I am aware that to many the holiday is NOT about Jesus, but about gifts, etc. Just wondering what is your reaction when someone says "Merry Christmas" to you?
Many people ALSO celebrate the religious side of it.
If you were to say "god bless you this Christmas" i might be a touch offended, but "Merry Christmas" is exactly what it means. have a wonderful day with your family and friends around a tree, opening presents, eating good food, having the day off, enjoy the hot chocolate, singing carols, sharing family memories. That’s all secular.
It’s a bit like saying marriage is a religious thing, just cause most people do it in a church. References :
Christmas is a Pagan Roman holiday celebrating the Winter Solstice, So the question to you is are you good sir offended?
I am not
It is just a greeting
And since said person would be saying it who generally is a Christian celebrates Christmas, he is not inclined to say Happy Hanuka (since it is not their faith it is the other person’s) unless the other person requests it.
Edit : CURSES MATT YOU BEAT ME TO THE PAGAN HOLIDAY! References :
Even if I celebrated one of the other 4 holidays celebrated in December it wouldn’t bug me. Why would it?
Would it bother you if someone walked up to you and said "Happy Saturnalia"? How about "Happy Yule"? "Happy Kwanzaa"? "Happy Hanukkah"? References : agnostic-atheist
I don’t get offended unless someone reacts with hostility when I wish them a Happy Yule or Happy Holidays. I never assume someone is a certain religion unless I know for sure. Unfortunately people in my area ASSUME that EVERYONE they see is christian no matter what. References :
Christmas was always a pagan holiday that had little or nothing to do with Christians. In the past Christians have even opposed it as pagan blasphemy… the puritans banned it at one point, as did at least one pope.
As an atheist I still celebrate it (along with all the other atheists I know), we just don’t go to church. Same tree, same decorations, colors, etc. We may even celebrate it better than Christians since we know where all the symbology (tree and all) came from.
I often wish people Merry Christmas and am perfectly pleased when people wish me a Merry Christmas.
Hell, we even have a nativity scene. Only difference is we replaced Mary and Joseph with Isis and Zeus our three "wise men" are Odin, Thor, and Freya, and the baby Jesus has been replaced by Jack Bauer. XD References :
I could care less.
I am getting tired of the very words, "offended", "offensive", etc.
Americans are sure getting thin-skinned and lilly-livered these days! References :
i dont get mad, i celebrate it also as a matter of tradition, and your rght it has become a big holiday about going out and buying crap especially for christians, for me its about being with your loved ones no matter what you believe References :
It’s a bit silly to get offended over well-wishes, unless someone is purposely trying to shove their believe of the Christian standard of the holiday, when it started out as a Pagan celebration in the first place. References :
I don’t celebrate the holiday; I’d be showing up at work next Friday if the building wasn’t going to be locked.
I don’t get offended when somebody says, "Merry Christmas." After all, I will exist on Christmas Day, and I would rather be merry on that day than to be sad. No matter what seasons greeting is used, I simply say, "Same to you." References :
Honestly? I don’t give a flying fruitinanie. It’s the meaning behind the gesture that I count, not the actual word. I don’t mind when people say ‘god bless’ or ‘ahem’ or anything like that. It’s a bit petty to get so bent out of shape over it. References :
January 31st, 2010 at 4:12 pm
I say "Merry Christmas" back.
I’m an atheist, not a dick.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 4:56 pm
I don’t get offended, but I find it very strange that so many Christians are offended when I say Happy Holidays.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 5:16 pm
I say "Merry Christmas" back.
I celebrate Christmas, love it. It’s about time with my family, eating, drinking, making merry.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 5:26 pm
No and I say it back. Yes, I celebrate the holiday. I like the food and good times.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 5:51 pm
I am not offended in the least. When someone wishes me "Merry Christmas" I wish them one in return.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 6:02 pm
I say Merry Christmas back. It doesn’t offend me at all. And I do celebrate the holiday, minus the religious stuff.
