"Merry Christmas!" vs. "Happy Holidays!"

[Aurafire]

I feel this topic would be more than appropriate now that Christmas is fast approaching.

I'm sure many of you are aware of this whole debacle...Workers at many retail stores have been told to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" so that those who do not celebrate Christmas are not offended. The efforts of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) have been the main reason for this change. They have brought many lawsuits against these retail stores on behalf of a few disgruntled shoppers.

Many shoppers feel that "Happy Holidays" is a more socially acceptable term because it expresses a general acknowledgement of all of the holidays that are celebrated at this time of year. However, some people feel that "Merry Christmas" is a better option, as Christmas is a national holiday and is celebrated by the majority of Americans.

Do you think that stores should continue to say "Happy Holidays"? Should they say "Merry Christmas"? Are the two interchangeable? If you don't live in America, which term do hear the most, and do you agree with it? Discuss! =D

 

[wolf]

You know, I think they should say "Happy Holidays" since there are people who don't celebrate Christmas. It is better in my opinion to say something that refers to everyone, which is fair to everyone! Heh, now that I saw this thread, then I will change my sig!

 

[Young Stunna']

I think people should be able to say whatever the heck they want to say.

Why? Because forcing companies to say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas" is a very liberal idea. It is just something to say. Happy Holidays doesn't offend Christmas-celebraters, so why should Merry Christmas offend non Christmas-celebraters? Are they just going to go back and change the songs now? "Have a holly, jolly Holiday." That doesn't sound right. The word Holiday means holy-day anyways. Its just like the whole homosexual deal, if you don't agree with them they will pull the government into it and try to change the law and all kinds of crap. People are just offended to easily.

 

[Thomas]

I actually prefer "Happy Christmas" and "Merry Holidays"...

 

[wolf]

I think people should be able to say whatever the heck they want to say.

Why? Because forcing companies to say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas" is a very liberal idea. It is just something to say. Happy Holidays doesn't offend Christmas-celebraters, so why should Merry Christmas offend non Christmas-celebraters? Are they just going to go back and change the songs now? "Have a holly, jolly Holiday." That doesn't sound right. The word Holiday means holy-day anyways. Its just like the whole homosexual deal, if you don't agree with them they will pull the government into it and try to change the law and all kinds of crap. People are just offended to easily.

You know, I agree after reading your opinion! I mean why change the saying when the songs are also like that?

 

[Her]

Retarded much?
Everythings getting too PC these days, and leaving nothin to chance.

Change it back to Merry Christmas.

 

[TRIFORCE89]

I'm Catholic I will greet people with "Merry Christmas". If someone greets me with "Happy Hanukkah", I'll reply with "Happy Hanukkah". I take no offense and I don't expect anyone to take offense to me wishing them a Merry Christmas. If you're of a different religion or of no religion, well...I still want you to have a very merry December 25th regardless. Hope you have a great day.

Happy holidays is good for describing the season, as it is made of many different celebrations. However, if the store has Santa or a Christmas tree in it, then say Merry Christmas - because what you're selling is the secular version of Christmas.

 

[Spinor]

I have no preference over both. I use Merry Christmas more often. But I don't mind use of either.

I sometimes wonder why British use "Happy Christmas". It makes no sense. But I guess it's just custom.

 

[icomeanon6]

I've always thought that "Happy Holidays" sounds too politically correct and sterile. PC-America needs to grow up: living in a multicultural society does not mean suppressing any culture that is different from the safe, non-offensive one. Regardless, Christmas has become so secular that the American practice thereof hardly even qualifies as Christian anymore.

(Just don't tell PC-America that "Holiday" actually means "Holy day," otherwise they'd probably find an even more sterile alternative. Happy Non-Sectarian Days Off, anyone?)

 

[jasonresno]

This faction of political correctness is ridiculous. Christmas has always been Christmas and likely always will be so. Let it be. A lot of non religious people celebrate Christmas and enjoy it so why should we ban such a harmless saying for a few morons?

 

[moments.]

Well here in Australia nobody says Happy Holidays. I think that is an American thing...
We say Merry Christmas over here which is pretty common to a lot of people.

 

[LethalTexture]

It's the same over here in the UK; all it is is political correctness. There was an attempt to have the name "Christmas" changed incase it was offensive, and soon we may not be allowed to call them "fairy lights" in case it offends homosexuals.

I'm not trying to be racist because I'm not like that. But if it's our traditions and our holiday, shouldn't we be allowed to celebrate it?

