Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

In Canada in the present p.c. climate - you almost never hear people wish each other ``Merry Christmas`` - the correct terminology in this p.c. day and age is ``Happy Holidays`` - the reason being that saying ``Merry Christmas`` might offend those in Canada (and there are many) who are not of the Judeo-Christian faith.......

If you happen to say ``Merry Christmas`` it will be considered ``bad form`` and shows a lack of sensitivity to all the minorities - who actually happen to be the ``majority`` in cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal......with their higher birth rates etc....and generous immigration policies (Canada needs babies!!)...

Ghost thinks that the p.c. culture has gone too far in Canada, and week after week in the news in Canada, you see examples of where Canadian culture is being subjugated for the good of the new arrivals......and of course there is nothing wrong with welcoming newcomers, but if those newscomers just use Canada as a meal ticket without wishing to become involved in any way with the Canadian way of life, that is rather sad.....

In the United Arab Emirates (for example) where only 25% of the population is actually Emirati, you do not see the Emirati Government making special concessions for the majority of expats who live there....and even though the Emirates practice a rather moderate form of Islam, could you imagine the situation where Ramazan and the Eid periods were diluted to accommodate the expats.....not feasible..

ghost

[spiral78]

As I pointed out on the General Discussion forum, there are two holidays that are often linked: Christmas and New Year's. Plural. The winter holidays. That's innocuous enough.

Anyway, if you are sticking to Merry Christmas, you're essentially excluding everyone except Christians from your greeting. Sorry, but I think people of other religions, including Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslims have historically contributed greatly to Canadian culture. Not to mention currently.

In any case, Dave's is not limited to Christian English teachers only.

Most places have historically celebrated some kind of Winter Holidays. This pre-dates Christianity and the birth of Christ too. There is substantial historical evidence that the Catholic church made a decision to hijack the old winter celebrations to highlight the birth of Jesus, which probably actually occurred sometime later in the year.

It's just not exclusively Christian.

[scb222]

"there are two holidays that are often linked: Christmas and New Year's. Plural." - quote taken from above post.

christmas and new year's are not linked at all. they are two VERY different holidays that just happen to be situated near each other. And plural? where is the plural? they're both singular.

[yaramaz]

Two holidays= plural, as opposed to two holiday.

[thrifty]

"New Year's" -he is mistaking the apostrophe for a plural. TEFLers

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

Fine ... Spiral can wish people 'Happy Winter Holidays' ... and we can do what the hell we like ... we don't need a moral busy-body telling us what to do ... and even more oppresively, what we can and cannot say ...

My students here, covered from head to toe, seem to have fewer problems wishing someone 'Merry Christmas' than Spiral does ... funnily enough they think people like Spiral are nuts ...

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

But who wrestles who?

I'd like to see BigSadBoozie give the pc twits a good thumping ...

[Baba Alex]

To be honest I've seen more of the Anti-PC brigade get offended by the use of the term "Happy Holidays" than I have non-Christians get offended by the term "Merry Christmas".

I for one used to be irritated by religious people hijacking my Christmas to use what is a essentially a time of year to indulge, buy and recieve presents, and watch rubbish films, as an excuse to tell me stories about the birth of yet another schizophrenic Jewish magician.

[scb222]

[spiral78]

I mean holidays in the plural = Christmas + New Year's. I have not mistaken an apostrophe for a plural form. It's two holidays, on the Christian calendar. I am sending wishes for both - the whole week - the season.

If I am sure my Christmas card will ARRIVE at its destination before Christmas, I may choose to wish a Merry Christmas, assuming that the person/s I am sending the card to are Christians. I have absolutely no problem with the greeting. I just have problems with the postal service!!

For heaven's sake.

Quite honestly, I personally celebrate the Solstice, but that's not anyone else's issue. I don't go around insisting that Christians recognize my holiday, or muslims either.

[spiral78]

On the other issue, Canada's approach to the issue and the UAE's are different for a good reason. Isn't the UAE an officially muslim country? Let me freely admit that my knowledge of the Middle East is embarassingly slim, I'll happily accept correction. But I think the distinction may be between a country that �s 'officially' of one religion or other, and one like Canada which is not.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

I hope we haven't upset Spiral and his/her gang for celebrating New Year on another thread ... upsetting Spiral because the Chinese and Islamic New Year do in fact fall at a different time ...

Apologies to any Chinese and Muslims, or Chinese Muslims, who may be reading this for forcing our culture upon you with this traditional greeting ... perhaps Spiral is right and it should be changed to lessen its offensiveness ... to something like:

'Happy New Page of Gregorian Calendar Day with future wishes for Chinese and Muslim New Years'

[yaramaz]

UAE is under shari'a law if you are muslim, I think- my non-practising muslim Canadian other half registered himself as Christian when he applied for his residence visa there because he said that the restrictions on muslims are about, well, ten pages longer and seriously more background checked than for other religions. The was stuff about getting letters from imams to verify that you are living a halaal muslim life (so drinking and carousing are out) and agreeing to live accordingly in UAE, punishable by law. I'm not 100% sure about the details.

As a canadian, I really don't care what anyone wishes me. I am not a christian, but if someone wishes me a merry christmas, i take it with the good will and good wishes it was intended. Same with happy holidays. Or iyi bayramlar. It's nice to have an excuse to wish people a happy anything.

[Baba Alex]

[dmb]