear flipping 99% of the time I'm on auto correct and say "you too" without a thought. (Has anyone done that? It was my birthday Friday, and twice people wished me a happy birthday... and I responded with 'you too'... only to realize right after they leave that that made no sense.)

Sure I'm willing to explain my atheism or lack of enthusiasm toward the holiday season, but only if it's brought up. If someone asks me what I'm doing for 'insert holiday' I just say I don't celebrate it. Usuallly then people back off a bit, if they inquire further I'll tell them.

I said "you too" when someone said "thank you, come again" while leaving a store XD Oops.

And so I can make this relevant to the thread a bit. I don't find what's generally celebrated as "Christmas" in the public eye currently to be all that religious. General... winterness, Santa, snowmen, presents, food. The commercial version of Christmas. So, in that sense, "Merry Christmas" is more like "enjoy your wintertime" not "happy not-really Jesus' birthday day".

[GreenGoblin]

I say merry Xmas, as in I say the word "X" kinda like in futurama, because X-mas is like christmas...only extreme!

[Wobbachomp]

"Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays" sounds really weird and I've never heard anyone say that offline.

[zephyr6257]

Merry Christmas. There are several holidays in December, from different religions, but I believe Christmas is prominent, and idrc if you think otherwise. :3

[Draegast]

I always say happy holidays in fears someone might get upset if they don't actually celebrate christmas

[PiemanFiddy]

I don't really mind either. I'm atheist, and I still use "Merry Christmas" only because that's what I grew up saying as a kid.

In a public place (i.e Work or Mall, etc.) I would say "Happy Holidays", just so I don't accidentally spark a humungous lawsuit for no reason.

[Mr. X]

I'm intending to use this this year, should someone call me out on saying Happy Holidays.

Anyway, me, the only time I say Merry Christmas is on... you know... Christmas. Saying it any other day of the year is pointless.

[TRIFORCE89]

Originally Posted by Mr. X

I'm intending to use this this year, should someone call me out on saying Happy Holidays.

Anyway, me, the only time I say Merry Christmas is on... you know... Christmas. Saying it any other day of the year is pointless.

What about on Christmas eve? :p

[PiemanFiddy]

^

Christmas Eve is just another word for "Do you want your presents early?"

[Mr. X]

Think of it this way.

Do we say happy birthday to a person, at the first of the month, even though their birthday is at the end of the month?

We don't, because it isn't their birthday yet.

Merry Christmas is the same way, it's pointless and idiotic to say it on any other day besides christmas.

[PiemanFiddy]

Originally Posted by Mr. X

Think of it this way.

Do we say happy birthday to a person, at the first of the month, even though their birthday is at the end of the month?

We don't, because it isn't their birthday yet.

Merry Christmas is the same way, it's pointless and idiotic to say it on any other day besides christmas.

Precisely. It's just like those people that put up Christmas Decorations and advertisements in NOVEMBER.

It's like... FIRST off, that isn't even in the right month, and SECOND off, that's around 28+ days early.

[TRIFORCE89]

Originally Posted by PiemanFiddy

^

Christmas Eve is just another word for "Do you want your presents early?"

Well, lucky you. I've never opened a present on Christmas Eve. XD

With my family, Christmas Day is treated as the commercial version and Christmas Eve is the religious counterpart. Well... at least more traditional, not necessarily religious. We do the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Big celebratory feast, a bigger deal than the actual Day.

So, wishing them a Merry Christmas then seems highly appropriate to me.

Originally Posted by PiemanFiddy

Precisely. It's just like those people that put up Christmas Decorations and advertisements in NOVEMBER.

It's like... FIRST off, that isn't even in the right month, and SECOND off, that's around 28+ days early. >_>

There were Christmas ads playing before Halloween this year. Absolutely crazy. Those should not start until the week of American Thanksgiving (which is still early, and I'd rather it be later, but it makes sense to me because it is a big shopping week)

I like putting up my house lights on the last weekend of November though (but not turning them on). That way they're all ready to go in December and I don't have to fuss about outside when it is colder or when there's snow.

Only other external Christmas decorations we have is just a wreath on the front door. And that goes up when Advent starts.

Advent, Christmas Eve., Christmas Day, Christmastide, the Epiphany. "Christmas" has never been a one-day thing to me. It's a whole Christmas season. So, saying "Merry Christmas" seems correct to me outside of just December 25th. Or not saying, but "seeing". Like on a sign or something. I'm not likely to actually say "Merry Christmas" until the week of.

(While there's religious significance to those dates, my family mostly just uses them as days to mark for doing things. Like taking down the tree at Epiphany. Turning on the lights when Advent starts. Having Christmas treats would fall under here too. But awaiting some second coming of Christ... eh, no, not so much no XD That's not on our radar, more just the celebratory fun things)

[PiemanFiddy]

Originally Posted by TRIFORCE89

Well, lucky you. I've never opened a present on Christmas Eve. XD

With my family, Christmas Day is treated as the commercial version and Christmas Eve is the religious counterpart. Well... at least more traditional, not necessarily religious. We do the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Big celebratory feast, a bigger deal than the actual Day.