References :
Merry Christmas
January 31st, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Or do you celebrate Yule, Saturnalia or Natalis Invicti Solis? Do you even know that these were all distinct and separate celebrations?
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January 31st, 2010 at 6:48 pm
By and large, Christmas is a secular holiday.
Many people ALSO celebrate the religious side of it.
If you were to say "god bless you this Christmas" i might be a touch offended, but "Merry Christmas" is exactly what it means. have a wonderful day with your family and friends around a tree, opening presents, eating good food, having the day off, enjoy the hot chocolate, singing carols, sharing family memories. That’s all secular.
It’s a bit like saying marriage is a religious thing, just cause most people do it in a church.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 7:12 pm
I say Merry Christmas back. It would be rude not to, no?
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 7:57 pm
not at all. I love christmas
btw…it’s not the real birthday of jesus and was a holiday stolen from roman pagans.
enjoy.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Christmas is a Pagan Roman holiday celebrating the Winter Solstice, So the question to you is are you good sir offended?
I am not
It is just a greeting
And since said person would be saying it who generally is a Christian celebrates Christmas, he is not inclined to say Happy Hanuka (since it is not their faith it is the other person’s) unless the other person requests it.
Edit : CURSES MATT YOU BEAT ME TO THE PAGAN HOLIDAY!
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Even if I celebrated one of the other 4 holidays celebrated in December it wouldn’t bug me. Why would it?
Would it bother you if someone walked up to you and said "Happy Saturnalia"? How about "Happy Yule"? "Happy Kwanzaa"? "Happy Hanukkah"?
References :
agnostic-atheist
January 31st, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I don’t get offended unless someone reacts with hostility when I wish them a Happy Yule or Happy Holidays. I never assume someone is a certain religion unless I know for sure. Unfortunately people in my area ASSUME that EVERYONE they see is christian no matter what.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I do not. I do, however, add a Happy Hannukah… despite not being Jewish.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Christmas was always a pagan holiday that had little or nothing to do with Christians. In the past Christians have even opposed it as pagan blasphemy… the puritans banned it at one point, as did at least one pope.
As an atheist I still celebrate it (along with all the other atheists I know), we just don’t go to church. Same tree, same decorations, colors, etc. We may even celebrate it better than Christians since we know where all the symbology (tree and all) came from.
I often wish people Merry Christmas and am perfectly pleased when people wish me a Merry Christmas.
Hell, we even have a nativity scene. Only difference is we replaced Mary and Joseph with Isis and Zeus our three "wise men" are Odin, Thor, and Freya, and the baby Jesus has been replaced by Jack Bauer. XD
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 11:16 pm
I could care less.
I am getting tired of the very words, "offended", "offensive", etc.
Americans are sure getting thin-skinned and lilly-livered these days!
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 11:36 pm
i dont get mad, i celebrate it also as a matter of tradition, and your rght it has become a big holiday about going out and buying crap especially for christians, for me its about being with your loved ones no matter what you believe
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 11:44 pm
It’s a bit silly to get offended over well-wishes, unless someone is purposely trying to shove their believe of the Christian standard of the holiday, when it started out as a Pagan celebration in the first place.
References :
January 31st, 2010 at 11:59 pm
I don’t celebrate the holiday; I’d be showing up at work next Friday if the building wasn’t going to be locked.
I don’t get offended when somebody says, "Merry Christmas." After all, I will exist on Christmas Day, and I would rather be merry on that day than to be sad. No matter what seasons greeting is used, I simply say, "Same to you."
References :
February 1st, 2010 at 12:33 am
Honestly? I don’t give a flying fruitinanie. It’s the meaning behind the gesture that I count, not the actual word. I don’t mind when people say ‘god bless’ or ‘ahem’ or anything like that. It’s a bit petty to get so bent out of shape over it.
References :
February 1st, 2010 at 1:01 am
no of course not, its xma,s if soemone doesnt say it its just rude
yes of course its a social tradition,
my reaction is to smile and say merry xmas back
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February 1st, 2010 at 1:22 am
I say Happy Channukah back at them.
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