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Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays
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Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?
Merry Christmas
80%
 80%  [ 16 ]
Happy Holidays
10%
 10%  [ 2 ]
Some other religious choice
5%
 5%  [ 1 ]
Some other non-religious choice
5%
 5%  [ 1 ]
Total Votes : 20

Author Message
laogaiguk



Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea

PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 11:30 pm    Post subject: Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays Reply with quote

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/20/poll.season/index.html

I thought only our stupid Canadian government was capable of this, but I guess Walmart in the States is doing it too. I'm curious about other English speaking countries.

I am agnostic, I really think organized religion is a bane, and personal religion (while I respect it) to me seems wacky (this isn't an attack on any of those, I just wanted to state by views to show if anyone has a bias for changing to Happy Holidays, it would be me). But I see no reason to change to Happy Holidays and ban Merry Christmas.
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peppermint



Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 1:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Either one is fine, though I saw someone say something along the likes of "Happy Kwanzaahamas!" and that just struck me as utterly ridiculous.
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Alexandra



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Location: Ilsan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As a Jew, I prefer Happy Holidays. It doesn't make me feel like a social outcast.
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bigverne



Joined: 12 May 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 2:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alexandra wrote:
As a Jew, I prefer Happy Holidays. It doesn't make me feel like a social outcast.


Aren't we being a little oversensitive? Anyone who is offended by 'Happy Christmas' in an overwhelmingly Christian country, should seriously consider emigrating.
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Alexandra



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Location: Ilsan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigverne wrote:
Alexandra wrote:
As a Jew, I prefer Happy Holidays. It doesn't make me feel like a social outcast.


Aren't we being a little oversensitive? Anyone who is offended by 'Happy Christmas' in an overwhelmingly Christian country, should seriously consider emigrating.


For your information my country of origin is not in an overwhelmingly Christian country, it's simply overwhelmingly antisemitic.

I don't think that there's a comparability between countries with completely different historical backgrounds. In Korea, "Merry Christmas" doesn't sound offending, in certain Central European countries it does, because all of its connotation.

Anyway, the original question was about my personal preference, not about my sensitivity.
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laogaiguk



Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alexandra wrote:
bigverne wrote:
Alexandra wrote:
As a Jew, I prefer Happy Holidays. It doesn't make me feel like a social outcast.


Aren't we being a little oversensitive? Anyone who is offended by 'Happy Christmas' in an overwhelmingly Christian country, should seriously consider emigrating.


For your information my country of origin is not in an overwhelmingly Christian country, it's simply overwhelmingly antisemitic.

I don't think that there's a comparability between countries with completely different historical backgrounds. In Korea, "Merry Christmas" doesn't sound offending, in certain Central European countries it does, because all of its connotation.

Anyway, the original question was about my personal preference, not about my sensitivity.


Hey, I'm sorry. I should have put "Merry/Happy Christmas". I didn't think. Hell, and I have British citizenship too. My bad. Sorry to all British English speakers!
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bigverne



Joined: 12 May 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
in certain Central European countries it does, because all of its connotation.


Its connotation with what? Christmas?
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bigverne



Joined: 12 May 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sadly, the UK is not far behind America in ditching its cultural heritage out of a misplaced desire to be 'inclusive'. Birmingham City Council recently renamed Christmas 'Winterval'.
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laogaiguk



Joined: 06 Dec 2005
Location: somewhere in Korea

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigverne wrote:
Sadly, the UK is not far behind America in ditching its cultural heritage out of a misplaced desire to be 'inclusive'. Birmingham City Council recently renamed Christmas 'Winterval'.


Winterval! Oh, that is priceless. It sounds like Bonhomme de Neige should be there.

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bigverne



Joined: 12 May 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

By the way, what exactly is Kwaanza? Is that just a made up holiday, or do people in Africa actually celebrate that?
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Kuros



Joined: 27 Apr 2004

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bigverne wrote:
By the way, what exactly is Kwaanza? Is that just a made up holiday, or do people in Africa actually celebrate that?


There's nothing wrong with Kwanzaa. Just remember,

Quote:
It is important that the Kinara not be confused with the menorah.


Yeah, okay, Kwanzaa is kinda funny. Smile
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Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't see what the big deal is. 'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year' is pretty long all by itself and if you are speaking/writing to friends who are of various backgrounds you would have to add in all the other holidays.

Happy Holidays covers all the bases with a lot fewer syllables.
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VanIslander



Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A friend of mine in New York City just sent me a "Happy Holidays".

Maybe it depends how multicultural one's upbringing is.

all the best to you and yours over the holidays
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waggo



Joined: 18 May 2003
Location: pusan baby!

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Merry Christmas Alexander!!!
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sundubuman



Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Location: seoul

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

here's an e-mail I received....

For My Democratic Friends:

"Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."



For My Republican Friends:

Here's wishing all of You a

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
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