So, wishing them a Merry Christmas then seems highly appropriate to me.


There were Christmas ads playing before Halloween this year. Absolutely crazy. Those should not start until the week of American Thanksgiving (which is still early, and I'd rather it be later, but it makes sense to me because it is a big shopping week)

I like putting up my house lights on the last weekend of November though (but not turning them on). That way they're all ready to go in December and I don't have to fuss about outside when it is colder or when there's snow.

Only other external Christmas decorations we have is just a wreath on the front door. And that goes up when Advent starts.

Advent, Christmas Eve., Christmas Day, Christmastide, the Epiphany. "Christmas" has never been a one-day thing to me. It's a whole Christmas season. So, saying "Merry Christmas" seems correct to me outside of just December 25th. Or not saying, but "seeing". Like on a sign or something. I'm not likely to actually say "Merry Christmas" until the week of.

(While there's religious significance to those dates, my family mostly just uses them as days to mark for doing things. Like taking down the tree at Epiphany. Turning on the lights when Advent starts. Having Christmas treats would fall under here too. But awaiting some second coming of Christ... eh, no, not so much no XD That's not on our radar, more just the celebratory fun things)

Yeah I used to have that same feast type thing during Christmas Eve back when I was a teenager XD.


The last weekend of November is an OK time, even if it isn't in the month of December. You at least have to be prepared for it. The way I see it, those ads broadcast early because everyone is too eager to hop right into the season XD.

[The_Consumer]

Just to note, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday. Don't believe me, Google it.

I say Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas. Happy Holidays isn't something we say in Ireland.

I guess everyone is for Christmas as long as there is a holiday. A 2 week holiday at that.

[TRIFORCE89]

Originally Posted by The_Consumer

Just to note, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday. Don't believe me, Google it.

I say Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas. Happy Holidays isn't something we say in Ireland.

I guess everyone is for Christmas as long as there is a holiday. A 2 week holiday at that.

I'd be all for a two week holiday. Who gets a two week holiday for Christmas? lol You're legally entitled to just the one day here.

I don't think that's entirely correct. Christmas wasn't pagan. But rather it "ate" or absorbed an existing pagan celebration. They celebrated different things, but at different times (although, at the start in a similar manner). By piggy backing on the existing holiday season it was seen as easier to bring people into the faith. Elements of the pagan tradition still remain in some form - like the Christmas tree.

[Chaval]

Don't really care about it. People have their own way to see things and think. It's impossible to know how people feel about when all you exchange in a conversation is "Hey" and "how are you?" don't you think?

When it comes to me, I'm fine with anything as long as I get a gift no matter what it is hahaha I don't think a day is going to change how people feel.

[Razor Leaf]

Originally Posted by Mr. X

Think of it this way.

Do we say happy birthday to a person, at the first of the month, even though their birthday is at the end of the month?

We don't, because it isn't their birthday yet.

Merry Christmas is the same way, it's pointless and idiotic to say it on any other day besides christmas.

I imagine we say it because we might not have a chance to say it to them later. Also, we can't know when it's someone's birthday, while we do know when it's christmas. Although that said I agree with you in that it's pretty pointless; in fact, over here, I rarely see people saying "Merry Christmas" or equivalent (outside of advertisements and the like) but rather "Have a nice Christmas" or something like that. So it seems you're not alone in these sentiments! Personally I always felt weird saying "Merry Christmas" before the day itself. I think you're reading a bit too much into it, though, when you get to the point where you consider it 'idiotic'. d:

Anyway, the distinction between Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays doesn't much bother me; I won't judge someone for saying one or the other or most of the time, even think twice about it. What does bother me, though, is when people say Happy Holidays for no reason other than to avoid the acknowledgement that Christmas is, at the heart of it, a religious holiday. If they can embrace the whole tradition of giving and receiving gifts and all that then they should really be able to at least stomach the fact that Christmas stems back to religion. I'm not saying that non-religious people shouldn't celebrate Christmas or should have to acknowledge the religious part of Christmas outside of the word "Christmas" (although that's a whole other topic for discussion) and I'm not saying that everyone who says Happy Holidays does so because of some strong aversion towards religion, but I dislike it when people use that saying to evade the religious aspect of Christmas.

[The_Consumer]

Originally Posted by TRIFORCE89

I'd be all for a two week holiday. Who gets a two week holiday for Christmas? lol You're legally entitled to just the one day here.
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Sorry I meant students xD

[Livewire]

Pretty much my thoughts on the matter. It's a non-issue made into one by people with nothing better to do.