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

It's too politically correct. -.-

I don't really care what they say, but restricting people just because less people are unhappy makes no sense. I mean, seriously, why take offence? Christmas is a world-wide celebration! If there's a Christmas tree, tinsle, mistletoe and all that jazz in the store, "Merry Christmas" is part of the jazz. The Christians can take it to mean Christmas and the non-Christians can go and take it as "X-mas". It doesn't hurt anyone at all. The morons calling it offensive are rather out of fashion, aren't they? Christmas is so little of a Christian Celebration these days that Christians could just go and get angry that it's called "X-Mas" sometimes. -.-

Being politically correct on harmless things just doesn't work. Nasty-minded civilians might just go and get Pokemon renamed "mini-mon". -.-

It's just not worth the effort.

 

[BakingBluePotatoe]

hm... I guess saying "Merry Christmas" should be fine IF the other person said that too.. otherwise "Happy Holidays" is preferred.

That's just me =/

 

[Ayouki Emerald]

I ignore this trivial greeting sometimes-I use both. Although happy and merry don't cut my diction. I would rather prefer blissful.

 

[Jorah]

"Happy holidays" makes no sense, I wouldn't say it in the summer holidays XD It seems kind of de-personalised, if that makes sense. I would say "Merry Christmas" because I wish you a Merry Christmas. Other religions are going to call it by their own name and it's not offending anyone.

I sometimes wonder why British use "Happy Christmas". It makes no sense. But I guess it's just custom.

Huh? We use both "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Christmas", although I prefer "Merry" because "happy" is used for birthdays and Easter XD

 

[Weatherman Kiyoshi]

I've always prefeered "Merry ChristmasHannakuhKwanzaaWinterSolstice"

Happy Holidays is too politically correct, indeed.
If people are offended by having someone say Merry Christmas, well they should jump off a building and land on thier head to see if they get a clue.

I am NEVER going to be "poltically correct" because someone tells me to be.

Well anywho, It's only fair a little bit to anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas, I mean, Christmas celebraters get all the Holiday specials, songs, Santa at malls, etc.
A little Happy Holidays doesn't seem that much.

But, If peopl;e get offended by Merry Christmas, then they're- How Carlos Mencia would say, DE DEE DEEEEEEEEE.

Quite.

 

[doesn't matter]

Seasons Greetings isn't secular enough?

Anyway, it reminds me of a story a couple years back when Westfield asked a store within it's centre to remove a nativity scene the owner had set up, I think so to not offend anyway.

I like walking past there and still seeing it there, year after year there, haha. I should really go up to the owner and wish him a Merry Christmas.

But yeah, I've never been a fan of political correctness, especially when forced. Plus this is the human language, it'll change on it's own but attempting to do so manually won't work, lol.

 

[Cherrim]

I'm Catholic I will greet people with "Merry Christmas". If someone greets me with "Happy Hanukkah", I'll reply with "Happy Hanukkah". I take no offense and I don't expect anyone to take offense to me wishing them a Merry Christmas. If you're of a different religion or of no religion, well...I still want you to have a very merry December 25th regardless. Hope you have a great day.

Happy holidays is good for describing the season, as it is made of many different celebrations. However, if the store has Santa or a Christmas tree in it, then say Merry Christmas - because what you're selling is the secular version of Christmas.

^ This. Except I'm not Catholic (though I was raised Catholic).

I say Merry Christmas to people I know--almost everyone does celebrate Christmas (out of people around me, I mean). I will say Happy Holidays if it's warranted since it is more politically correct, but for the most part I don't really care. While it's good not to offend anyone, you've seriously got an entitlement problem if you go shopping during the Christmas rush to a mall/store decked out for Christmas, and feel personally insulted if someone wishes you a Merry Christmas instead of a non-denominational greeting. I mean, honestly? It's not hurting you. Most people saying it aren't even thinking of Jesus, God, etc. as they say it. Chances are their minds are on Santa and reindeer and stuff because that's what's marketed so heavily in the retail sector. o_O;

As for what I hear most--I'm in a very Italian area which means very Roman Catholic. So amongst friends, family, etc. it's all "Merry Christmas". I... must admit, though, I haven't been in a store where I've been wished anything yet. I did most of my Christmas shopping online and the only other stores I've been to were grocery stores and... I guess they have no policy for that? *shrug* I dunno what the retail workers are saying. :P

 

[ErickaVolt]

Well in my country, I hear 'Merry Christmas' than 'Happy Holidays'. I think there's no difference between them. They used to like more Happy Holidays because its new and Merry Christmas is old.